10 Best Restaurants in the Gilis

Ko-Ko-Mo Restaurant serves fine Asian cuisine and international wines right on the beachfront of Gili Trawangan. The kitchen is overseen by Sydney chef and restaurateur Matthew Blundell, presenting standouts like beef carpaccio, seafood platter, Aussie tenderloin, and Peking duck. 

Ko-Ko-Mo Restaurant is also known for its tempting homemade desserts – must-tries include the chocolate mousse and chilled strawberry soufflé. In the evening, you can often enjoy your meals accompanied by live piano on the beach.

Mahamaya Restaurant overlooks the brilliant, white coral sand of the secluded north-western coast of Gili Meno. As the beachfront restaurant of Mahamaya Resort, it has setups on the sand where you can enjoy calm seascapes and the outline of Gili Trawangan on the horizon. 

From the restaurant’s open kitchen come selections of western and Asian-inspired dishes, ranging from spicy laksas, curries, and a variety of seafood dishes. Non-spicy favorites include marinated chicken kebab but if you’re curious for hot local flavors, try their take on Lombok’s traditional Taliwang chicken, generously served with sambal chilli sauce.

Gili Trawangan Night Market attracts budget travelers with open-air food stalls selling authentic local cuisine. Open just before sunset, there are dozens of options to choose from – fresh catches-of-the-day together with grilled meats, stir-fries, and all-time favorite Indonesian dishes like nasi goreng (fried rice), soto ayam (chicken noodle soup), and bakso (meatball soup). 

Other stalls here specialize in light bites, cakes and local desserts. Thanks to the island’s size, you can easily get to the Gili Trawangan Night Market on foot.

Karma Beach Gili Meno complements the beachscape of Karma Reef Gili Meno, with a unique all-bamboo structure, rattan furnishing, and parasols on the sand. The menu is predominantly Mediterranean, though you can also enjoy Aussie breakfasts and wood-fired pizzas throughout the day.  

Evenings at Karma Beach Gili Meno are best enjoyed with refreshing cocktails from its subtly lit bamboo bar, often accompanied with soulful jazz and sounds of the ocean.

Pearl Beach Lounge is a beachfront restaurant within the Pearl of Trawangan Resort. Offering a laidback seaside ambience, the restaurant has an all-bamboo layout, with colorful beanbags between bamboo torches. 

Film screenings often take place on weekend nights. The menu features western and pan-Asian cuisines, with mains such as pad thai (rice noodles with duck or tiger prawns), Wagyu beef burger, pumpkin gnocchi, and roasted tiger prawns with red lentil dhal.

The Beach House Restaurant enjoys a prominent beachfront location in Gili Trawangan, with a dining room built partly on stilts. The all-day restaurant specializes in seafood barbecues, tapas, and fusion dishes, along with inventive cocktails and imported liquors. 

Local favorites include the nasi campur (assorted traditional Indonesian dishes served with steamed rice), bebek bumbu rajang (Balinese roasted duck), and ikan nyatnyat (braised baby fish with Balinese spices and sambal sauce).

Santi Restaurant & Lounge Bar shares the lush coconut palm grove settings of the Pondok Santi Estate on Gili Trawangan. There are several dining spots to choose from, including the grove, lounge bar, dining on the beach and the marquee. 

The restaurant’s menu, conceptualised by a London chef, revolves around local and international dishes using locally sourced ingredients. On Sundays, Santi Restaurant & Lounge Bar hosts live music with promos on food and cocktails from 4pm onwards.

Malibu Beach Club is a modern dining venue along Gili Trawangan’s western coast, offering impressive sunset views. Its standout feature is a red-tiled pool where you’re free to swim in with views of the surf. There are plenty of sunbeds with bright red umbrellas if you prefer to unwind while sipping refreshing cocktails. 

Highlights from the food menu include the seafood paella, burgers, and mezze platter. The restaurant also has unique Asian comfort food – try their nasi goreng gila for a fiery take on the all-time favorite Indonesian fried rice.

Scallywags Beach Club is hard to miss on the south-eastern coast Gili Air thanks to the striking bamboo design. It has relaxing sun loungers spread out on the sand overlooking the calm blue waters. The beach club’s menu highlights fresh catches of the day, with broils and pan-fried seafood delights, such as Scallywag’s signature butterfish and a spaghetti prawn marinara.

You’ll find great local specialties as well, from Sumatran beef rendang to sweet and sour whole deep-fried snapper, served with steamed rice. A combination of favorite cocktails, wines and cold beers tops your Gili Air beach dining experience here. Part of the group of hotels of the same name, Scallywags is also present on Gili Trawangan and Gili Air.

Casa Vintage Beach, located on Gili Trawangan’s western coast, combines light menus with arty fixtures, spread out over its white sand beachfront. It has plenty of beanbags, hammocks, beach rugs right on the beach, as well as stools along its thatch-roofed bar. 

The menu focuses on Caribbean and Jamaican-inspired dishes, such as beef chilli, falafels, trench town chicken, and potato pie. Casa Vintage Beach is one of the go-to places on Trawangan Island for spectacular sunset views. Your evenings are often paired with beach bonfires, along with a playlist of jazz and blues.