what i ate in bali

By Jessica Swartz March 20, 2023 22 mins read 102 Views

My travels around the world are typically only for a few weeks. So, I think we can all agree that my month-long stay at Bali was unlike any other. I was there to co-facilitate the retreat "Live With Purpose" with The Getaway Co. My vlog can be viewed here. However, I will share all the details about the vegan food I tried in Bali in this post.

We will also be returning to Bali in October, from the 19th through 29th. Sign up now to get your deets.

hot for food approved

Before I could eat my face off, I knew that I had to visit this meditation space. It's called Pyramids of Chi. It was a very intense ceremony that I thought would help me enter the vortex. Although I was not allowed to bring my camera, it was an amazing experience. It's super woo woo, but that's what I love about this kind of thing. If you are into the magical and mystical, I recommend it.

Surya Kembar (Ubud)

Surya Kembar was our home for the whole retreat. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a place in Ubud. The villas are jungle-style with a touch of luxury. Two meals per day were provided by Wayan, which was a chef who created them all. It was amazing that some of the vegan food I tried in Bali was made from my recipes. His team was amazing and he is absolutely incredible. We were all impressed by the food and how it fuelled us for our Bali adventures. It's going to be my second time doing it in May 2020. I'm already counting down days... stay tuned for more information on my YouTube channel and social channels!

Let's now get to the vegan food in Bali. My vlog doesn't include a lot of local cuisine. This is because either I didn't have my camera at the time or it was too dark for me to film. Nasi Goreng, an Indonesian fried dish, was one of my favorite dishes. It can also be made vegan at most restaurants. Surya Kembar Villas was my favorite place to get this dish, so shout it out!

Titi Batu Ubud

Surya Kembar owns this spot, so we had unlimited access throughout the retreat. They also offer food and have a spa, gym, spa, lounging areas and play spaces, such as basketball courts or skate parks. There is a complete vegan menu, and they have quite a variety! This spot is where you'd find us drinking coconut milk lattes in the early morning.

You'll also see the vlog where I tried the bibimbap and homemade potato wedges. It was delicious and kept me full.

One perk to reading these blog posts: you get bonus information that isn’t featured in the video. I got it here. Jiva, a local cheese company, provided the cheese for the pizza. I was able to taste test several more products from Jiva back at my villa. But, their Swiss is my favorite. It tastes best when it's warm and melted.

Verdict: You won't be bored by the vegan options and people watching here!

The Fare Warung Bale Ubud

This spot was particularly cool because all profits go to Fair Future Foundationspan styling="font-weight 400 ;">! There are many options for vegans, and the menu is vegetarian. It was delicious! I enjoyed spicy cashew and vegetable tofu with rice. It wasn't just me who was looking for vegetarian and vegan food in Bali. There are long wait times and it's very popular. You don't have to wait for long, so make your reservation in advance.

Verdict: It's understandable that there is a long waiting period, their stuff is amazing! It's also great to know that your money goes towards charity.

Organic Premium gelato Ubud

We knew dessert was on the agenda, so we stopped by to get gelato. There are many locations in Ubud, and they have vegan cones. Score! The video shows me enjoying tiramisu, but I went back several times during the trip. They have my favorite coffee flavor.

Verdict: Vegan gelato is practically heaven in warm places such as Bali.

The Organic Farm

My vlog of retreat includes footage from this location! It was visited on one of our excursions. Marjan, a Dutch woman who runs the farm, teaches English and provides education to young girls. They learn about sustainable and organic farming and how to cook. They prepared traditional balinese food using ingredients from their farm, and I was able to taste the nasi Champur. It was delicious!

The dance performed by the youngest girls was a memorable moment. We were all in tears!

Verdict: This was 100% the best meal and experience of this trip.

My Bella By Sage Ubud

My Bella by Sage was available for me to try on one of the retreat excursions days. The set menu was vegan so I chose the gnocchi with crispy AF onion rings and the gnocchi. I washed them all down with sips from a coconut larger than my head. There are many delicious dessert options available, which is never a problem in our world.

Bella's sister-restaurant is called Sagespan type="font weight: 400 ;">," which I tried on the trip, but didn't vlog. It was delicious! Both of these places are highly recommended.

Verdict: Both Bella and Sage offer well-crafted vegan options. Two thumbs up

Alchemy (Ubud).

Alchemy was open for us, so we stopped by to grab a kombucha. It's the first Ubud vegan restaurant. Although we didn't end the night there, I would definitely go back.

Verdict: The kombucha is officially Lauren approved

Moksa Ubud

There were both cooked and raw options on the menu, so it is perfect for vegans of all dietary requirements. Their vegan noodles were similar to miso broth rice noodles soup.

Verdict: Moksa offers a huge vegan menu. However, I wasn't impressed by how it looked. Maybe it was the way the things were written. The soup was delicious, but I didn't eat the entire restaurant. It's quiet and in a great location. And it's been rated one of the top restaurants in Ubud. !

Zest (Ubud).

Zest is located near Moksa. I had lunch here twice during my trip. The first was when I entered, the second was at the closing dinner party of the Live With Purpose retreat. Although none of this was included in the video, it is a beautiful restaurant. It is peaceful and offers a stunning view of the forest from high up.

