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10 Traditional Foods in Bali You Must Try as a Tourist!
10 Traditional Foods in Bali You Must Try as a Tourist!
With recipes that go back centuries, traditional food dishes in Bali act as a tangible representation of history connecting present-day humans to the past. Thus, Bali’s gastronomy works to bring culture, spirituality, and local ingredients together and builds unique culinary experiences for tourists.
So, if you’re planning a trip to Bali, here are 10 traditional foods that will offer you an authentic taste of Bali’s heritage along with a deeper connection to its traditions.
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1. Babi Guling
Image source: IG @bumbubalirestaurant
- Flavor Profile: Roasted meat with a savory, smoky, and spicy profile
- Cultural Significance: Used as an offering to the Hindu gods at religious and communal ceremonies.
Babi Guling, the Suckling Pig, is not just Bali’s most legendary dish, but also one that represents the region’s cuisine most beautifully. Most tourists land with this traditional Balinese food already on their itinerary.
Babi Guling involves a fairly extensive preparatory process; the recipe involves coating a piglet with spices, letting it marinate, and then fully stuffing it with basa gede or the traditional Balinese spice paste. The unique combination of spices and the piglet meat come together in a delicious blend once roasted.
2. Betutu
- Flavor Profile: Spicy and tangy meat with a deep smoky taste
- Cultural Significance: A symbol of Balinese cultural identity. Used to be a favourite of the royals and is now served at Balinese ceremonies.
Betutu is cooked in a similar way as Babi Guling, however the ingredients are slightly different.
Betutu is made with both duck (Bebek Betutu) and Chicken (Ayam Betutu), and makes use of a tamarind-based spice paste. Betutu also uses banana leaves to wrap the meat for over 24 hours, after which it is slow-cooked in bamboo bark for a rich taste profile. The dish is traditionally served with vegetables and sambal (Balinese chill sauce).
Betutu has a long history in Bali, and is believed to have been cooked first during the Majapahit era.
3. Lawar
Image source: IG @lins_chandr
- Flavor Profile: Varies
- Cultural Significance: A symbol of gratitude to nature. Represents the diversity of life and harmonization among species.
Lawar is a unique traditional Balinese dish with minced meat (any of your choice), grated coconut, and a spice mix called “base genep.”
The flavor profile of this traditional dish can vary greatly depending on the options available:
1. Choice of Meat: The type of meat you select plays a significant role in shaping the dish’s taste.
2. Types of Lawar: There are two main variations of Lawar:
- Lawar Barak (Red Lawar): Includes coconut and animal blood, giving it a richer flavor.
- Lawar Putih (White Lawar): A simpler version made with coconut, offering a milder taste.
3. Combination of Lawar: A mix of various types of Lawar is called Lawar Padamare, which combines the unique flavors of each variant.
4. Sate Lilit
- Flavor Profile: Creamy and savoury barbequed meat or fish
- Cultural Significance: Served at ceremonies, but always in odd numbers as a form of respect to the gods.
The word “Lilit” literally means to wrap around.
Sate Lilit can be made with any kind of meat, even turtle meat which is blended with grated coconut, coconut milk, and other ingredients and then wrapped around natural plant sticks.. The signifying factor behind Sate Lilit is its wrapping around the sticks which may be bamboo, sugarcane, or lemongrass sticks.
Sate Lilit is easily available at many Warungs (family-business eateries) in Bali.
Not sure how to fill your itinerary? Check out our suggested itineraries here.
5. Nasi Campur
The word
Nasi Campur is a rice bowl with various side dishes of your choice. While some side dishes are common, you can expect to see a range of options from different Warungs/restaurants. However, if you want to try out different flavors for your Nasi Campur, going for a buffet is the best option.
