Last updated: 1 August 2026
Bali’s dining scene has been busy in 2026, with new Bali restaurant openings, fresh menus and a few big-name arrivals worth booking this month. The headline act is Motel Mexicola’s new Uluwatu outpost in Bingin, bringing Baja-style seafood, tacos and late-night energy to the area. In Ubud, new restaurants have stepped things up with polished newcomers like Kaja by Numa and Oaken Stillroom, while in Sanur, new dining spots continue to surprise with Luca, the new steakhouse from the Boy’N’Cow family, and Junsei, an intimate new cocktail bar adding something sharper to the neighbourhood.
Across Seminyak, Canggu, Legian and the Bukit, Bali’s new restaurants and bars offer a mood that’s varied in the best way from resort restaurants and Japanese counters to Italian comfort food, creative dining spaces, family-style dinners and big group venues built for long lunches and loud nights out. Consider this your hit list of Bali’s newest restaurants, bars and dining rooms to keep on your radar this 2026.
Quick answer: The best new restaurants in Bali this August include Motel Mexicola Uluwatu, Studio Pepe, Pony, Luca, ORYn, Saloon 66 and My Dear Clara. Whether you’re after a steakhouse, cocktail bar, Italian restaurant or wood-fired dining, these are the standout new openings to book this month.
What To Book First
Motel Mexicola arrives in Bingin with Baja flavours, margaritas and full Mexicola energy.
Studio Pepe brings warm, family-style Italian to Berawa.
Uluwatu’s Best New Spots to Book:
Motel Mexicola Brings Baja to the Bukit
From Seminyak to Canggu, and now Uluwatu, Motel Mexicola has officially opened its biggest Bali outpost to date. Landing on the limestone cliffs of Bingin, the third Mexicola takes its cue from Baja California, with surf-town energy, coastal Mexican flavours and the brand’s signature move from long lunch to late-night party.
The 2,500-square-metre venue is the group’s most ambitious build yet, with rough stone, endless archways, custom tiles, several dining spaces, multiple bars, a DJ booth and stage, plus an open taqueria and asador at the centre of the action. On the menu, expect house-made tortillas, tacos filled with beer-battered mahi-mahi, lamb barbacoa, and birria-style beef cheek, alongside Baja-style seafood; char-grilled snapper, Tijuana-style lobster, and plenty of margaritas. Big, loud, coastal and unmistakably Motel Mexicola, Uluwatu now has its own Mexican rager.
Saltwood Brings Farmhouse Cool to Bingin
When the owner of Sisterfields and Fu House, Adam Casey, opens a new venue, we’re excited. Saltwood sits on the cliffs at Bingin. Rustic, casual and captivating, the menu is a mix of local ingredients that highlight Bingin’s nature and its cool coastal lifestyle. Start with morning coffee and freshly baked goods, settle in for long lunches with views and hit sunset with a few cold beers followed by evening barbecues. The languid cows grazing on the grassy cliffs inspire the farmhouse vibes, while lunch specials like fish sandwiches tingle with the salty sea alongside pickled octopus, and school prawns bathed in garlic. Order the burgers, grilled king prawns or juicy organic half chicken and wash it down with fresh juices, wine and cocktails. It’s rustic but stylish and a great new addition to Bingin.
My Dear Clara Brings Italian Dinner Party Energy to Uluwatu
From the team behind KALA, Lola’s Cantina, Lolitas and Two Moods, My Dear Clara is opening in Uluwatu this August with a fresh take on Italian dining. The 140-seat restaurant brings aperitivo culture, handmade pasta, Roman-style pizza, a cocktail laboratory and its own on-site cheese factory to Pecatu, with fresh mozzarella, burrata, stracciatella, ricotta and more made daily using premium local Java milk.
The kitchen is led by Chef Zarrukh Farkhodovich, whose background includes Michelin-starred kitchens in Europe. Expect Italian classics with a modern edge, including burrata with peperonata and shishito peppers, house-made pappardelle with pork ragù, eggplant tortino with stracciatella sauce and a 16-layer lasagna. The room is just as playful, with crisp linens topped with paper and pencils for tableside sketching, live music nightly and weekend DJs turning dinner into a grown-up late-night party.
Bukit at Grün Uluwatu Finds Fresh Flavour in the Archipelago
Spicing things up at the geographically blessed Grün eco resort in Uluwatu means getting hyper-local. The living library concept drives the new menu. Their reimagined restaurant and pool deck now offer a journey through Indonesia’s archipelago, with a sambal bar and dishes that travel from Bali to Java, Sumatra, and beyond. Chef Andy is a fresh face in the kitchen, formerly at Kempinski before joining Potato Head under mentor chef Wayan Kresna, a local hero in the kitchen. Overlooking sweeping ocean and rural views, Grün is an ode to nature, with modern treehouse-style accommodation fashioned from indigenous timber and recycled materials. With stunning wellness spaces and a stunning cliffside pool, Grün does Uluwatu differently. The Bukit is the latest chapter in their inspiring story.
