July 2018 update: It has been nearly 3 years since we lived in Canggu Bali and my, how it has changed. The Canggu cut through from Batu Bolong to Batu Berawa beach is paved (gasp!), there is a COMO hotel right on the beach, and the word is officially out that Canggu is the hot spot in Bali. When we lived here in December 2015, there were no traditional tourists here – it was all expats and long-term travelers. Three years ago, a sunset on Echo Beach included a few good friends, Bintangs, and dozens of surfers. Now, it’s beach clubs, hotel chains, and hundreds of tourists.
Of course, we didn’t know Bali 25+ years ago in its “glory days,” before the COMO’s and the massive hotels moved into its sleepy little villages. What we do know is that no matter how many Instagrammers infiltrate and no matter how many massive hotels try to cash in, Bali will always be special. It might not be the untouched, uncharted territory that some travelers look for, but it will always possess a palpable magic.
Eat, Pray, Love made it popular, Instagram made it accessible, but Bali has and always will possess a unique, innate beauty that no photograph or Instagram story could ever capture.
As always, we enjoyed eating our way through the island, specifically in the town of Canggu. Here is an update on the best cafes in Canggu Bali:
January 2016: Staying healthy while traveling is a hard feat. With all of the fast food, plane rides, and wacky schedules, traveling can make even the most dedicated health nut crack. After traveling to 22 countries in 6 months, Scott and I tired of our constant airplane rides and decided to stay stationary for some time in the healthiest little city – Canggu Bali. It didn’t take long for us to fall in love with the restaurants in Canggu Bali. While we originally booked a trip for 7 nights, with the idea of extending if we felt a connection, 7 nights quickly turned into an entire month.
Through our month of living in Bali, we visited just about every culinary establishment we could get our hands on! We were hesitant to write this article, incase the secret of this untouched magical neighborhood of Canggu would get out to the masses, but in this case, the more the merrier! Enjoy our top 10 Bali restaurants and places to eat in Canggu Bali.
When it comes to the best Bali restaurants, hands down, Milk & Madu takes the cake. Literally and figuratively. With delicious juices and smoothies, acai bowls, egg dishes, and delectable salads, Milk & Madu is packed with delicious foods. If you’re feeling a little naughty, it also has the perfect “cheat day” meal – vanilla mango pancakes with coconut syrup!
This fitness inspired restaurant is one of our personal favorites. The Paleo breakfast with sweet potatoes, eggs, and (add) smashed avocado was our favorite breakfast of our trip. They also have plenty of smoothies, healthy egg dishes, vegan options, kombucha, and take-away snacks. MMMM! Please note that Motion Café is a cash only restaurant.
Como Uma Canggu: While we were not happy that a massive hotel chain has made its way to the beaches of Canggu, we will give credit when credit is due and the beachfront restaurant at Como Uma Canggu is absolutely delightful. We highly recommend ordering the tuna tartar and crispy duck. Unfortunately, Como Uma Canggu is not as cost-effective as the other cafes on this list and it definitely caters to tourist prices. Visit here if you want a fancy night out with a great view of the sunset.
Motion Cafe
During our time in Canggu, we lived right across from Machinery. This spot has the BEST coffee in all of Canggu, if not all of Bali. We’re huge coffee snobs and the coconut flat white at Machinery was a perfect mix of high-end coffee and delightful coconut milk. They also have a delicious modern take on traditional Nasi Goreng by adding friend chicken to the mix. Another bonus: Machinery is very well priced.
This popular outdoor restaurant mainly caters to vegans and egg lovers (yes, I know they don’t go hand in hand, but it’s Canggu – go with the flow). Shady Shack was our favorite spot for a healthy green smoothie after our CrossFit workout.
Machinery Cafe
Nüde has quickly become a Canggu favorite for brekkie lovers. This indoor/outdoor café had one of our favorite breakfasts of the trip: “Pigs on Bread,” a combination of pulled-pork and poached eggs on crunchy sourdough bread.
