TLDR: Bali is one of the easiest places in the world to try plant-based eating for the first time. The food is genuinely good, the options are wide, and you don't need to be committed to veganism to enjoy it. Start with something familiar — like Italian.
A lot of people arrive in Bali curious about plant-based food without having eaten much of it before. The destination has a reputation for healthy, conscious eating, and it's hard to miss the cafes and restaurants that have built themselves around it.
If that's you — interested, but not sure where to start — this is written for you.
Why Bali is a good place to try it
Bali has an unusually high density of excellent plant-based restaurants, particularly in Canggu and Ubud. The food isn't niche or compensatory here. It's central to how a lot of people eat, and the chefs and restaurants doing it have had years to refine their approach.
The practical result is that trying vegan or vegetarian food in Bali is much lower-risk than trying it almost anywhere else. The chances of ending up with something bland, underwhelming, or obviously missing something are low — much lower than in most cities.
The hesitations people usually have
"Will it be filling enough?" Yes, if you order the right things. A bowl of leaves won't fill you up, but handmade pasta, pizza, and dishes designed to be shared Italian-style will. The key is treating plant-based food as food, not as a health intervention.
"Will I miss meat and cheese?" Possibly, initially. But good vegan cooking doesn't try to hide the absence of animal products — it builds dishes that are satisfying on their own terms. At Kasto, the Brasato Plin Ravioli and the Oh My Pork panini are both deeply savoury and filling. Most people who try them aren't thinking about what's missing.
"Isn't vegan food just salads and smoothie bowls?" In some cafes, yes. But Bali's plant-based scene has expanded well beyond that. There's vegan Italian, vegan burgers, vegan curries, vegan sushi, raw food, and everything in between. The breadth of options is one of the things that makes the island genuinely interesting for plant-based eating.
Why Italian is a good starting point
If you're new to plant-based eating and wondering where to start, Italian food makes a lot of sense. The flavour profiles are familiar — tomato, basil, garlic, olive oil — and the dishes are comforting and substantial. Pasta and pizza don't feel like a health choice; they feel like dinner.
At Kasto, we've found that a lot of our customers who aren't vegan come in a bit sceptical and leave having genuinely enjoyed themselves. The food tastes like good Italian food, because it is. The fact that it's 100% plant-based is almost beside the point by the time the pasta arrives.
A few things worth knowing before you go
The vegan food scene in Canggu is concentrated around a few areas. The Batu Bolong corridor and the streets around it have the highest density of plant-based options. You won't have to go far to find something good.
Prices are reasonable. Even at a proper sit-down restaurant like Kasto, a full meal with drinks comes in well below what you'd pay for comparable quality in Europe or Australia. The accessibility is part of why Bali is such a good place to experiment.
Most plant-based restaurants in Canggu are welcoming to people who don't usually eat vegan. You won't be made to feel like you're doing it wrong. Come as you are, order what looks good, and see what you think.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be vegan to eat at Kasto? No. Most of our customers eat meat regularly. They come because the food is good. The menu being 100% plant-based is something many of them don't think much about once they're eating.
What should I order if I'm trying vegan Italian for the first time? Start with something familiar. If you like pasta, the Brasato Plin Ravioli is a good introduction — deeply savoury and satisfying. If you want pizza, ours is made with an in-house plant-based mozzarella that behaves like the real thing. Order a few things to share, the way you would at any Italian restaurant.
Is Canggu a good base for eating plant-based in Bali? Very good. Canggu has more vegan and vegetarian restaurants than any other area of Bali, and the overall quality is high. It's the right neighbourhood if plant-based eating is something you want to explore.
What if I don't like it? That's fine — but we'd encourage you to order something that sounds genuinely appealing rather than something that sounds like a compromise. Plant-based food eaten at its best is just good food. Give it a fair go.
Is Kasto vegetarian-friendly? Kasto is 100% vegan, so every item on the menu is automatically vegetarian. There's no meat, fish, dairy, or eggs in any dish.
Kasto is at Jl. Canggu Padang Linjong, Canggu. Open Tuesday to Sunday. Reserve a table or order online.