Best Cafes and Bars in Ubud for Vegetarians - 2024

If a cuisine exists in the world, you can be sure to find a cafe or restaurant tucked away in a corner of Ubud that makes it pretty darn well! From Italian food to Korean, Turkish, Indian and not to mention the local warungs dishing out authentic traditional Balinese food, when in Ubud you can try a new cuisine for every meal of the day. Almost all restaurants in Ubud offer vegetarian and vegan dishes on their menu often served with tempeh and tofu as star side dishes.

This was the first time I tried tempeh, an Indonesian plan-based protein made from fermented soyabean that results in a nutty flavour and chewy texture and I wasn't disappointed. The gold standard of vegan food in Bali, the duo of tempeh and tofu worked their magic adding a medley of satays and stir fry dishes to the menu and the vegetarian in me was impressed!

After a lot of recommendations, research and reading reviews, here's my list of the personally tried, tested and approved best cafes and bars in Ubud.

Watercress Ubud: Great for breakfast

Location: Jl Monkey Forest

Before you set out for a day of browsing the Art Market and going up and down Ubud's staggering waterfalls, fuel up at Watercress with their signature Benny Brunch, served late till 3pm. Ubud has no dearth of good cafes but I found Watercress to be wholesome, hearty and generous with portions - all the makings of a stellar find! The cafe also has a lot of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free dishes making it easy for everyone to find something to like. If you're planning to start off your morning with Monkey Forest then forget everything else and walk straight to this cafe and walk down to the forest in about 15 minutes after you savour every bite.

Sugriwa's Warung: A taste of local food

Location: Jl. Sugriwa's No. 7

Your quest for local, authentic Indonesian food ends at one of Ubud's many warungs, or small-family owned restaurants, serving regional food. While there are many establishments serving local food, the experience that a warung offers is distinctive. Ubud is packed with warungs on every street; the options can get overwhelming but we asked locals for recommendations and finally made it to Sugriwa's warung for our first taste of Indonesian food in Ubud.

Tastefully done up in rustic Balinese design with rattan lamps and a beautiful hand-pained tapestry of local fauna and art adorning the walls, Sugriwa is a feast for the eyes too. Get yourself a street facing table to indulge in people-watching while you savor your fare. We went straight for the tourist-favorite Nasi Campur and their take on vegan Nasi Goreng with tofu and tempeh satay. We wallowed with abandon in the medley of dishes and flavours on the plate and ended up spending an unplanned extra hour at the place because we were too stuffed to walk. Thank goodness for the street-facing tables!

Lazy Cat Cafe: For coffee and treats

Location: Jl Raya Ubud

The legendary Lazy Cat Cafe is fascinating right from the moment you spot its signboard and all the way upto the eclectic mix of seating, vintage decor and interesting signs that are guaranteed to inspire you to whip out your phone and tell the 'gram about it. The cafe is spread over two floors with some outdoor seating which is particularly inviting as the sun sets.

The unhurried atmosphere serves as a fitting reminder that sometimes the best thing to do on a vacation is to sit back, order dessert and watch the world go by. We loved the value-for-money combos that the menu offers like a dessert with a hot beverage and Happy Hour cocktails starting 4 pm for IDR 80,000.

Jinny's Garden: For a laidback evening

Location: Jl Goutama

JL Goutama street is home to some of Ubud's best cafes and bars - small but charming establishments that beckon you to sit down and experiment with cuisines from all over the world. Jinny's Garden is my pick to a spend a casual evening before heading out for drinks and dinner. Located in a small alcove draped in endless vines and branches tapering towards the entrance, Jinny's feels like stepping into a magical garden.

It's hard to imagine how befitting a rainforest of plants looks in a trendy bar setting with low-lighting and casual seating but Jinny's brings it to life easily. Clearly the staff at Jinny's has green thumbs and fingers on both hands as they manage to keep the plethora of plants stacked right upto the ceiling look all healthy and blooming. Grab a table next to the entrance to watch the chef mix together a myriad of concoctions and ingredients to serve you a beautiful plate of food, ever bit aesthetic as the restaurant itself. Jinny's is a strong contender on the list of Ubud's best cafes and bars!

No Mas Bar

Location: Jl Monkey Forest

A Mexican cantina style bar, No Mas is just the place to get great cocktails, nibbles and live music. One of the few places open late till 1 am, No Mas has daily gigs with different themes like Latin, Alt Rock and G.O.A.T. Expect entertaining conversations with the musicians who are eager to share the stage with guests and very open to song requests. The innovative cocktails pair well with Mexican small bites like tacos, nachos and elotes and some other stellar bar fare.