We have visited Amed several times in the past. It is a stunningly beautiful part of Bali, set in the shadows of the majestic Mount Agung volcano, one of the largest Volcanoes in Indonesia. Much less developed than the tourist centres of the south of the Island, Amed is often compared to the Bali of years gone by. Life is definitely slower here, and a great place to truly unwind from the stressors of modern life. We couldn’t wait to return, but we were a little apprehensive. You see, since we were last there, we have become completely vegan with our diet. So we set out to see how well the restaurants and warungs cater for a Vegan in Amed.
Where Does A Vegan In Amed Go To Eat?
It turns out there was nothing to worry about for a Vegan in Amed. There were vegan options at most places we visited. Just a little disclaimer here though. We cannot be 100% certain that every place we ate had a complete understanding of veganism. However, all of these places were very accommodating in meeting our preferences for food, and we absolutely enjoyed all of our meals. You can read about vegan dining in other areas of Bali here.
Good Stuff Cafe and Eco Store Amed
Good Stuff Amed and Eco Store is set amongst the rice fields as you approach Amed. It’s recently relocated here, so everything is very new, fresh and inviting. The theme for this cafe is earth friendliness, recycling, and minimal waste. Wherever possible, the food is made using fresh local produce and the meals we had there reflected this. Very tasty. They have recently revamped their menu and have increased their range of vegan meals. We got to try several of these new options and I can tell you they certainly put a smile on this Vegan in Amed!
Their green salads were huge, with a choice of dressings. For small additional costs, you can continue to build your salad. Tempeh and walnuts were our toppings of choice. The cost for the salads comes in around 40K which is exceptional value for a salad in Bali. They also do delicious vegan sourdough sandwich options which are delicious. The marinated tempeh and green bean skewers were also tasty and were about 50K per serve. There are also vegan burgers and smoothie bowls available and a large range of cold drinks. Located on Jalan Melasti with views back towards Gunung Agung volcano. Open 7 days a week from 7.30 am – 10.00 pm. https://www.instagram.com/goodstuffamed
Salt Bali
Salt Bali is a beautiful cafe set amongst the traditional jukung outrigger canoes on the black sand beach of Amed. White-washed furniture with blue cushions, set against the white walls, gives the cafe a very laid back Mediterranean feel. The waves of the Badung Strait, gently lapping on the shoreline, only adds to this very relaxed vibe. With an extensive menu, Salt Bali offers plenty of options for a vegan in Amed. Whether eating here for breakfast, lunch or dinner, you will have several options to choose from.
We decided on a simple tempeh burger for our lunch. It was presented nicely on a timber platter with a side of fries served in a basket made from banana leaves. The bun was fresh and lightly toasted. The Tempeh was topped with salad and a mushroom sauce. Very tasty. We had no complaints and would happily eat here again. Price was reasonable coming in under 60k including taxes and tips. Located in the Salt Resort and Spa, just off Jalan Pantai Amed. Plenty of parking available. https://salt-bali.com/bar-kitchen/
Nat Nat Thai Comfort Food
Another great option for vegan in Amed is Nat Nat Thai Comfort Food. The restaurant opened in late 2021 and quickly became one of the favourite local restaurants. And for good reason. The food is delicious. The owner herself is from Thailand. She hails from Chiang Mai, in the northern region of the country. And the food definitely reflects her Thai heritage. The food presents with the right balance of sweet, sour, saltiness and spiciness, which is the cornerstone of all good Thai food.
We only ate the mains here which all had vegan options, offering Tempeh as the main protein. There was Pad Thai, Tom Yum soup and several curries, red, green and yellow. Best of all, the tempeh options were considerably cheaper than the meat versions which is a win for Vegans in Amed! The mains cost between 40k and 45K, a great price. We ate here on several occasions and were never disappointed with the food, both in taste and presentation. Nat Nat Thai Comfort Food is located on Jalan I Ketut Natih in Amed and is open 6 days a week from 11.30 am – 10.00 pm. Closed on Wednesdays. https://www.instagram.com/natnatbali
Melon Cafe at Tamaya Homestay
Melon Cafe is one of Amed’s newest warungs. And for a Vegan in Amed, it’s also one of the best. Step inside and you are greeted with a fresh and airy feel to this airconditioned warung, (yes that’s correct, airconditioned. Airconditioned warungs are few and far between in this part of the world, and can be a real godsend on a hot day). Whether you want breakfast, appetizers or mains, they provide plenty of vegan options. Other meals can be made vegan by simply swapping out one or two ingredients.
For appetizers, we chose the spring rolls with sweet chilli sauce and the eggplant katsu. Both were freshly made with quality ingredients and were tasty, and not at all oily. For mains, we chose the Grilled Vegetable Salad and the Gado Gado. Once again, the flavours of the fresh ingredients shone through. The peanut sauce complemented the steamed vegetables perfectly in the Gado Gado. While the grilled vegetable salad was as tasty as the presentation promised. And served with the healthy red rice, it made a substantial meal. Prices are good value with appetizers around the 20-25k price while mains were between 40 & 50K. Located on Jalan Ketut Natih, this is a must-visit for any Vegan in Amed. https://www.instagram.com/meloncafeamed
La Cocina Amed
La Cocina Amed is a Mexican restaurant on the main road of Amed. It was also one of our favourite places for tasty vegan in Amed. La Cocina provides a small but sufficient menu. Food choices include Corn Chips and salsa, Nachos, Quesadillas, Tacos and Burritos. Vegan options are available in all the dishes except for the quesadillas. We had corn chips with salsa as a starter. The size was good, definitely sufficient for two as a starter. The salsa was great, freshly made with quality ingredients, and you could really taste the freshness of the vegetables.
