Bali: The Best New Instagrammable Cafes Guide Map

Bali, as I have been saying, and is also known to the world, is a tropical paradise filled with historic, spiritual, religious, and cultural spots. While your traveling itinerary to Bali (especially the first time) is probably filled with lots of sightseeing and active adventures, consider taking some time and dive into the vibrant café scene, indulging yourself in some delicious healthy food, and treat yourself to the relaxing and layback lifestyle of this tropical island.

In fact, Bali is also emerging as a hotspot, (or heaven? haven?), for digital nomads and freelancers these years so don’t be surprised to get to meet someone from all around the world, who is taking a few months off on the island while they are at their jobs.

These cafés are wonderful places to meet and connect with other people, and at the same time take out your laptop to get some work done for employers that could be thousands of miles away. Given that there are so many cafes in Bali, don’t worry about long queues or busy crowds (though some cafes do get busy on the weekends), and many of them serve a wide selection of food from day to night.

If you are a tourist, take the time and sample the wide range of food and dishes each café has to offer. You can also learn more about Indonesian food. These cafes may have more healthy and delicious dishes on the menu than you imagine – good coffee, smoothies, kombucha, keto-food, and vegan food… infused with cuisines from all around the world. No matter whether you want a cleanse or some comfort food, there is always something that may pique your interest. Some of the cafes have live music bands, showcases, a garden, or even a mini pool to have a dip!

Scroll to the bottom you will find a Bali café and dining guide map that shows the best cafes in Bali, mainly from Canggu to Kuta, along with some other points of interest to explore in the area.

Kuta

Kuta is in fact a huge coverage of the lower west coast of Bali, and it’s been a tourist classic because of the 2.5-kilometer-long stretch of Kuta Beach of cream-colored sand, and strong waves for surfers.

There are plenty of clubs, bars, and hotels along Kuta and therefore it’s also the most crowded and busiest area with heavy traffic day and night. Many cafes, massage parlors, and restaurants are lined up on Jl. Petitenget in the north end of Kuta.

Desa Mesako has a strong Latin America vibe with a colorful interior, and vibrant graphics are painted basically everywhere – from the walls and ceiling to tables. The chairs and utensils are full of fun to match the dishes they presented to the diners.

The signature dishes on the menu include chips served with tomato salsa and guacamole; chicken or beef nachos with melted cheese, sour cream, and jalapenos; house-made tortilla tacos; quesadillas with fresh capsicums cheddar, onion, and herbs; tortilla with Mexican rice, beans, romaine salsa roja; and churros with chocolate or salted caramel sauce.

To refresh your palette, order a smoothie – my favorite is the meditation, a blend of mango, almond milk, banana, green apple, yogurt, and honey. It is thick and gluey and the straw has quite a girth.  Instagram @desameksikocafe

Livingstone is famous for its croissant and you can learn all about the café on its menu. The café opened in 2014 and it claimed to serve the best croissants in Bali. Pair your choice of pastry with their coffee, as their goal is to inspire people through their work. The café has an open and spacious area where you can choose to sit either indoors or outdoors.

If you are going there for breakfast, try their croissant benedict, LS ham cheese croissant, and scrambled egg croissant. For lunch and dinner, the café also serves a wide selection of burgers, salad, pizza, main dishes, and pasta.

They also have a great menu of signature artisan iced coffee – my favorites are the iced caramel orange latte, lemongrass honey coffee, and iced coconut mocha. If you already have enough caffeine for the day, have a happy kombucha or smoothie. While they are known for their croissant, watermelon bread is also very popular, too. livingstonebakery.com

Starbucks Reserve Dewata is a special Starbucks franchise inside and out. The café is a trendy mix of modern designs and traditional Balinese décor. The front of the café has a strong contrast of metallic framework and wooden frames, accentuated by Balinese stone sculpture.

The store is an educational facility, taking customers on a journey about the production of coffee. It is a reminder of the coffee bean production in Bali with a lively exhibit that begins from a coffee farm. From seed to cup, it tells a story of Indonesian flavors, culture, and history.

