15 Ethical and sustainable restaurants in Bali that care for the planet and local community and fight food wastage!

Written by Beverley Lennon

Dining at a restaurant shouldn’t cost the earth and that is exactly what sustainable eateries have as ideals.

Whether you refer to it as a trend rather than a pursuit, sustainability has become more of a buzzword than just a simple hashtag. In fact, it seems to be shaking up the food industry by taking notice of the impacts on the environment and benefits of sourcing resources locally and ethically.

So if you are or intend to be an eco-conscious foodie and looking for some of the best sustainable restaurants while on vacation in Bali, you’ll love to know about these eateries listed below – they’re innovators making important changes to help us live a more sustainable life, from how they decorate their interiors to what they feed us with!

How do I know if the restaurant I am dining at is ethical and sustainable?

Want to know if the pub you’re having lunch at gets its meat from a decent farm? Or whether the bartenders making your cocktail are looked after by their bosses? It couldn’t be easier:

*Note: But first, remember that sustainability is more than just the environment!*

Did you know? Bali has now banned single-use plastic!

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9 Local ecovillages that are making Bali a better place with ecotourism

17 Bali shops with the best organic, natural and eco-friendly products   

1. This is Indonesia’s first zero-waste eatery – Ijen

One of Bali’s hotly-anticipated 2018 openings, Ijen at Potato Head Beach Club in Seminyak is somewhere really rather special. We absolutely love how dedicated it is to ethical sourcing and social responsibility.

From replacing plastic with banana leaves, gas with wood fire, sourcing vegetables from local farmers one mile away to offering only line-caught seafood and using natural recycled materials in their decor, treating yourself with a meal at Ijen means your contributing to Indonesia’s very first zero-waste eatery!

You’ll also order from a menu that is printed on sustainably harvested paper and sit in a dining room that is open-air while the on-site chef cooks you a scrumptious meal with an eco-conscious mind and only using sustainable meat and fish. What’s on the grill today depends much on the day’s take. Relying on the daily catch, you might want to come back twice or thrice as the menu is always changing!

2. Go green with quiet luxury and eco activities – Six Senses Uluwatu, Bali

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If you’re one of those who want to go green, you’ll have to start by booking yourself into a hotel where you will leave little to no carbon footprint. Sustainability is the ultimate buzzword at Six Senses Uluwatu, Bali. The resort brand, known for its seclusion and exclusivity, has jumped on the eco bandwagon combining fine luxury with serious sustainable efforts.

As a guest, you are welcome to join and learn some handy life hacks, such as making compost and non-toxic detergent or recycling paper. Bring along the kids – they will have fun foraging, farming and recycling as they take part in the Grow With Six Senses activities.

Six Senses Uluwatu, Bali is the leading example of eco-luxury. In here, you get to sleep in rooms that have been made from sustainable-certified materials that are, where possible, locally sourced. You’ll also help to save energy as you’ll be set in an environment that has been designed to allow natural light in during the day, while the lighting setup relies on timers and sensors.

In your room, you will also find handmade dolls and eco-friendly glass bottles. Buying one of these creations will help the local orphanage, allowing children living on the streets to have access to education, food and clean water.

From room to kitchen, even your used coffee capsules are collected and sent over to be reused, while all used water (even shower water and sewage) is treated at the on-site treatment plant and reused for gardening.

When it is time to eat, head over to their restaurant and indulge in fresh locally sourced ingredients coming from nearby farmers or their own organic garden. If that makes you feel less guilty –  any food waste is collected and made into compost for fertilisers.You’ll find here a total of three restaurants and three bars to indulge at!

And if you want a thorough cleansing dining experience, you will fall in love with their Full Immersion Programme (Cleanse & Detox, Trim & Fit, Sleep & Resilience, and Full Potential), which boosts your physical, emotional and mental health through what you eat!

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3. Made from 100% Indonesian ingredients – Cuca

Western food, Indonesian ingredients and a great connection with nature is what Cuca masters. Michelin-trained Chef Kevin Cherkas is the one behind the creation of this interesting eatery. The restaurant’s appreciation of nature and respect for the environment shines not only in the chef’s dishes, but principally in their sourcing practices.

Come in and feel like you’re deep in the forest or in the big ocean as you appreciate the blessings of nature with ingredients on your plate coming from Indonesia’s mountains, oceans, and lands. With a collection of tapas-like dishes, we recommend you to order a few of their specialties to share if you’re coming in a group.

