Known for its surf breaks and arty aesthetic, Canggu is one of the hottest neighbourhoods in Bali RN. And it’s eating and drinking experiences are a major part of the allure.
This pocket of land between Seminyak and Kerobokan is packed with ultra-trendy vegan joints, sleepy beachside bars and relaxed lunch cafes. Spend the day lazing about pool clubs where you’re treated like a Kardashian and the evening kicking back at some stylish restaurants.
Having just visited, these are my six foodie picks in Canggu, Bali:
Finns Beach Club
Potato Head is so 2013. There’s a new beach club in Bali and it’s a spectacle. With a total of four pools, five restaurants and nine bars, including two swim-up bars, Finns Beach Club is a place to indulge. It’s also a place to be seen. It wouldn’t be rare to see a reality star lounging on a party bed in the middle of the infinity pool.
The only way to do Finns is to pre-book a day bed (there’s multiple options starting from 650,000 IDR). Grab a cocktail, peruse the bar menu, appreciate that day’s DJ and soak up the 170-metre ocean frontage overlooking Bali’s Berawa surf break.
Nothing says Bitch, I’m on holiday, quite like a pool club.
The Lawn
You most definitely have to visit this classy ‘beach lounge’, where the food’s on equal pegging with the drinks, and the setting is quintessential Bali. Picture white beach umbrellas, an infinity pool and sunset views over Batu Bolong Beach.
Come for a lazy lunch on the lawn or an intimate dinner in the raised open-air dining area, and enjoy share plates that seamlessly blend international flavours with local twists. I fully endorse the mini lobster brioche, prawn tacos and grilled halloumi sliders.
You can book a table for dinner but during the day it’s first-come, first-served. So, if you’re after a prized poolside double day bed (and if you’re not, you should be!), doors open at 11am and you want to be there not long after to jag a spot. For the day beds, there’s a minimum spend of 1,000,000 IDR (that’s weekdays, weekends are 1,500,000 IDR), which is approximately $100 AUD or eight mojitos. All entirely reasonable and absolutely worth the coin.
I personally preferred The Lawn over Finns. The cocktails are better and not as expensive, and you don’t feel like you need to be strutting around in a diamond encrusted one piece, with attitude the size of the Mount Agung volcano.
Fishbone Local
An island beach holiday is not quite complete without seafood and cocktails by the beach. Although, in Bali, this could easily end with Bali Belly, so best make a bee-line for the reliable and gorgeous Fishbone Local.
This very-Canggu restaurant exudes a casual elegance. And it’s not only delicious, but also offers a feel good factor too, with a focus on sustainability. Opening in 2018, Fishbone Local partnered with Bali Sustainable Seafood to ensure it had minimal environmental impact on the ocean and to support local fishermen. The sustainability theme even extends to the recycled materials used to furnish this 100-seater restaurant, from crab trap light fixtures to fishing net menu baskets.
Fishbone Local hits so many high notes, with a clean, modern and simple aesthetic running from the decor to the dishes. Enjoy the simplicity of pan seared barramundi and fish tacos, among a clean space of white washed walls, exposed brick, raw concrete and timber. Sit inside or enjoy the balmy Bali evenings in the huge outdoor area canopied in fairy lights.
Mason
The same Aussie-led team behind Fishbone Local, has another top joint just up the road. This time it’s all about ingredients sourced locally and organically, and traditional cooking methods such as pickling, curing and cheesemaking.
Enjoy a spread of share plates. Maybe salted snapper croquettes, tuna ceviche and various dips, along with a selection of meats and cheeses. The wood fired oven and grill is kept busy busting out things like beef short ribs, half lamb shoulders and charcoal chickens. For dessert, try the wood fired bread pudding or mandarin and coconut gelato.
Mason is definitely a place to meander over a long lunch or dinner.
Billy Ho
Opening in early 2019, Billy Ho is the new kid on the Canggu block and it’s a dining destination. The lunch-dinner restaurant is decked out in a colourful fish scale wall, black bamboo ceiling, and leather and wicker dining chairs. The result is a lot more sophisticated and cohesive than I’ve made it sound.
Ok the important stuff. Billy Ho serves up all the best comfort food from Hong Kong, Japan and Korea, and it’s delish. Sushi, ceviche, tempura, okonomiyaki, katsu, dumplings, bar, fried rice… it’s all here. Consequently, the menu is a size XXXL. The prawn and scallop siew mai dumplings are a dream, so too the pork belly katsu bao. There’s also a ‘beer wall’ celebrating handcrafted brews, and cocktails, of course.
Definitely not a single regret with this one.
nüde
This chilled-out cafe is right in step with Canggu’s hipster vibe, serving ‘naughty but nice’ food in an all-concrete space. (Although there’s an air-conditioned section if you’re sick of sweating like Schapelle on trial). It’s frequented by the likes of surfers, yogis, travellers and digital nomads.
The brunch-to-lunch-to-dinner menu is made up of smoothie bowls, salads, wraps, rolls and other healthy but yum stuff.
