While we can’t claim to be full-fledged vegans ourselves and we do enjoy sinking our teeth into a nice juicy burger, some crackling babi guling, pisang goreng, or some sizzling ramen and crispy chicken karaage every now and again, we’re big fans of eating clean.
Because when you eat better, you feel better and why not practice the whole “my body is my temple” in Bali, the land of a thousand temples—can we get an amin to that?
While it may have been difficult to find organic and vegan-friendly years ago, the health food scene in Bali has exploded, the only real challenge about keeping things healthy is picking where you’re going to fuel up at from the overwhelming pool of choices.
Honestly, it was pretty hard to limit this list down to all the options we even included, but these are our absolute top picks from cozy little vegan hipster cafes to high-end, gourmet raw food and everything in between.
Don’t even pretend to be shocked that most of them are located in Bali holistic-living capital Ubud and food trend hot spot, hipster-ville, Canggu.
Moksa
Dining at Moksa is an experience in and of itself. Taking the whole “farm to table” thing quite literally, you can see the actual soil where the food on your plate came from. The plant-based restaurant has its own permaculture organic farm, so they really do put their money where their mouth is. For instance, at lunch, you can see the farmers collect eggplant as you scuff down eggplant rendang. While they do have extremely inventive raw food options like avocado enchiladas and “lasagna love”, their heated offerings are just as creative, like jackfruit tacos and tempeh ribs. Moksa is very community oriented, hosting a regular farmers market and events encouraging social welfare engagement.
Puskesmas Ubud II, Gang Damai, Sayan
Everyday 10am-9pm
+62 813 3977 4787
info@Moksaubud.Com
Motion Cafe (formerly Avocado Cafe)
The cafe arm of Motion—as in the kickass, holistic Seminyak gym, retreat entity—Motion Cafe markets itself to anyone, but fitness addicts in particular, looking food a good, clean meal. Supporting local farmers and using organic products whenever possible, the cafe serves up homemade everything fit for whatever your dietary restrictions may they be paelo, vegan, gluten free, etc. Details are made to keep sustainable in the cafe like sticking to just glass straws and reusable napkins. In the mood for something sweet? Tuck into the gluten free sweet potato waffle with peanut butter, banana, almond, and golden spice for a vegan treat. If you’re looking for a real reboot and are in Bali for a bit, try one of Motion’s meal plans that are totally customizable to your diet, needs, and goals.
Jl. Pantai Batu Bolong 69b
Everyday 7am-10pm
0813-5334-5410
foodorder@motionfitnessbali.com
Peloton Supershop
One of our go-to Canggu brekkie spots, this vegan food joint (which is also a cycle shop and event space) was founded by cyclists, who aim to “tread lightly”, meaning live a low impact life and keep to sustainable practices. First open the menu to their “fastbreak” section for breakfast (8am-12pm) for a selection of smoothie bowls, porridge, toast, pancakes, and of note, the marathon: a breakfast board of scrambled tofu, garlic mushrooms, Mexican beans, greens, tomato salsa, zucchini, corn hash, and sauerkraut with your choice of dark rye, sourdough, or GF spinach toast with pesto. At lunch (12pm-4pm), take your pick from salad, sandwich, wrap, taco, nasi campur, or even lasagna options and now they even do dinner (5:30pm-9:30pm) which has some of the same choices from lunch, plus must-try items like a vegan take on a rendang burger!
Jl. Pantai Berawa no. 46, Canggu
Everyday 7:30am-10pm
Juice bar: 7:30am-9:30pm
Kitchen: 8am-9:30pm
+62 813 3761 9335
info@pelotonsupershop.com
Sakti Dining Room at Fivelements
If you’re ever going to have a luxury, plant-based, raw, vegan dining experience, then the Sakti Dining Room at the eco-luxury wellness retreat Fivelements is it. Set in the countryside, situated between the Ayung River and lush tropical ponds and gardens, the grounds of the Fivelements are simply breathtaking and the bamboo structure with a thatched roof of their award-wining Sakti Dining Room is a sight to behold. An emphasis on fine organic ingredients and local farmers, sustainable agriculture and environmentally friendly products, Sakti will convert even the most insistent of carnivores. Opt for a signature chef’s specialty tasting menu for lunch and dinner (three, five, and seven-course meals) or just order a la carte if you prefer to be behind the wheel.