SANA Is the Kind of Restaurant You Wish You Had More Time For
Some restaurants are worth planning around, and SANA is one of them. Also part of NUJU Uluwatu Villas, it has the same unhurried feel as the adults-only retreat itself, even though you’re only minutes from Bingin, Padang Padang and some of Uluwatu’s busiest spots. It is the sort of place where dinner naturally turns into another cocktail instead of asking for the bill.
The menu brings together modern Australian cooking with Asian influences, and the Feed Me menu is an easy choice if you want to leave the decisions to the kitchen. Expect thoughtful dishes, well-balanced flavours and cocktails that are just as memorable as the food. Whether you’re staying at NUJU or simply looking for a relaxed dinner between exploring Bingin and Uluwatu, SANA is proof that you don’t have to venture far to feel completely switched off.
Seminyak’s Best New Spots to Book:
Saloon 66 Brings Old-School Cocktail Energy to Seminyak
Saloon 66 has stepped into the spotlight above The Plantation Grill at Double-Six Luxury Hotel, taking over the space formerly known as Sling Bar. The mood is classic, grown-up and a little hidden away, with rare spirits, proper cocktails and the kind of low-lit room that feels made for a late drink in Seminyak.
The bar keeps the old-world charm of the space, but gives it a sharper identity, leaning into whisky, well-made classics and a quieter kind of night out. It is a good one to know if you are looking for somewhere beyond the usual beach club or busy street bar, especially before or after dinner downstairs. Polished without feeling too stiff, Saloon 66 brings a more refined drinking address back to Double Six.
Legian’s Best New Spots to Book:
Fat Bowl Returns with a Fresh New Look in Legian
Fat Bowl has been a familiar name in Legian for years, and now it’s back with a refreshed look that gives the long-time favourite a more modern feel. The redesigned space blends vintage Asian details with warm, contemporary interiors, creating a setting that works just as well for casual lunches as it does for relaxed dinners with friends.
The menu still covers the restaurant’s signature mix of Indonesian, Asian and Western flavours, with favourites like Creamy Baked Scallops, Korean Fried Chicken, Duck Fried Rice and fusion bao buns all making a return. There are a few new additions too, including the Shanghai-style Crab Noodle, giving regulars another reason to come back. Familiar, comfortable and now looking better than ever, Fat Bowl’s refresh brings new energy to one of Legian’s long-standing dining spots.
Big Game Nights? Chook & Roos Legian Sports Bar turns up game nights.
There’s a new sports bar in Legian, and this one is not doing things quietly. Chook & Roos is big, loud and made for match days, with more than 80 TVs, a large LED screen and selected tables that even come with their own personal TV. Handy when half the group wants F1 and the other half is there for the footy.
The food is exactly what you want in this kind of place: casual, filling and easy to share. Think burgers, bar bites and comfort dishes like The Monkey Roo’s Burger with double beef patties, caramelised onion and creamy house sauce, plus Beef Stroganoff with an Aussie-style finish.
When the game is over, there’s still plenty going on, from billiards and beer pong to darts, weekend DJs, live music and themed nights. Come with a group, grab a table, and let the night get a little noisy.
Mister Wasabi Is Raising the Bar for Japanese Dining in Legian
Legian has a new Japanese restaurant that feels like a genuine surprise. Mister Wasabi pairs a lively izakaya downstairs with a more intimate open-kitchen dining room upstairs, giving you two very different moods under one roof. The menu is where it really stands out, with dishes prepared with the kind of precision you would expect from far more expensive Japanese restaurants. The Ikura Chawanmushi is an early favourite, but the attention to detail carries across the menu, making every plate feel thoughtfully executed from start to finish. Add in prices that are refreshingly reasonable, and it is easy to see why people are already talking about this place. For anyone who thought Legian was short on standout Japanese dining, Mister Wasabi is changing that conversation.
