There are a lot of vegan food spots in Ubud. As a result, I found vegan Bali quite overwhelming the first few days. I also made like 300 hours worth of video content and 3000 photos. It took me a long time to select and edit the footage, but I finally did it! Although I’m (of course) not able to share all the amazing vegan food spots in Ubud (there are just too many), I managed to narrow it down to the ones I visited more than once.
You can watch the video on YouTube here.
The best feeling about being in Bali is that being a vegan foodie is something absolutely normal. In fact, most non-vegans also enjoy all the vegan food when in Bali. It is an amazing feeling to be able to step into any restaurant, cafe, and small eatery and know for sure that you will have a good vegan meal waiting for you. Not only vegan, but it will look amazing, be delicious and nourishing too.
Ubud, Bali
When I think of Ubud I think of rice fields, vegan food, friendly people (everywhere in Bali actually), colorful streets, an indescribable spiritual and artistic vibe, beautifully served food, digital nomads in almost every random café, massages, mind-blowing beautiful hotels and chaotic streets.
I didn’t do a lot of research before heading to Bali, since I knew there would be plenty to choose from. But I had no idea of the sheer volume and grandiosity of the vegan food scene in Bali. A little preparation is therefore not a bad idea.
I’m sharing just a few of my favorite vegan food spots in this article. There are so many more! I honestly think you can eat every day in a different restaurant for like 6 months and still discover new places.
Moksa Plant-based Cuisine & Permaculture Garden
Moksa is totally vegan and amazing. Unfortunately, I don’t have the right photographs to show you just how amazing this place is. If I would have prepared better, I would have been able to show you this place and the food during day light, because at night it was almost impossible to capture a good photo. But the food is out of this world.
The location is gorgeous, although a bit out of the way and difficult to reach during the night as it is very dark. The staff is enthusiastic, and the food was delicious and creative. Loved it! And just when you think you had the best food, dessert comes and blows you off your socks. This place is a must-try when in Ubud!
Celts & Spells
Who knew that I would travel all the way to Ubud to eat at a creperie? Celts & Spells is not a regular creperie though.
At Celts & Spells you can choose from both sweet and savory dishes. I enjoyed a sweet breakfast crepe with a caramel sauce, lots of fruit and a golden milk latte. All dishes are prepared using ingredients from their own (organic) land. I noticed that most dishes are vegan (be sure to ask if its vegan) and that almost everything is gluten-free since it’s prepared with buckwheat flour.
There are endless combinations to choose from, such as vegan salted caramel and vegan lemon curd. They also serve amazing warm and cold drinks! You would need a day to try them all out though.
Earth Café & Market
On their Instagram account Earth Café & Market say they are the number 1 vegan restaurant in Bali. I have to admit, they have a lot to offer. Since I don’t like to eat (too much) raw food when I travel, and often crave warm comforting food (also during hot summer months), this place was one I visited multiple times. They offer a variety of dishes, both warm and cold. They have amazing desserts and drinks too, and I enjoyed their soups more than once. I also loved the location and their little shop below the restaurant.
Zest Ubud Restaurant
Zest is impressive! This restaurant is big, beautiful and the food is delicious. I also visited Zest more than just once. Once you try one of their dishes, you want to know what’s more. From the minute you walk in, you feel like you are taken care of. They came to let us know for example to add more maple syrup to our dish to ”get the full experience”…
They like their food sweet and colorful! This place is suitable for families, nomads, couples, friends, groups… There are so many places to sit and enjoy your food at Zest. Just like Moksa, their food is ridiculously good ( I can’t choose between these two!). The curry and Jackfruit blew my mind, as well as their black rice breakfast and impressive smoothies. They use all organic local Balinese grown ingredients, and nothing is added that comes outside of Bali.
Sage
Sage is perfect for a night out as a couple. The dimmed lights and the cozy booths make dinner feel relaxed and intimate. I personally think the ”Ubud vibes” are not as present here as in the other places, but that can be so welcome after being in busy Ubud center for some days. The hubby said this place is his favorite.
Their turmeric shots are potent, and their salad bowls with sweet potatoes are delicious and so nourishing. The crispy tempeh bites are great, just as their vegan chocolate cake for dessert. Oh and don’t forget to order the cauliflower wings!
Tukies Coconut Shop
I’m personally not a big fan of coconut. I mean, I love the taste, but I don’t feel the need to order coconut ice cream, if you know what I mean. Tukies Coconut Shop kept popping up everywhere, so I finally gave it a try. Their coconut ice cream is something else. I regret not trying their ice cream earlier as it was only the last night I stepped into Tukies. The best coconut ice cream ever!
Some tourististic things I did
As a vegan foodie, looking for great vegan restaurants is how I like to spend my days as a tourist. But there were a few things that I wanted to try. A few of you recommended me to visit a Bali swing.
Since I’m afraid of heights I didn’t go to the most dramatic Instagram worthy one, but a smaller swing in a parc in Ubud and it was just as good. The staff was super friendly and I had a great time.
The rice fields were an amazing experience too. Yes, very touristic, but worth it. Regardless of which rice field you would like to visit, make sure to go early in the morning. Otherwise you might have a hard time making a photo without at least 20 people as your backdrop.
There are many gorgeous (mountain) waterfalls in Bali. We visited the Tegenungan waterfall. That one is not situated in the mountains though, but in Ubud. The environment is beautiful and green, and very touristic. The water flow is heavy, so the water is clean and fresh and the mist will guarantee some beautiful photos (cover your lens with a filter!). Just like with Moksa I should have prepared better and plan to visit this waterfall without so many tourists. That would have been during the afternoon/evening. It seems that the afternoon light here photographs beautifully.
We stayed in a very quite and romantic hotel in Ubud (Natya Resort Ubud) and it felt like staying with family. The double floored room was gorgeous, as well as the private pool and outside shower.
But after almost a week, it was time to escape the hectic centre of Ubud. We did so in Jimbaran bay at the InterContinental Bali Resort. The view and the hotel did not disappoint. And also here, the room was out of this world gorgeous. Although this hotel was absolutely heaven on earth, breakfast could have been a bit more vegan friendly. There was basically some fruit (mostly for decoration purposes), bread and a lot of sweets. So we did groceries and made our own breakfast in the hotelroom. Super delicious and exactly what we wanted!
Some other honorable mentions that I wasn’t able to capture or visit:
- Kismet Restaurant & Lounge
- Clear Café
- Alchemy
- Atman Kafe
- Soma
- The Garden Kafe
- The Seeds of Life
- Sayuri Healing Food