Four Banging Spots for Brunch in Bali (and three in Lombok!)

There’s so much more to Indonesia than the floppy-hatted girls of Instagram would have you believe. It’s not all infinity pools, and swings on the beach. Apart from Bali. Which is exactly that.

While Bali may not have been our favourite island of Indonesia – controversial, I know – it knows a thing or two about a bloody good brunch. Brunch in Bali is a classy affair, with a few bedraggled surfers thrown in to mix it up. Australian coffee-culture has wheedled its way into the mainstream. Not entirely surprising, considering the vast number of Aussies in Bali. It’s hard to believe there are any left in Australia.

We’ve listed our favourite spots for brunch in Bali so you can spend less time searching and more time perfecting that sultry staring-out-across-the-rice-paddies selfie. If you love a good brunch, you’ll love this. And, if you don’t, who even are you?

BALI

Where? UBUD
What? Watercress
Budget? Flashpacker

Ubud is not – in our humble opinion – the peaceful paradise that it once was. Launched into the limelight by Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat Pray Love; tourism has exploded. Think singlets, scooters and stupid tourists being bitten by monkeys. It couldn’t be less zen if it tried. A brunch-time escape to Watercress, one of the hippest cafes in a long line of hip cafes. Expect inflated prices and a seductive selection of gluten-free-dairy-free-fun-free food options. There is greatness on offer for meat-eating fun-lovers too, in the shape of beefy burgers and mimosas. This is the quintessential brunch in Bali. I went for the quinoa salad (don’t judge me). I don’t regret a single mouthful.

Where? CANGGU
What? Satu-Satu coffee company
Budget? Backpacker

Locally sourced coffee is the order of the day here. And do it well, they do. The warehouse-esque cafe is bright and breezy with wickedly strong wifi. Unsurprisingly, it attracts the laptop brigade, but don’t let that put you off. Strong coffee and stronger wifi are our lifeblood, and this place has both in bundles. Let’s not forget the loveable coffee-art, ‘cos who doesn’t love that? In Canggu? You Mustggu here!

Where? CANGGU
What? Rise and Shine Cafe
Budget? Backpacker

This unassuming corner cafe tucked away in the windy backstreets of Canggu is ideal for a lazy brunch. It’s small and, despite sitting right on the road, it’s pretty peaceful. The baristas take their coffee game seriously – we like that – and the brunch menu has a feisty selection of healthy and not-so-healthy options. Again, like most western restaurants in Bali, the prices aren’t jaw-droppingly cheap but they won’t break the bank. I had the banging breakfast sandwich and a flat white which were both on point. Extra marks for presentation, too.

Where? ULUWATU
What? Suka Espresso
Budget? Flashpacker

Yet another Aussie hangout in Bali, *rolls eyes*. Do not discount this place though, the coffee is strrrrrrrrong and the menu is mighty. If you can fight past the digital nomads to secure a table, you might find yourself here for a few hours. In fact, I wouldn’t rule out having breakfast, lunch and dinner in this place. It’s all delightful. The waffles with ice cream were the ultimate sacrifice – it was a real struggle to finish them, they just were not good at all. Can’t you tell? Seriously though, this place is a keeper.

LOMBOK

We may have merely flirted with Bali, but with Lombok we had a full-blown love-affair. Lombok remains one of our favourite places in South East Asia. The roads are wide and smooth – a luxury in this part of the world – and the seas are clear and calm. Real, local life is lived unashamedly throughout the island, providing the ideal ratio of locals to tourists. Many holidaymakers and budget-backpackers don’t make it this far; the magnetism of the infamous Gili Islands too powerful to avoid. We’d like to think, for Lombok’s sake, it stays that way. That said, it’s not devoid of a western caress, with plenty of banging brunch spots to keep you satisfied. Here are three of our favourites.

Where? SENGGIGI
What? Gula Gila
Budget? Backpacker

We found this place through a stroke of luck. Who am I kidding, we found it because I googled best coffee with wifi in Sengiggi. Who do you think I am?!
This industrial-themed cafe is complete with a comments wall for customers to vote for their fave baristas. Love that – not least because it keeps them all on their best game! We didn’t have a full-blown meal here (we are on a budget people) but we did have two coffees and two cupcakes because obviously that’s the best way to spend our very, very limited funds.

Where? KUTA (not to be confused with its hedonistic Balinese cousin)
What? El Bazar
Budget? Flashpacker

This may have been the most extravagant of them all. Never has a budget been better blown than at this place. Quite possibly the best brunch OF MY LIFE. The portions were healthy, the coffee was frothy and full-on and the entire ambience made you feel like you were in a Riad in the middle of Marrakesh. Quirky yet classy, El Bazar is saturated in sass. Definitely not the cheapest place to go for your brekkie (or dinner, but my lord that was good too!) but you definitely won’t regret it. If rice for breakfast doesn’t do it for you, then go here you must. It’s a treat, but hey, why not treat yo’self?

Where? KUTA
What? Milk Espresso
Budget? Flashpacker

Milk Espresso is full of hanging egg chairs, copper vases and fashionable yogawear. I needn’t say any more, as this alone will conjour up visions of the clientele. It’s easy to find a seat, from the road-facing benches, snuggly tables-for-two or the serene patio out back – you could visit time and again and always have a different experience. We saw girls munching on bircher bowls, plenty of smoothies and the odd bloody mary. Our poison was a killer flat white and the prettiest poached egg and avo toast we ever did see. A great place to see off that hangover, or fill up on energy before catching a wave.

It goes without saying that brunch is one of our favourite meals of the day – and with these outrageously good options for brunch in Bali and Lombok, you can’t go wrong.

What’s your favourite brunch menu?

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