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Wondering where to eat in Sanur? Well, fear not, because here’s my bumper guide to the best Sanur restaurants. Settle in because we have lots of options ahead!
This year alone, I stayed in Sanur for a month, and I’ve visited several times over the years. Therefore, I feel I’m the perfect person to share the best Sanur restaurants. Whether you’re looking for cheap restaurants in Sanur or the best breakfast in Sanur, this Sanur food guide has got you covered.
Sanur travel tips
- Check out my Sanur travel guide for everything you need to know before visiting Sanur. This features things to do in Sanur and FAQs. I also have a general Bali travel tips post.
- Wondering where to stay in Sanur? Here’s my Sanur accommodation guide.
- Wondering what to pack for Bali? You need my Bali packing list!
- The ice in Bali is now government-regulated, so I confidently had ice in my drinks for three months without any issues.
- I also used to get “Bali Belly” nearly every time I visited Bali, but times are a-changing. The two things I did (unsure if they helped, but let’s pretend they did) were wash my hands/use hand sanitiser before every meal without fail and take a probiotic every morning.
Best Sanur restaurants
Let’s start with the top restaurants in Sanur, Bali.
Lava Gastrobar & Grill
Lava Gastrobar & Grill is the new kid on the Sanur block, bringing fire-grilled steaks, fresh seafood, and world-class cocktails in the most stylish setting. Dishes are cooked on volcanic stone, delivering smoke-kissed flavour you won’t find anywhere else.
More than a grill, Lava is a gastrobar with an innovative cocktail menu inspired by the four stages of lava. Trust me – the eclectic flavour combinations have to be seen to be believed. It also does a special set menu from 3 to 6 pm. Perfect for a late lunch after a morning lazing by the pool.
So whether you want a romantic dinner or a fun night out with friends, Lava stands out as the best restaurant Sanur has to offer.
Mona Lisa
Mona Lisa is undoubtedly my family’s favourite and my top pick for the best restaurant in Sanur. On this trip alone, I think I visited at least five times. They have the friendliest staff, a vast array of affordable Balinese dishes, ice-cold beer and a little treat before dinner. I’ve had everything from the nasi goreng special to the burger, and I’d recommend it all.
Taqisa
Taqisa made my Mexican dreams come true! I got a fish burrito with chips and salsa for under $10 AUD. With friendly staff and a modern space, I highly recommend heading here for something different.
The Wicked Parrot
If you want a Sanur restaurant with live music, head to Wicked Parrot. They have a band entertaining diners every night, and they sing all the classics. This is also an Irish pub, so you can expect a mix of Balinese food and traditional British dishes.
The Hive
I visited The Hive twice and absolutely loved their kebabs. The space is nice and bright, the staff are friendly, and the meals are affordable. Try the Asian Kebab and thank me later! The Hive is a little out of the way, but it’s worth the visit.
Over the Moon
This restaurant in Sanur is up the northern end. But the beautiful modern space (complete with a neon sign above the bar) is worth the visit. The pork belly pad Thai was excellent, as was the nasi goreng. It also seemed to be a popular place for people to sit for a while with their laptops.
White Orchid
White Orchid is one of those Bali restaurants with several locations. I’ve visited both the Ubud and Sanur locations now. But the Sanur restaurant has very great deals. We’re talking Balinese specialties like nasi and mee goreng for $3 AUD. It was absolutely delicious and I wouldn’t hesitate to return.
Patio
Patio is another one of my personal favourite Sanur restaurants. I visited on a few occasions while staying down the road at Ari Putri Hotel because it was so affordable and served delicious Indonesian and Western food. The space also has indoor and outdoor seating. The menu is extensive, but you can’t go wrong, whether you go for a sandwich, a smoothie bowl or mee goreng. I also recommend pairing your meal with a cheap mocktail.
The Glass House
Just down the road from Over the Moon, you’ll find The Glass House. This small but modern space offers 60k IDR cocktails during happy hour. The vodka sunrise was so good, I might have had to stay for more than one! I can also vouch for the nasi goreng and the appetisers.
