I didn’t expect much from Balinese coffee shops. Having worked in the coffee industry for over 3 years now, I know that usually, the people that grow the best coffee rarely get to drink the best coffee and are stuck with leftovers. I was pleasantly surprised that it is not always the case in Bali. They grow quite good coffee on the slopes of Batur Caldera, in the Kintamani area, and additionally import coffee beans from Australia.
There are many European-style cafés in the main tourist hotspots, but we didn’t even bother going there. We simply wanted to see Bali for what it was originally, but that brought its challenges, especially with choosing a café when you’re a picky coffee drinker as we are.
So here are the 5 best cafés that we visited in Bali.
1. Ubud Coffee Roastery
This place is located in the very center of Ubud. They roast their own coffee and sell their own fresh beans grown in the Kintamani area of Bali. The location looks very nice and has a terrace perfect for working or just chilling and sipping on a cold brew. The coffee there is excellent.
2. Akasa, Kintamani
Out of this list, Akasa Kintamani has the most beautiful view. The café is located on the verge of the Batur Caldera and has multiple terraces with an amazing view overlooking the whole caldera, lake Batur, and Mount Batur volcano. The coffee is good (although I had better in Bali), and they also offer cakes (vegan options are available, too), fresh coffee beans, and great food.
3. Zodiac, Amlapura
This is probably the only establishment of this kind on the east side of Bali. It’s got quite a European vibe but has very Balinese prices and also offers great local food. We visited it three times within 24 hours because we really loved both the coffee and food and also, as I mentioned, it is the only establishment of this kind in the east 😉
4. Suka Espresso, Ubud
This place is also located in the center of Ubud, on quite a busy road close to the Monkey Forest. The very nice and pleasant thing is that they have a parking service, which is especially useful if you’re trying to right outside of the café and the traffic is crazy – they will stop the traffic for you. They have great coffee and mocktails and also excellent food.
5. Coffeenosky Coffee & Eatery
Last but not least, a café that we found accidentally on Google Maps. It is located on the northern shore of the island, close to the popular Lovina beach. We wanted to have lunch, but the restaurant we wanted to go to was closed, so we searched and found this place. They sell Australian roasted coffee and have a beautiful terrace overlooking rice fields and mountains (if it’s not raining, which it was when we visited). They also have great food, unfortunately, nothing much local, and the coffee is also very good.
Which of these establishments looks the most appealing to you? Let me know!
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