Best Restaurants for Families with Kids in Sanur, Bali
Before we get into some of our favourite restaurants for a meal with kids in Sanur, Bali, we think it’s important to explain our considerations for choosing what made the list:
Price: Since we’re on a year-long trip with reduced incomes, one of our most important factors is price. We usually try to stick to places that are low- to mid-range in price, which in Sanur usually meant 3 to 7 USD (45 to 100k IDR) per person for meals.
Cuisine: While we encourage our kids to try local dishes wherever we go, we also try to ensure that there are some “kid-friendly” western dishes on the menu for most places we visit as well. In Bali, this usually meant all-day breakfast menu items like pancakes or smoothie bowls, pizzas, sandwiches, wraps, or salads.
Ratings: We also paid a lot of attention to online reviews of individual restaurants, as these tend to give a pretty good indication of the quality of the food, and also which restaurants are less likely to give you the dreaded “Bali Belly.”
Location: We tended to either opt to stay closer to our private villa, which was located in the quiet residential area west of the Sanur Bypass, or, if we went to the beach, we usually tried to be right on the beach with a view.
So, on to some of our favourite family-friendly restaurants here in Sanur:
Despite its great reviews, we weren’t sure if we event wanted to try this spot in the first place. We honestly didn’t see the point — it was close to the beach but not on it, it was more expensive than our usual beachfront spot, and it required a Grab ride to get to. We were ultimately convinced to test it out when we learned that they have special events for kids every Sunday, where kids eat and drink free and there is programmed entertainment for kids all afternoon, which even includes organized games prizes. After our first visit, it quickly became one of our favourite spots in Sanur, and not just on Sundays. It won us over with its spectacular kids treehouse playground, lovely courtyard with shaded tables where grown ups can watch the kids play, top notch food and drinks, super-friendly service, cool atmosphere, and chill vibes.
Price: A meal and non-alcoholic drinks for two adults and two kids typically costs us 25 to 30 USD, or 20 to 25 USD on Sundays, although you can certainly spend a lot more depending on taste.
We found Lilla Pantai during our first week in Bali while walking along the beachfront walkway in Sanur. There are a ton of restaurants by the water of varying quality and price. We wanted something well-rated, with a view, and that wouldn’t break the bank. After a quick Google search, Lilla Pantai seemed to fit the bill, with affordable food, healthy eating options, shaded beachfront tables, and a good view of the water so we could see the kids playing on the beach.
Price: A meal for two adults and two children typically costs us 20 to 25 USD (300 to 400k IDR).
This restaurant is near where we were staying in the residential area of Sanur, but it might just be worth a Grab order or a visit no matter where you are based. Their prices are reasonable, the food is really good (we’ve typically just ordered some wood-fired pizzas or chicken to supplement our dinners at home), and they are super friendly. This place has been a go-to for our family and although we stumbled upon it later in our time in Bali, it is probably the place we have ordered from the most. One of the whole peri peri chicken dinners with roasted potatoes and vegetables supplemented with other small items from the grocery store across the street from is usually enough to feed our whole family (2 adults and 2 young kids) — we’ve been able to get it discounted through Grab by picking it up ourselves for 7 to 8 USD (about 90k IDR). It’s a great option to keep the costs (and the cooking) down.
Price: In general, lunch or dinner from this place for two adults and two children typically costs around 25 USD (350 to 400k IDR).
Okay, so we only went to Massimo for dinner once, and honestly, we did not love the food at this place. As Italian food goes, it’s pretty mediocre. But it is truly an institution in Sanur for another reason altogether — the gelato is superb. And affordable. And even the smallest bowls get scooped up to the sky. Do yourself a favour: skip all of the other gelato spots in Sanur and go directly here. The lines can be long (10 to 15 minutes at peak times), but the price and taste are spot on. There is seating inside in the shade, if you want it. It’s a nice spot to take a load off and cool down with your favourite gelato flavour.
Price: Our typical spend here for four of the smallest cups stacked high with two flavours is under 6 USD (80k IDR).
This is another restaurant that is close to our place in Sanur, but might be worthy of a Grab order or even a visit, given their affordable prices, fantastic food, loads of menu options that will appeal to expats, cozy setting, and even the presence of some western staples for purchase from their grocery section, like natural peanut butter and cheddar cheese. This restaurant has a huge vegan menu as well as tons of healthy options for meat-eaters (definitely helpful when eating out a lot!), and a kids menu that is amazingly popular with our little ones.
Price: A typical meal here for two adults and two children costs us between 18 and 25 USD (275 to 400k IDR).
Naughty Nuri’s was hands-down one of the favourite meals we had our entire time in Bali. Literally everything we tried there was fantastic, from their signature BBQ pork spare ribs to their fried chicken poppers to their side dishes, like blackened corn and hand cut potato wedges. Even the Caesar salad was out of this world. We ordered it in via Gojek so unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to try anything from their extensive martini or margarita lists, but apparently their martinis are some of the best in the world, according to Anthony Bourdain. Nuri’s is a bit pricier than some of the other options on the list, and definitely not the best choice if you’re looking for something more health-conscious, but otherwise it’s definitely a must-try while you’re here.
Price: Dinner for two adults and two kids with mains, sides, and alcoholic drinks will likely set you back about 50 to 100 USD (750k to 1m IDR), though you could definitely do it for less.
While we would recommend this place on a lot of fronts — the food is great, it’s got a lovely beach seating area with a nice view of the water, and the service was good, it is significantly more expensive than our other favourite beachside restaurant, Lilla Pantai, with nothing that really differentiates it. As such, if we are in the mood for beachfront dining, we typically head to Lilla’s. This said, objectively Genius Cafe is also reasonably priced for lunch right on the beach, and is a good second option if you can’t get a spot at Lilla Pantai or if you’re just looking to mix things up a bit.
Price: A typical meal costs between 30 to 40 USD for two adults and two children (500 to 600k IDR).