What to Eat in Bali: 9 Dishes Every Visitor Should Try
Updated 2026-10-14. Written with AI assistance and checked against our editorial rules; entry rules and prices change, so confirm with the official source before you travel.
Bali's food is not the same as the rest of Indonesia's. Most Balinese are Hindu, so pork appears on many local menus, and the island's cooking leans on a spice paste called *base genep* (shallots, garlic, ginger, turmeric, galangal, chilli and more). You will eat best at a *warung*, a small family-run eatery, and at night markets.
Quick answer: dishes to try in Bali
- Babi guling: spit-roasted pork with crackling, Bali's most famous dish
- Bebek betutu: duck rubbed with spices and slow-cooked for hours
- Sate lilit: minced fish or meat pressed onto lemongrass or bamboo sticks and grilled
- Lawar: chopped vegetables, grated coconut and spices, often mixed with minced meat
- Nasi campur: a plate of rice with small portions of several side dishes
- Nasi goreng and mie goreng: Indonesian fried rice and fried noodles
- Gado-gado: vegetables, tofu and egg with peanut sauce
- Jaje Bali: colourful rice-flour and coconut sweets
- Es campur: shaved ice with fruit, jelly and syrup
Must-try Balinese dishes
Babi guling
A whole pig is rubbed with spice paste, stuffed and turned over a fire until the skin turns to crackling. It is usually served in a set with rice, pieces of meat, crackling, lawar and a little soup. Look for warungs that specialise in it; many sell out by early afternoon.
Bebek betutu
Duck (or chicken, *ayam betutu*) is coated in spice paste, wrapped in leaves and slow-cooked until very tender. It was traditionally made for ceremonies. The flavour is rich and can be spicy, so ask for less chilli if you prefer it mild.
Sate lilit
Unlike the skewered chunks of meat you see elsewhere, Balinese sate lilit is minced fish, chicken or pork mixed with coconut and spices, then wrapped around a lemongrass stalk or flat bamboo stick and grilled. It is fragrant rather than fiery and a good first dish to try.
Lawar
Lawar is a chopped mix of vegetables such as long beans, grated coconut and spices. Some versions contain minced meat, and a few traditional versions contain fresh blood. If you want to avoid meat or blood, ask for vegetable lawar.
Nasi campur
"Mixed rice" is the everyday lunch: a scoop of rice with whatever the warung has cooked that day, such as shredded chicken, tempeh, vegetables, egg, peanuts and sambal. It is the easiest way to taste several dishes at once.
Everyday favourites
Nasi goreng (fried rice) and mie goreng (fried noodles) are on almost every menu, often topped with a fried egg and served with *krupuk* (crackers). Gado-gado is a filling vegetarian choice. For something sweet, try *jaje Bali*, small rice-flour and coconut cakes sold at morning markets, or cool down with es campur.
Where to eat in Bali
- Warungs: small family eateries with a short menu and local prices. The busiest ones are usually the best.
- Night markets: evening food stalls with grilled sate, noodles and sweets. The Gianyar night market is a well-known one.
- Morning markets: the place for jaje Bali, fruit and coffee.
- Cafes in tourist areas: Ubud, Seminyak and Canggu have plenty of cafes that also cook Balinese dishes, at higher prices.
Food etiquette
- Eat with your right hand, or with a spoon and fork; the spoon does most of the work.
- Small offerings (*canang sari*) are placed on the ground and in shops every day. Walk around them, not over them.
- Many visitors drink bottled or filtered water. Ask whether ice is made from filtered water if you are unsure.
Tips for vegetarians and allergies
Vegetarians can eat well: try gado-gado, tempeh and tofu dishes, vegetable lawar and *nasi campur* with vegetable sides. Peanuts and shrimp paste (*terasi*) appear in many sauces, so if you have an allergy, ask clearly or carry a short note in Indonesian. Our destination guides list useful phrases and practical details.
Key takeaways
- Try babi guling, bebek betutu and sate lilit for true Balinese cooking.
- Nasi campur is the easiest way to taste many dishes in one meal.
- Eat at warungs and night markets for the most authentic food.
- Plan your food budget with our trip budget calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most famous food in Bali?
Babi guling, spit-roasted pork with crackling, is Bali's best-known dish. Bebek betutu (slow-cooked spiced duck) and sate lilit are close behind.
Is it easy to find vegetarian food in Bali?
Yes. Gado-gado, tempeh and tofu dishes, vegetable lawar and nasi campur with vegetable sides are widely available, and Ubud has many vegetarian cafes.
What is a warung in Bali?
A warung is a small, family-run eatery serving local food, often from a short menu that changes with what was cooked that day.
Why is pork common in Bali when most of Indonesia avoids it?
Most Balinese people are Hindu, so pork is part of local cooking and ceremonies. Halal food is also easy to find, especially at Javanese-style warungs.
Is Balinese food very spicy?
Some dishes are hot, especially sambal and bebek betutu. You can ask for less chilli, and sate lilit and nasi goreng are usually mild.
What should I try for dessert in Bali?
Try jaje Bali, small rice-flour and coconut sweets from morning markets, or es campur, shaved ice with fruit and syrup.
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