Nori
Speaking of Sanur restaurants serving something different, make a beeline for Nori if you want Japanese fare. You should have seen the platter of sushi I saw one table get! There’s also teppanyaki and other rice dishes, which I opted for. It’s a small space but gets bonus points because it’s air-conditioned.
Hanoi by MeVui
If you’re craving Vietnamese in Bali, head to Hanoi by Me Vue. You can get popular Vietnamese dishes like bun thit nuong and banh mi. There are also multiple seating options, and you can sit out back around the pool, too.
Oh My Thai
We’ve covered where to get Japanese and Vietnamese food in Sanur, Bali. Now let’s turn to Thai food. Oh My Thai is another modern place that serves the best pad Thai. I also wanted to try the pineapple fried rice, but never got the chance!
Naga Eight
This is another restaurant in Sanur that’s a little fancier. Its specialty is crispy duck.
Jepun
So I am pretty sure Jepun and TAPHA below are managed by the same people, as the menus are very similar. The only real difference is that TAPHA is on the beach and Jepun is on the main street. They had very friendly staff, but the only downside was that the food did take a long time to arrive. This could’ve just been a one-off, and because we have a large table of people, don’t let it deter you. The chicken parma sandwich was worth the wait. I nearly couldn’t finish it!
Batujimbar
If you want one of the fancier Sanur restaurants, Batujimbar is an option. You might even be treated to some live piano music while dining. While I had the spaghetti, several of my companions had the nasi campur, and it won them over.
Shotgun Social
I didn’t make it to Shotgun Social, but I did walk past it and thought it was such a cool open space. It hosts weekly events like Taco Tuesday, Latin Night on Fridays and Gin Phonic on Saturdays. The talented chefs make international cuisine using sustainable and local produce wherever possible. But apparently, it’s the long list of cocktails that keeps people coming back for more.
Riviera Restaurant and Bar
Riviera Restaurant and Bar has two specialties: Italian and seafood. The very friendly staff would always say hello when we walked past at night, heading back to Ari Putri, so we had to stop in, and I’m glad we did. I had the baked gnocchi, and it was a 10/10 dish.
Sala Bistro Sanur
I really liked Sala. It was a very stylish space serving delicious food. I had the pork belly fried rice (amazing) and a burger because they’re 50k IDR on Mondays.
Warung Happy Monkeys
In contrast, Happy Monkeys is one of the cheapest Sanur restaurants (not to be confused with Three Monkeys). There are two on either end of Sanur, but the dinner atmosphere at the one in Northern Sanur was fun. There was live music, cheap mee goreng, friendly and fast service, and they even gave me a plate of prawn crackers as an entree (this is the way to my heart).
Massimo
Now, I’ve never actually dined at Massimo. But it’s known for its Italian food. Instead, I lined up to try the Massimo gelato, because there’s always a crowd, and I needed to see if it was worth the hype. Firstly, it only cost me 20k IDR for two scoops. I got hazelnut and Oreos, and it was, in fact, perfectly flavourful and smooth gelato.
Sanur Beach restaurants
Next are the best places to eat in Sanur on the beachfront. There are lots of options, but these are tried and tested.
Sand Beach Bar & Restaurant
We visited Sand Beach Bar to celebrate my mum’s 60th birthday, and she had a great time. They have buy 1 get 1 free cocktails until 7 pm, and my mum’s favourite is the frozen mango daiquiri. As for the meals, they have traditional Balinese cuisine, and seafood is their other specialty. You can dine directly on the sand or under cover; it’s up to you.
TAPHA
TAPHA is another Sanur restaurant on the beach. Their menu is definitely more Western-focused, with salads, pasta and pizza. I’ve had pizza and pasta here and would recommend both. They also have live music on Friday nights, and the front singer is very eccentric. I’d make a booking if you want to head here then.
Lilla Pantai
Lilla Pantai is the perfect Sanur beachfront restaurant to visit from breakfast to dinner. It’s right on the beach and has an extensive Balinese and Western classics menu. The string lights and lanterns give it a romantic touch at night.