Walk through the store with a cup of their signature blend, The freshly roasted expresso has a strong and distinguished aroma with notes of sweet tobacco and plantain.
The back of the store is an interactive illustration of coffee production and we all learned how the de-pulping machine works. Don’t forget to check out the large fresco in the outdoor area of the café. dewata.starbucks.co.id

Pison Coffee is a fashionable coffee spot with a couple of my favorite massage parlors nearby. At the corner of a busy road, it is a hotspot that has a waiting crowd (especially at night) all day. Pison Coffee is a small building with exposed brick walls and an industrial vibe that is trendy for an Instagram photo shot.
At night, it has regular live music performances and I have to say the singer was really professional – her rendition of Adele’s “Easy on me” was so enjoyable.
There are also some exciting dishes on the menu, from a wide range of coffee brews, beers, bakeries at the bar, all-day breakfast, pasta, steak, and fish, to dessert. I just love their carrot cake and the steak is good value. Instagram @pisoncoffee

Berawa

Berawa is filled with private villas, and massage places, interspersed with hip cafes and shops.

The commercial activities are lining up along Jl Pantai Berawa, connecting with Kuta from one end to Jl. Raya Semat, connecting with Canggu Beach on the other.

The area has some small cafes yet also some fabulous dining places, like Mowie’s which has a small pool, and matcha café which has only a few tables but is a specialization in matcha.

 

Milk & Madu Café is a popular café on the end of Berawa, and it’s difficult not to notice the bustling crowd every night. The tables are packed with diners even though it has a rather spacious area. Milk & Madu delivers delicious all-day breakfast, lunch, and dinner with some classic Western styles and dishes on the menu.

For starters, go for the Madu poached eggs with hollandaise sauce or three egg skillets with bacon. If you want something more savory and fulfilling, go for pork ribs or steaks, and their pizzas are quite special. milkandmadu.com

Milu By Nook is one of Nook’s café located in Canggu. It may look nothing special from the outside, but it’s a completely different world once you enter.

Walking through the small boutique store and the shabby-chic indoor area of the café, there is an outdoor area with an abundance of tropical nature at the back where diners can comfortably sit on the armchairs and sofa and enjoy a relaxing and delicious meal.

The Nook team kept the essence of what happened in Umalas and El Passo in Pererenan. For brekkie, go for an Ocean Reef smoothie bowl, and for lunch or dinner, go for their signature burger with a charcoal bun. Instagram @milubynook

Mowie’s Berawa is a new café that looks like a summer club itself. The bright and open area offers a casual and laid-back vibe to anyone who enters – just kick off your shoes, have a seat, and have a taste of their bagels, egg benny, or veggie dishes.

Their Tape Pancake is a house-made fluffy pancake with fermented cassava custard, salted miso butter, and mixed berry compote. Save room for their New York-style lime cheesecake before having a dip in the mini pool at the back of the café. Instagram @mowiesbali

Cinta Café has an open and wonderful view overlooking some rice paddies at the back. At night, the jazz band gave a rather lively performance of some oh-so-classic songs. That’s why the café is always filled with diners at night and they all seem to have a great time.

I had a great experience with their dishes for dinner and their baked shakshuka with mushrooms is to die for. They also have some exquisite Western dishes like seared tuna, croquettes, chicken parmigiana, filet mignon, and salmon risotto. For breakfast, venture their beetroot hummus or have a syrniki (Russian) pancake made with cottage cheese. Instagram@cafecinta

Nude is a trendy and modern place with both indoor and outdoor seating. They work with small-scale farmers and fishermen to course produce from all over Bali.

By choosing local ingredients harvested and prepared in Balinese traditional methods, Nude aims to help create value in remote communities and preserve ancient agricultural wisdom.

Look at their Nude Bowls which have some innovative choices, like the watermelon & feta bowl with basil, mint, and local herbs. Cashews, and olives; or the tuna poke bowl with turmeric rice, avocado, chipotle aioli, and sesame soy dressing. nudeincanggu.com

Hungry Bird Coffee Roaster is a true coffee place if you want to have a nice cup of coffee. The owner of Hungry Bird used to roast beans with his coffee machine in his bedroom and he taught himself a thing or two about coffee making. With the unique knowledge that is basically acquired himself, he opened a hungry bird and shared his taste with the world.

While a cup of coffee is mandatory, don’t forget to have some of their yummy yet affordable breakfasts on the menu to have a complete picture of what this place has to offer. hungrybird.coffee

Matcha Cafe Bali has always popped up in my head because of its very attractive and easy-to-remember name – and by looking from the outside, it’s a small café with only three or four tables but the menu has quite impressive choices of refreshing combo juice, healthy snacks and of course, its namesake, matcha tea.

