Cafe Vespa — Restaurant in Bali

Update April 2023

There is no longer live music here... the recorded music is sometimes cool jazz but more often handpan "music" which drones on endlessly all the tracks sound exactly the same. It is the same in the cafe down the road. There is a plague of this in Ubud 😱 as a musician I find it intensely irritating.

Beers are expensive. Wine very expensive. Meals mid to high price for Ubud. 7/10 for the pizzas which are quite nice and one of the better value options. The mushroom pasta was way too salty. The falafel rolls are good and filling. Service and tax are added at the checkout.

Edit Aug 2022

Have been coming here when in Bali since 2017, I live just round the corner.

I came a few days ago for coffee and cake. Sadly they forgot my order and I had to go. However a few days later I came back they remembered me and gave me free cake and coffee 👍😀

The food is still good with a varied mid price menu. Music nights are no longer a regular event here since Covid.

Friendly staff. Nice place to hang out, meet people, relaxed. I tried the masala dosas and love these, the home maade ice cream is great and superb carrot cake and proper coffee. Mid price place popular with ex pats and tourists. Many vegan and veg menu options clearly listed on menu. Juices are 100% fruit not diluted with water or heaps of ice.

Two small negatives hence only 4 stars..

Allowing customers to have dogs off leash wandering among the tables definitely spoils the please of eating here unfortunately. There is a sign saying all dogs on leash but a few customers arrogantly ignore it. I dont like have to fend off dogs hassling for titbits during my meal. No dogs would be better.

A recent daytime trend is entitled hipsters with sets of computer stands and extra laptops and monitors taking up a whole large table for one person and staying for ages, as if it is their personal office, and having loud...

A fairly average dining experience with nothing particularly noteworthy. The breakfast was priced similarly to what I’d pay in my home country, which felt high for the area.

The passion fruit tea was refreshing and enjoyable, but the big breakfast was underwhelming—undercooked eggs (the whites were runny and yolk barely warm) and overly firm mushrooms left much to be desired.

The atmosphere was pleasant, with a quiet, cozy feel, hanging plants, and soft music. Street noise was minimal, making it a comfortable place to sit. Service was mixed—one waiter greeted me with a smile and was very kind, as was the waitress who took my order. However, the staff member who handled my payment was disengaged, offering no smile, thank you, or farewell.

Given that most meals with a drink cost around 100k, I expected better food, larger portions, or more attentive service. Unfortunately, nothing stood out to justify the price.

It was fine, but not a place I’d recommend or revisit. If asked, I’d say, “It’s okay, but there are far better and more affordable restaurants to try in Ubud.”

FYI the images of the menu on here are not all in date. I had: Vespa big brekkie 98k Feta cheese 17k Passion fruit iced tea 39k Total...

I only wish we had discovered Vespa Café earlier in our holiday! It was just around the corner from where we were staying, yet we kept heading into town—completely unaware that such a gem was right on our doorstep.

Vespa Café seems to be a favourite with locals and tourists alike, and it’s easy to see why. It gets quite busy in the evenings, which is a testament to its popularity. The atmosphere is wonderfully laid-back—perhaps a little too laid-back at times, as we noticed some diners lingering long after finishing their meals, which made it harder for others to get a table.

That said, the staff were always attentive, friendly, and helpful, even during peak hours. The food was a highlight: delicious, beautifully presented, and full of flavour. We ended up returning a few times during the final days of our trip just to try more from the menu—and each time we were glad we did.

If I’m ever lucky enough to return to Bali, Vespa Café will be one of the first places I visit. A big thank you to the lovely team for the warm service...