Ubud had been described to me as Bali’s food capital, so I was pretty enthused to be going there. We were staying in an Air BnB about a 20 minute walk from town, and without scooters it made getting around sometimes inconvenient. We did our best though; and I managed to eat at some pretty awesome places.
The best of the bunch was an incredible spot known as The Clear Cafe. We were the first customers of the day (we were on our way to The Yoga Barn) and I can only imagine how amazing the vibe would be when the place is full. You enter through a massive circular door (think ‘Open Sesame’), which straightaway makes you feel as though you have entered somewhere magical. It has an open air feel, close to nature and big comfy couch seats that make you never want to leave. The cafe sprawls for what literally feels like miles, and there are so many nooks and crannies to explore.
The menu was somewhat intimidating because it was so large, but thankfully at 7am the menu was essentially cut in half. It still took us a while to decide though – when you know a place is good you can afford to take a risk with some of the more adventurous options. The food was delicious, the prices reasonable, and the staff lovely. I could not recommend it more – and I highly suggest you take a visit to the bathroom!
Completely in contrast to the spaciousness of The Clear Cafe is GrandPa’s Cafe. This place is teeny tiny, but gives rise to an atmosphere of hustle and bustle. An ideal place to go with just one or two people, but with the group of four we had, it was a bit of a squeeze. Goodness knows how they even cook in the small space they call a kitchen! Another tasty menu; the coffee was cheap and delicious, and my brother claimed that his pulled pork was his favourite dish in Bali. The portions were massive – which sure makes a change. Right near the markets, GrandPa’s was the perfect spot for some people watching, so long as you didn’t feel pressured to move on for lack of table space.
We were lucky to be staying right next door to Juno’s. Having only opened in the last year or so it radiated tranquility – we felt like we were in the waiting room before a spa treatment. Designed by someone with serious taste, it was a beautiful area to spend some time in. The bathroom was absolutely unreal; I had never seen anything like it – I won’t reveal any spoilers, but again I suggest it as a must-visit! Oh yeah, and the food was pretty good too!
We had been recommended a number of places that we unfortunately didn’t make it to, including Kafe Ubud (vegetarian, burgers), Seeds of Life (raw food), AA Juicery & Cafe (breakfast bowls) and for a good ol’ cup of Luwak coffee, Seniman. Another must visit is Ibu Oka, where you can order the local specialty pork suckling. The meat is delicious, the crackling even more so – and while you wait (which won’t be long) you can check out the squirrels and cockatoos outside.
