In March/April 2024, I re-visited Canggu in Bali, Indonesia. I felt nostalgic since Canggu seems to be the birthplace of the adventure I started almost two years ago - the adventure of traveling full-time, this blog, and my personal growth.
I recognized that Canggu and I have changed. It wasn't as vibey between us as it had been back in September 2022, but the good news is that some things have stayed the same. I am still a passionate foodie, and Canggu continues to offer the best gastronomic environment imaginable.
Consequently, it was my mission to re-explore Canggu's cafés and restaurants. Again, I found myself looking for the fanciest, most delicious, and vegetarian-friendly eateries. I managed to eat brunch in different cafés every single day.
In this blog post, I'm not going to introduce you to all the cafés I've been to (because they were all fantastic). No, I'm going to make your life easier by providing you with a list of 5 of the best vegetarian-friendly restaurants in Canggu, Bali. Scroll through my recommendations, each of them worth visiting for a specific reason.
Table of Contents:
Best Local Dining Spot for Vegetarians in Canggu
Indonesian cuisine is truly a gem for vegetarians who worry about their protein intake. Tempeh, a fermented soy product, is widely used by Indonesians and can be easily added to every dish. Don’t like chicken? Ask to exchange it with tempeh.
Besides exchanging meat with soy products, the Indonesian kitchen does many dishes with tempeh in general. Almost every Warung (the name for local restaurants in Indonesia) serves a dish with tempeh. There’s tempe chili, tempeh curry, fried tempeh, etc.
My favorite Warung in Canggu is Warung Local. It’s a small but modern restaurant that serves an Indonesian-style buffet the whole day. The concept is simple:
choose your grains (white, yellow, or brown rice, noodles, or potatoes)
add your proteins (lots of vegetarian options!)
make it nourishing with veggies
spice it up with sauce
You pay as you pick. I never spent more than 70,000 IDR ($4) for a plate, which is very affordable.
Best Local Take-Away for Vegetarians in Canggu
If you’re in a rush, not in the mood for eating in a restaurant, and just want to grab a bite on the way home you must try Warung Oranje & Republic of Nasi Goreng. This was by far the best Nasi Goreng I’ve eaten in Canggu!
It’s rich in flavor, the portion size is huge (I couldn’t manage to eat it in one sitting) and he’s not greedy by adding enough tempeh. The whole Nasi Goreng takeaway box only costs 30,000 IDR which is less than $2 - that’s a bargain.
Best Ramen Restaurant for Vegetarians in Canggu
It’s a good indicator that a restaurant must be good when a place has over 2000 reviews and a 4.9-star rating. When I was looking for delicious ramen, I found many but they only had one option for vegans. At Kenji in Berawa (that’s the place!) all ramen dishes can be changed into a vegetarian version and there are two vegan ramen on the menu!
I had the spicy ramen but exchanged the meat with tofu. It was so good! The umami flavor in the broth was strong, the spiciness on a good level, and the noodles were cooked to perfection. If you like ramen, this place is a must-try.
Best Overall Vegan Restaurant in Canggu:
Pink, vibrant, and fully vegan. Three words that stand out for KYND COMMUNITY. The variety of their vegan menu made it very hard for me to choose from one dish, but what I had was mouth-watering and delicious.
They offer different kinds of Buddha Bowls, Smoothie Bowls, Italian dishes, Mexican dishes, Asian dishes, and the list goes on. Perfect for those who can’t decide what they’re in the mood for.
Best Vibey Dinner Place in Canggu:
Are you looking for a restaurant to get ready for a fun night out? A place where you have a few cocktails after you’ve finished your meal? Lola’s Cantina has never disappointed me.
A Mexican restaurant that serves the typical Mexican dishes, from Tacos to Burritos, Nachos to Quesadillas, and so on. Every dish has a vegetarian and even a vegan option, which is great for groups with all kinds of preferences.
💡 There’s a special Taco Tuesday promotion; you get free Tacos for every cocktail.
Best Brunch Place to Experience Canggu’s Vibe:
Back in 2022, my first place to eat brunch was Crate Café. It’s the epitome of what stands for Canggu. A crowd of young people, a fancy outdoor place, the food presentation hits differently, and a few digital nomads are working on their laptops.
The portion sizes are huge and quite affordable. A dish costs around 65,000 IDR (less than $4) and although it is always crowded you never wait too long for the food.
Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurants Worth Mentioning in Canggu
Since I had the pleasure of trying out countless restaurants my list doesn't stop with only five. Here are even more restaurants worth mentioning:
TYGR Sushi: has vegetarian sushi, poke bowls, and ramen available. On Wednesdays, there's a promotion on their special roll sushis (55k each).
Anaga Restaurant: if you're craving authentic Thai food, this is your place! Almost all dishes can be made vegetarian-friendly.
Shady Shack: A fully vegan restaurant with a wide menu.
Manggis in Canggu: Another fully vegan restaurant that also has a menu full of options.
Irma by Bacaro: A list of the best vegetarian restaurants can't miss an Italian. Best pizza in Canggu!
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