Bali Street Food Guide — What to Eat and Where to Find It

Bali's street food scene is one of the best reasons to visit the island. Forget the tourist restaurants charging ten times the price — the real flavors of Bali live in the warungs, night markets, and roadside stalls where locals eat every day.

As a guide who has been showing travelers the real Bali for years, food tours are some of my favorite cooking class and street food experiences to lead. If you want the full picture of Balinese cuisine — sit-down warungs included — check out our complete Bali food guide. Here is everything you need to know about eating street food specifically.

Nasi Campur — The Essential Bali Meal

Nasi campur (mixed rice) is the dish you will eat most often in Bali. Every warung serves its own version: a mound of steamed rice surrounded by small portions of vegetables, sambal, peanuts, egg, tempeh, and your choice of protein.

The beauty of nasi campur is that no two plates are the same. Each warung has its own family recipes passed down through generations. A plate costs between 15,000 and 35,000 IDR (roughly $1 to $2.50).

Where to try it: Any local warung — but the ones with the most scooters parked outside are usually the best.

Babi Guling — Bali's Famous Roast Suckling Pig

Babi guling is Bali's signature dish and the one food every visitor should try. A whole pig is stuffed with a paste of turmeric, coriander, lemongrass, and chili, then slow-roasted over coconut husks for hours until the skin is impossibly crispy.

Traditionally served at ceremonies and temple festivals, babi guling is now available daily at specialized warungs across the island. You get a plate with crispy skin, tender meat, lawar (a spiced vegetable and coconut mix), blood sausage, and rice.

Where to try it: Ubud and Gianyar are the heartland of babi guling. The best stalls open early and sell out by noon.

Sate Lilit — Balinese Minced Satay

Unlike the skewered satays found across Southeast Asia, sate lilit is uniquely Balinese. Minced fish or chicken is mixed with coconut, lime leaves, lemongrass, and shallots, then wrapped around lemongrass stalks or bamboo sticks before being grilled over coconut shell charcoal.

The lemongrass stalk infuses the meat with a subtle citrus flavor you cannot get any other way. Sate lilit is served everywhere from street carts to high-end restaurants, but the best versions come from small family warungs.

Price: Around 10,000 to 20,000 IDR for a serving of 5 to 8 sticks.

Lawar — The Sacred Side Dish

Lawar is a traditional Balinese dish made from finely chopped vegetables, grated coconut, and minced meat, all bound together with spices and sometimes fresh blood (in the traditional version). It is considered sacred and is prepared for nearly every Balinese ceremony.

There are dozens of lawar varieties — green lawar uses young jackfruit and long beans, red lawar includes blood, and white lawar is made with coconut and chicken. Every family has their own recipe.

Nasi Goreng and Mie Goreng — Indonesian Comfort Food

Nasi goreng (fried rice) and mie goreng (fried noodles) are Indonesian staples you will find everywhere in Bali. Sweet soy sauce (kecap manis) gives both dishes their distinctive dark color and slightly sweet-savory flavor.

A good nasi goreng comes topped with a fried egg, prawn crackers (kerupuk), and pickled vegetables. Street vendors cook it over a roaring wok flame and serve it for 15,000 to 25,000 IDR.