With the amazing views, you will feel like you are on top of the world. It's equally delicious!

Plant Cartel (Canggu)

This blog recap will feature food from my remaining time in Bali following the retreat. Plant Cartel was like finding a treasure chest. My friends and me enjoyed the peanut butter banana shakes, mac n’ pleese and popcorn chick’n, as well as onion rings and the pleese Burger.

Verdict: It doesn't get any better than plant-based fast food.

Mad Pops Ice Cream (Canggu).

Do I have to say yes for vegan ice cream shops? Mad Pops is the best place to go. I tried praline swirl in vegan cones, and it was better than the one in Ubud. Both are great finds for halfway around the globe, however!

Verdict: Another win for vegan gelato

Shady Shack (Canggu).

Shady Shack offered me a balanced meal. I enjoyed a vegan cheeseburger and fries. But, I also tried their dips & bits, rice rolls ups, nori bowl, and rice roll ups. It was a satisfying meal that was topped off with a stark IPA.

Verdict: Shady Shack offers a wide variety of vegan options, depending on your preference.

I Am Vegan Babe (Canggu)

I was shocked to discover that I Am Vegan Babe's owners are also #hotforfoodies. Their vegan comfort food restaurant was like a home away from home when they opened it. After a cup of cinnamon rudy coffee, I ate taquitos made with vegan chicken and then moved on to the cinnamon rudy coffee. I also tried the I Am Vegan Babe brekky menu, which included waffles, peaceful breakfast, B1 power omelet and a cinnamon roll as dessert.

Their menu is impressive and extensive. Tell the owners that you are a #hotforfoodie if you go.

Ku De Ta (Seminyak)

Ku De Ta is the best place to enjoy dinner with a view. Although it's a well-known restaurant, it shouldn't be your first choice for vegan food in Bali. There aren’t many options. As you know, I love a challenge and managed to make a decent meal. I had vegan sushi rolls and edamame. A pumpkin pizza was also included. A cucumber salad was served with a fresh dressing. I believe it had ume plum vinaigrette.

Verdict: It's worth it to enjoy the sunsets and atmosphere in this area. You can grab a drink and snacks or recreate my meal!

Pelaton Supershop Canggu

I enjoyed a golden latte, the nacho free, nona's spaghetti carbonara and powerhouse bowl at Pelaton. Mi amigo quesadilla was also available. The creamy carbonara was my favorite... but it wasn't quite as good as my recipe.

Verdict: This place was full of carbs, and I'm not mad about it.

Pituq Waroeng (Gili T)

Next was Gili T. This island is accessible by boat and plane. Pituq Waroeng was our first stop. The vlog shows the meal that included coconut satay, cauliflower tailwang, and kangkung Stir-Fry. The cauliflower was fried in KFC style and was amazing! It's amazing how vegan food in Bali can look so similar to what I would find back in North America.

Verdict: We ate there one more time. But it was not great. My friend got bali belly (google!). That was it for that evening. We don't know for certain if it was from this particular restaurant, but I felt it was worth editing out the meal from the video.

Pearl Beach Lounge (Gili T)

This lounge is part of the Pearl Hotel. It looks great! We ordered the same things every time we ate there. We had green juice, rice paper rolls and french fries. Also, we ordered pad thai, som tam green Papaya salad, and pad Thai. They were all delicious and fresh! A couple of servers claimed that the pad Thai was already vegan, but I would always ask for it to be vegan. It always looked a little different each time we ordered it.

Verdict: This place saved my life on Gili T.

The Banyan Tree, (Gili T).

Although this is not a vegan-friendly restaurant, there are still options. I tried the scrambled eggs, scrambled tofu and vegan blueberry pancakes.

Verdict: The food is not great, but it's worth a visit if you are vegan and want to try Gili T's cuisine. Don't expect to be amazed!

Pachamama Organic (Gili Air)

This little spot was adorable. I enjoyed an iced coffee with coconut water and a rainbow breakfast bowl with tofu. Although the power was out, I still enjoyed my visit! I also grabbed some passionfruit sorbet from a stand on Gili Air.

Verdict: This is a great place to have breakfast. I also imagine that the rest of their menu would be great.

Hotel Komune (Keramas)

Here's the last thing you need to know about vegan food in Bali. We tried many things from their plant-based menu. I loved the eggplant fries. They were crispy and coated with panko, and came with marinara to dip them in. The homemade curry samosas, which came with banana chutney and the pumpkin pizza with cashew butter were also favorites of mine. The burgers were not great, but they were tasty and vegan.

Later, I discovered that the two restaurants offer different breakfast menus that are plant-based. If I had known about this sooner, I would have signed up! The beachfront restaurant has a tofu scramble that I didn't know about.

verdict I am always open to a plant-based menu, obvi!

Wow! I've not had a recap like this since my trips to New York, Los Angeles and Vancouver. Are you a Bali native? Are you planning to return there in the near future? If you have any recommendations or experiences with these places, please let me know below. Keep checking back for more information about the 2020 Live With Purpose retreat!

Not noted

Clear Cafe Ubud

Lauren Toyota's Hot for Food first published the post What I Eated in Bali.

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