One of the major pleasures of a trip to Bali is the fabulous food. For your eating pleasure I’ve pulled together my hot list of Seminyak’s best new restaurants. I couldn’t resist eating at a few old favourites on this trip but I also managed to fit in some serious eating at a host of new openings. 

Saigon Street

Aussie chef Geoff Lindsay (of Dandelion in Elwood) has opened this fun Vietnamese restaurant with a street food vibe. The restaurant is decked out in mint green tones and a rainbow of paper lanterns and the fresh, vibrant flavours of the food are just as memorable. There’s outdoor street side dining with the constant hum of motorbikes or indoors for a little more chilled dining. Order the pot sticker dumplings or banh mi. Great for a casual lunch or a group dinner with friends. 

Details: Saigon Street, Jl. Petitenget No. 77X, Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia (Ph +62 (361) 897 4007)

Da Maria

Bali’s newest party restaurant is from the same team behind one of my favourites Motel Mexicola. Like Motel Mexicola, Da Maria is huge and really nails the decor. Think sunny Amalfi coast with wrought iron white furniture, various fountains and nautical blue and white stripes.  I was invited to visit Da Maria and so got to try out lots of the menu. Must orders here are the wood fired pizza and the spaghetti vongole. Don’t miss the desserts including bomboloni and lemon granita. At night the front section of the restaurant turns into a dance floor so it’s easy for dinner to turn into a party. 

Details: Da Maria, Jl Petitenget No. 170 Badung, Seminyak, Bali 

Mrs Sippy

Not only is Mrs Sippy the newest place in Bali to see and be seen with its huge swimming pool, the food here is also spot on. I was invited to visit Mrs Sippy and you can read my full review here but highlights included the pizza, charred cauliflower salad ($11) and the tiger prawns ($22). The huge prawns were charred and slightly smoky with sweet flesh inside. Settle in for the day and you can even bring the kids here.

Details: Mrs Sippy, Jl Taman Ganesha, Gang Gagak 8, Seminyak, Bali (Ph  +62 361 3351079)

Mad Pops 

This tiny little shop front serves up seriously good ice-cream but the weird thing is it’s not really ice-cream at all because it’s dairy free vegan ice-cream. There’s not quite the same creaminess of actual gelato or ice-cream but this coco blend has a great light taste to it which is super refreshing in the bali heat. I particularly loved Mad Pops take on the classic mint choc chip ice-cream and there’s also really fun popsicle flavours. 

Details: Mad Pops,  Jl. Kayu Aya No. 48, Seminyak, Bali.

Grow 

One of Bali’s newest opening is from chef Ryan Clift of the uber popular Tippling Club in Singapore. Grow Bali is all about its farm to table ethos and offers an innovative menu with a low carbon footprint thanks to locally sourced produce. The food is thought provoking but still tasty, think nori crackers and roasted bone marrow. I loved the potato wrapped prawns which were crunchy and spicy. The only downside is the setting of the restaurant which is in the lobby of a hotel. You get the distinct feeling the room you are sitting in is about to get transformed for buffet breakfast a few hours after you leave.  

Details: Grow Bali, Jalan Raya Petitenget No. 8L Seminyak, Badung, Bali 

Bikini 

“U look hot in your bikini” says the glowing neon sign outside Bikini. It’s a little bit cheeky and a little bit flirtatious which seems to be the mood of the restaurant. Great for dates the food here is refined but still adventurous and sure to give you something to talk about if the conversation runs out. The must order dish is the oyster crackers which are served amidst a spectacular swirl of smoke. It’s part restaurant theatre and part aphrodisiac which sums up Bikini.  

Details: Bikini, JL. Kayu Cendana No.6 Seminyak, Bali (Ph +62 813 533 82 346)

Tiger Palm

You can’t escape chef Will Meyrick in Bali, nor would you want to. He’s the man behind Mamasan in Seminyak and Hujan Locale in Ubud. Tiger Palm is his newest restaurant and it’s in a little bit of a strange setting at the opening to the new Seminyak Village shopping centre. What it lacks in atmosphere, Tiger Palm makes up for on the food front. Meyrick is known as the ‘street food chef’ and the menu here picks and chooses from street food options across Asia with a particular focus on Malaysia. My favourites included the dim sum char sui pork buns and spring rolls.  

Essentials: Tiger Palm, Jl. Kayu Jati no. 8, Seminyak Village, Seminyak

Gourmet Travel Tips

• I flew to Bali with JetStar and my flight was $800 return from Melbourne to Denpasar. Australians no longer need a visa for Bali.
• Places to stay near Seminyak: Belmond Jimbaran Puri, Anantara Uluwatu and Mister Zimi Villa.
• For more Bali tips here are my guides to Seminyak restaurants and Ubud eats.