10 Best Restaurants in Canggu

Ji at Bale Sutra is one of the unique signature restaurants at Hotel Tugu Bali in Canggu. It’s built out of a restored 3-century-old Kang Xi period temple. It presents Japanese fusion cuisine along with a selection of fine wines and a sake bar. Its Japanese Kabuki-themed interiors house a range of art pieces and some of the art hotel’s rare antique items. The staff here usually wear traditional Japanese outfits, complete with kimonos and elaborate hairdos.

The menu includes gyoza and Osaka-style salads, as well as charcoal-grilled selections and sushi rolls. At the bar, you'll find selections of Asian-inspired cocktails from around Rp 100,000 each. For contemporary Indonesian, Indian, and Thai favourites served with ocean views, take a slight detour to its seaside spot, Ji Terrace by The Sea.

Warung Dandelion is a restaurant that serves traditional Indonesian cuisine and is a good choice if you want to try local flavours while in Canggu’s Batu Bolong area. For starters, there are spring rolls, coconut-grilled blue river prawns with lemon-basil sauce, Balinese wrap-style satays (called sate lilit), and siomay steamed fish dumplings doused in peanut sauce.

Grilled specialities include fresh seafood catches of the day, chicken satay, grilled chicken breast, and vegetable kebabs. Simple snacks and western bites are also available, from cold cereals and parfaits to pancakes and French toast. Prices are universally low. Alfresco seating is around timber decks surrounded by leafy gardens where you can spot pet white rabbits roaming freely. Some nights even feature live Balinese dance performances.

Milk & Madu Café has an easy-going ambience and is a good spot to enjoy a wholesome meal in Canggu. It’s a popular café that’s frequented by Canggu expats and visiting surfers. Its menu includes hearty dishes available from breakfast through to dinner. It’s a cool neighbourhood hangout to gather and chill with friends over barista-prepared coffee and gourmet bites.

Among the favourites here are its thick brioche burgers with chips and its variety of pizzas and sandwiches. Vegetarian choices are also available. If you want to go straight to the sweet offerings, head to its dedicated cake stand for a huge selection of homemade slices, cookies and pastries.

Echo Beach Club is an unofficial Canggu landmark. It’s a seaside restaurant overlooking the popular surfing spot, and namesake, Echo Beach. The restaurant is easy to find, being located right beside the communal hall of the Batu Mejan sea temple at the southern end of the beach.

This cosy dining spot was one of the first establishments on the coastline and has been offering seafood barbecues since opening in 2000. The restaurant remains popular among surfers and visitors for all-day dining, as well as for the regular party nights. Come around sunset time and the buffet trays are filled with fresh seafood selections, including scallops, local clams, calamari, Jimbaran prawns, whole red and white snapper and imported lobster on ice.

Betelnut Café is a good stop-off before heading out to enjoy the surf or explore Canggu. Offering a hearty breakfast or a power smoothie, the café features a cosy shack style that lets you know you have left the north. 

What once set out to serve Canggu’s surfing crowd as a place to fuel up or replenish after a day out on the waves has now evolved into a popular hangout for a more general clientele. Its menu has expanded and serves through to dinner. You’ll find quite a mix here, with local and Asian cuisines represented.

Monsieur Spoon stands out for its artisanal French baked goods and its cosiness. Monsieur Spoon bakery and café serves breakfast, brunch, lunch and afternoon teas with its fresh, daily baked bread. It offers a feast for the eyes too, with its cake displays showcasing colourful macaroons and cakes, such as Galette des Rois or ‘King Cake’, Kouign-amann puff pastry, as well as tarts and lemon meringues of all sizes. 

Set breakfasts include homemade mueslis, yoghurts and croissants among the selections, as well as a variety of salads, sandwiches and crepes.

MyWarung Canggu is a cosy coffee bar and casual dining spot on Canggu's Subak Sari street. Its name and dining style are inspired by the humble local Indonesian warung food stalls. Even so, the setups and interiors are far from traditional. 

Besides the coffee and special local favourites, such as nasi goreng fried rice and mie goreng fried noodles, you can enjoy a wide range of healthy goodies and western-style homemade light bites. Even its interiors are homey, with an adjacent bar that also serves a selection of alcoholic beverages and cocktails.

La Finca offers Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine with a lush garden setting and an impressive main dining hall that features airy open-beam ceilings and giant bamboo columns. The food is healthy and comes in a wide variety of selections, all prepared using fresh organic ingredients and traditional techniques. 

Look out for their shared mains for a really romantic meal, including the speciality of the house – Chuleton Gallego a la Piedra – which involves grilling slices of ribeye steak on a hot lava stone.