For a main, we ordered the burritos, which were made with a mushroom, vegetable, rice and salsa filling. Once again they were absolutely delicious with the freshness of the ingredients obvious. They offer a homemade hot sauce for those who like a bit of a kick with their meal. It is tangy, but spicy. I absolutely loved it, but I do like some spice with my food. If you try it, use it sparingly initially! Located on Jalan I Ketut Natih in Amed, La Cocina Amed is open 5 days a week, closed Mondays and Tuesdays. https://www.instagram.com/cocinamexicana_bali/
Warung Dewi
Warung Dewi is attached to the Oasis Hotel on Jalan I Ketut Natih. Very much traditional Balinese style food in a modern, well-presented warung. The menu is written entirely in Bahasa Indonesia. But don’t let that put you off, the staff are very helpful, and the food is ‘Enak Sekali’, very delicious. The staff are eager to explain all the suitable options available on the menu, and will provide other suggestions, not on the menu, that they can make for you. One of our favourites here was the lalapan, a fried tempeh and tofu appetizer served with a fiery (we asked for it that way) Balinese sambal. Absolutely delicious.
Their vegetable soup and the yellow curry with tempeh and tofu were both equally tasty also. All the vegetables were fresh and colourful, and there was no skimping with the tempeh and tofu pieces. Food servings are generous, and the value is exceptional. Most meals were between 10k and 20k, appetizers were less than 10k and our favourite treat, Pisang Goreng, or deep-fried banana, was only 7k, approximately 70 cents Australian! Located on Jalan I Ketut Natih in Amed, and is open 7 days a week.
Kopi Kota Amed
Kopi Kota Amed is one of the more popular places for breakfast for a vegan in Amed. It has one of the best locations in town opposite the rice fields on the road to Melasti Beach. Menu choices include various smoothie bowls, and a big breakfast with scrambled tofu, cassava and salad. Various salads, Buddha bowls and a number of Indonesian dishes are also available including Nasi Goreng and Gado-gado. Food is tasty and servings are a good size.
Wherever possible, the staff are very happy to veganise other menu options to suit. And the best part, if they have to remove one or two ingredients to make it vegan, they replace it with suitable alternative ingredients, so you always end up with a good-sized meal. Reasonable prices ensured we returned more than once. Located on Jalan Melasti with views across the rice fields, Kopi Kota Amed is open 7 days a week from 7.30 am – 10.00 pm. https://www.instagram.com/kopikotaamed
Warung Sridana
Warung Sridana was one of the most pleasant surprises of our time in Bali. It is a typical non-descript family-run warung in Amed. Basic tables and chairs are presented in a clean, neat and tidy open-air warung. The menu for this place is huge, and best of all, there is a full-page dedicated to vegetarian and vegan food. Most of this food though is traditional Balinese and Indonesian food, which basically means that it is very, very tasty. Located on Jalan I Keteut Natih, and open 7 days a week
Accidentally Vegan in Amed
No this is not actually the name of a restaurant in Amed, rather we have found that many places offer meals that are either accidentally vegan or are easily adapted to cater for a vegan in Amed, with just minor changes to the ingredients. Some of the great foods to keep an eye out for are;
- Lalapan Tempe/tahu, which is fried tempeh and/or tofu served with a hot sambal dipping sauce;
- Lumpia Sayuran, better known as vegetarian spring rolls, are usually served with a sweet chilli dipping sauce;
- Nasi Goreng, Indonesian fried rice, just be sure to ask for only vegetables and no egg, and it’s available just about everywhere;
- Mie Goreng, fried noodles, once again just be sure to ask for only vegetables and no egg, and it’s also available just about everywhere;
- Gado Gado Tempeh, vegetables with tofu/tempeh in a tasty peanut sauce;
- Satai Tempe, marinated tempeh with a rich peanut dipping sauce;
- Pandan pancakes, green dessert pancakes are readily available in many warungs, but it pays to check that there are no eggs or dairy in the ingredients list;
- Black rice pudding, black rice cooked in creamy coconut milk, sweetened with palm sugar.
Learn a few local words of Bahasa Indonesia
Before heading out to eat in Bali, a great travel tip is to learn a few simple phrases in Bahasa Indonesia. As a vegan in Amed, we quickly learnt that using these phrases can help explain your food choices in the local restaurants and warungs. Experience tells us that the staff really understand what you mean when you speak these phrases and will go out of their way to accommodate you. Consider saving these phrases on your phone. They include;
Tidak ada daging, No meat;
Tidak ada ayam, No chicken;
Tidak ada ikan, No fish,
Tidak ada telur, No egg;
Tidak ada susu, No milk/dairy
Tidak ada keju, No cheese
Hanya sayuran, tahu dan tempe, Only vegetables, tofu and tempeh
As you can see there are plenty of available options that will help you enjoy your holiday in this amazing part of Bali. Selamat Makan!
