This is the sort of restaurant any traveller likes to stumble upon: it’s out of the way, serves just one thing, and does that one thing well. At Warung Mertha Sari, there’s no menu, with diners ordering simply by the number of portions they’d like of their specialty, sate lilit ikan, or minced fish sate. … read the full post

If you’re looking for something to do on the way to or from Echo Beach, or simply for an excuse to go for a jaunt somewhere in Canggu, the Bali branch of Australia’s Deus Ex Machina is perfect. Its Bali “Temple of Enthusiasm” sits amid green paddy in lush gardens, offering up a cafe, a … read the full post

It’s called Gusto Gelato and Caffe. It’s simple. It’s out of the way, tucked down a quiet street a good 10 minutes’ drive north of Bali’s Seminyak, in the more residential Umalas area. If you love ice cream, you’ve got to come here. If you don’t love ice cream, come here, and you will. You’ll … read the full post

With its mismatched furniture, burnished antique lamps and shabby chic vibe, relatively new Mantra on Seminyak’s Petitenget loop — just a short hop from Potato Head, away from the beach — has quickly turned into the place to be seen for dinner or late night drinks in this corner of the world. The feel is … read the full post

Warung Mak Beng in Bali’s Sanur is a one-dish restaurant that draws in the hungry locals, domestic visitors and occasional traveller by the table-ful. For 28,000 rupiah, you’ll get a fried, meaty piece of ikan laut goreng — in this case snapper steak — with a wonderful smoked sambal and kaffir lime on the side, … read the full post

The Bistrot has only just opened its gleaming glass doors and is a seductive, stylish addition to the busy scene on Bali’s Jalan Laksmana, or Eat Street, in Seminyak. We stopped by this week for a peek and after-dinner dessert and loved the decor, from the exposed brick walls, antique decorative telephones and semi-open kitchen … read the full post

Isn’t it always the way that you overlook what’s staring you in the face? It took me a while to try the babi guling at Sari Kembar in Seminyak, most likely because it’s the nearest joint to my own house. But I’ve now been back several times, and each time the serving has been really … read the full post

UPDATE: Black Pepper has been closed. We’ll fill you in on what opens in the now vacant space, if anything. A name like Black Pepper Cafe & Food Circus is likely to conjure up images of waiters on unicycles, or perhaps juggling barmen – our curiosity got the better of us, so we decided to … read the full post

If you’re doing a spot of shopping along the Eat Street stretch of Seminyak and the heat is driving you nuts, urbane coffee house Anomali makes for a good rest and recharge-with-caffeine stop along the way around to Jalan Basangkasa (as Jalan Legian eventually becomes known as it heads north). Anomali has branched out from … read the full post

The brochure saying, “Soul food cooked with passion,” and the bright ribbons dangling in the wind at the entrance to Seminyak’s Kreol Kitchen drew us in to this quirky, lovely spot. Entering the cafe, we were met by an enormous blackboard presenting an enticing menu, which at first glance was a tad overwhelming. Australian owner … read the full post