Uluwatu, the cliff-lined southern tip of Bali known as the Bukit, is having a serious restaurant moment in 2026. The Honeycombers Bali team has been eating its way through the island's latest openings and their October roundup reads like a map of where the action is now — with Uluwatu claiming most of the ink.

The headline opening is Burnt at Ulu Cliffhouse, a two-storey oceanfront restaurant perched right on the cliff edge at Pecatu. The smart play is arriving early: the open-air Sunset Terrace upstairs serves oysters and cocktails during arguably the best sunset in the Bukit, then dinner happens downstairs in a moody dining room with a big open kitchen. Chef Tomas works coastal style — fish landed nearby, house-fermented sauces — with smoked fish dip, half-shell scallops and wild-caught king prawns among the standouts.

Also new in Pecatu is My Dear Clara, an Italian from the KALA team that makes nearly everything in-house: hand-rolled pasta, a glass-walled cheese room turning out burrata and mozzarella, and Roman-style pizzas baked upstairs in front of you. The eggplant tortino and burrata ravioli in lemon butter earn their praise, and every table gets crayons for doodling on the white tablecloths. Save space for the tiramisu, which arrives in one giant bowl for self-serving.

Bingin is just as busy. SANA, the all-day Australian-Asian restaurant at the new NUJU hotel, impresses with scallops, tuna tartare, a molten mushroom lasagne and coral trout — plus a pool that restaurant guests can actually use before dinner. Down the cliffs, Saltwood takes a no-fuss approach (local materials, local produce, no minimum spend, no reservations) with oven-and-fire cooking: think picanha with gravy, charcoal fish in kombu butter, and a coconut-forward cocktail list. Its sunset beanbags fill fast, so come early.

Pak Gula, from the Cashew Tree crew, is the share-plates pick — char siu bao, veggie dumplings and braised beef curry across two floors, with drinks like a Pho Negroni and Sichuan Pepper Margarita. Cavo Bar & Bistro plugs a gap in the scene as a casual Roman wine bar: truffle arancini, flatbread pizzas and spicy fusilli vodka alongside proper negronis.

For daytime, Mood by Ours is a seed-oil-free farm-to-table cafe and organic market on the main Uluwatu strip, sourcing much of its produce from its own Bedugul farm. And near Nyang Nyang Beach, Heal does excellent coffee plus build-your-own protein plates and sandos — an easy stop after a morning swim.

Why it matters: Uluwatu has long been known for beaches, surf and special-occasion dining, but this wave of openings rounds out the area with everyday wine bars, group-friendly share houses and serious daytime cafes. If you're planning a Bali trip this year, it's a strong argument for basing part of your stay in the Bukit rather than just passing through on the way to the airport.