There has been a real explosion of top quality boutique restaurants in Bali, especially in the Seminyak area. From Mexican to Thai right through to contemporary Indonesian cuisine. There has also been a number of top quality Chinese restaurants popping up around the Seminyak area that are simply divine and worth a visit, especially as they are all probably within easy walking distance from your villa
We are not talking about your local corner store suburban Chinese restaurant here. We are looking at high-end mega restaurants where you have to book weeks in advance just to get a table.
Following is a list of our favourite Chinese restaurants where they serve more than your average dim sum
Mama San: This place is famous and is fast becoming the ‘go to’ & must visit Chinese restaurant in Bali. We tried to book a table here a week in advance when we arrived here late Feb 16 and were told that it was completely booked solid for 3 weeks. So my advice is to plan well ahead. The menu itself is very eclectic with a mix of high end Asian and western cuisine. The vibe is ultra-chic and very cool with patrons feeling like they are stepping into the Shanghai of older days in the 1920s.
Visit Mamasan
Happy Chappy: this is a new venue opening in 2015 and the vibe is of a large modern Chinese restaurant offering more traditional dishes set in an ultra-modern environment. The reviews on Trip Advisor are all good so this place is well worth a visit. It hasn’t reached the epic upper echelon of Mana San in terms of the uber-cool status but if you want a great feed with moderate prices this is ideal. There are 2 locations; one in Seminyak and the other in the Berawa / Batu Belig area, near Milk and Madu.
Visit Happy Chappy
Ginger Moon: Serving some seriously tasty Asian, especially Chinese dishes this 2 storey restaurant has the foodies talking. You can tell the popularity of a restaurant in Seminyak by the buzz it creates and the queues outside and Ginger Moon is currently the talk of the town. It has a very chilled, casual vibe which is ideal for holidaymakers wanting to enjoy a typical Balinese ambience with some yummy dishes.
Visit Ginger Moon
Warung Bale Bali: A Seminyak institution, this Chinese fab restaurant has been going strong since the late’90’s. The restaurant’s theme is warm, friendly and very cosy where diners can either sit upstairs and enjoy the views or downstairs and soak up the intimate vibe. This restaurant sets aside the pretentious over the top vibe that some others put on by offering old fashioned affordable delicious food.
Dim Sum Inc. Just outside of Seminyak in the Legian area this restaurant offers guests the best dim sums in town all set in a very funky atmosphere. It has a real street food hawker vibe with a no-nonsense approach to serving delicious yummy ‘ yum cha’ style dishes. This place has got such a cool vibe with really tasty food that it’s worth the short taxi ride out of Seminyak for the evening.
KU DE TA I know this is not just a Chinese restaurant as they do serve a hell of a lot of other dishes as well but for the experience and atmosphere try some of the Chinese entre dishes here. This is a famous well known Seminyak restaurant/bar and it should be high on your priority list. The duck wraps are simply sensational.
Visit KU DE TA
The best way to find the best eateries in Seminyak is to really look around. That is, walk up and down the streets. If Asian food is your thing then you might even like to try some of the local warungs that serve up similar style Asian food but with an Indonesian twist. When it comes to food and Bali you will never be disappointed that’s for sure. It’s food overkill here especially in the tourist’s areas like Seminyak. Food is the one thing in Bali people love and it’s a big reason they keep returning to Seminyak year after year.