In the heart of Ubud, Locavore has revolutionized fine dining in Bali through an uncompromising commitment to sourcing ingredients exclusively from across the Indonesian archipelago. Founded by Dutch-born Ray Adriansyah and Indonesian Eelke Plasmeijer, this acclaimed restaurant (consistently ranked among Asia's 50 Best Restaurants) presents innovative tasting menus where every element—from proteins to seasonings—comes from within Indonesia's borders. The elegantly minimalist dining room, with just 36 seats, provides a canvas for their artistic presentations showcasing lesser-known indigenous ingredients. Their signature dish, Into the Sawah (Into the Rice Field), features duck raised on rice paddies, served with snails harvested from the same ecosystem, alongside heritage rice varieties and edible weeds—effectively representing a complete rice field ecosystem on a plate. Through their adjacent R&D kitchen, visible to diners, they continually experiment with traditional preservation techniques including fermentation, pickling, and curing, allowing them to maintain their local-only commitment year-round while adding complex flavor dimensions.

Perched on a ridge overlooking the sacred Ayung River valley, The Sayan House represents the sustainable evolution of fusion cuisine through its Japanese-Balinese approach. Chef Yuki Tagami combines meticulous Japanese technique with hyperlocal Balinese ingredients, many harvested from their terraced garden visible from the dining area. The indoor-outdoor space, featuring traditional Balinese architectural elements alongside contemporary design, mirrors the culinary philosophy that respectfully bridges cultures. Their sustainability commitment extends beyond ingredients to include rainwater harvesting, solar power, and a comprehensive food waste management system. The menu changes with micro-seasons rather than broader calendrical divisions, reflecting the subtle shifts in Bali's growing conditions. Their standout 'Catch of the Day' program partners with traditional Jukung outrigger fishermen who use sustainable line-catching methods rather than nets or trawling, with each fish's provenance, catching method, and fisher's name presented tableside before preparation.

This plant-based pioneer in Ubud demonstrates that sustainability reaches its fullest expression when the entire operational ecosystem is considered. Set amid their own permaculture garden, Moksa operates as a holistic system rather than merely a restaurant. Co-founders Made Janur Yasa and Chef Made Runatha have created a space where dining, education, and cultivation seamlessly interconnect. The sprawling property includes meditation spaces, permaculture workshops, and meandering paths through their extensive food gardens, where diners can see ingredients growing before their meal. Their culinary approach transforms plant-based dining from mere vegetable-forward cooking to complex compositions involving house-made fermentations, smoking, dehydration, and thermal transformations that create remarkable depth without animal products. Their tasting menu, appropriately named 'Panca Mahabhuta' (Five Elements), creates a narrative journey through dishes representing earth, water, fire, air, and ether, using ingredients harvested within hours of service and cooked using traditional wood-fired methods alongside modern techniques.

Helmed by two-Michelin-starred chef Syrco Bakker, this “conscious fine-dining” hub on the rural fringes of Ubud weaves Bali’s small-holder harvests, artisanal fisheries and regenerative gardens into one seamless culinary ecosystem. Bakker’s three pillars—traceability, nature and transparency—drive everything from the open-kitchen layout (where diners can quiz cooks about provenance) to the chef’s-table “Ku” experience for just 14 guests. Produce is picked daily from an on-site biodiverse plot, while fish and shellfish arrive via hand-line crews vetted through the Bali Sustainable Seafood network. Fermentation labs, solar-powered dehydrators and a strict “nothing to landfill” waste program keep the operation close-looped, and profits from the in-house shop are channelled into training programmes for local farmers and fishers. The result: elegant plates that feel as forward-thinking as they are rooted in place—think reef-fish crudo cured in seaweed garum and Kampung-chicken consommé brightened with foraged torch-ginger buds. ‍

Within the iconic Potato Head Beach Club in Seminyak, Ijen represents the evolution of sustainability from niche concern to mainstream implementation. The zero-waste seafood restaurant operates with remarkable transparency, publishing monthly waste audits and carbon footprint calculations alongside their menu. The dining room itself serves as a masterclass in sustainable design—tables made from pressed recycled plastic, chairs crafted from repurposed fishing net nylon, and light fixtures created from recycled glass bottles. Executive Chef Wayan Kresna Yasa's menu features locally-caught fish served with vegetables grown in their rooftop aquaponic system, where fish waste nourishes plants in a closed-loop system visible to diners. Their innovative cocktail program extends the zero-waste philosophy by transforming food byproducts like carrot tops, fish skin, and citrus peels into complex syrups, infusions, and garnishes. Monthly dinners featuring guest environmental speakers create a community around their mission, making sustainability engaging rather than merely virtuous.