Ubud offers a diverse range of Indonesian dining options. You will find both simple warungs that serve local meals and modern restaurants that serve fancy versions of classic meals.
This guide lists our pick of the top Indonesian restaurants for every budget.
Budget-Friendly Indonesian Restaurants in Ubud
Cafe Wayan
Cuisine Style: Cafe Wayan serves Indonesian and Balinese dishes. It focuses on simple cooking with fair prices.
Menu: You will find classics like satay, gado-gado, and nasi goreng.
Signature Dish: Nasi campur. This is a plate of rice served with small portions of meat, vegetables, and spicy sambal.
Best For: Affordable food in a beautiful garden. This venue is great for a casual lunch or an early dinner.
Sun Sun Warung
Cuisine Style: Sun Sun Warung serves Balinese and Indonesian home-style meals. The food is simple, and the portions are generous. Prices are affordable for central Ubud.
Menu: You can expect local family recipes and home-style cooking.
Signature Dish: Nasi Campur and Ayam Betutu. The Nasi Campur is famous here because the rice is bright blue! It comes with many small bites of chicken and vegetables. The Ayam Betutu is chicken cooked in a traditional spice paste until it is very tender.
Best For: Travellers who want authentic flavours in a casual, traditional courtyard setting. It is a great choice for lunch or dinner without spending too much.
Waroeng Bernadette
Cuisine Style: Waroeng Bernadette is a Javanese-style warung. The owner brings traditional recipes from Solo, Central Java. The food is prepared in a simple, honest style with a variety of options for vegetarians and vegans.
Menu: You can order classic dishes from several regions of Indonesia. Their spicy sauce is hot.
Signature Dish: Beef Rendang. This dish originally comes from West Sumatra. The meat is slow-cooked in coconut milk and spices until it is very rich and tender. There is also a jackfruit rendang for vegetarians that has a similar flavour and is popular among patrons.
Best For: Travellers who want authentic rendang in a cool, vintage setting. The walls are covered in old posters. It is great for lunch or dinner.
Mid-Range Indonesian Dining in Ubud
Mr. Wayan, Coffee & Eatery
Cuisine Style: Mr. Wayan, Coffee & Eatery serves traditional Indonesian dishes alongside lighter cafe options.
Menu: The menu features familiar favourites and local recipes.
Signature Dish: Nasi Goreng Bongkot and ‘Dirty Duck’. The Nasi Goreng Bongkot is a zesty fried rice made with a special ginger flower. Their ‘Dirty Duck’ is a famous crispy fried duck that is popular in Ubud. You can also find reliable classics like grilled satay.
Best For: A comfortable lunch or a long dinner over beautiful green rice fields. The setting is more polished and comfortable than a typical warung. If you visit on a Wednesday or Friday night, you can also enjoy live music while you eat.
Pistachio Restaurant Ubud
Cuisine Style: Pistachio Restaurant serves Indonesian, Asian and western dishes.
Menu: Dishes combine local recipes with flavours from across Asia. As there are both Indonesian and western options, you can order a burger or local noodles, there is something for everyone here.
Signature Dish: Mie Goreng. These are stir-fried noodles with vegetables, egg, and mild spices. The Mie Goreng comes with a delicious spicy sambal, crackers and pickles.
Best For: A casual dinner or lunch on a quiet yet popular street. The restaurant sits right next to green rice fields and has an elegant and calming atmosphere.
Ely’s Kitchen Ubud
Cuisine Style: Ely’s Kitchen serves Indonesian and Asian food.
Menu: The menu features classic Indonesian staples and Pan-Asian flavours, including Thai and Vietnamese influences.
Signature Dish: Gado-gado and Grilled Fish. The Gado-gado is a vegetable dish served with a savoury peanut sauce. Their grilled fish is also a favourite and is cooked in a traditional local style.
Best For: A quiet dinner in a beautifully decorated and picturesque environment. The restaurant is inside a beautiful hotel on the north side of Ubud.
Contemporary and Upscale Indonesian Restaurants in Ubud
Hujan Locale
Cuisine Style: Hujan Locale serves modern Indonesian food. They find old village recipes from all over the country and give them a high-end makeover. The setting is elegant but still feels friendly.
Menu: Regional dishes are designed for ‘family-style’ dining. The restaurant serves many ‘small plates’ that are perfect for sharing and trying new, modern flavours, just like Indonesians do at home.
Signature Dish: Modern Beef Rendang. This is a fancy version of the classic slow-cooked beef.
Best For: A special dinner in a polished dining room. The restaurant is inside a big, beautiful venue that is ideal for a special occasion.
Spice by Blake
Cuisine Style: This restaurant offers a modern, chef-led take on Indonesian food. Chef Blake uses traditional flavours but prepares them with the precision you would find in a top French or New York restaurant.
Menu: A curated selection of ‘tasting-style’ plates defines the offering.
Signature Dish: Small Tasting Plates. These dishes feature slow-cooked meats and local spices. The focus is on perfect seasoning and high-quality, local produce.
Best For: People who want to see a modern twist on Indonesian cooking. For a fun experience, you can sit at a long counter and watch the chefs cook your food right in front of you.
Nusantara by Locavore Group
Cuisine Style: Nusantara focuses on authentic food from all over Indonesia. They are famous for using 100% Indonesian ingredients. Everything comes from local farmers and fishermen.
Menu: The chefs update the menu often to feature recipes from all over the country.
Signature Dish: The Sharing Menu. You get a large tray with many small bowls of ‘forgotten’ recipes from places like Sumatra, Java, and Sulawesi. The flavours are very bold and traditional.
Best For: Food lovers who want to explore regional cooking. The restaurant even shows you a map so you can see exactly where your food comes from.
Borderless Cuisine at Apéritif Restaurant
Apéritif Restaurant offers a high-end ‘borderless’ fine dining experience.
The chefs mix European cooking styles with local Indonesian ingredients. The menu blends French, Japanese, and Balinese traditions using local ingredients like lemon basil and palm sugar.
Apéritif Restaurant’s kitchen is led by Executive chef Nic Vandeerbeeken, who has trained in Michelin Star kitchens around the world.
The space is formal and elegant. The dining room looks like a grand house from the 1920s. It feels like stepping back in time. Book now.
Best Indonesian Restaurants in Ubud – FAQs
- What is the difference between Balinese and Indonesian food?
Balinese food is a specific regional style. Indonesian food is a broad collection of flavours from across the country’s islands. Balinese cuisine commonly uses pork and a special spice paste called bumbu genep. Other Indonesian regions have their own distinct traditions.
- Is Indonesian food always spicy?
Not always. Many dishes use aromatic spices that provide flavour without a lot of heat. Most restaurants serve sambal (chilli sauce) on the side so you can control the spice level yourself.
- Are warungs safe for travellers?
Most popular warungs are perfectly safe to dine at. They follow good hygiene and cook food fresh. If you have a very sensitive stomach, a formal restaurant might be a better fit.
- Do I need to make a reservation for dinner?
Yes. Popular spots fill up quickly, especially during dinner and peak travel seasons.
- Should I choose a local warung or fine dining for Indonesian food?
It really comes down to your budget and the vibe you want. Warungs offer a casual, low-cost way to taste traditional recipes. For a more polished night out, try an upscale restaurant. You will get professional service and beautifully plated food.
