Healthy Dining Above the Valley in Ubud

Ubud has a complicated relationship with the word healthy. The town is full of restaurants built around it, with menus organised by ingredient category or blended drinks.

It is also a town whose name is commonly associated with obat, an Indonesian word for medicine or remedy, suggesting that the connection between Ubud and wellness is older than the smoothie. What Ubud offers less often is a full-service menu with plenty of lighter choices built into it.

A healthy restaurant in Ubud does not necessarily have to specialise. Sometimes it is simply a restaurant in Ubud with a wide menu and an easy way to choose more lightly.

The Salad Section Is the Obvious Answer

There are four salads on both the lunch and dinner menus, and they are a perfectly reasonable place to start.

The Garden and the Kale and Pumpkin both carry vegetarian and gluten-free markers. Thai Papaya is sharper and more assertive, although it also carries peanut and shellfish allergen markers. The Viceroy Caesar is the outlier, with pork among its ingredients.

We have already written about these dishes in our guide to crisp garden salads on the terrace. Here, the more useful point is that eating lightly does not have to begin and end with the salad section.

Start With the Raw Plates Instead

Two starters offer another approach to a lighter meal.

Tuna Carpaccio carries a gluten-free marker and does not have a dairy marker on the menu. Its thinly sliced raw fish makes it a lighter way to begin a meal, particularly when paired with a vegetable side.

Grilled Octopus is another option and is also marked gluten-free. It is more substantial than the carpaccio while still working well as part of a smaller lunch.

Neither needs to be followed by a large main course. A raw starter and one or two vegetable sides can make a satisfying lunch without leaving you overly full for the afternoon.

The Grill and the Fish Section

The Pan-Seared Barramundi is one of the most useful main-course choices for anyone looking to eat lightly. It carries a gluten-free marker, along with a dairy allergen marker.

Kuah Be Pasih offers another fish-based option. This Balinese preparation carries a gluten-free marker and a shellfish allergen marker. Its broth-based preparation gives the dish a different character from richer fish dishes.

At dinner, the grill provides further choices. The steaks carry gluten-free markers, although the sauces are not individually marked, so guests with specific dietary requirements should check with the restaurant team before ordering.

The Chargrilled Spring Chicken from the Indonesian Heritage section is another straightforward protein option.

The useful thing about these dishes is that they are already part of the regular menu. A lighter meal does not require a special order or a separate health-focused section.

The Sides Make the Difference

Nine of the ten side dishes carry a gluten-free marker, and many are vegetable-based. 

The selection includes sautéed kale and garlic, sautéed green beans, grilled or sautéed mixed vegetables, harissa and honey-roasted carrots, and corn on the cob. Steamed rice is also marked gluten-free.

Some sides carry dairy markers, including the creamed leaf spinach, so it is worth checking the menu carefully if you are avoiding dairy. 

For a flexible light lunch, try pairing a raw starter with two or three sides. This gives you a wider range of textures and flavours without ordering a large main course.

It also works well for a shared table, since sides can be placed in the middle and enjoyed alongside everyone’s individual dishes. 

Eating Lightly Without Eating Vegetarian 

Vegetarian and light are often treated as the same request, but they are not.

If you are looking for both, the menu offers several vegetarian choices. The Stir-Fried Garlic Tofu and Eggplant from the lunch wok is one option that can suit a lighter meal. Our guide to eating plant-based in Ubud looks further at the town’s wider plant-based options.

If your priority is simply eating lightly, fish, chicken and vegetable dishes may suit you better than some of the vegetarian mains. The Gnocchi, Truffle Mushroom Risotto and Mushroom Tortellini are vegetarian, but they are richer dishes.

Knowing the difference between what you want and what the menu labels can make ordering much easier.

Finishing Without Undoing It

A lighter meal does not have to end without dessert.

Homemade sorbet by the scoop carries a gluten-free marker and does not have a dairy marker on the menu. It offers a simple finish, particularly with coffee, without adding another rich course to the meal.

As with any dietary requirement, guests with allergies should confirm ingredients and preparation with the restaurant team rather than relying only on menu markers.

Booking a Lighter Table

Eating well on holiday does not necessarily mean finding a specialist healthy restaurant. A broad menu with clear dietary markers, vegetable sides, lighter starters and simply prepared proteins can offer just as much flexibility.

CasCades Restaurant & Bar is open daily from 11 AM to 9 PM on an open-air terrace overlooking the valley, around ten to fifteen minutes from central Ubud.

Reserve a table by WhatsApp or email at res@cascadesbali.com.

For a simple light lunch, start with the Tuna Carpaccio or Grilled Octopus, add a couple of vegetable sides, and leave enough time to enjoy the view.