TJOK MAYA KERTHYASA’S
UBUD RESTAURANTS
Warung Mek Juwel
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The excellent Warung Mek Juwel make the most delicious Nasi Ayam in Ubud, and perhaps even across the whole island. It is so beautifully cooked, perfectly spiced and it sits among the rice fields in Sayan, which makes it an authentically Balinese place to enjoy the food. It’s always at the top of my list.
Jalan Melati, Sayan, Ubud, Bali.
Warung Teges
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Warung Teges make an excellent Nasi Bali, which is Balinese Nasi Campur. They have a beautiful sambal which has bongkot (torch ginger flower) through it, they always have super fresh vegetables, really good sate and nice fluffy rice. I always recommend this place to people visiting Ubud who are interested in trying warung food, or everyday Balinese food.
Jalan Cok Rai Pudak, Peliatan, Ubud, Bali.
MURNI’S
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This is a nostalgic choice for me, as it is just across from Ibah (the Campuhan hotel owned by Maya Kerthyasa’s family). I like to recommend Murni’s to people as it was the first restaurant that catered to outsiders in Bali. When my parents were younger and my older brothers were growing up here they would go there for cookies and burgers and things like that, and there really hadn’t been anything like that in Ubud before. Ibu Murni, the owner, is a really wonderful cook and they have a beautiful Balinese and Indonesian offering there. It is kind of like going into a time machine and emerging in Ubud in the eighties. I am too young to have been around Ubud in the eighties, but I can imagine there is still quite a lot of that vibe there. I really like it because it reminds me of the Bali I experienced as a young child. I would love to recommend Murni’s for casual dining.
Jalan Raya Ubud, Ubud, Bali.
CANTINA
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Across the road from Murni’s you have Cantina which is a really excellent new bar and restaurant by the same people behind Pica (the South American restaurant in Ubud founded by Chef Cristian Encina). I really enjoy the striking view from Cantina, over the Campuhan valley. It is a really lush spot to sit and have a glass of wine and they have an excellent, wood fired focused menu. It is a good place for both snacks and dinner. The best time to go is around sunset.
Jalan Raya Ubud, Ubud, Bali.
ROOM4DESSERT
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Room4Dessert is my go-to for special occasions. The current tasting menu spans 15 courses – some savoury, many of them sweet – made from local ingredients that are either grown within the restaurant’s gardens or carefully sourced from small producers around the island. All of Chef Will Goldfarb’s dishes are served with a generous amount of care and an interesting anecdote. The soundtrack is always enjoyable, the dining spaces are warm and welcoming, the wine list is great and the new sister venue next door, Powder Room, arguably serves the best botanically-accented candies and baked goods on the island.
Jalan Raya Sanggingan, Kedewatan, Ubud, Bali.
NUSANTARA
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If you are looking for upmarket Indonesian food Nusantara is wonderful. It is owned and operated by the Locavore group. The chef, Putu Sumarjana has a really fascinating background and he has been cooking since he was a child. So, you get these really interesting flavours coming out of the kitchen there and it is a wonderful place to go if you want to explore not only the flavours of Bali, but the flavours of other islands in the Archipelago. And the team do a really good job of researching rare and forgotten ingredients, and presenting it all in a really special way.
Jalan Dewisita No.09C, Ubud, Bali.
SAYAN HOUSE
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Sayan House is always a must for anyone visiting Bali. I think that view is absolutely unbeatable. The staff are so switched on and amazing and lovely. I always have such a good time there and the Japanese-South American food is always really delicious.
Jalan Raya Sayan No.70, Sayan, Ubud, Bali.
KAWI
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I would like to recommend Kawi as a spot to go if you are looking for a place to just go for a quiet drink. I think it has that wonderful kind of Tokyo vibe about it. It is small and intimate and sharply appointed. The drinks are amazing, they include so many interesting plant ingredients drawn from the Balinese landscape. The bartenders are super knowledgeable. There are no signs, so it is not loud nor packed with people. It is just such a special place, it is a great place to go with a friend or with a small group of friends or even just on your own and really tap into the ingredients that are in the drink and just enjoy it. It is a great wind down kind of place, a great place for contemplation over a well-made drink.
Jalan Raya Lungsiakan, Kedewatan, Ubud, Bali.
DAPUR BALI MULA
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This is one restaurant that is outside of Ubud that I just have to recommend. If you’re up for an adventure and wish to experience Balinese food prepared in its truest form, by someone who really is dedicated to keeping the art form of Balinese cooking alive, then this is the number one place to go. It’s well worth taking a road trip up to Les from Ubud. You can go for the day, you will go through the mountains, you will see the agricultural heartlands of Bali. You will end up in the arid and culturally fascinating North Coast of the island and see this vast stretch of coconut groves and salt making. It is a really amazing one day experience.
Les, Tejakula, Buleleng
Tjok Maya Kerthyasais an Indonesian-Australian writer living in Ubud, Bali. She spent just under a decade in Sydney where she wrote for Australian Gourmet Traveller magazine, before moving home to Bali to reconnect with her family and her ancestral home. Since returning, Maya has hosted culinary-based events, starred in an Indonesian food-based web series called Masakan Rumah, and has spoken about Balinese cooking for various media platforms. Maya is documenting her grandmother’s recipes to share with the next generation of Balinese cooks and food lovers from other parts of the world. Her mission is to see the cuisine better understood and celebrated on a global level.