
On Ubud’s raw food scene
The raw food dining scene in Ubud has totally exploded in the last three years or so. It seems there’s a raw café on every corner, and we couldn’t be more grateful. Even local warungs in Ubud are jumping on the bandwagon and going organic. We caught up with Ubud’s resident raw chef and rapper Jonny Freesh on all things raw in Ubud. Here are his top 5 recommendations for raw food restaurants in Bali.
The Seeds of Life
Top of Jonny’s list is Seeds of Life, where the house specialties are life changing raw lasagna and nourishing, earthy herbal Taoist tonics that go down like a kiss from an iceberg. We also tried the raw pad thai noodles, so tasty and divine, you’ll forget about carbs without even trying, and wraps filled with avocado and beetroot — so guilt-free, we had two. Leave room for dessert, the medley of raw cakes are out of this world.
The Seeds of Life, Jalan Gautama, Ubud.
Soma Cafe
Soma’s mouthwatering menu doesn’t stop at the must-try shitake patty. The house specialty at this trendy organic café is raw chocolate. It’s a touch more expensive than the other raw food joints, and yet still so reasonable, but they make up for this with a vibey atmosphere and the occasional live performance.
Soma Cafe, Jalan Gautama, Ubud.
Alchemy
Alchemy is where you can satisfy a ravenous appetite with a massive bowl of delicious salad. You pick what goes in it from the salad bar and they drizzle those organic goodies in tasty, low-calorie dressings. End your meal on a sweet note with anything chocolate from Alchemy, made in their raw chocolaterie.
Alchemy, Jalan Penestanan Klod, Ubud. Open Mon-Sun 7am-9pm.
Down to Earth
The Mediterranean platter, and especially the raw falafel jumps off the menu right away. A safe way to go, since the owner is Lebanese. At Down to Earth, there’s no compromise on flavours, and Moorish-ness of their raw recipes. We kept coming back for the Totale smoothie between yoga sessions. The café has a great casual and social atmosphere, it’s a great place to mingle with the yoga crowd in Ubud and make friends with raw cuisine.
Down to Earth, Jalan Gautama, Ubud.
Clear Café
Clear Café is the sassy vegan of the group. Their recipe for success: a chic setting, sophisticated menu and decent service. We hear it’s a great place for a raw food date.
Clear Café, Jalan Hanoman No.8, Ubud.
Hungry for more? Check out Jonny’s raw food cooking classes on his website and his hilarious raw food raps.