After nine years at the top of Bali’s dining scene, Da Maria has rolled out a brand new menu. Here’s why it’s still one of Bali’s must-try restaurants.
In Bali, nine years is a lifetime. Restaurants come and go at breakneck speed, and only a handful stand the test of time. Yet Da Maria has cemented itself as one of Seminyak’s strongest dining constants – and it’s only just getting started.
Since opening in 2016, it’s been many things to many people: a date-night go-to, a celebratory dinner spot, a late-night magnet, and even a stunning Bali wedding venue. But at its core, it has always been about good food, great cocktails, and a setting that sets itself apart.
So when I heard Da Maria had finally changed its menu after nine strong years (and I mean properly changed it, not just a seasonal shift), I couldn’t wait to book a table.
Spoiler alert: this new menu puts Da Maria straight back on our must-visit list for 2026.
A menu that knows its roots – and where it’s going next
The new menu, led by Executive Chef Lorenzo De Petris, now reads more Mediterranean rather than strictly Italian. But it hasn’t lost Da Maria’s DNA. It’s clean, sharp, and undeniably clear that the chefs know their kitchen, their suppliers, and their audience.
We started exactly where you should: with a table full of starters and plates to share. The green garlic schiacciata is Da Maria’s take on garlic bread – soft, olive-oil slicked, lightly perfumed with green garlic, and designed for tearing.
Then there’s the grass-fed beef tartare, which set the tone for everything that followed. Finely cut, deeply savoury, and beautifully balanced with anchoïade, cavolo nero, pecorino, and a rich egg yolk. It nods to Da Maria’s iconic carpaccio of years past, but this version feels more grown-up. I’d order it again without hesitation.
Cold starters continue to impress, particularly the burrata, the charred red peppers, and the cold-smoked sardines with lemon and yuzu. There’s a lightness across the menu that makes perfect sense here – Mediterranean food designed for the tropics.
Rest assured, you’ll still find some of Da Maria’s long-standing crowd favourites, like the calamari in squid ink, the truffle mushroom pizza, and the tonnarelli prawn pasta. But now, they’re joined by new standouts that continue to raise the bar.
Market fish & lava stones
The secondi section is where the menu really stretches its legs. Proteins are cooked simply, often over lava stones, letting quality ingredients and technique do the heavy lifting. Think market fish, delicately cooked and laid in a burnt citrus sauce. It was so good, we ordered a side of fries purely to mop it up (Da Maria might be refined, but it’s not above great fries).
Then there are the pastas – an intentionally tight selection. The tonnarelli is the long-time favourite, but if you ask me, the bucatini offers stiff competition. Simple and unfussy, it’s folded through Da Maria’s own fresh tomato sauce and finished with pecorino romano. When a kitchen can make something this simple taste that good, you know they’re doing things right.
Pizza remains part of the picture too, but it’s been edited down to just six options. The green tomato pizza with mozzarella, local ’nduja and manchego is punchy, satisfying, and still delivers Da Maria’s much-loved Neapolitan-style base using local flour.
Throughout the menu, there’s a clear emphasis on local sourcing: produce from Kintamani, house-cured charcuterie, and Bali logic applied to Mediterranean ideas.
Tableside martinis & tiramisu
Let’s talk drinks and dessert, because this is Da Maria after all. Under Group Beverage Director Denny Bakiev and new Bar Manager Luca Marcolin (formerly of Zuma Dubai, World’s 50 Best Bars), the bar program has levelled up. Yes, the spritz menu is still here (and still excellent), but the real headline is the Tableside Martini Experience. And honestly? These are some of the best martinis I’ve had in Bali, full stop.
Served via a martini trolley, guests choose their style – classic and dry, or playful and tropical – before selecting an aroma infusion: Limoni, Erbe, or Mare (made with re-distilled oyster shells and sea grapes). It’s theatrical and immersive without tipping into gimmickry. We even learned a thing or two about Amalfi martini culture, thanks to Luca’s genuine passion for pouring a tailored martini that’d suit our palate.
And good news if you love dessert, because Da Maria now serves the most incredible tableside tiramisu too. Layer upon layer of local coffee, chocolate and cream is wheeled over, then spooned up right in front of you, the Italian way. It’s indulgent, nostalgic, and exactly the right note to end on.
The team behind the new menu
What makes this new chapter work is the team behind it. Da Maria is part of the trailblazing Mexicola Group, so if you already know these hospitality heavyweights, that alone speaks volumes. If not, here’s the short version. Leading the kitchen is Chef Lorenzo, whose background spans Michelin-starred institutions like Ristorante Duomo and Le Gavroche, as well as the ingredient-led Mosto. Alongside him, Denny Bakiev’s long-standing influence keeps the drinks fun yet precise, while Luca’s arrival brings an international polish that’s felt across both the menu and the service.
Why Da Maria is still worth your time in 2026
While the interiors remain largely untouched (that 1960s Amalfi-style courtyard is iconic), what has changed is the focus. Da Maria feels firmly food-first again. It’s a destination restaurant worth travelling for, whether you’re in Seminyak, Canggu, or further afield. In fact, we drove all the way from Uluwatu, and we weren’t disappointed.
This is Da Maria, grown up. And after nine strong years, it’s still one of Bali’s very best restaurants.
www.damariabali.com
Address: Jl. Petitenget No.170, Seminyak
WhatsApp: +62 8113-859-666
Instagram: @damariabali
Opening hours: Daily from 5pm