Cover Ghost Kitchen & Record Bar is one of Bali’s most exciting dining destinations (Photo: Ghost)
Ghost Kitchen & Record Bar is one of Bali’s most exciting dining destinations (Photo: Ghost)
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Bali is the ultimate escape for many Singaporeans, and Canggu’s thriving restaurant scene ensures gourmands are well catered to
Bali is more than just beach clubs, but you already know that. With Canggu’s flagrant rise to becoming the coolest spot on the island, chef talents aren’t just vacationing, they’re relocating, investing, and transforming it into a respectable culinary destination. From well-heeled chefs exporting their brilliance to stone sanctuaries amid emerald rice terraces, to avant-garde restaurateurs translating progressive ideas through tasty homage paying bites, these are the hottest tables that you must eat in when on the Island of the Gods.
Consider buying an open ticket, for it may compel even the most jaded weekend traveller to extend their Bali sojourn by at least one more delicious evening.
Read more: 11 best gelato spots in Bali for a blazing summer day refresh
Mei Mei
The gorgeous main dining hall of Mei Mei (Photo: Mei Mei)
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Mei Mei is one of the hottest restaurants in Canggu, delivering a uniquely progressive Southeast Asian barbecue experience. Look past the gorgeous interiors and cast your attention to the open kitchen, where executive chef Yudha Permana harnesses the flames to create dishes that pirouette between tradition and innovation.
Reminiscent of the quintessential pepes, a traditional Indonesian cooking method where ingredients are wrapped in banana leaves and steamed or grilled, the mackerel here is finished with a kiss of smoke, while pomelo sacs are tossed with charred calamari, prawns and fresh salad greens. The crescendo? A rather challenging Thai-Chinese wood-roasted duck. The bird is best enjoyed with aromatic accompaniments of scallion ginger and chilli crunch.
After dinner, check out the dome bar and let beverage director Windu Tenaya prepare one of his progressive, locally-inspired cocktails, from a bell pepper wet martini and watermelon chilli margarita to a lip-smacking pineapple rum-based number.
Mei Mei
Address: Jl. Pantai Batu Bolong Beach No.87, Canggu, Kec. Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Sazón
Sazón’s showstopping paella bejewelled with Iberico pork and mushroom sofrito (Photo: Sazón)
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Award-winning chef Andrew Walsh’s audacious Spanish fever dream comes to life in Canggu’s impossibly hip Batu Bolong strip. Under the stewardship of head chef Javier Vicente, a man who takes paella so seriously that he co-owned London’s Paella School, Sazón delivers unflinching authenticity.
The space itself, a collaboration with architect Nick Derickx, is a seductive blend of handcrafted timber, volcanic stone, and artisanal ceramics; by day, it filters Bali’s relentless sunshine; and by night, it glows like a gastronomic lighthouse attracting the hungry on the island. Feast on fat-stacked Spanish tortillas, luscious scallops in ajoblanco chilled almond soup, 28-day dry-aged Txuleta beef, and the showstopping paella bejewelled with Iberico pork and mushroom sofrito.
Beat the heat and wash the grub down with a glass of rosemary-kissed sangria with cranberry, peach, and rosella or sakura-infused white wine sangria with lychee and a splash of tonic.
Sazón
Address Jl. Pantai Batu Bolong no.93, Canggu, Kuta Utara, Badung Regency, Bali 80361
In case you missed it: Butcher Boy by chef Andrew Walsh opens in Salcedo Village
Origen
The extensive Mexican spread at Origen (Photo: Origen)
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Husband-and-wife restaurateurs Alvaro Rosales Machado and Casandra Escamilla Frutos have crafted a thematic space where traditional Mexican recipes come alive through Balinese ingredients. Thanks to executive chef Alejandro Urbina Andrade, formerly of award-winning restaurant Maison Couturier in Veracruz, Mexico, authenticity comes in the forms of fresh corn tortillas, guacamole prepared à la minute, and six homemade salsas of varying Scoville units.
Fresh local seafood, especially prawns and barramundi, make great additions to ceviches and tostadas. The hearty brunch special of chilaquiles, boasting layers of refried beans, onions, salsas and creamy avocados, pairs best with grilled beef. Tacos are obvious headliners: a trio of porky pleasures begins with taco lechon, stuffed with juicy shredded pork and its glorious gelatinous bits; tacos pastor, with thin strips of marinated pork enlivened with sweet pineapple and salsa fresca; and taco chicharron, liberated with crunchy pork belly and guacamole.
Boozy cocktails are all based on Origen’s extensive agave spirit collection, which is one of the most impressive on the island. And if the night is still young, head up the stunning stone spiral staircase and adjourn to Casa Mezcal, where the party doesn’t stop till the wee hours.
Origen
Address: Jl. Pantai Pererenan No.123, Pererenan, Kec. Mengwi, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80351, Indonesia
Longtime
The alluring feature bar in the main dining hall (Photo: Longtime)
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Slick 50s espionage-esque interiors that scream sexy? Check. Chic small plates packed with unapologetic flavour? Check. Longtime is quickly becoming Berawa’s hottest date night spot. Helmed by executive chef Tyler Preston, an alumnus of Chin Chin Melbourne and Bang Bang Byron Bay, Longtime attempts to rewrite the rules of modern Asian cuisine.
Take the Curious Burrata for instance, where fresh, locally sourced burrata is dressed with a lip-smacking chilli crunch, paired with crispy roti. Or the crowd-pleasing eggroll, which is reworked into a hunky beef rendang stuffed crispy spring roll that tangoes with homemade sambal hijau. Otherwise, the braised short rib, sporting a caramelised crust of sweet fish sauce, does enough to warrant a bowl of rice.
At the bar, celebrated bartender Jacob Sweetapple presents forward-thinking Asian- inspired tipples with creations like the green mango-laced martini, miso-kissed grapefruit tequila highball, and lemongrass and basil-infused gimlet.
Longtime
Address: Jl. Pantai Berawa No.13, Tibubeneng, Kec. Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Ghost
A wood-fire spread with chic cocktails at Ghost (Photo: Ghost)
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A playfully rebellious dining experience, Ghost juxtaposes the rustic charm of a wood-fired grill with the nostalgic warmth of vinyl records. The brainchild of cerebral chef-owner Tim Stapleforth and hospitality maven Jodi Langford, the couple (in both life and grind) bring alive flame-kissed plates that deconstruct their culinary core memories with surgical precision.
Stapleforth recalls his growing-up years in Queensland, New Zealand, with the hand-chopped beef tartare with a potato scallop—a nod to Queensland’s chip shops. Other highlights include the tender grilled octopus dancing with spicy nduja and sambal; juicy jerk pork chops rubbed with Indonesian spices and paired with smoked pineapple; and the deliriously witty reinterpretation of Bali’s favourite babi guling (pork dish), presented as an amuse bouche crumpet that is rich, textural and zingy.
Save space for dessert; the chocolate mousse is a luxed-up version of the Snickers bar. After the meal, get cosy by the vinyl-walled DJ booth, and do yourself a favour by ordering a clarified mezcal negroni to complement the warm groovy tunes.
Ghost Kitchen & Record Bar
Address: Jl. Pantai Berawa No.99, Tibubeneng, Kec. Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
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