Whilst very much part of the overall Indonesian genre, Balinese cuisine has also headed off in its own path, with heavy influences from Balinese Hinduism, migrant workers from Java and Lombok, and decades of foreign visitors who never left.
This makes Balinese cuisine not just one of the most distinct in the country, but also home to some of the best bars, warungs (Indonesian street food restaurants), and mid range restaurants anywhere in Indonesia. Yes other places like Jakarta have more variety, but one may argue that Balinese cuisine is thus. More refined than anywhere else.
Click to read about the best street food in South-East Asia.
Table of Contents
What is Balinese Cuisine
Balinese cuisine is built around pork, spice pastes, slow cooking, and ceremony. Unlike much of Indonesia, pork is common here, largely thanks to Hindu traditions, which immediately sets Bali apart from places like Java or Aceh. Base genep, the island’s core spice mix, combines galangal, turmeric, garlic, shallot, lemongrass, candlenut, shrimp paste and chilli, and it appears in everything from soups to roasts.
Rice is still king, vegetables are often secondary, and dishes tend to be rich, oily, and unapologetically heavy. There is also crossover with Lombok, particularly in chilli use and grilled meats, though Lombok leans hotter and rougher. Balinese food is not subtle, not delicate, and not designed to be pretty. It is designed to be eaten after a long day in the heat, preferably with a cold beer.
11 Foods to Try in Bali
Eating is a huge part of any trip to Bali, and these are dishes you should actively seek out. I have tried all of them. They are counted from 11 down to 1, with the best saved until last.
11. Sate Lilit
Best in Sanur
Minced fish or chicken mixed with coconut, spices, and lime leaf, wrapped around lemongrass sticks and grilled. Softer than regular satay, less sweet, and very Balinese. Try it at small beachfront warungs in Sanur where it is cooked fresh in batches.
10. Tum Ayam
Best in Ubud
Chicken mixed with spices and coconut milk, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. No grill, no char, just pure flavour. You will find this everywhere in Ubud, but the small family warungs do it best.
9. Tipat Cantok
Best in Denpasar
Balinese street food at its most basic. Rice cakes, boiled vegetables, and thick peanut sauce mixed by hand. Cheap, filling, and everywhere in Denpasar markets.
8. Lawar Merah
Best in Gianyar
Minced pork, coconut, spices, and fresh pig’s blood. This is not tourist food. Rich, metallic, and intense. Found near ceremonies or local pork stalls in Gianyar and surrounding villages.
7. Bebek Betutu
Best in Ubud
Duck slow cooked in spices, wrapped, and roasted until falling apart. Heavy, oily, and very satisfying. Ubud is full of places serving this, but it is still best ordered in advance.
6. Nasi Campur Bali
Best in Denpasar
Rice with small portions of multiple dishes, usually pork based. Every stall is different, and that is the point. Try Warung Wardani or similar long running local spots.
5. Babi Guling Sandwich
Best in Kuta
Roast suckling pig stuffed with spices, served chopped in a bun or wrapped in paper. Messy, greasy, and perfect after a few beers. Kuta may be chaotic, but it does pork very well.
4. Ayam Betutu
Best in Gilimanuk
Chicken version of betutu, often drier and spicier than the duck. Gilimanuk is famous for this dish for a reason. Order it hot.
3. Jukut Ares
Best in Bangli
Soup made from banana stem, chicken, and coconut milk. Sounds odd, tastes excellent. Mild, comforting, and completely Balinese.
2. Lawar Putih
Best in villages around Ubud
Similar to lawar merah but without blood. Pork, coconut, spices, and lime. Clean, sharp, and dangerously easy to overeat.
1. Babi Guling
Best in Gianyar
The king of Balinese food. Whole suckling pig roasted over fire, basted constantly, skin blistered and crisp, meat soft and soaked in spice. Served with rice, crackling, lawar, and sambal. This is Bali on a plate, and nothing else comes close.
So, that is the skinny on Balinese Cuisine, a cuisine you can try on one of my many tours that passes through Bali.