As Southern Californians, it’s hard to impress us with great Mexican food. Lacalita in Canggu has done an impeccable job with their wide variety of Tip: Head here for taco Tuesday for a great special on their tacos and margaritas.
The Slow is a chic restaurant, similar to the Soho House. With modern artwork, sleek design, and delectable food, The Slow is the perfect restaurant for a sultry date night in Canggu.
Nüde
The Loft in Canggu has a wide variety of healthy choices for breakfast lovers in Canggu. Choose from egg dishes, smoothies, coconuts, and fantastic coffee.
Ji is located at the Tugu Hotel rooftop right across from Old Man’s. This restaurant has delectable sushi and an amazing view of Canggu. If you’re craving sushi, this is your best spot to indulge in Canggu.
I’m a sucker for acai bowls and Nalu Bowls makes the best bowls by far. My personal favorite is the Maverick, a combination of granola, goji berries, banana, strawberries, and coconut over an acai bowl. As if Nalu Bowls wasn’t already one of the best Bali restaurants in Canggu, they just opened an outpost at our favorite Milk & Madu! If you’re touring around Bali, Nalu Bowls has tons of shops on the west and south coast. Be sure to stop in…and instagram it of course.
Located on the main strip of Berawa in Canggu, Quince carefully crafts delicious breakfast foods and healthy Southeast Asian cuisine. My personal favorite is the polenta and bacon pancakes topped with maple syrup and pumpkin. Other healthier fares like coconut quinoa porridge, herbed eggs, and coconut chicken salad are great choices as well. Top it off with a glass of jamu, a traditional anti-inflammatory Indonesian beverage made from turmeric, tamarind, and honey.
A local favorite of Bali restaurants in Canggu, Betelnut café never disappoints. With its giant salads, vegetable shakes and smoothies, and healthy burritos, Betelnut has a delectable and healthy choice of food for everyone. For breakfast, Betelnut Café boasts some of the best acai bowls in town!
The owners of magnificent Milk & Madu opened up a wonderful café called Watercress. Located between Canggu and Umalas, Watercress has delectable breakfast bowls, globally sourced Revolver coffee, and mix and match salads. Plus, they just opened an Ubud outpost, which was ranked as a top place to go in 2016 by the New York Times.
Crate is one of our all-time favorite brekkie joints and definitely one of the best Bali restaurants in Canggu. For the health food lover, choose from greats like the acai bowl aka The Hipstar or the spinach, quinoa and poached egg bowl aka The Green Brekkie Bowl. For beverages, order a fresh juice like the Dr. ABC (apples, beets, carrots) and a coffee with coconut cream. For those that want to be naughty, The Barber is the best way to go – french toast sandwiching fried bananas, topped with scrambled eggs, BACON, and a side of syrup. YAS please.
While this isn’t a restaurant, Happy Kombucha is available at some of the best restaurants in Canggu! Keep your gut happy with these delicious drinks packed with probiotics and prebiotics…a must for those warding off or treating dreaded Bali Belly!
When it comes to staying cool on those hot, hot, hot Bali days, there’s no better place than at Deus Ex Machina. Deus has the best (and strongest) cold drip coffee in the game. We recommend buying multiple bottle to go and enjoying Deus anytime, anywhere!
What are your favorite Bali restaurants in Canggu? Comment below!
Bumbak Coffee @Jalan Bumbak is the best place in this area for breakfast and coffee
Jeanett,
We’ll have to check that place out when we return. We left Bali, but our hearts will always stay there. 🙂
Scott
Lived here in Canggu almost three years, Milk & Madu and new kid on the block, French Cafe Guthue are by far the best.
Coffee & Oven. Great coffe and pastries, gorgeous salads and healthy breakfast and lunch treats. Plus the best breads in Bali!!!
Brad,
We’ve heard great things about Coffee & Oven. We never made it there. We will on our next trip.
Thanks for the comment 🙂
Scott
These restaurants look amazing! I will be sure to visit some of these on my next trip to Bali.
Never been to Bali, but definitely planning to!
Great post and inspiration to go there. I love the pictures.
Takeaway coffee revolver sounds fun!