Balibola:

The Best Flexitarian Food in Bali

Dates Visited: December 2018

I (Molly) stumbled across Balibola on my Instagram feed one day while I was drooling over Bali pictures from travel accounts I follow. When we finally made it, I was basically foaming at the mouth to. I'm so glad we did because it was absolutely best flexitarian food in Bali.

On our first day in North Kuta we headed there for brunch. We weren’t the only couple there at 9:00am snapping pics with iPhones and DSLR cameras. Most were gathered around the IG famous sign that reads, “Baby. I’m just Balifornia Dreaming” against a baby blue wall. It was hot and humid, so we grabbed a table inside, a few coffees, and a ginger lime kombucha to start off.

Huevos Estrellados

Josh ordered the Huevos Estrellados: Spanish style fried eggs over thinly sliced potatoes baked in coconut oil, with a sprinkle of vegan bacon bits, and sourdough bread on the side.

Vegan-nana

I got the Vegan-nana: banana & oat pancakes drizzled with berry compote, baby blue vegan whipped cream, vegan coconut ice cream, with a large syringe of maple syrup included on the side.

Balifornia Dreamin': The Flexitarian Tribe

What is a Flexitarian? It's a person who is mostly vegetarian but will eat meat or fish on occasion. Typically they eat fish or meat when there are no other options available. However, the purpose behind this restaurant is to offer the best flexitarian food in Bali. Allowing both vegetarians and meat eaters to have delicious meal options all on the same menu.

It's such a unique idea: a flexitarian cafe in the heart of North Kuta, Bali. We went for brunch because we had just landed the night prior and didn’t have the chance to go grocery shopping yet. After finishing, I already wanted to head back for lunch or dinner. Their salad bowls, nibbles, wraps and balls that all look so creative and delicious.

An Interview with the Owner

I asked our adorable waitress if the owner was around, she smiled and sent her over to our table. The owner, Adeline is a petite, Balinese woman with short black hair barely grazing her shoulders. I asked her if she had time for a quick interview. She politely accepted with a smile and and sat down to have a quick chat.

Molly: Did you always offer breakfast, lunch and dinner? Was that the plan right from the get-go?

Adeline: Shaking her head she replied - "No, at first we started with breakfast and lunch, then eventually added dinner - but our biggest point is with breakfast and lunch.”

Balibola: the best flexitarian food in Balibola: the best flexitarian food in Bali

Molly: Is this the original Balibola location? If so, are planning on expanding?

Adeline: *Smiling and nodding* - Yes, I have plans to open up more locations within the next two years.

Molly: Here in Bali or do you plan on going international?

Adeline: International. Bali really isn’t that big, as it's only about 6 hours from one end of the island to the other driving.

After chatting for a bit more about her customer base, Adeline explained that her current customers are split about 50/50 between locals (typically expats) and tourists.

All-in-All:

★★★★★

The restaurants peak ours are between 11:00am and 3:00pm, hence their most popular menu items are brunch and lunch foods. If you get there around 9:00am or earlier it is relatively empty so you enjoy the place without a big crowd. It's also a good opportunity to take all the instagram pictures your heart desires 😉

I know what you’re thinking… how expensive is the food if they offer such a wide array of menu options - consisting entirely of locally sourced and organic food? Honestly, it wasn't outrageous. I think Adeline and Janet have hit a sweet spot with their pricing.

We walked out of there for breakfast costing $25 USD. This included two generously portioned meals, three coffees, kombucha, and a headband. At home in the US, a meal of that nature would easily cost double that. Everything in Bali is priced in IDR, Indonesian Rupiahs. Josh’s breakfast was 70,000 IDR, which converts to $4.83 USD. My pancakes were 95,000 IDR or $6.55 USD - not too bad.

We are excited to see Adeline and Janet’s growth with Balibola over the upcoming years and looking forward to see where the universe will lead them. In our opinion, it's hands down the best flexitarian food in Bali and absolutely worth treating yourself to a nice breakfast there. Maybe if we’re lucky, we might even see one pop up in California.