Banjar Adat Baturning, Mambal Bali
Everyday
Breakfast: 7am-11am
Lunch: 7am-11am
Afternoon tea & snack: 3:30pm-6pm
Dinner: 6pm-10pm (9:30pm last order)
(0361) 469260
contact@fivelements.org
Earth Cafe (Down to Earth fam)
What’s a Bali healthy food guide without mention of Down to Earth, the OG of Bali clean eating as we know it, the successful umbrella of health food restaurants and markets that popped up in 2002 and continues to keep on growing. Arguably their best-known venture is Earth Cafe & Market, as its name suggests, a cafe and market serving up a fresh organic menu, including whole grains, non-refined flour and sugar, raw food options, along with made-to-order cold-pressed juices. With locations on in “Eat Street” in Seminyak and the trendy Jl. Goutama in Ubud, you’ll be impressed by how many everyday food items the cafe has the healthy, ‘whole’ version of: tacos, pizza, pasta, burger (veggie of course), cheesecake, ice cream, and pie, the list goes on and on.
Jl. Kayu Aya no. 99, Seminyak
Everyday, 7am-11pm
+62 (0) 851 0304 4645
info@earthcafebali.com
and
Jl. Goutama Selatan, Ubud
Everyday 7am-10pm
+62 (0) 361 976546
Paradiso Ubud
Did you know Bali is home to the world’s first organic, vegan theatre? Of all places, yes, it would be in Ubud and this is another offshoot of Down to Earth. Paradiso is a cinema that has nightly screenings, along with live performances, art exhibitions, yoga and dance classes, talks, workshops, family events, and more. Paradiso is adjacent to the Ubud Earth Cafe, so you can just order straight off their menu and catch whatever flick happens to be playing!
Jl. Goutama Selatan, Ubud
Check program for event listings
+62 (0) 857 3761 4050
info@paradisoubud.com
Zula
Sweet little sister of Earth Cafe and part of the Down to Earth fam, Zula doesn’t dub themselves as “Vegetarian Paradise” for nothing. Zula—now available in Legian and Sanur—is all about vegetarian and vegan options based on what’s seasonably available to support local and organic farming. Organic, non-GMO, cooked using pure sea salt, spring water, stainless-steel cookware, traditional methods—and damn straight no MSG, you can rest assured eating here that you’re getting the cleanest and the freshest. Their Legian location has a delivery service, though you’ll find the little shop quite cozy to hangout at. Yeah, we know you can get avo toast anywhere but try theirs: bright ripe avocado mashed on a pita of your choice, toasted in olive oil & zaatar (wild mountain thyme), topped with cherry tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts & calamata olives. NOM.
Jl. Dyhana Pura no. 5, Legian
Everyday, 7am-11pm
+62 (0) 361 732723; WA +62 (0) 812 399 00909
delivery available
and
Jl. Danau Tamblingan no. 50, Sanur
Everyday 7am-10pm
+62 (0) 361 8497244
Alchemy
As the island’s first 100 percent raw vegan cafe, Alchemy is your one-stop shop for all things… drumroll… raw and vegan. Check out their sizable salad bar stocked with organic farm fresh ingredients from their own farm if you’re in the Ubud hood for lunch. At all curious about raw vegan pizza? Alchemy’s is worth the gamble, especially the mushroom and spinach one! They’ve also got a range of organic juices, all the superfood options you could imagine, a menu of raw desserts and chocolates, and a cute little shop area with those hard-to-find products in Bali, including organic cosmetics and house essentials. We recommend finishing things off with their famous Cloud 9, a vegan vanilla cheesecake with raspberry coulis.
