Good restaurants under $5 in Bali
Truth be told, finding an affordable meal in Bali is not really a difficult thing; the challenge lies in finding one where the place is also comfortable and appeases the eyes.
If you are quite tolerant when it comes to food then there are plenty of roadside food stalls and hole-in-the-wall kiosks in Bali that would sell you a relatively good portion of food for a very low price. But these places can be quite shady because many of them opt to set up their shops next to the gutter or close to the road, without adequate protection from smoke, dust and flies -- things that might put you off if you are a picky eater.
The good thing is that going for better restaurants does not necessarily translate into a huge jump in price, compared to what the cheap food shops are selling.
Here are some places picked by The Jakarta Post Travel where the prices are very friendly toward your wallet, but still maintain relatively satisfying sanitation and comfort levels. The list is not in any way comprehensive but it will give you the general idea of how amazing the budget culinary scene in Bali is -- either for local dishes or foreign delicacies -- and we hope that you won’t hesitate to try these under-$5 meals.
Warung Liku -- Denpasar, Kuta
The delicious ayam betutu (roasted chicken) at Warung Liku will make you wonder why other restaurants are charging considerably more for a similar dish with a somehow inferior taste.
A serve of ayam betutu (complete with the rice, vegetables and chili) will only set you back Rp 12,000 (US$1.00). Such a combination of great price and tasty local food makes Warung Liku a favorite lunch spot.
Their shop, on Jl. Gandapura III F No. 10, is only the size of a small garage; their branch on Jl. Nakula in Kuta is considerably bigger. Both shops can be quite busy at lunchtime with plenty of locals and tourists who want to grab a bite.
Warung Bunana -- Kerobokan, Jimbaran, Sanur
This food shop specializes in Indian-Malaysian cuisine, serving dishes like roti canai (Canai bread), curry and milk tea.
Despite having a small space in which to operate, Warung Bunana stands out by serving food with high value for money. Their better-than-average meals cost between Rp 6,000 and Rp 15,000.
Warung Bunana already has three branches in Bali. The first one is on Jl. Raya Kerobokan, close to the Lio intersection, while the second shop is located on Jl. Uluwatu II in the Jimbaran area and the last one is on Jl. Bypass Ngurah Rai in Sanur.
Warung Sari Alam -- Denpasar
The special dish offered by Warung Sari Alam is the Tilapia fish, engulfed in spices and herbs, ready to be barbecued or fried. For a whole medium-size fish, you will have to pay around Rp 20,000.
Located in the Renon area, where most of the regional government offices are based, Warung Sari Alam attracts many office workers during lunchtime.
Warung Dewa -- Ubud
Jl. Gaotama in Ubud is already packed with plenty of great restaurants, but Warung Dewa holds its strong position by selling a varied menu of meals at an affordable price.
Although selling at a low price, the quality at Warung Dewa is not in question; a certificate from the TripAdvisor website hanging on their wall is proof that plenty of satisfied customers have visited.
Gula Bali, The Joglo -- Denpasar
For those who seek a light lunch, this place is the perfect spot to visit, as you will find that Gula Bali is suitable as hangout place rather than being a serious lunch restaurant.
Gula Bali is a semi-outdoor restaurant built under a joglo (traditional Indonesian pavilion-style house). Due to this feature, despite the lack of big portions of food, Gula Bali attracts heaps of customers -- even during lunch -- because of the laidback ambience that the place provides.
You can find Gula Bali selling food until 5.00 p.m. on Jl. Merdeka II, tucked away from the main road.
Arkenzi -- Denpasar
Glancing at the Arkenzi food stall, it might look like the common kiosk-by-the-gutter that we mentioned above. But, as you enter the tent, you will see that it actually looks like an authentic sushi stall from Japan -- and it’s pretty clean, too.
Such authenticity is due to the fact that Puji, the shop owner, spent 17 years living in Japan. While working for a spare parts company there, he also made time to learn the art of making sushi.
Go to Jl. Teuku Umar Barat to test out Puji’s sushi-making skills. If you’re satisfied, then “mata irashite kudasai” (please come again) -- words that are said by Puji when his customers leave his shop.
Warung Sak Ade -- Gianyar
Friendly faces, plenty of choices, delicious local delicacies and cheap prices are the features that have made Warung Sak Ade the true embodiment of Indonesia’s down-to-earth culinary scene.
Upon ordering your food, you will be greeted by the owner, Desak Made Oka Yuni, who is really friendly and polite. Then you will be able to choose from a wide variety of dishes, such as grilled chicken, corn fritters, pork sausage, freshwater fish and many more. The price depends on the combination of food you have on your plate.
You can try this place when you happen to be around the Gianyar area; it is located on Jl. Ngurah Rai.
Rumah Iga 7 Jari -- Denpasar
The name of this place translates as ‘house of the seven-finger ribs’. Although the grilled ribs that they serve do not exactly come with seven big bones, they still aren’t that far off and will only cost you Rp 38,500.
The spicy grilled ribs can be found on Jl. Drupadi No.99 in Denpasar.
Warung Kanza – Ubud
This small restaurant on the corner of a street in Ubud will amaze you in the way it provides yummy grilled ribs for one third of the price that is charged by the town’s most popular ribs diner.
But that is what makes Warung Kanza kind of like the local hero; when it comes to dinnertime, the locals have to race each other to get a table at this comfy little place.
Grilled pork ribs at Warung Kanza cost Rp 35,000 and you can find them on Jl. Andong, north of the Arjuna statue intersection.
Bebek Van Java -- Nusa Dua
This restaurant offers many dishes that use duck as one of the main ingredients so, if you are a big fan of duck-based meals, then this would be a great place to visit.
With the prices that they offer, Bebek Van Java is a great alternative to the more pricey duck restaurants that are famous in Ubud.
The restaurant can be found in the Nusa Dua area, north of Benoa intersection.
Be Pasih -- Denpasar
One or two big tourist buses can often be found parked in front of what might seem like a fancy restaurant, but Be Pasih is actually a generous restaurant that serves meals with great portions and great taste, at low prices.
Each package that they sell, including chicken and fish meals, comes with an extra serving of fish soup or other side dishes. However, none of the packages cost more than Rp 50,000.
Fish is the specialty of this place as their name literally means ‘sea fish’. You can go to Jl. Pemuda in Renon, Denpasar, to eat here.
Warung Garasi -- Ubud
Although the image of a garage is usually very off-putting as a place to eat -- with all the oil leaks and smells of gasoline -- Warung Garasi (named because the place previously served as a garage) is now actually becoming a great place to have a meal.
You will still find some vehicles at this place, but they now serve as the decoration -- you can see bicycles hanging on the wall, and spark plugs and sawn-off motorbike parts too.
Grab some local food at Warung Garasi, located on Jl. Monkey Forest in Ubud.
Ikan Bakar Asri -- Denpasar
It wouldn’t be wrong to assume that having a restaurant with a location right beside green fields would allow you to charge extra just because of the great scene that the place have, but, fortunately for us, that is not the case with this particular restaurant.
Despite having such a premium scenery, Ikan Bakar Asri sell their set of grilled fish package for only Rp 19,000. If the available package is not enough for your big appetite, they also offer the fish by the kilogram.
Just remember that the restaurant and its green scenery is not located in Ubud; Ikan Bakar Asri is actually in Denpasar at Jl. Hayam Wuruk.
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