top 9 healthy bali food spots

Welcome to Bali! Let me save you the trouble of seeking out the best places in terms of overall health and just tell you where to go. But first let’s define healthy. Healthy is not the latest trending diet, usually deficient in some important macro or micro nutrients, such as vegan especially in the more “spiritual” places like Ubud. 

In the western world, the latest trend on the rise is the carnivore diet. While diets “work”, they don’t work the same for everyone. We are all individual, however some rules do apply to all of us. Such as we all need a healthy balance of carbs, protein and fats. An absence of any one of these macronutrients will cause some sort of in-balance such as hormonal in our bodies. I will address micro nurtrients at the end.

Ribs from Palmila Bali Beach Club

Here in reality, we consider genetic differences, we define healthy as an optimal balance of macro and micro nutrients. Usually 35-40% protein, 30-35% carbs, and 25-30% fats for most. And we get our micro nutrients by eating all colors of the rainbow from fruits and vegetables.

When we can’t meet all of dietary needs through the Whole Foods in our diet, only then do we resort to supplements.

Importance of macronutrients

While we do promote a balanced diet, we emphasize the importance of getting 20 - 50 grams of protein per meal. Protein is that 1 macro nutrient that has the greatest effect on our body composition, yet it’s typically under eaten compared to satiating carbs and yummy fats that make up the majority of most menus. I’m not saying carbs and fats are bad, just noting the protein deficiency in poorly thought out meal planning.

Carbs are our main source of energy. Fats are important for many cell functions including the production of some hormones. Fat keeps us warm and helps protect our organs. 

Proteins are the building blocks for our cells. Protein is also a super nutrient as it aids our immune system, can be used as energy, aids in weight loss and much more. That is why the following list leans towards building our plates around a whole food protein source first, then ensuring the other macros and micros are covered.

Without further ado;

Number 1 - Nyom Nyom

This is a spot with a variety of food options on the menu. Serving sizes are impressive while remaining affordable and is a great lunch / dinner spot with cozy vibes and lighting especially in the evening in the back area. This is also where all the Russians in Bali meet. Favorites here are

• Chicken quinoa salad

• 200 / 400 Gram beef steak with potato wedges and steamed vegetables

Number 2 - Satu Satu Coffee Company 

A favorite breakfast spot that opens at 7:30 for the early risers. The coffee is good with almond and soy milk alternatives. It would be nice for them to introduce an oat milk option though. They offer striploin, rib eye and T-bone steak options with the T-bone being the best tasting. However the chia pudding is why Satu makes the list! No other place makes chia pudding as good as Satu. Favorites here are

• T-bone steak

• Avocado smash + 2 servings of grilled chicken

• Porridge with fried banana and chia

• Chia pudding

Number 3 - Motion Fitness Foods

Popular spot for all the influencers and gym goers all over Bali. As the name implies, motion has a variety of clean slow digesting carbs and solid protein options. This menu is à la carte and you may build your plate exactly how you like. Here are some favorite builds

• 2x Beef strips cooked medium + 2x caramelized or steamed pumpkin cubes + a large fruit salad

• 8 + 4 piece chicken strips + Broccoli + sweet potato fries + a small fruit salad

• Salmon filet cooked medium + 2 corn strips + sweet potato fries + a small fruit salad

Motion leans more towards the expensive side as they offer high quality food. Only for the fittest and fattest wallets.

Number 4 - Surya Gym Cafe

Surya offers the largest protein portions for your money and they all taste great! This grill kitchen was designed for body builders. This is a great lunch option and I recommend ordering for delivery, every day. Sitting in the restaurant itself is brutal as there is no air conditioning and minimum circulation. They only offer a handful of meals with veggies, rice, mashed potatoes and meat options. You can rotate between 

• The grilled fresh tuna

• Grilled basil chicken

• The ribeye 

The mashed potatoes are mixed with cream, so be careful if you are lactose intolerant. There are a few other options such as spaghetti carbonara and a big boy beef burger.

Number 5 - Foxie’s Kitchen

This is the late night snack spot. Sometimes you drive all the way home to Canggu from Savaya, Uluwatu after a party and want something healthy to hold you over until the morning. Foxies is located in Berawa kitchen and is open 24/7. You can show up in person or order for delivery via the Gojek app anytime. Get the

• Classic Arabic Chicken Shawarma (Kebab) Big or

• The Big Chicken Wrap.

Regardless of your goals, I’m willing to bet you’re exceeding your protein goals that night. And that’s always a good thing… right?

Number 6 - Ubud Kitchen Juice Café

Best place to get your JAMU to treat discomfort and diseases of all kinds, such as flu, colds, dengue or to treat the typical Bali Belly (also known as gastroenteritis) suffered by many tourists. 

Jamu is known as a traditional medicine from Indonesia. It is predominantly a herbal medicine made from natural materials, such as roots, bark, flowers, seeds, leaves and fruits mixed with water for the healthiest juice you can find in Cangguu. My favorite is the

• Tumeric tonic

Number 7 - Joon Canggu

Joon is the pinnacle of family restaurant innovation. Every time you go back, there are some new and further improvements. Not that it was ever bad, but as an avid visitor since their doors opened, it’s been a pleasure to see the owners work diligently to continuously improve the users experience. Many dishes at Joon taste great. Favorites would be the

• Burger

• Traditional ayam bakar with rice

• Fish tacos and calamari

The last 2 are fried foods.. just a heads up. We like to treat ourselves sometimes.

However the ayam bakar is grilled and good lean food 🤙🏾

Number 8 - Santorini

This is more of nicer spot, not upscale but definitely date worthy. You may dress up slightly and experience authentic greek vibes in Bali. Santorini has locations in Canggu and Seminyak, both of which are great.

Santorini is notably good for their

• Chicken soup

I haven’t found any other resto good enough to compete. Also great is the

• Mix Grill Plate which comes with pork and chicken skewers, chopped kebab meat, greek salad and pita bread.

Very filling and loaded with protein.

The lamb is also delicious and to die for. 

Number 9 - Wanderlust Cafe

The breakfast spot for athletes. Wanderlust cafe and Wanderlust gym cafe have pretty much the same menu both packed with protein. The only difference is the Berawa location is slightly more expensive. The difference is hardly noticeable, however the atmosphere is noticeably more professional (no cross fitters eating shirtless). Similar to Motion fitness foods, you can build your own plate however you like. My go to dish though is

• The Drisk with sourdough bread and I replace the feta cheese with a sausage

“🚨 Bonus spot 🚨”

Eat Street

Last, but not least would be Eat Street. This local spot has some of the cleanest and healthiest food you can find on the island. There is also no wait time as the food is already prepared and sitting behind a glass shelf. You simply point out to the staff what you would like, and they build your plate based on the weight of each portion. each portion of food is usually about 100g. This spot is also known for being very affordable for the decent quality of food you’re receiving.

Enjoy your stay in Bali and eat well! Remember, well means sufficient macro & micro nutrients, including CARBS and FATS. And micronutrients are like tiny nutrition superhero’s that act as cofactors for metabolic reactions, reduction of inflammation and support for the immune system. Sufficient micro nutrition also helps reduce the risk of disease and aids in tissue repair. So there you have it, macro and micro nutrients help us function well as human beings.