Their dinner menu has three sections: Harvested (vegetables), Hooked (seafood), and Farmed (meat and poultry) with your favourite soft shell crab coming directly from Kalimantan and fresh spices like keluak from Toraja. As you say yes to fresh local produce, you also help contribute to the local community!

4. Bali’s local family-run warung that’s near zero-waste – Warung Goûthé

This local eatery in Canggu is run by a French-Indonesian couple who helps zero-waste dining make its way to Bali. No, they are not dedicated ecologists but simple human beings who hate throwing away food and want to ban the word ‘waste’ from their kitchen.

Come and take part in their dedicated philosophy – to be a “Zero foodprint restaurant” where less is more; you will find here only a single meal of the day depending on what is fresh (ask for “Plate of the day”), as well as other freshly-made paninis, a perfect mixture of local Indonesian dishes and good-looking French desserts; that way we all contribute to reducing food wastage!

5. This restaurant sends its organic waste to a farmer who turns it into income – The Elephant Restaurant

At The Elephant Restaurant, Mother Nature is practically the chef de cuisine. Settling here means you’re keen to help fight climate change by ordering only earth-friendly dishes.

The only concern of this restaurant is your health and the health of the planet, so providing you with chemical-free vegetables is their biggest promise! Say no to all kinds of nasties and indulge in organic fruits and vegetables sourced from reliable local farmers, that way you contribute to the community too!

Waste management is another important aspect – The Elephant Restaurant works with ugly produce that would otherwise be thrown away and outside the kitchen, they carefully separate all their waste with organics being sent to a local farmer who uses them to feed his pigs. Here goes all your leftovers! Now, you can feel less guilty.

6. Eat, drink and save lives! – The Fair Warung Balé by the Fair Future Foundation

The Fair Warung Balé will leave you with a good taste in the mouth. It cares about more than profit and reviews and so should you! The local eatery forms part of the Fair Future Foundation, one that provides free health and medical care solutions to those in need, regardless of race, religion, origin and age.

Dining at The Fair Warung Balé means you recognise and embrace better ethics and values. For the first time in Bali, you can dine at a local eatery that leaves you not just with a full stomach, but a happy heart too. The idea is simple, eat here and save a life; one meal will offer two full medical treatments.

7. One that fights poverty –  Earth Cafe by Down To Earth

Down To Earth stresses the importance of giving back to the local community, focusing on tapping local talents from nearby villages and throughout Indonesia who otherwise lack access to gainful employment.

Something we admire is that Down To Earth doesn’t shout its ethical credentials from the rooftops. Instead, it works quietly behind the scenes supporting local communities with a portion of their sales going back to those in need – now you know your money goes to a good cause!

Even the spring-water you order comes from a village nestled in the volcanic mountains of central Bali with a percentage of the water sales being returned to the people who guard its source.

Also, if you’re wondering, their smoothie bowls are real works of art. Tried and tasted!

8. A restaurant with its own farm – Sarong

Sarong sticks out from the crowd by offering above and beyond just tasty fare. If you’re always concerned about the environment and planetary health, you’ll be happy to indulge in their incredible food made with ingredients from their own farm or from nearby local farmers with whom they regularly work with.

The on-site chef is dedicated to the promotion of Indonesian cuisine culture to a wider audience, so dining here brings you on a culinary journey across Indonesia.

Perhaps you want to know what’s good to eat at Sarong since you know you’ll be enjoying fresh ingredients. Give their signature pork belly a try, it’s prepared from scratch and served with a twist – the talk of people in the know!

9. Step into a garden restaurant – Grow Bali

Grow Bali is a farm-to-table restaurant excelling in sustainability, and the pioneering chef behind it is none than the award-winning Chef Ryan Clift of Singapore’s Tippling Club and Open Farm Community.

Located in L Hotel Seminyak, you can opt to enjoy the creativity and culinary finesse of the on-site chef who uses nothing but fresh ingredients that are locally sourced, in a mission to promote farm-to-table dining and sustainability.

Whatever dish you decide to settle for will guarantee you with fruits and vegetables coming from a farm in the highlands of Kintamani, and believe it or not,  even the pasta you are slurping is handmade with local semolina! Besides, you’ll eat with lights coming from lamps made from recycled whiskey and wine bottles, surrounded by other natural materials for a healthy refreshing environment-friendly atmosphere!

10. Learn the secrets of green cooking with vegan cooking classes! – Juice Ja Cafe

Ubud has a lot to offer you when it comes to green cuisine (after all, it is a hub for yogis and vegans!) but only a handful of eateries here make a conscious effort to source local produce and reduce food miles.

