Housed in a converted rice warehouse in Canggu, Starter Bakery represents the pinnacle of Bali's sourdough movement. Founded by Canadian baker Luke Hammond after years of traveling through Europe's bread capitals, this bakery approaches fermentation with scientific precision. Their signature country loaf—with a crackling crust that shatters like volcanic glass and a custardy interior riddled with perfectly irregular holes—uses a starter cultured from local airborne yeasts, giving it a subtly tropical funk. Beyond bread, their morning buns laced with cinnamon and Balinese vanilla bean create daily queues, while their croissants exhibit the holy trinity of proper lamination: shatter, pull, and butter-drenched layers.

What began as a humble French operation by Balinese-smitten expats Jérôme and Gregory has blossomed into Bali's most respected viennoiserie empire. While maintaining roots in traditional French technique, Monsieur Spoon distinguishes itself through a balanced fusion approach. Their pandan-infused pain au chocolat marries the fragrant Southeast Asian leaf with premium Valrhona chocolate, creating a pastry both familiar and revelatory. The space in Umalas, with its gleaming display cases and woven light fixtures, strikes a harmonious balance between Parisian café and tropical oasis. Don't miss their twice-baked almond croissants, which undergo a metamorphosis from ordinary to transcendent through their secondary proofing and baking process.

Baked Bali represents a perfect marriage of Indonesian heritage and contemporary pastry craft. Founded by Balinese-Australian couple Maya and Tom Sutton, this bright, airy bakery in Seminyak has quickly become a local favorite. Their approach celebrates traditional Indonesian flavors reimagined through modern techniques, with standouts including their pandan-infused morning buns and black rice brownies with candied ginger. The bakery's commitment to sourcing from local farms is evident in their seasonal fruit tarts, which showcase the island's tropical bounty. Their coffee program, featuring beans from across the Indonesian archipelago, complements their baked goods perfectly, making it an ideal spot for a leisurely breakfast or afternoon treat.

This Sanur institution has evolved from a simple bread supplier to a comprehensive bakery experience under the guidance of Dutch-Indonesian couple Jan and Putri Vermeulen. While tourist-friendly, Bread Basket's commitment to quality has never wavered. Their traditional rijsttafel breakfast—featuring miniature versions of their best offerings alongside Indonesian condiments—creates a truly cross-cultural morning experience. The sourdough program, developed through three years of experimentation with local flours, produces loaves with remarkable structure and complexity, while their croissants exhibit textbook honeycomb structures beneath golden shells. The chilled display case showcases their renewed focus on entremets, with the pineapple-rosemary mousse cake demonstrating particular finesse.

Tucked into a quiet corner of Ubud away from the Eat Pray Love pilgrims, Livingstone represents the spiritual side of Bali's bread culture. Founded by Japanese baker Shinobu Namae, who abandoned a corporate career to study breadmaking, the tiny operation embodies wabi-sabi philosophy where imperfection reveals beauty. Working exclusively with organic heritage grains imported from small Japanese farms and locally sourced ingredients, Namae produces just 60 loaves daily in a process that begins at 3am with meditation. The resulting pain de campagne—dark-crusted, intensely aromatic, and marked by a subtle sourness—pairs remarkably with their house-cultured butter infused with wild Balinese honey. More than any other bakery on the island, Livingstone approaches bread as a spiritual practice rather than mere sustenance.