Food · Ubud · Indonesia
What to eat in Ubud
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Ubud, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Jorge Franganillo, CC BY 2.0
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Quick answer
Start with Babi guling, Crispy duck and Bebek betutu. Classes in family compounds around Ubud start at a village market and teach the base genep spice paste that underpins Balinese cooking, ending with a shared lunch of everything you made. Babi guling and nasi campur warungs often sell out by mid-afternoon; eat local food at lunch.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Babi guling
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 5
- Tipping
- Tipping is not expected in warungs, but leaving small change is appreciated.
- Food experiences
- 4
11 foods to try
Dish
1.Babi guling
Spit-roasted suckling pig stuffed with base genep spice paste, served with crackling, lawar, blood sausage and rice. Ubud's babi guling warungs became famous through the late chef Anthony Bourdain, and they usually sell out by early afternoon.
Where: Long-established warungs around Jalan Suweta and Jalan Tegal Sari in central Ubud; go at lunchtime.
Dish
2.Crispy duck (Bebek goreng)
Duck steamed in spices and then deep-fried until the skin shatters, served with sambal matah and rice. Several Ubud restaurants set in rice fields have built their reputation on it.
Where: Rice-field restaurants along Jalan Hanoman and the main road towards Pengosekan.
Dish
3.Bebek betutu
Whole duck or chicken rubbed with spice paste, wrapped in banana leaves and slow-cooked for hours until it falls off the bone. Traditionally a ceremonial dish, some restaurants need it ordered a day ahead.
Where: Balinese restaurants in central Ubud; ask your guesthouse which ones cook it to order.
Dish
4.Nasi campur Bali
A plate of rice surrounded by small portions — shredded chicken, sate lilit, tempeh, long beans, egg and sambal — chosen from a counter. It is the everyday lunch and one of the best-value meals in Ubud.
Where: Warungs on Jalan Goutama, Jalan Kajeng and around Ubud Market; vegetarian versions are easy to find.
Street food
5.Sate lilit
Minced fish, chicken or pork mixed with grated coconut and spices, wrapped around lemongrass stalks or bamboo sticks and grilled. Unlike other satay it comes without peanut sauce.
Where: Warung menus across Ubud and the evening stalls near Ubud Market.
Dish
6.Lawar
A chopped mix of long beans, young jackfruit or green papaya with grated coconut, spices and often minced meat. Red lawar includes fresh blood; white lawar does not, and vegetable-only versions are common.
Where: Served alongside babi guling and nasi campur; vegetable lawar appears on many café menus.
Dish · Vegetarian
7.Tempeh and tofu dishes
Fermented soybean tempeh fried with sweet soy and chilli (tempe manis), or tofu in a peanut sauce, are staples of Ubud's plant-based kitchens. The town has one of Asia's densest concentrations of vegetarian and vegan cafés.
Where: Cafés along Jalan Hanoman, Jalan Goutama and Penestanan.
Dessert · Vegetarian
8.Black rice pudding (Bubur injin)
Black glutinous rice simmered with palm sugar and pandan, served warm with coconut milk poured over the top. It is a common breakfast or dessert.
Where: Warung breakfast menus and homestay breakfasts; also sold at Ubud Market in the early morning.
Snack · Vegetarian
9.Jaje Bali
Small rice-flour and coconut cakes in bright colours, often sweetened with palm sugar and wrapped in banana leaf. They are used in offerings as well as eaten as snacks.
Where: Market stalls at Pasar Ubud early in the morning, before 9am.
Drink · Vegetarian
10.Balinese coffee (Kopi Bali)
Robusta and arabica grown in the Kintamani highlands, traditionally brewed with fine grounds left in the cup. Specialty cafés in Ubud also serve Kintamani arabica as pour-over and espresso.
Where: Warungs serve it the traditional way; specialty roasters cluster on Jalan Raya Ubud and Jalan Hanoman.
Drink · Vegetarian
11.Jamu
Herbal tonic made from turmeric, ginger, tamarind and other roots, drunk for health. Kunyit asam (turmeric and tamarind) is the most common and is mildly sweet and sour.
Where: Market vendors, health cafés and some spas, which offer it after a massage.
Food experiences
Market-to-kitchen cooking class
Classes in family compounds around Ubud start at a village market and teach the base genep spice paste that underpins Balinese cooking, ending with a shared lunch of everything you made.
Babi guling lunch
Join locals at a babi guling warung around midday, when the pig comes off the spit; the plate of pork, crackling, lawar and sausage is the island's signature feast.
Rice-field restaurant dinner
Several restaurants on the edge of town serve crispy duck and Balinese set menus on terraces overlooking paddies, with frogs and fireflies after dark.
Plant-based café crawl
Ubud's raw-food, vegan and vegetarian cafés along Jalan Hanoman and Jalan Goutama make it easy to spend a day sampling smoothie bowls, tempeh plates and jamu tonics.
Quick bites and street food
- Sate lilit — Warung menus across Ubud and the evening stalls near Ubud Market.
- Jaje Bali — Market stalls at Pasar Ubud early in the morning, before 9am.
Vegetarian options
Of the 11 foods in this guide, 5 are usually vegetarian: Tempeh and tofu dishes, Black rice pudding, Jaje Bali, Balinese coffee and Jamu. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Babi guling and nasi campur warungs often sell out by mid-afternoon; eat local food at lunch.
- Ubud restaurants close earlier than those on the coast; many kitchens stop taking orders around 10pm.
- Drink bottled or filtered water; many cafés refill bottles from large filtered containers for a small charge.
- Ask for 'tidak pedas' (not spicy) if you are wary of chilli; sambal is usually served on the side.
- Many restaurants add tax and service of about 15–21% to the bill; menus usually say so at the bottom.
Tipping
Tipping is not expected in warungs, but leaving small change is appreciated. Restaurants often add a service charge; drivers, guides and spa therapists appreciate about Rp 20,000–50,000 for good service.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Om swastiastu | Balinese Hindu greeting |
| Suksma | Thank you (Balinese) |
| Terima kasih | Thank you (Indonesian) |
| Berapa harganya? | How much is it? |
| Tidak pedas | Not spicy |
| Permisi | Excuse me |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Ubud famous for?
Babi guling, Crispy duck, Bebek betutu and Nasi campur Bali. Spit-roasted suckling pig stuffed with base genep spice paste, served with crackling, lawar, blood sausage and rice.
+Is Ubud good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Tempeh and tofu dishes, Black rice pudding and Jaje Bali.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Ubud?
Tipping is not expected in warungs, but leaving small change is appreciated. Restaurants often add a service charge; drivers, guides and spa therapists appreciate about Rp 20,000–50,000 for good service.