Uluwatu & Jimbaran

The Bukit peninsula, from Jimbaran and Ungasan down to Uluwatu, Bingin and Padang Padang, has the most dramatic settings for Italian food in Bali. Clifftop resort terraces sit above the Indian Ocean, while the surf roads behind the beaches are lined with relaxed pizzerias and osterias.

Il Ristorante – Niko Romito at the Bulgari Resort is the island's most acclaimed Italian dining room, and di Mare at Karma Kandara serves sourdough pizza and bistecca on a terrace above the sea. For something more casual, Pizzeria Italia on Jalan Labuansait bakes thin, crisp pizza until 2am, Osteria Luna on the Padang Padang road has seafood pasta and a good-value lunch, DiVino near Bingin has a grassy terrace and homemade pasta, and ZENA near Balangan Beach adds Ligurian touches such as pansotti in walnut sauce.

Distances on the Bukit are bigger than they look, and the roads are narrow, so plan dinner close to where you are staying. Sunset tables at the clifftop restaurants should be booked well ahead.