Your guilt-free meals at Juice Ja Cafe are not only nutritious but also sustainable as you are drinking fresh ingredients coming from their backyard and gulping down organic and ethical meals inspired by Bali’s diverse landscape. And if you would like to learn about making earthy dishes for your loved ones, don’t miss signing up for their vegan cooking classes!

11. Goodbye plastic straws! – Warung Titi

Warung Titi is another local eatery that is doing its bit to help us all minimise our environmental footprint and you can contribute by dining in! Located in the environmentally-conscious neighbourhood of Ubud, the casual venue greeted goodbye to plastic and serves you authentic organic food (with no MSG too).

Besides, Warung Titi produces its own honey, a sound practice that helps to make a difference! Take a trip here and meet the owner who will be more than pleased to bring you around their on-site garden and discuss about his vision regarding sustainable dining in Bali.

The garden is what provides the restaurant’s fresh vegetables and their daily specials are based on what’s currently available this season. Soon, your takeaway order will also be environment-friendly – they’re still working on it!

12. Get to sit on recycled furniture – KAFE

When a cafe has no soft drinks on its menu, you know it has a lot going on behind-the-scenes. KAFE is pushing eco-friendly goals for Bali; it serves you chemical-free meals, sources most of its ingredients locally and has turned your waste into useful objects and furniture.

What’s more, in order to be sustainable in their kitchen, you get to enjoy 100% natural, organic and local ingredients.

And if you look a little deeper, you’ll find Kafe Kares, an on-site shop where you can buy environmentally-friendly products like organic food, crafts, and health products made by small local enterprises that are equally committed to Bali’s social, economic and environmental sustainability. That isn’t all – a percentage of the shop’s profits goes to charitable projects throughout Indonesia too!

13. A menu with traditional flavours from Indonesia’s tribes – Kaum

Embark on a memorable journey around the Indonesian Archipelago at Kaum. The restaurant name Kaum means ‘tribe’ in Indonesia, and it highlights the archipelago’s often overlooked ingredients across its tribal cuisine.

Drop by here and dive right into their eclectic menu, one that is derived from deep research across the archipelago and its tribes. You’ll encourage traditional indigenous cooking methods alongside native ingredients and authentic flavours from Indonesia’s tribes and ancient cultures. So in a way, you will help to preserve local culture through dining and this is yet another form of sustainability!

If you’d like to treat your senses to a feast, try their grilled barramundi and crispy duck, alongside their signature cocktails.

14. The real definition of farm-to-table – Moksa Ubud

Moksa Ubud cares much about the origins and quality of their ingredients while their waiting staff can tell you the exact journey of a meal from the soil it was grown from to the technique it was cooked with.

The plant-based restaurant takes over Ubud with their ever-appealing farm-to-fork dining experience by taking a seasonal, fresh and local approach to producing resources in their own permaculture garden.

Settling at Moksa Ubud means you care about where your food comes from, and here you can be sure to indulge in fresh, supremely healthy dishes that are crafted with love. What’s more, the restaurant also hosts a twice-weekly Farmer’s Market where you can stock up on produce and artisanal products to help local farmers. The festive event also comes with live music and lots of good vibes.

15. The hotel that has saved over 60,000 meals in six months! – Club Med Bali

Club Med Bali is fighting food wastage one meal at a time. The hotel has cut 56% of its food wastage and saved more than 68,000 meals from being thrown away in just six months, with over USD $25,000 savings in food costs.

Imagine what it would be like to stay at one of Bali’s most sustainable resorts. Other practices you’re encouraging include energy and water efficiency and the use of organic and local products wherever possible.

Bring along your kids to visit their on-site pedagogical garden where they can help to grow vegetables and herbs, which in turn helps to grow a sense of responsibility among them. Following their gardening activity, kids are encouraged to write a pledge on a leaf to not throw food away unnecessarily – a hands-on activity to educate your younger ones to reduce food wastage.

Special mention: Wondering how to start your zero waste journey?

At Zero Waste Store, you are encouraged to reduce packaging waste. Come and shop but bring along your own containers, mesh bags or jars to fill and to reuse. That way, we can all help to fight and reduce the plastic waste problem.

Once you’ve got your empty containers ready, head over to the store and fill them with the amount of product you desire, before weighing your filled container and labelling it. Of course, you will then be required to pay for your purchase but hey you’ve done one thing right today – bye bye plastic bag!

Ready to eat and help decrease impact on the environment and local community? Know of more sustainable and ethical restaurants around Bali? Tell us below!

PLEASE NOTE: All the above information is correct at the date of publication. If you come across any changes or updates, please let us know and we will update the information accordingly. Thank you! Tell us

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