Some common side dishes include,
- Ayam Panggang (grilled chicken)
- Ayam Betutu
- Fried tempeh
- Sambals
- Roasted peanuts
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6. Urutan
Image source: IG @chef_kompiang
- Flavor Profile: Punchy, intense, and spicy
- Cultural Significance: Represents the fusion of cultures in Bali. Served at Galungan, Kuningan, and other ceremonies
Even if you’ve eaten sausages a million times already, Urutan or Balinese sausage will still come as a surprise!
Urutan is a sun-dried fermented sausage made with pork, spices, and coconut milk. It is rich and aromatic and holds a special place in Balinese cuisine.
Often served at festivals, Urutan represents the island’s bold and flavorful approach to food. While traditionally, Urutan uses pork, you can easily find many halal versions too.
7. Tipat Cantok
Image source: IG @warung_men_runtu
- Flavor Profile: Nutty and slightly crunchy. Spice levels vary significantly.
- Cultural Significance: Easily available in every Balinese area and is a core part of everyday life. Used as a light but fulfilling snack by most Balinese people.
Tipat Cantok is a common Balinese traditional food dish that is easily available at most local Warungs.
Tipat Cantok is a vegetarian-friendly dish and includes boiled rice cakes served with peanut sauce and vegetables. Additionally, restaurants may also serve tahu (firm tofu) or fried tempeh (fermented soy blocks) with it.
8. Serombotan
Image source: IG @rahayuni_evendi
- Flavor Profile: Fresh, crisp, and nutty with a lot of spice.
- Cultural Significance: Part of the royal cuisine from the Klungkung Regency
Serombotan is a vegan-friendly side dish that uses fresh vegetables with coconut, beans, and sambal as topping.
The toppings make Serombotan perfect for those who want to enjoy the freshness of Bali’s produce without missing out on the island’s bold flavors
9. Balinese Coffee
- Flavor Profile: Processing methods make the taste profile quite variable among different types, however, overall, Balinese coffee has a complex, strong flavor.
- Cultural Significance: Coffee cultivation and harvesting are communal practices with great social importance. Cultivation has also historically been of economic importance for Bali.
Balinese Coffee or Kopi Bali, is famous for its bold flavor. Kopi Bali has strong historical roots, with businesses that have been involved in it for generations, over centuries.
Among all Indonesian coffees, Kopi Luwak is the most famous one, however, in Bali Arabica and Robusta are exceptional too.
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10. Martabak
- Flavor Profile: Varies
- Cultural Significance: Popular street food. Used as key to social bonding and communal gatherings
With different versions of it consumed all across Asia, Balinese Martabak is one of the most popular local traditional foods.
In Bali, Martabak is available as both sweet (martabak manis) and savory (martabak telur). Martabak can be best described as a stuffed-pancake, with chocolate or banana filling for martabak manis and egg, onion, meat, and seasonings for martabak telur.
Where to Find Authentic Balinese Food?
1. For the most authentic taste of Balinese cuisine, visit local food markets and small warungs (family-owned eateries).
2. These spots serve traditional dishes made with love and time-honored recipes, and you will also get the best deals here.
Interested in exploring more of Bali’s traditions and history? Check out unique local-led walking tours in Ubud.
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Read what people say about Ubud Story Walks...
Ubud Story Walks is something different. It’s a fun, entertaining and refreshing way to delve into Ubud’s past. The knowledgeable guides place as much emphasis on how they tell a story as they do on what they’re sharing, which means all sorts of magical and mystifying details are revealed. I believe the best way to get to know a place is to walk its streets, which makes Ubud Story Walks one of the best ways to get to know Ubud.
Julia Winterflood
We had a fantastic time walking around the historical centre of Ubud! Even though we've been based in Bali for a few years, we'd never had an actual tour of some of Bali's most iconic landmarks and learning about the history was fascinating. Our guide was hilarious and full of information and it was a lovely and relaxing way to learn so much. The tour was early in the morning which was perfect timing as the temperature was still cool and we were able to witness the morning bustle of Ubud's famous markets. 10/10 would recommend!
Rahima Saikal
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