Food Guide: Kuta Lombok

Kuta in Lombok was our absolute favorite in 2017, so in 2023, we decided to return here, and one month quickly turned into four. It is absolutely one of our favorite places in Indonesia. Why? There isn’t really one specific thing that makes Kuta Lombok so wonderful. It’s a combination of beautiful beaches, stunning nature, friendly people, a great atmosphere, and numerous great restaurants. It’s perfectly balanced.

Over the past few months, we’ve eaten our way through Kuta Lombok to create a comprehensive list of the best coffee shops, fine dining, bars, and warungs for you (someone has to do it;).

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Warungs

Warung Bude: Their soto is divine.
Warung Flora: Try the Gado Gado here.

Coffee Shops + Lunch

Munchies: Our favorite place for lunch and a great place to work.
Radio Bush: Excellent price-to-quality ratio, delicious food, and the best milkshakes in town.
Kenza: A nice place to work and great salads.
Loka: A fantastic place to work, plus they have dogs (always a bonus).

Dinner

Jiang Nan Lombok: Delicious Chinese cuisine.
La Cantina: Amazing tacos.
KRNK: The best burgers in town.
Bara: Delicious cocktails, and their BBQ cauliflower is superb.
El bazar: If you’re looking for a fancy dinner.

Night Out

Rasta bar or Surfers bar: It’s always one or the other.

Spa

Matcha Spa: Absolutely the best spa in Kuta. Make sure to book in advance as it’s almost always full.

Warungs

Warung Bude

Our absolute favorite for a meal in the afternoon or evening is Warung Bude, and we’re not the only ones because it’s always crowded here. And that’s for a good reason. The food is excellent and affordable, and the people are very friendly. You’ll spend about 20k for a nasi campur, which is approximately 1.2 euros! Often, we spend less than 4 euros for both food and drinks. A must-try is the Soto!

Warung Flora

Warung Flora is a step up from places like Warung Bude, where you get food from the display case, but it’s just as delicious!

Warung Kolega

I’m a bit of a fan of Warung Kolega in Tanjung Aan because we take our surf lessons here with Agus, and this man and his family are incredibly kind and friendly. After a surf lesson, we gladly enjoy a satay or nasi goreng here, and it’s really tasty. Always ask for some peanut sauce; it’s so good.

Koffietentjes + Lunch

Munchies

Munchies is the new kid on the block and exceptionally good. The interior, the people, and the food, it’s all spot on. The portions are generous, and the food is incredibly delicious. Must-tries are the salads and the pesto scrambled eggs, but everything is just very tasty.

Radio Bush

Don’t miss Radio Bush! This place looks great. Although you can visit all day, we especially enjoy having lunch here. The people are always friendly, and the price-to-quality ratio is excellent! Absolute recommendations: falafel or chicken wrap, smoothie bowls, and milkshakes.

Kenza

Kenza is located across from Bush. What’s great about Kenza is that you can sit inside in the air conditioning, which is very convenient if you need to work for the day. The food is excellent, although the portions are sometimes not very large. I find the smoothie bowls here very tasty, but not quite enough for a full lunch, while the salads are huge. It’s a great place for lunch and as a workspace. In the evening, they have a different menu, which we find a bit limited, especially because they have almost no vegetarian options.

Loka

You absolutely have to visit Loka at least once, even if it’s just to cuddle with their dachshund Loka. The atmosphere here is very relaxed, and you can work comfortably. An additional advantage is that you can hit the gym right away, as it’s located behind the restaurant.

Granita

You won’t find Granita on the main street of Kuta, but on the way to Selong Belanak. It’s a small but lovely place to grab a bite, and they offer plenty of vegetarian and vegan options.

Our Favorite Restaurants in Kuta Lombok

Jiang Nan Lombok

Perhaps our new favorite is this Chinese restaurant. It’s relatively new and a bit hidden. It not only looks great but the food is truly amazing! It’s also not very expensive. We spent around 250,000 for two beers, two great meals, and some water, which is about 12 euros.

h3>Èlamu Lombok

WOW! Èlamu Lombok looks absolutely AMAZING! This place is spacious with a large garden. The interior has a delightful Mediterranean vibe. The menu is wonderfully diverse and offers plenty of vegetarian options. From pita souvlaki to the tastiest soups, Èlamu has become a favorite in Kuta, even for someone who doesn’t typically crave Greek cuisine. The food here is delicious, and the atmosphere is perfect for a relaxing meal.

La Cantina

We’re big fans of La Cantina for various reasons. It’s a wonderfully chaotic place, the food is excellent, it’s centrally located, and reasonably priced. The tacos are really good and can be ordered individually or in pairs. A single (vegetarian) taco costs 25k (€1.5), and two cost €2.6. Perfect if you’re not very hungry but still want to eat something. Our favorites include the chicken, jackfruit taco, corn tostada, and beef taco.

Knalpot

This restaurant is owned by Dutch proprietors and features fantastic food and a fantastic swimming pool. It’s the perfect place to chill in the afternoon with good food and a nice drink. It might be one of the tastiest restaurants in Kuta Lombok. The only small downside is that their vegetarian menu is quite limited.

KRNK

A hamburger can be so delicious from time to time, and there’s no better place than KRNK. KRNK was already popular in 2017 and is still one of the most visited places on the street. This is well-deserved because their burgers are divine. They also offer many vegetarian options and more on their menu.

El bazar

If you’re in the mood for a fancy dinner, this is the place to be. It looks fantastic, and the food is top-notch. The menu consists mainly of dishes inspired by the Middle East with a modern twist that you can share, absolutely one of my favorite cuisines. You have to order at least 3 dishes for a complete dinner for two. The only downside for us is that Leroy likes to order meat, and I’m vegetarian. So, we always have a bit of a struggle when it comes to sharing dishes. It’s a bit more expensive than most restaurants, but still very affordable compared to the prices in the Netherlands.

Bara

Bara is more upscale than other places in Kuta Lombok. However, your bill doesn’t have to skyrocket because they often have great deals here. The food is truly fantastic. I had the BBQ cauliflower here, and it was outstanding. They also serve the best cocktails without a doubt.

Loka

The menu at Loka isn’t particularly exciting, but every Wednesday and Sunday, they host a barbecue that’s really fun! For 70k, you can scoop and pile up as much as you want. In addition to a variety of chicken, fish, and tempeh satays, you can also choose from rice, noodles, and plenty of salad. It’s definitely a cozy recommendation.

There is more…..

Mama Pizza: Good pizzas, but not the most pleasant service.
CREPES & WAFFLE Kuta Lombok: For your midnight snack cravings.
Tribe Surf: Just opened but a great place for skating and drinks.
Cozy House: For the fluffiest pancakes you can imagine.
Umibozu Ramen Bar: For the ramen enthusiasts.
The Exile Bar: A nice bar for drinks with a sunset view overlooking Kuta beach.

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Going out in Kuta Lombok

Although Kuta Lombok is not really a party destination, you can definitely enjoy a good time here. The best places to go are Rasta Bar or Surfers Bar. It’s always crowded at one of them. You can also find half-moon and full-moon parties at Tanjung Aan.

Matcha Spa

Okay, this may not have anything to do with FOOD, but Matcha Spa is a must-visit on the list of Kuta Lombok hotspots. We’d prefer to go here every day because the massages are truly fantastic. It’s super modern and still very affordable! It’s absolutely our favorite and a must-visit if you’re in Kuta Lombok.