Jl. Penestanan Klod, ubud
Everyday 7am-9pm
+62 361 971981
marketing@alchemybali.com
Secret Spot
Secret Spot started out as a little hole-in-the-wall froyo shop in Bukit and despite its tiny little space in Ungasan, has become less of a secret and more of an essential stop for froyo with with a comprehensive selection of healthy organic toppings (like they even have spirulina granola) or a smoothie bowl (our favorite is the super green). Their success in Bukit has carried them to Canggu where they’ve opened up a second location with an extended menu that not only has more froyo flavor choices, but also tempting (yet guilt-free) items like chia-buckwheat waffles, pumpkin soup, and village pie.
Jl. Raya Uluwatu no. 68 (in front of Nirmala Ungasan)
Everyday 8am-10pm
0852-8887-0777
and
Jl. Berawa no. 44
balisecretspot@gmail.com
Cashew Tree
Located near Bali’s chilled out Bingin Beach, Cashew Tree is not only a fixture in the Bukit social scene (hello, Thursday night parties!) and a place for badasses to train in Muay Thai at the attached Bali Fitness Centre, but also a family-friendly cafe with healthy options. Set in a spacious tropical garden, the vibes are strong and you’ll want to stay long here. By far, our favorite menu items are their bowls. They have a healthier take on the Indonesian nasi goreng (fried rice) using organic brown rice that’s topped with greens, an egg, tofu and tempe satay. One of our go-to orders is the budha bowl: wild rice, pumpkin tofu cashew curry, carrot kimchi, spinach, and haloumi. We’re drooling just thinking about it now.
Jl. Pantai Bingin
Thursdays 8am-12pm
Friday-Wednesday 8am-10pm
085953789675
He’enalu
Serving up a mean poke bowl and killer soft tacos (they come in pumpkin tortilla), the Hawaiian cafe He’enalu has quickly become one of our favorite go-to spots for drool-worthy healthy eating in the Bukit. Okay, while some of their menu items are healthier than others (beet and cashew pasta vs spaghetti carbonara), we like that everything is fresh and homemade. Try the pitaya bowl for a power brekkie or get the salad bowl for a little fusion: mixed salad of greens, tomato, ionion, cucumber avocado, and crispy tempe—we recommend dressed with the Japanese-style wafu. Chase it all down with one of their fresh juices. Our favorite is eternal bliss: celery stalk, spinach, apple, parsley, lime, lemon, ginger. Check out their attached gourmet grocery shop for natural and healthy products. They also serve exotic teas, fruit & nut smoothies, and the magical herbal potion, jamu.
Jl. Raya Uluwatu no. 70X, Pecatu
Everyday 10am-6pm
+62815-2910-1091, +62898-8384-180
heenalu.bali@gmail.com
Bali Buda
As one of Bali’s foremost health food businesses—that’s been around since 1994—Bali Buda is an essential pit stop for the health conscious in Bali. Promoting slow food, organic agriculture, and giving back to the community, Bali Buda makes everything homemade everyday. Their Ubud, Sanur, and Kerobokan cafes have a ton of fun options like gourmet caesar salad burger (healthier than it sounds!), raw flax pizza crackers, and a macrobiotic plate: grilled GMO-free tofu, steamed broccoli, chickpeas, grated daikon, spirulina, gomashio, with brown rice and a side of miso soup. While the other locations have a full-on cafe and accompanying shop, the Bukit location has a small, but surprisingly comprehensive shop with a cafe that does not carry their full menu, but does have some juices, coffee, wraps, sandwiches, and other various baked goods.
