Finding a good vegetarian-friendly or vegan-friendly restaurant in many countries abroad is not an easy task. Luckily Indonesia, and especially Bali, tries to keep up with the needs of many vegetarian and vegan travellers. Gorgeous looking and tasty plant-based cafes are opening up everywhere. Gili Trawangan has been watching and has now followed along. Here on Gili Trawangan, you can find some of the best plant-based food. To make it even easier, we broke down our top 5 best vegetarian and vegan restaurants on Gili Trawangan in Lombok, Indonesia.
Pituq Waroeng: best vegan restaurant on Gili Trawangan
Pituq Waroeng is one of Gili Trawangans favourite vegan restaurants. This all-vegan restaurant is loved by many people living on Gili Trawangan, not only by vegans but also by non-vegans and vegetarians alike. This vegan restaurant is not anywhere near the main strip, and it requires a little bike ride inland. But, it’s worth the journey that will take you past palm trees and grass fields with cows grazing.
When arriving at this Gili vegan restaurant you can choose from all sorts of local Indonesian dishes, but with a modern and refreshing twist. They focus on a tapas-style of serving, meaning all dishes come on small plates. This makes it a great place to share with friends or family. A place where you can taste and try all different sorts of vegan dishes – all for a very affordable price.
Pitug Waroeng doesn’t only focus on food. In their very cute decorated little waroeng you can find a charity shop. Here you can buy some locally sourced plates, cups, and cutlery, or natural and sustainable soaps, shampoos and coconut oils. Through their own charity foundation, called the ‘Pituq Community Foundation’, they aim to help the locals of Lombok who are still suffering from the earthquakes of 2018.
Banyan Tree: close to the harbour and beachfront terrace
The Banyan Tree is only a few hundred metres away from the harbour. It’s the perfect spot to grab a healthy and plant-based snack when you have just arrived in paradise. This restaurant is mainly vegetarian but also vegan-friendly. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The Banyan Tree is a cute restaurant with an air-conditioned sitting area upstairs and a beachfront setting. They offer healthy, plant-based food like smoothie bowls and local Indonesian dishes.
Feeling like a dessert? They have a wide selection of fresh-baked brownies, tarts, raw cakes and vegan ice cream. Don’t really have a sweet tooth? Choose one of their slow-pressed juices or delicious coffees. People will always come back to the Banyan Tree.
Kayu Cafe: offers a variety of healthy vegetarian and vegan-friendly dishes
Kayu Cafe is a wooden beachfront cafe (‘kayu’ means wood in Bahasa Indonesia). It’s located on the main strip of Gili Trawangan. It focuses on vegetarian and vegan dishes but also serves non-vegetarian meals. This makes it a popular meeting spot for many Gili T islanders and tourists alike.
Besides the variety of healthy dishes, Kayu Cafe is also super environmentally friendly. You won’t spot any single-use plastics here anytime soon. Kayu Cafe strives to use alternatives and recyclable options. If you are looking for natural or organic products, Kayu Cafe has a variety of lotions, soaps, bug sprays and reef-safe sunblock.
Hangout in their air-conditioned space downstairs or enjoy the beach view at the front of their beach terrace. Sip on your iced latte and enjoy a tasty wrap, salad or sandwich, with a good cup of coffee after. Treat yourself!
Casa Vintage Living: a boutique vegan cafe with a lovely artsy ambience
Casa Vintage has a similar look to some of the vintage looking cafes you can find in Canggu, Bali, but this is here on Gili Trawangan. This three-story high rustic-chic cafe has a beachy elegant vibe to it. Casa Vintage is a creative space where tourists, islanders or locals can come hang out, work and try delicious plant-based vegan food.
At Casa Vintage they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and a variety of different vegan tapas. This vegan restaurant on Gili Trawangan sources all its ingredients locally. This helps support Gili Trawangan’s neighbouring island, Lombok. In their open kitchen downstairs you can see how they prepare all the meals fresh on a daily basis.
At night, Casa Vintage lights up when they turn on all their fairy lights and it feels like you are dining within a dream.
Karma Kayak: beachy restaurant with tasty vegetarian tapas
Karma Kayak is a cute little restaurant and hotel situated on the north beach of Gili Trawangan. The north side of Gili Trawangan is known for a more quiet and beachy vibe. As soon as you arrive at Karma Kayak, you will understand why this is a beloved place.
Place yourself on one of the beanbags, sun loungers or at a regular table on the beach and have a look at their delicious menu. Karma Kayak is a vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurant.
They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and also a variety of vegetarian tapas dishes. Try out their vegan dumplings or vegan poke bowl! Karma Kayak is located right on the beach, making it the perfect place to have a proper beach day. Karma Kayak is also an excellent spot to watch the sunset around 6 pm. Make sure to order one of their delicious glasses of sangria when you do.
Would you like to find out about more of our favourite restaurants on the Gili Islands? Check out our Foodie Page for more recommendations, or our latest blog post on some of Gili Trawangan’s best work cafes.
Get out there and enjoy the Gilis!
Would you like to find out about more of our favourite restaurants on the Gili Islands? Check out our Foodie Page for more recommendations, or our latest blog post on some of Gili Trawangan’s best work cafes.
How to Get to Gili Trawangan
The tiny Gili islands don’t have an airport (or even motorbikes or cars) so you’ll have to venture to Gili Trawangan by boat. There are three islands: Gili Trawangan to the west, Gili Meno in the middle, and Gili Air to the east next to mainland Lombok. You can make the trip from either Bali or Lombok with relative ease. Find out how to get to the Gilis here.