Canggu’s Best New Spots to Book:
Pony Is Berawa’s New Cool Kid
Pony has opened in Berawa, and it feels like the kind of place Canggu will talk about quickly. It is polished without being stiff, with a moody dining room made for dinner that turns into cocktails, music and a long night out. The menu centres around wood-fired cooking, with share plates, handmade pastas, raw dishes, meats and seafood that all feel properly thought through. The cocktails are a big reason to go too. You can tell a lot of time has gone into getting the signatures right, from lighter aperitivo-style drinks to stronger late-night pours. What makes Pony fun is the contrast: the space feels serious and sophisticated, but then you notice the playful artwork, clever branding and little easter eggs worked
Studio Pepe Brings Family-Style Italian to Berawa
Studio Pepe has opened in Berawa with the kind of Italian food made for long lunches, dinner with friends, shared plates and second bottles of wine. From the founders of Milk & Madu and Longtime, the restaurant brings a joyful, family-style approach to the table, with classic Italian ideas given a playful modern lift.
The menu leans generous and soulful, with antipasti, handmade pastas, wood-fired dishes and a few clever twists along the way. Think hot honey, confit salsa, wood-fired beef cheek lasagna and plates designed to pass around the table. It is relaxed, lively and full of personality, with enough polish to make it feel like one of Berawa’s most interesting new openings.
MYKAZA Brings Japanese-Balinese Fusion to Canggu
MYKAZA has opened on Level 2 of The Arc House on Batu Bolong, and the idea is simple: Japanese technique, Balinese flavour. It started out as a modern izakaya, but F&B Director Gerardo Barrientos changed course after spending time with Bali’s food and culture, and the local team ended up shaping much of the menu. The name comes from the Japanese Mikasa and the phrase “mi casa es tu casa,” which sets the tone — this is meant to feel like somewhere you drop in, not somewhere you dress up for.
Order the Babi Guling Dry Ramen, Katsu Bali Curry, Hamachi Miso Matah or the scallop ceviche with sambal matah, and finish with Matcha-Miso Dadar Gulung. The bar leans local too, with arak, brem and jamu turning up in drinks like the Nusa-ume, a smoky negroni riff, and the Gamarita, a margarita with a sambal matah kick. Add the rooftop pool and sunset views and it’s an easy one for lunch, drinks or a long dinner. Open from 7am, with the cocktail bar running until 11.45pm.
Sanur’s Best New Spots to Book:
Luca Sanur Is the Grown-Up Newcomer from Boy’N’Cow
Boy’N’Cow have finally had a baby who wants to live in Sanur, and as it’s the third child, they wanted to do something a little different. If Boy’N’Cow is warm, brown and industrial, Grumpy Butcher embraces the outdoor barbecue vibe, then Luca is cool in beige and feels very grown up. Sink into comfortable leather booths, take a seat at the bar, peruse the wine cellar and don’t miss the dry-ageing beef that shimmers in the window. At the end of the day this is all about the ultimate great steak and all the sides you have to order but rarely finish.
Pocha Bar Brings Seoul After Hours to Sanur
Sanur has a new late-night Korean spot, with Pocha Bar by Fire Fox now open at Andaz Bali. Inspired by Korea’s pojangmacha culture, the casual street-side food and drink stalls where friends gather after work, Pocha Bar brings that same easy, social energy to Village Square.
The mood is relaxed and lively, built around Korean comfort food, drinks and dishes made for sharing. Somaek, the classic mix of soju and beer, sits at the heart of the experience, bringing a little Seoul-style drinking culture to the table. Food-wise, expect bold, comforting plates like the Foxy Bossam Set for two, with braised pork belly, fresh oysters, radish kimchi, lettuce and ssamjang, plus a Galbi Smashed Burger with marinated minced beef and cheddar. For after-work drinks, casual catch-ups or a late bite in Sanur, Pocha Bar adds something fun and different to the Andaz dining scene.
Moreno Returns with a Fresh New Face By The Sanur Beach
Moreno is back on the Sanur beachfront with a refreshed look and a more crafted dining feel. The beachside restaurant and bar has reopened after renovations, bringing a lighter, more considered mood to its all-day setting by the sea. Open from morning through evening, Moreno remains a spot for breakfast, long lunches, sunset drinks and easy dinners, but the new face gives it a sharper sense of style.
One of the most beautiful details is its collaboration with Tanah Pottery, the Ubud-based ceramic studio known for handmade tableware and earthy, tactile design. It brings a more personal feel to the dining experience, turning the table setting into part of the story. With its beach views, relaxed Sanur pace and refreshed interiors, Moreno feels ready for a new chapter.
Junsei Brings Japanese Yakitori to Sanur
Junsei is giving Sanur something a little different. The new Japanese restaurant centres around traditional yakitori cooked over binchōtan charcoal, alongside Japanese-inspired cocktails and an intimate listening bar where vinyl sets the mood. Relaxed yet refined, it offers a fresh alternative for dinner and drinks, adding another exciting new opening to Sanur’s growing dining scene.
