Crate Cafe, Bali
It's kind of hard to miss Crate Cafe: Just look for the most crowded place on Canggu's Jalan Batu Bolong road. If that sounds like some sort of veiled dig, it's not. Some places are crowded for a reason, and this is one of them.
Of the many breakfasts eaten over the last few years, the one's at Crate Cafe remain etched most deeply in my mind. Driving up on a scooter, salty-faced and wet from the sea, with fingers crossed that there'd be just one empty table amongst the mass of mop-headed surfers downing flat whites and watermelon juice — and always being welcomed in with a laid-back wave by owner Maree, no matter how busy it was.
"Keep it consistent, keep it simple," she'd laugh when we'd ask her the secret behind the success of her Bondi Beach-inspired cafe. True to her motto, every meal at Crate is just as tasty as the last — so tasty that when we left Bali we took copious notes on how to create our favorite dish, a peas, pesto, and avocado-loaded sourdough toast called Peas Please, for ourselves. Which is a good thing: Thanks to the amazing menu of healthy options and super good vibes, we'll be dreaming of Crate Cafe from afar for a very long time.
don't miss
The house-blended coffee, the acai bowls made with super fresh fruits, green smoothies, eggs all ways, and really everything else. There are gluten-free options and plenty of vegetarian treats, too. Crate hosts regular exhibits of work from local creatives and is open for breakfast and lunch Monday through Sunday.
