Wine bars in Bali: where the wine list is the point

Bali is a cocktail island first, but a few addresses make wine part of the evening. In FirstBali's catalogue, four venues say so in their own words: Riviera Bistro in Berawa, a Mediterranean restaurant and wine bar with an extensive wine list; Akar, the steakhouse north of Ubud, with a curated wine list; Aged & Butchered in Berawa, with an extensive wine collection; and The Lounge at Regent Bali Canggu, which pours fine wines. This guide only lists places whose own descriptions mention wine.

Riviera Berawa

Restaurants · Berawa

Riviera Bistro is a Mediterranean restaurant and wine bar on Jalan Pemelisan Agung in Berawa, the original venue of Riviera Group, which also runs Riviera Trattoria in Pererenan and Riviera Cafe in Cemagi. The kitchen works with fresh pasta and local ingredients, with dishes such as tagliatelle in a Wagyu beef and pork ragù or cacio e pepe risotto with tuna battuta. Expect an extensive wine list, aperitifs at the bar and candlelit tables; on Saturdays the evening turns into PRÏVE, with cocktails and DJs.

Akar

Restaurants · Ubud

Akar, meaning “root”, is the steakhouse of K Club in Kedisan, Tegallalang, north of Ubud, set in the greenery of the jungle. Spread over two floors with two bars and an open kitchen, it grills Australian and Japanese cuts, Wagyu included, over charcoal, alongside seafood, charcoal-roasted bone marrow and a curated wine list. On Friday and Saturday nights dinner turns festive, with live DJs, dancers and a laser show. Akar has won Best Luxury Steakhouse in Indonesia at the World Luxury Restaurant Awards.

Aged & Butchered

Restaurants · Berawa

Aged & Butchered Bali is the island branch of the Jakarta dry-aged steakhouse of the same name, run by MDA Restaurants inside The Komu hotel in Berawa. The draw is its meat library of dry-aged cuts, grilled over coffee-wood charcoal, with Japanese yakiniku-style grills at the table where the chefs cook in front of guests. The moody, stylish room adds a sake fountain, an extensive wine collection and an outdoor bar area. An address built around the grill, for an evening of serious steak.

Regent Bali Canggu

Restaurants · Canggu

Regent Bali Canggu is IHG's beachfront resort on Batu Bolong, on Canggu's southwest coast, and the first Regent in Indonesia. Designed by WATG with interiors by HBA, it has 150 rooms and suites. Two of its restaurants are led by Chef Andrew Walsh: Sazón, a Mediterranean neighbourhood hideaway, and CURE Bali, European cooking shaped by Asian flavours. The Beach House pairs its pool and ocean breeze with craft cocktails and seafood, and the resort is home to the first Regent Spa & Wellness.

Riviera Bistro, Berawa: the wine bar

Riviera Bistro, on Jalan Pemelisan Agung, is the original venue of Riviera Group, which also runs Riviera Trattoria in Pererenan and Riviera Cafe in Cemagi. It is the one address here that calls itself a wine bar. Expect:

• An extensive wine list, with aperitifs at the bar before dinner.
• Fresh pasta and local ingredients, such as tagliatelle in a Wagyu beef and pork ragù, or cacio e pepe risotto with tuna battuta.
• Candlelit tables, the setting for a slow dinner for two.
• PRÏVE on Saturdays, when the evening turns to cocktails and DJs.

If wine is what you want, come on a quieter night; on Saturday the room becomes a party. More in the Riviera Berawa guide.

Akar, Ubud: wine with the grill

Akar, meaning "root", is K Club's steakhouse in Kedisan, Tegallalang, north of Ubud, set in the jungle. Two floors, two bars and an open kitchen, with Australian and Japanese cuts grilled over charcoal and a curated wine list to go with them. On Friday and Saturday nights dinner turns festive, with live DJs, dancers and a laser show — choose another night if you want to talk over the bottle. Akar has won Best Luxury Steakhouse in Indonesia at the World Luxury Restaurant Awards. See the Akar guide.

Aged & Butchered, Berawa: the meat library

Aged & Butchered Bali is the island branch of the Jakarta dry-aged steakhouse, run by MDA Restaurants inside The Komu hotel. Its draw is a meat library of dry-aged cuts grilled over coffee-wood charcoal, with yakiniku-style grills at the table. Alongside: an extensive wine collection, a sake fountain and an outdoor bar area. It suits a group that wants a serious steak dinner with bottles to share. More in the Aged & Butchered guide.

The Lounge, Regent Bali Canggu: a glass by the ocean

Regent Bali Canggu is IHG's beachfront resort on Batu Bolong. The resort describes The Lounge as a place for timeless classics with a modern twist, locally roasted coffee, teas and fine wines, overlooking its cascading pools and the ocean. It is the calmest of the four: a glass before dinner at Sazón or CURE, or an evening that does not need a dance floor. See the Regent Bali Canggu guide.

Which one for which evening

• A wine-led dinner for two: Riviera Bistro on a weeknight.
• A steak and a good bottle with friends: Aged & Butchered.
• A night out of town: Akar, with a driver there and back.
• A quiet glass with a view: The Lounge at Regent.

A few practical points

• Ask about the list on your date. Wine lists change; the venue tells you what is pouring. FirstBali never quotes a price, a corkage policy or a bottle figure: the venue confirms those.
• Do not drive. Book a driver through the transport page; Akar in particular is well outside the coastal areas.
• Party nights change the mood. Riviera's Saturday and Akar's Friday and Saturday nights are livelier; pick accordingly.

How to book

Send the concierge the venue, the date, how many you are and whether you want a quiet table or the party night. FirstBali asks the venue; the table is yours once the venue has confirmed it. An assistant answers at any hour, the team through the Bali day and evening.

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Bali cocktail bars, the best steakhouses in Bali, a romantic dinner in Bali and Bali Mediterranean restaurants.