Jl. Jembawan no. 1, Ubud (across from Ubud Post Office)
(0361) 976324 / 978963
Locations also in Kerobokan, Sanur and Bukit
Watercress
Situated in that chill, hip Batu Belig area as Seminyak sprawls into Canggu, Watercress of the Good Food Brotherhood (Milk & Madu, Ulekan, Shmurger Burger, Bangkok Hustle) is a favorite amongst food and lifestyle bloggers for their Byron Bay roots and resulting good vibes. Come hungry for their “rustic brekkie”. Can’t go wrong with spinach free-range eggs benny or an acai bowl with superfood goodness, complete with banana, strawberry, blueberry, coconut, goji berry, chi seeds, bee pollen, crunchy flakes. They serve fresh juices, Revolver Espresso, and Happy Kombucha, to drop a few names, so you’re going to want to get a drink. Go for lunch to get to that showcase, where you can pick from all the goodies: salads, quiches, crepes, vegetable lasagnas, and fresh fish. Or simply order a la carte and try the veggie burger or lemon roast chicken on sourdough. Now open for dinner, you can also choose from dishes like their line caught sashimi grade tuna or their zucchini ribbons to keep it healthy.
Jl. Batu Belig no. 21A, Kerobokan
Everyday 7:30am-10pm
+62 85102808030
and
Jl. Monkey Forest Road, Ubud
hello@watercressbali.com
Livingwell
An organic cafe and shop attached (but independent of) the Pepito near GWK. No chemicals, no MSG, etc, Livingwell‘s got a pretty good-sized menu for such a small place, with salads, wraps, buns (think bao buns), noodles, and of course, smoothie bowls. A healthy selection of juices and shakes are also on offer. The salmon dill wrap always gets a foodgasm out of us: homemade whole wheat pumpkin tortilla skin, filled with seared salmon, quinoa, chia seed, mixed salad, onion, mozzarella, dill, and cream cheese. Have a browse through their shop for a small assortment of produce and other health food items. If you have a sweet tooth, make sure to check out the glass display case filled with “healthy” sweets like protein and energy balls and raw cakes.
Jl. Uluwatu no. 9 (next to Pepito GWK), Ungasan
Everyday 8am-10pm
0361-3350585, 0812-3601-9111 (they deliver within a limited range)
info@livingwellbali.com
Cafe Organic
Health conscious vegetarian meals with locally sourced produce that you can bet your bottom dollar are organic at this place. #GardenGangstas is the hashtag used by Cafe Organic, which popped up in Seminyak and expanded with another cafe in Canggu. Smoothies packed with super foods, fresh juices, salad bowls, and smoothie bowls are all on the menu for brekkie and lunch. For dinner, chow down on tofu laksa, zucchini noodles, a sweet potato burger, or cheeky buns: shitake mushroom, silken tofu, pickled cucumber, soy marinated shredded carrot, and vinegar sesame dressing. The cafes’ interiors are the things of Instagram dreams with whitewashed furniture, potted plants, Bali-style parasols.
Jl. Petitenget no. 99z, Seminyak
and
Jl. Batu Bolong, Canggu
Everyday 7am-5pm, 6pm-10pm
+62 812 3612 8341
info@cafeorganicbali.com
The Seeds of Life
A pioneer in the raw food revolution that’s certainly hit the shores of Bali, the Seeds of Life is a must for any raw food devotee eating their way through Ubud. Their lasagna—they have Mexican and Italian versions—is one of their most famous creations, complete with “rawmesan” cheese. Another cool Ubudian thing on offer here is the Taoist Tonic Bar, which serves a variety of ancient elixirs to balance the Yin and Yang elements of your body. If you get confused with the jing, qi, shen, and adaptability candle-shaped charts on their tonic bar menu, just consult with their in-house expert. In addition to its raw food space and Taoist Tonic Bar, Seeds of Life also boasts a raw food chef academy/certification program, yoga retreats, and the head chef and founder also does holographic kinetics—an aboriginal healing technique.
Jl. Gootama no. 2, Ubud
Everyday 8am-10pm
(0361) 970650
ben@theseedsoflife.net
The Shady Shack
Health nuts are going mad for the vegan, gluten AND dairy free overloaded menu at the quirky, offbeat Shady Shack overlooking the rice fields in Canggu.Our personal favorite, the nori bowl, which has everything from seaweed greens to coral ginger, red and brown rice and carrot orange and cabbage purple vegetarian rolls. Also worth a taste are the chickbeans that one-up your basic avo-toast and come with Japanese-style onsen eggs over mashed avocado and chickpeas with toast on the side. Make sure to ask what daily special raw treats they have because these are deliciously guilt-free sweets.
