8 Dishes You Can Only Eat in Bali

Bali isn’t known as the ‘Island of the Gods’ just for the scenery, but because this is an island where the Gods could never go hungry. The island is one of the most popular destinations in Indonesia, and a lot of that popularity is down to its unique culture. A big part of Balinese culture is the cooking, and Bali is home to some of Indonesia’s best dishes and tastiest cuisine.

Like anywhere in Indonesia, the food is spicy and hot, and rice plays a huge part in every meal. Each Balinese dish is complete with local herbs and cooking techniques, and there are local twists on classic southeast Asian favourites such as Sate, while you’ll also find items on the menus here that you’ll never find anywhere else in the country.

To inspire your next culinary adventure, here are eight dishes that you can only eat in Bali!

Babi Guling

One of Bali’s most unique cultural facets is the fact that the island is predominantly Hindu. In Muslim majority Indonesia, that’s a rarity, and it means that pork lovers are in for a real treat.

Bali’s most famous local dish is Babi Guling, and there’s nowhere else in Indonesia where you’ll be able to find pork cooked this way. Babi Guling is a slow-cooked suckling pig that’s dripping in spices and oil. The pig is stuffed full of all sorts of herbs, including lemongrass and garlic, and is then spit-roasted for hours on end. This is the sort of dish that was traditionally served up at feasts, but these days you’ll find the speciality for sale at many local restaurants across Bali.

Balinese chicken curry

It’s not only slow roast pork the Balinese know how to cook, because the locals also serve up one of the tastiest chicken curries that you’ll eat in Indonesia. Balinese Chicken Curry is thick, creamy, coconutty and spicy, making for the perfect comfort food, embodying everything there is to love about Bali. Warm up on a cold evening (a rare occurrence in tropical Bali!) or refresh yourself with its spicy flavours after a hard day of exploring the island.

Bebek Betutu

Bebek Betutu is another classic Balinese dish, and this one can trace its origins back to the old dining habits of the Balinese nobility. Bebek Betutu is Bali’s delicious duck favourite, and it truly is a dish that’s fit for a king. Long favoured by Balinese royalty in centuries past - before the Dutch came along and colonised the island - Bebek Betutu survived the royal lines that loved it to become a firm feature on tourist menus. A whole duck is slow cooked in the oven, after being stuffed full of Balinese herbs and spices. This is one dish that you’ll usually only find in the fanciest restaurants and hotels.

Crispy Balinese Duck

If it’s duck dishes that you’re looking for, then look no further than Crispy Balinese Duck. This is a local speciality that you’ll find in more than just gourmet restaurants and five-star hotels, because it’s a dish beloved by more than just the ancient Balinese nobility. A duck is slow-roasted until the skin is deliciously crispy, and then served up with a range of side dishes, including rice and spicy sauces.

Sate Lilit

In today’s world, you can find Sate in almost any country, but no one does it quite like the Balinese. The skewered sticks of meat, usually accompanied with a dipping sauce, originated in southeast Asia, and each island and country in the region has its own unique take on the dish.

In Bali, local chefs will cook up Sate Lilit, but first, they have to grind and mince up the meat that’s going to be skewered. Take chicken, beef, duck, or of course, tofu. The ground product is grilled on a stick, often simply on the side of the road, after being marinated or mixed with coconut, lemongrass, or chillis and other Balinese spices. 

Nasi Jinggo

Nasi Jinggo is a real local favourite because this is a type of Balinese fast food - it’s just much, much healthier and a lot cheaper than buying a McDonalds on Kuta Beach. On the side of the road, on local buses or boats, you’ll always find vendors selling small packages or rice wrapped up in banana leaves. The rice is packed with different toppings, and you’ll find everything from spicy sauces and boiled eggs to chicken curry or grilled fish. The small packages are ideal for takeaway and full of flavour. You eat it cold and then chuck away the used banana leaf.

Nasi Campur

If you’re looking for a more substantial, rice-based meal, then look no further than Nasi Campur. In Bahasa Indonesia, Nasi means rice and Campur means mix. This dish then goes by the simple name of Mixed Rice, and it’s a hearty, filling array of local dishes and flavours that have been cooked up for centuries.Take a big scoop of white rice, and then add everything from fresh vegetables and prawn crackers to chicken sates and peanut sauce to the mix. Anything goes, and each Nasi Campur will be truly distinct from the last.

Bali Smoothie Bowls

Okay, so it’s not exactly the most traditional Balinese dish out there, and it certainly isn’t something that you’d have found on the King of Bali’s dining table a few centuries ago, but the Island of the Gods has become famous - or perhaps infamous - for its smoothie bowls.

In fact, smoothie bowls have become an essential part of the Bali travel experience for many tourists, and you’ll find increasingly exotic options on the breakfast menus of many a restaurant from Canggu to Kuta. Take a heap of colourful fruit and some healthy oats and serve it up in style, with as much Instagram flair as can be mustered!