Soul on the Beach
While researching Sanur restaurants, Soul on the Beach was on everyone’s recommendation list. It’s a bit more expensive than other restaurants on the list, but they have an expansive menu. I opted for a delicious pizza with fresh ingredients, but you can choose from breakfast staples, burgers, salads and Balinese main dishes. You can also sit right on the beach.
The Beach Spa & Cafe
We headed to Beach Spa to celebrate my mum’s birthday, and there’s an onsite cafe directly across from the beach. I’d recommend it if you want something besides Balinese food, as we had a smoothie bowl and a panini. They also have great coffee.
Best Sanur bars
Now that you know the best restaurants in Sanur, let’s move on to some good sports bars.
Teras Sport & Grill
Teras Sports Bar and Grill is another place to watch sports in Sanur. When I visited, they had AFL playing outside and NRL inside. The food is also great. This is a sister restaurant to the more popular Retro next door.
Jimmy’s Restaurant
Head to Jimmy’s if you need a cheap sports bar to watch your favourite team.
Best Sanur coffee shops
Check out these Sanur cafes, the perfect spot to start your day!
Kopi Kiosk
Kopi Kiosk is located on Sanur’s main street, Jalan Danau Tamblingan. It has very affordable but good coffee and is open daily from 7 am to 9 pm.
Daily Baguette
Look, you can go to the Daily Baguette for coffee. But what you should really be going here for is the pastries. The banana bread is to die for, and the mini Snickers tart melts in your mouth. There are also meringues, cookies, croissants – you name it! I went back on more than one occasion because I was obsessed.
Bull’s Coffee
Now, I can’t vouch for the coffee at this Sanur cafe. But I can say that Bull’s Coffee serves great bagels, and you can sit inside or outside, people watching.
The Bare Bottle Sanur
The Bare Bottle looks like it belongs in a Melbourne laneway. As does the coffee it produces. To my parents, it won the best cafe in Sanur award. So if you’re also looking for Melbourne-style coffee in Sanur, head to The Bare Bottle. You won’t be disappointed.
Paradise Bali
Paradise Bali is more known for its gym, but it also has a cafe out the front open to the public. Head here on the weekend and get basically anything on the menu for 50k IDR. I had a beef burger and fries, and while I would’ve preferred more fries, they were hand-cut, so I can’t complain! It’s a really fun space and they have a separate coffee machine out the front where you can grab a coffee to go.
Sanur restaurants – sorted!
As you can see, there are so many Sanur restaurants, bars and cafes to visit on your next trip. Here are some final thoughts:
- Best seafood Sanur: Riviera or Fisherman’s Club at Andaz Bali.
- Best breakfast in Sanur: Lilla Pantai or Over the Moon are my top picks! But you could also check out Byrdhouse Beach Club or the vegan Genius Cafe.
- Best Japanese restaurant Sanur: For izakaya Sanur, head to Kuu Izakaya Dining or Izzy Izakaya Street.
- Best Warung Sanur: Check out Mona Lisa or Happy Monkeys.
- Best Indonesian food Sanur: Too many options to list! Patio, Mona Lisa, Over the Moon – you can’t go wrong!
- Best Mexican Sanur: I’d recommend Jalapeno Sanur or Taqisa.
- Best fine dining Sanur: For a romantic dinner or fine dining experience in Sanur, I’d recommend Batujimbar, Beach Club Restaurant, Cork Wine & Bistro Bar or Naga Eight.
For even more Bali recommendations, check out my Bali archive. I’m working on updating it!
PREPARE FOR YOUR TRIP
– Book accommodation with booking.com or Hostelworld. Yes, I am that person who checks both places before booking accommodation to get the best price.
– Organise travel insurance.
– Book adventures via GetYourGuide, my preferred provider. In some instances, I’ve found activities here that were sold out elsewhere.
– Check out my travel resources page for more info.
Any and all support is appreciated 🫶🏻.
Thank you to Lava Gastrobar & Grill for partnering with me on this post.
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