Everyday 7:30am-5pm
Jl. Tanah Barak no. 57, Canggu
+62 812 36116466
Nüde
Nüde is great if you want to dabble in raw food but don’t want to plunge in headfirst. Their menu has it all from gluten free to vegan and veggie delights, but also has burgers so good that it made it into our top Bali burger roundup. Choose from healthy salad bowls and imaginative creations like the raw zucchini spaghetti in a creamy coconut and mushroom sauce, nut parmesan and dill OR a sun dried tomato marinara. Catering to families, Nude has a kids menu with kid-sized versions of their finger-licking good burgers.
Jl. Pantai Berawa no. 33
Everyday 7:30am-10pm
0852-3821-4003
howdy@nudecanggu.com
The Spicy Coconut
We love the casual, relaxed atmosphere at Batu Belig’s 100 percent vegetarian cafe, the Spicy Coconut. Organic produce is sourced daily from the local market with a large vegan range. Devour refreshing juices, smoothies, and smoothie bowls or pick the power porridge or granola from their breakfast (8am-12pm) menu. For lunch (12pm-3:30pm), have a go at one of their many salad bowls like the lush bowl: grilled haloumi, feta, rocket, beetroot, sun dried tomatoes, mixed seeds, caramelized balsamic order. OR, if you really can’t find anything to satiate your needs, they’re happy to whip you up a customized salad. Plus, they’ve got an adorable “mini meals” section on the menu for kids with choices like mini peanut butter toast and mini avo.
Jl. Batu Belig no. 81
Monday-Saturday, 8am-3:30pm
0812 4645 8250
Ruko Cafe
We know you’re reading this guide for the sake of healthy food, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t advise you to sip on Ruko’s special Indonesian house blend—they do call themselves a coffee shop with healthy food, after all! All day breakfast with smoothie bowls, avo toast, and offerings like green goodness: zucchini noodles with basil pesto, kale, rucola, avocado, toasted seeds, feta and polenta, plus falafel. Get one of their loaded salads or give the naked burger a chance: lentil and herb patty, on a bed of pumpkin tahini puree, peppers, pickles, slaw and greens topped with sesame and sprouts.
Jl. Pantai Berawa no. 99, Canggu
Everyday 7:30am-4pm
ruko_cafe@hotmail.com
0812-3967-3077
The Elephant
We’d come to The Elephant overlooking the exquisite Tjampuhan Ridge in Ubud for the drool-worthy interiors and even just the view alone, but of course we’d stay for their delicious, eco-conscious vegetarian food that can easily be adjusted to become vegan and gluten free. We’re nuts for the handmade potato gnocchi: pesto, baby beans & pine nuts or burnt sage butter & almonds on wilted spinach. The Japanesey salad’s also a favorite: tofu, nori, tomato, greens, carrot, cucumber, ginger, sesame, mayo & a mirin dressing. A part of the slow food movement, The Elephant practices responsible waste management, has a permaculture garden, sources chemical free vegetables, and harvests and filters their own rainwater.
Hotel Taman Indrakila
Jl. Raya Sanggingan, Ubud
Everyday 8am-9:30pm
085 100 161 907
the.elephant.office@gmail.com
Divine Earth
Touting itself as organic vegan fine dining, Divine Earth boasts serving nutrient-packed ingredients grown by environmentally conscious farmers from Indonesia and abroad. The owner is a trained macrobiotic counsellor and nutritionist, clearly reflected when dining at the restaurant. The “vegan heaven on Earth” offers main dishes, cooked and raw, like beetroot carpaccio, portobello steak (raw), and pumpkin ravioli with raw vegan cheese. And don’t miss out on their mouthwatering dessert selection.
Jl. Raya Basangkasa 1200A, Seminyak
Everyday 7am-11pm
+62 (0) 361 – 731964
info@divineearthbali.com
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