The café uses top-grade matcha from Japan’s Uji, the homeland of matcha, and turns them into delicious dishes with their magic, like matcha pancakes, vegan matcha banana bread, and a chicken burger topped with matcha buns.

For tea time, the cafe’s tea set is a selection of chia pudding (and I chose bloody dragon fruit), fresh juice (and I chose tangerine and citron), and a matcha latte (or any other signature drinks), the color combination of red, orange and green are just delightful! matchacafebali.com

Neighbourhood Food is just a few meters away from Matcha Café, Neighbourhood Food changed the tone with the dark green paint and cement walls. This café serves beverages produced locally by artisan makers, and Australian-inspired cuisine.

Have a try of their Hood Benedict – layers were stacked with confit potato hash, eggs, jalapeno hollandaise, and a choice of smoked salmon, halloumi, or bacon. For something lighter, go for their beetroot fritters or chicken salad with crispy skin barramundi and lemon-herb dressing. Instagram @neighbourhoodbali

Pantai Batu Bolong

Batu Balong and its nearby area is an active hub, filled with shopping arcades, a yoga center, a water sports rental, a hostel, and dining experiences. The hype begins in the Jl. Pantai Batu Bolong, connecting to Canggu Beach and Batu Bolong Beach, and then converging to Jl Batu Mejan Canggu, and Jl Nelayan. This area has a vibrant nightlife for some club hopping.

Cafe Vida is nestled behind a big tree and it has a homey feeling. The café is run by a Balinese family and diners can just sit back and enjoy a fulfilling smoothie bowl – from chocolate magic, and mango turmeric lassi to ninja dragon.

If you have a craving for dessert, it is recommended to order their house-made organic dessert, featuring a selection of raw, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and guilt-free desserts made with superfoods: mixed superfood bar, cacao acai bliss balls, choc mint nut-free brownies, peanut butter chocolate crackle, and cacao hemp seed and an almond protein bar. cafe-vida-bali.business.site

The Common Cafe is located in the heart of Batu Bolong and it is a popular spot for visitors to enjoy a delicious brunch or dinner. What I love the most is their “make your own” commoners bowl. It is a five-ingredient combo with a mixture of protein, grain or green base, veggies, toppings, and extra side dishes.

Customers can select barramundi, salmon, lamb grilled chicken, or tofu (if you want to make it vegetarian), and the veggies and toppings are a wide selection of sweet potato, pumpkin, eggs, eggplant, avocado, and seeds, asparagus, kimchi, sauerkraut, beetroot feta dip, whipped tahini and sweet chili and so on. thecommonbali.com

Pura Batu Mejan and the surrounding

Shady Shack stayed true to its name and from the outside, it is a wooden cottage-like café with a tropical vibe with rice fields on both sides of the road in Batu Bolong. While the café prepared a vegetarian menu for diners, they have a lot of exciting dishes for brunch, including vegan lasagne, smoothie bowl, superfood salad, avo on toast, open omelet, and don’t forget to order their raw banoffee cheesecake.

To make it even more detoxing – give your immune system a boost with their turmeric latte or dragonfruit kombucha. Instagram @theshadyshack

The Avocado Factory has been a tasty and wonderful superfood, and the Avocado Factory used this ingredient in basically everything from drinks, and food to desserts. The classics – have an avocado on toast or burgers, have an avocado omelet, and pair it with the smoothie that has chunks of avocado in the dipping sauce.

As if it is not enough, their “avo pancake” is an absolute delight and a scrumptious treat to hungry diners. For something light and simple, have an omelet, avocado slices, and a piece of sourdough with coffee. This is just what we need to start another lovely day. Instagram @theavocadofactory

Mile-End Kitchen and Bar is a gypsy, contemporary small café located at the intersection within walking distance of the Avocado Factory. Customers may be pleasantly surprised to know that the brunch dishes were prepared by famous Canadian chef Robin Filteau-Boucher, with fresh and local produce.

Main dishes include seafood pasta and tuna steak. green curry… and have a taste of one of their milkshakes, my favorites are kev’s kopi with expresso and peanut butter, and banana chai with coconut milk and tahini. mile-endkb.com

Pererenan

Pererenan Beach has a relatively more peaceful and quieter surrounding and it’s in the north of Canggu. The famous temple. Tanah Lot is about 15 to 20 minutes away. It is recommended to tourists to stay there who really enjoy a relaxing beach time. The main road of Pererenan features a lineup of cafes that have their own character and offer a wide selection of dishes from classic western, pancakes, French, to Lebanese and Indian.

