Warungs in Seminyak for authentic, wallet friendly eating

Whether your low on rups or craving no-frills authenticity, skipping the restaurants and heading to the warungs can lead you to a culinary paradise. A warung is a local Indonesian food stall or small eating cafe where you can score some yummy food at dirt cheap prices. In need of a quick fix? A delightful cheap meal? Some real authentic Indonesian food? Keep on reading…our secret list to cheap eats in Seminyak will satisfy your hunger.

1. Warung Melati

Let’s kick off with a favourite – Warung Melati, tucked away in a quiet lane where Seminyak hits Legian. This traditional Javanese warung is owned and operated by a friendly family that seriously knows how to prepare a feast. The cooking starts early in the morning just after sunrise and by 11 am, you can come here for a plate of traditional ‘nasi campur’ worth writing home about. Nasi campur translates to ‘mixed rice’ and simply involves a whole lot of tasty accompaniments to have with boiled or flavoured rice. Warung Melati is especially great for vegetarians as they have lots and lots of veggies, including traditional jackfruit curry, soft-boiled papaya leaves, and stewed spinach. The yellow rice is superb, with a perfect texture and full flavour. If you want the full-blown Warung Melati experience, come here for brunch or early lunch around noon. The food at Warung Melati is healthy, halal friendly and freshly prepared without the use of MSG or other additives.

Warung Melati, Jalan Nakula 5 no.5, Seminyak, Bali. Contact: 0896-6399-3501

2. Warung Murah

Warung Murah is a longtime favourite eating place of locals, expats and tourists, making it busy from early morning until late in the evening. Warung Murah is a traditional Balinese warung that makes a perfect pit stop for a local meal when strolling back from Seminyak Beach after watching the magnificent sunset. The menu has a wide range of Indonesian meals but the best thing to do is, again, go for nasi campur. This way, you can design your own plate and taste a little bit of everything. On display there are plenty of vegetable dishes, crispy tempeh, chicken satay, chilli eggs and fried snacks. On top of that, there are hot dishes such as rendang (beef stew) and lemongrass chicken. Warung Murah is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and the staff are always welcoming.

Warung Murah, Jl. Arjuna No. 99, Seminyak, Bali. Contact: (0361) 732082

3. Warung Bunana

Teh Tarik and Roti Canai are the call of the day at Warung Bunana, an authentic Indian-Malay street food restaurant. Their expertise in the making of crispy roti bread and spice-infused tea shows even from the outside, as it is all prepared in the open kitchen of this charming warung located at the end of Sunset Road in Seminyak. Very popular among the local youth, this place gets quite crowded in the evening. Roti Canai comes in all kinds of flavours from sweet to savoury, but even plain roti canai is delicious, particularly when teamed with a bowl of curry to dip it in and a mango lassi on the side. Order lots of things from their menu and you are in for quite a treat all with an unbelievably cheap price tag.

Warung Bunana, Address: No., Jl. Sunset Road No.27x, Seminyak, Bali

4. Warung Eny

Warung Eny stands out with its modesty and authenticity amidst the sophisticated dining venues of Petitenget. This Balinese warung is the best place in this fancy neighbourhood to score some genuine, authentic Indo food. You can expect richly flavoured, traditional, home-cooked food, with friendly, personal service. Ibu Eny and her husband Wayan run this warung with love, using mostly organic produce. It’s wonderful to find something like this on this hip and happening street that leads from Batu Belig to Petitenget and Oberoi, passing the most celebrated restaurants on the island.

Warung Eny, Jl. Petitenget No.97, Seminyak, Bali

5. Warung Souvlaki

Going Greek in Bali? Why not! Warung Souvlaki, located on Double Six Street in the centre of Seminyak, is charming and authentic, owned by a Greek native living in Bali. When the collision of the music, the interior design and the food, this feels like a trip straight to the island of Santorini. Enjoy moussaka, souvlaki, Greek salad, tzatziki and wine at a very affordable price. Even their breakfast is great if you fancy an omelette with feta, tomato and oregano, coming with Bali coffee, a fresh juice and fruits with yoghurt for less than 50.000 IDR.

Warung Souvlaki, Jalan Arjuna No.17, Seminyak, Bali. Contact: 0878-6002-0752

Hero image via villa-bali.com