Gili Trawangan Restaurants Guide: Our Food Journey + Insider Tips (2023)

🇮🇩 Indonesia Bali & Gili Trawangan

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Discover Gili Trawangan Restaurants

Planning where to eat? Gili Trawangan restaurants offer an impressively diverse dining scene despite the island’s small size. The well-developed tourist infrastructure attracts visitors from around the world, and this international presence has created a vibrant food landscape offering everything from local Indonesian warungs to upscale international cuisine. As food enthusiasts, my husband and I explored numerous restaurants across Gili Trawangan, trying both popular spots and hidden gems. Here’s our comprehensive dining guide to help you navigate the island’s best culinary destinations, complete with our personal experiences and insider recommendations from locals.

Oh Warung Gili: Authentic Indonesian Comfort Food

For our first dinner on the island, we wandered along the eastern edge of Gili Trawangan, looking for an authentic dining experience. While most establishments seemed more focused on nightlife with their party atmosphere and bright lights, we discovered Oh Warung Gili, a modest restaurant with a hand-written sign tucked away in an alley. Unlike the tourist-oriented restaurants serving multiple cuisines, this place specialized in Indonesian dishes, particularly comfort food that’s easily approachable for foreigners.

We ordered Mie goreng and Ayam kremes (crispy chicken), along with a side of bok choy. The dishes were familiar and well-prepared, making it an excellent choice for those wanting to try Indonesian cuisine without venturing too far from their comfort zone.

Night Market Experience

While night markets are typically a must-visit attraction in Southeast Asia, the night market in Gili Trawangan was unfortunately disappointing. Despite its small size, which wouldn’t normally be an issue, the lack of variety and repetitive offerings made it less appealing. We tried corn on the cob, chicken satay, and octopus satay. The chicken was passable, but the fish satay was too fishy, the octopus was incredibly tough, and the corn lacked sweetness.

The market fell short in all three crucial aspects: taste, hygiene, and price. It wasn’t particularly cheap despite being street food, and the hygiene standards were concerning. I’d recommend experiencing the atmosphere briefly but saving your appetite for better establishments.

Sumi Sate: The Best Satay in Gili Trawangan

Among all the meals we had on the island, Sumi Sate was the absolute highlight. This popular spot among Korean tourists is located in an unexpected area with a simple setup and no English menu. We ordered Sate Ayam (chicken satay) and Bebalung (beef dish) with Nasi putih (white rice).

While the hygiene standards might make some hesitant, the food quality more than makes up for it. The chicken satay had a familiar yet distinctive taste that would appeal to many Asian palates, and the Bebalung reminded me of Korean galbitang (beef rib soup) with a hint of cilantro. At 70,000 rupiah for two people, it offered excellent value for money. Though they don’t serve beer and the cleanliness could be better, Sumi sate is absolutely worth visiting for the best satay experience on the island.

Jali Kitchen: International Fusion in Paradise

Jali Kitchen is one of the most recommended restaurants in Gili Trawangan, featured in numerous travel vlogs and recommended by our Insana Villa host as “a restaurant that offers a variety of Thai, Indonesian, Western and Vietnamese cuisine at friendly prices in a cosy setting.”

Given its popularity, we arrived with high expectations. The restaurant was bustling with customers, with numerous bicycles parked outside. While the menu offered diverse international options, we opted for Western dishes – Chili Con Carne and Creamy Cajun Pasta. Unfortunately, our experience was somewhat underwhelming. The orange juice we ordered was disappointingly bland, almost like flavored water, quite unlike the sweet-tangy juices you’d find in Thailand.

The main dishes were adequate but unremarkable, leaving us wondering about the restaurant’s popularity. Later research revealed that Jali Kitchen is actually famous for its burgers, which looked mouth-watering in photos. If I return to Gili Trawangan, I’d definitely give their burgers a try.

Mie Ayam: An Accidental Local Gem

After trying Bakso instant noodles at our Jakarta airport hotel, I was eager to try authentic Bakso noodles. We headed to what we thought was a Bakso noodle shop near the night market, but accidentally ended up at a Mie Ayam (chicken noodle) stand instead.

This tiny establishment, clearly catering to locals, served a curry-style chicken noodle soup with egg. At 40,000 rupiah for two bowls, it was incredibly affordable. While the portions were modest by Western standards, the price made it reasonable to order multiple servings. My husband declared it his favorite meal on Gili Trawangan. This unplanned detour gave us our most authentic local dining experience of our entire Indonesia trip.

Villa Ombak Dinner Buffet: Beachfront Dining Experience

For those seeking a more upscale dining experience, the resort buffets along Gili Trawangan’s shoreline offer a different perspective on island dining. We chose Villa Ombak‘s dinner buffet, which specializes in grilled dishes.

While the buffet selection wasn’t extensive, the grilled options included beef, chicken, fish, calamari, shrimp, and pork. The calamari was particularly impressive – tender and perfectly seasoned, making it an excellent accompaniment to beer. My husband favored the beef dishes.

The beachfront setting, with colorful lights and the sound of waves, created a memorable dining atmosphere. While the ocean view was limited due to darkness, dining on the sand made for a unique experience. The buffet offers good value for money and is particularly suitable for families or groups seeking a worry-free dining option.

Regina Pizza: Slice of Italy in Gili

Regina Pizza comes highly recommended, with our Insana Villa host describing it as offering “definitely the best pizza from Lombok and most likely also from Italy. All pizzas are made by the Italian chef.”

We ordered delivery to our villa on our last night – a classic pepperoni pizza. The style seemed to strike a perfect balance between New York and Italian pizza. Even after cooling slightly during delivery, it maintained excellent flavor. I can only imagine how amazing it would be fresh from their oven.

Local Host Recommendations

Looking for more trusted dining options? Here’s an insider’s list of Gili Trawangan restaurants recommended by our host at Insana Villa. As a local resident familiar with the island’s dining scene, our host’s suggestions for the best restaurants in Gili Trawangan are particularly valuable for travelers seeking authentic experiences. These recommendations carry extra credibility since they come from someone who knows the local food scene intimately.

• The Banyan Tree : Modern atmosphere, international cuisine, fresh seafood
• Keyu Cafe : Casual vibe, brunch, salads, coffee, bakery
• Casa Vintage : Traditional atmosphere, Indonesian traditional food, local dishes
• Gili Teak : Terrace style, seafood, grilled dishes, BBQ
• The Exile : Various Western dishes, pizza, pasta, cocktails
• Jali Kitchen : Thai, Indonesian, Western, Vietnamese
• Regina Pizza : Italian pizza
• Karma Kayak
• Wilson’s Retreat :
• Trawangan Dive Centre : Indonesian, Euroean, Mexican food
• The Pearl of Trawangan
• Persona : Indian food, shishas
• Scallywags : BBQ, fish or chicken/meat

This curated guide to Gili Trawangan restaurants showcases the island’s impressively diverse dining scene, from humble local warungs to sophisticated beachfront establishments. Whether you’re craving authentic Indonesian flavors or international cuisine, the restaurants in Gili Trawangan offer something for every palate and budget. While some establishments might not meet Western hygiene standards, the unique flavors and memorable dining experiences make these restaurants worth exploring. From our personal adventures and local recommendations, we hope this guide helps you discover your own favorite spots among the many wonderful restaurants Gili Trawangan has to offer.