Bali's Top 10 Restaurants For Insta Pics

If travelling for you is as much about capturing the perfect foodie photo for Instagram as it is about experiencing a new place… then we’ve got the guide for you.

Did someone say selfie? Say Seminyak. This sassy suburb or district, as the Balinese like to call their different precincts, is one of the hottest when it comes to attracting Instagram’s IT crowd. You might also like to chug on over to Canggu, which is proving popular too with those who like their pics just a little bit slick.

1. Revolver Espresso

It started out in 2011 as a 30-seater joint in Seminyak designed to serve great Australian coffee but has exploded into a 150-seat caffeine institution. And it’s not only the best beans that draw happy snappers here but the ambience of this rustic roastery too, with its slick signage and floral pink walls. Feast on a funky all-day menu or dive straight into a breakfast espresso martini. There’s also a Baby Revolver on Petitenget.

Revolver Espresso Bali — Revolver Espresso is a rustic roastery serving up Australian coffee and all-day breakfast.

2. Coffee Cartel

Think pink at Seminyak’s Coffee Cartel which blushes bright with this musky colour splashed all around and a sister joint at Legian. What’s even cooler, it has now introduced a Ripple Machine which ups the ante on latte art with its ability to create any image or text atop your coffee. Munch on funky fare with a tasty twist such as the beef brisket rendang.

Coffee Cartel Seminyak — Do you like a side of latte art with your coffee order? Coffee Cartel in Seminyak is the place for you.

3. Motel Mexicola

As if Bali wasn’t spicy enough, smack bang in the middle of Seminyak you’ll find Motel Mexicola, which is a little slice of Mexico with all the vibes from its eclectic interior to its coloured tiles. Feast on food is full of colour and flavour, from esquites to tacos and tostadas. Sip on some fun and flirty drinks such as the requisite tequilas and margaritas, and if you don’t capture a snap of yourself smoking a cigar from the reasonable selection here, did it even really happen?

Motel Mexicola Seminyak — Motel Mexicola is the perfect spot for a margarita and a Mexican feast.

4. Watercress

Byron Bay boys Pablo Fourcard and Jordie Strybos have turned their long-time friendship into a business partnership at this Kuta cafe, which aims to bring Australia to Bali. Focusing on sustainably sourced and honest dishes, get snap happy with food porn here from a memorable menu of pretty dishes like the Mahi Mahi burger with crispy capers and sweet marinated peppers.

Watercress Kuta — Watercress is a Kuta cafe that aims to bring a slice of Australia to Bali.

5. Sea Circus

You can’t miss Sea Circus, near a quiet corner in Seminyak, where Instagrammers queue to plonk on the pink bench chair outside framed by this crazy cafe. Inside, discover an aqua bar framed by comfy white bar stools, plus a colourful menu to match including new dishes such as the four crispy Balinese spiced tiger prawns, pickled palm hearts, with chilli and coriander for plenty of colour (not to mention the flavour).

Sea Circus Seminyak — Queue for a photo on the pink bench chair at Sea Circus before settling in for a taste of their colourful food.

Sea Circus Bali — Step inside Sea Circus and you’ll find the restaurant is as worthy of an Instagram post as the outside.

6. Neon Palms

Given the success of Sea Circus, not surprisingly, it has a sister restaurant and you’ll find that same signature perky pink bench outside Neon Palms, also in Seminyak. Make sure you check out the emerald green bathrooms inside before dining on a bold breakfast of Neon Benedict crafted with black truffle rosti, smoked bacon, poached eggs and hollandaise.

7. Milk & Madu

The proof is in the pudding and poke at Milk & Madu, which serves fun and funky food in both its Canggu and Ubud establishments. It’s all about a tropical vibe here, with colourful creations that match the decor. Check out the bold breakfast bowls for some photos to make your followers all shades of green with envy. And while the pizza may not be the prettiest thing you’ll ever see on Instagram, sometimes it’s worth just eating your food, rather than photographing it, particularly when it’s made on lava stone.

8. Da Maria Bali

It’s all about bringing a little slice of Italy’s Amalfi Coast to the Island of the Gods at Da Maria in Bali’s Kerobokan district. You’ll adore all the clean, crisp blues and whites of this venue with perky perches, eclectic events, late-night disco and fabulous food brimming with all the Italian flavours and fanfare, with great wines to match.

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9. Tropicola Beach Club

Adorned with all the primary colours you’d find in a Lego set – fire-engine reds, sunflower yellows and bold blues – this Seminyak space is the latest to attract the Insta crowd. The first beach club for the Mexicola group, you’ll find a club, restaurant, bar and pool here. Those chasing sunset snaps for their feed will adore the fact it’s perched along Bali’s Golden Mile on Batu Belig Beach and in pole position to catch the day’s dying rays. The Porn Star Martini of vanilla vodka, passionfruit and prosecco ought to be worthy of its own Instagram page in itself.

10. Pablo’s Canggu

You could be forgiven you were thinking you were in Colombia, not Canggu when you enter the vibrant venue that is Pablo’s. It’s got all those South American vibes here with splashes and sploshes of green, yellow, blue and red plus eclectic artwork galore. Strike the perfect pose on the tasteful tiled steps outside that signal you are in for an assault on the senses once you enter.

And a few ‘floating’ meal options worth a pretty pic or two…

Floating breakfasts have become all the rage in Bali recently (you don’t float, rather you wade, but your breakfast does) and there’s a growing list to choose from. For some spiffy snaps, check out:

• Ayana Resort and Spa at Jimbaran
• W Seminyak
• Ini Vie Villa, Kuta
• Kamandalu, Ubud
• The Royal Purnama Art Suites and Villas, Gianyar
• Samsara, Ubud

Read the ultimate travel guide to Bali for more on where to eat, stay and play on a trip to Indonesia.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.

Top 10 cafes and restaurants in Bali – for food AND photos