Touche. Taking a break in the afternoon if it gets too hot at Pererenan Beach, Touché is a bright and cozy café with an exciting menu. It has a wide range of selections in its Mediterranean-inspired main dishes, featuring Truffle mushroom risotto, grilled octopus, tiger prawns, couscous chicken, and Thai Penang curry.

For a light meal, sample their tapas from hummus, backed camembert, and bruschetta to go with your crisp tuna salad and coconut milk latte. For something sweet, they have a couple of classic desserts including panna cotta Nutella, crème brûlée, and tiramisu.

The back of the café is a signature wall with modern vases on display, accompanied by bamboo lamp shades on the perch that give an island-chic and stylish resort vibe as you watch Pererenan life go by. Instagram @touche.bali

Brunch Club is a popular chain in Bali that needs no introduction. No matter you are in Berawa or Pererenan, Brunch Club’s wobbly gooey souffle pancake is a signature that draws customers from all over the island. While it has an impressive menu of all-day brunch, smoothies, coffee, and drinks, remember to save room (and time) for its souffle pancakes that distinguish it from the others.

There is an exciting selection of pancakes, waffles, and souffle pancakes that gave me a headache about what to choose! While many of them are classics like strawberry, bacon and honey, chocolate to nuts, the kitchen gave them a brilliant twist and so they are surprising from their taste and presentation.

To make things stimulated, have a taste of their delicious cocktails that has a couple of classics from Bloody Mary, pina colada, martini, margarita to mojito. Instagram @brunch_club_bali

Baked. is known for its house-made sourdough – crunchy on the crust and soft on the inside. It seems that customers don’t get enough of them because Baked now has a couple of locations in Bali, and they are always filled with people on the weekends.

It is a wonderful brunch spot as they serve tasty coffee – their latte is really smooth, and they are perfect to be paired with their gammon ham toasties with cheddar cheese and a truffle bechamel, or ricotta pancakes with stewed strawberries and whipped mascarpone.

Baked doesn’t have a colorful look as they go for simple, yet modern whitewashed walls that match the light wood tables and benches. You may be full after your brunch there, but don’t forget to take home from of their doughy creations for a snack later. Instagram @baked.indonesia

Honey is a cozy and modern café located on the road headed to Pererenan Beach. Naturally, it is a perfect spot for a snack or a coffee break if you just had your morning swim or sun bath. The café features clean and sleek white walls that are accentuated with gold and black fixtures, and to match the vibe of the interior, the kitchen focuses on fresh and organic ingredients in their dishes.

Their breakfast bowls are exceptional with salmon and quinoa, which are great to be sided with charred eggplants with pomegranate and honey tahini. The sweet potato fires are also a divine choice, but make sure you have room to share a coconut hotcake to finish your meal. Instagram @honeykitchenbali

Zali is a special café in Bali that focuses on Lebanese food. With “a taste of Beirut” on their sign, the café brought the Arabic taste from the Middle East to a tropical getaway, under a simple setting with bamboo chairs.

On their menu, Zali celebrates Lebanese food while using a lot of healthy local ingredients. You will find a lot of superfoods here and there, from tahini, legumes, olive oil, and fresh herbs, to vegetables. They are brilliantly transformed into dishes like hummus, baba ghanoush, falafel, shawarma, and kafta. Instagram @zalifrombeirut

RiZE. Just around the corner from Zali, RiZE brings customers to India and they also bring the Indian taste to Bali with a lot of ingredients and range that respect integrity, yet at the same time, bring something new to the table.

The entrance of RiZE is hidden and full of green plants that separate diners from the bustling crowd on the street. Treat yourself to healthy but delicious ingredients from akuri tofu, masala beans, herbs, and lots of greens.

The café offers vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options that make it so welcome to any type of diner. All these are perfect to be paired with a glass of house soda with dahl and homemade chutney. Instagram @rizecafebali

Monsieur Spoon is a French-themed bakery / café with stores in multiple locations in Bali, including Canggu and Pererenan. It has a focus on bakeries and cakes. Check out the cabinet at the cashier as you may have a difficult time selecting which oven-warm bread or cake to have for the day.

Have a sit in the intimate garden at the back of the café and the creamy éclair is a must-have – they will for sure brighten up your day. For something more comforting, have a croissant or a slice of salted caramel bread, with buttery avo, gooey eggs, or crispy bacon on top. monsieurspoon.com