Ubud’s Best New Spots to Book:
ORYn Brings Smoke, Spice and Spirits to Ubud
ORYn has opened on Monkey Forest Road, bringing a sharper restaurant-bar energy to the heart of Ubud. The concept is built around smoke, spice and spirits, with open-fire cooking, bold global flavours and cocktails that feel like part of the experience rather than an afterthought.
Founded by Tom and Bina Philip of The Blue Door, ORYn brings a more grown-up mood to one of Ubud’s busiest dining streets. In the kitchen, Head Chef Danial Fitri Yap draws on a background that includes Michelin-starred experience in Singapore and time as Head Chef at CÉ LA VI, Marina Bay Sands. Expect fire-led dishes, layered spices, a strong bar programme and a room made for dinner that can easily stretch into drinks. For Ubud, it feels like a welcome shift into something moodier, more polished and made for the night.
Oaken Stillroom Turns Scent Into Sips in Ubud
Oaken Lab has opened its second Bali store on Jl. Raya Sanggingan, and it’s much more than a perfume shop. Designed by Rantara Studio, the space keeps the bones of the old building and adds new textures on top. You move through it in stages: a dark room just for fragrance, a glass passage, then an open communal room where you can touch, test and wear the products. Two temples still stand in the yard.
The best bit for eating and drinking is The Oaken Stillroom, built around a big communal table with a garden beyond it. Made with long-time collaborators Elemental, the idea is scent turned into taste. Expect botanical cocktails and zero-proof elixirs from eight taps, plus small plates like burrata with herbs and pumpkin seeds, smoked ham tartine, fennel salad with pomelo, and coconut gelato with juruh. There’s cold brew from Everhaos and kombucha from neighbours Room4Dessert too. Open daily 12–8pm.
Kaja by Numa Brings Mediterranean Theatre to Ubud
Ubud’s dining scene continues to grow with the arrival of Kaja by Numa, a new Mediterranean restaurant in Pengosekan that pairs polished interiors with an open-fire menu. The cave-inspired space feels warm and intimate, while the kitchen focuses on premium ingredients, wood-fired cooking and handcrafted pizzas. With its refined atmosphere and contemporary approach, Kaja is already becoming one of Ubud’s most talked-about new restaurants. Based on official information, the restaurant combines Mediterranean flavours with a strong focus on design and hospitality.
Bali’s restaurant scene continues to evolve throughout 2026, with standout openings across Uluwatu, Canggu, Seminyak, Sanur and Ubud. Whether you’re after a destination steakhouse, a lively cocktail bar or a relaxed Italian restaurant, these latest openings are among the island’s best places to book this month.
FAQs
Motel Mexicola's Uluwatu outpost in Bingin. At 2,500 square metres it's the group's most ambitious build yet, with several dining spaces, multiple bars, a DJ booth and an open taqueria and asador at the centre.
Bingin and Pecatu are where most of the action is. Motel Mexicola and Saltwood have both landed on the Bingin cliffs, My Dear Clara opens in Pecatu this August, and Grün has reworked its restaurant and pool deck around a hyper-local Indonesian menu.
Pony and Studio Pepe in Berawa, plus MYKAZA on Batu Bolong. Pony is the moody wood-fired one, Studio Pepe does family-style Italian from the Milk & Madu and Longtime founders, and MYKAZA pairs Japanese technique with Balinese flavour at The Arc House.
Luca in Sanur, from the Boy'N'Cow team. Leather booths, a wine cellar, dry-ageing beef in the window and all the sides you order but never finish.
A few. Saloon 66 sits above The Plantation Grill in Seminyak for whisky and classics in a low-lit room, and The Oaken Stillroom in Ubud pours botanical cocktails and zero-proof elixirs from eight taps.
ORYn on Monkey Forest Road is the one for a proper dinner — open-fire cooking, bold spice and a strong bar programme. For something different, Oaken Lab's new Sanggingan store combines perfumery with the Stillroom's small plates and drinks.
Chook & Roos in Legian, with more than 80 TVs, a big LED screen and some tables that come with their own personal TV. There's also billiards, beer pong, darts and weekend DJs once the game's done.
Motel Mexicola Uluwatu for a loud one, Studio Pepe for shared plates and second bottles of wine, Chook & Roos for match days, and Pocha Bar at Andaz Bali for Korean plates and somaek with friends.
Yes — MYKAZA in Canggu for Japanese-Balinese fusion, and Pocha Bar in Sanur for late-night Korean inspired by pojangmacha street stalls.
The busy ones: Motel Mexicola Uluwatu, My Dear Clara, Pony, Studio Pepe and Luca. Most of these fill up on weekends, so book earlier in the week if you can.
