Locavore NXT
Ubud, Bali
Dinner is Just One Part.
Their tagline is “more than a restaurant — a localized rebellion,” and while it breaks every notion of what fine dining in Bali was thought to be, it does so with a sense of inevitability. Once you experience it, you see that it was always meant to exist.
Set just outside Ubud, Locavore NXT is a living laboratory where food, research, and culture converge into one seamless whole. A regular dinner reservation already exceeds expectation — from the dramatic passage through the red-lit mushroom cave to the rotating art installation — but The Full NXT Experience takes guests beyond the dining table and deeper into the fold.
With an overnight stay in the Woods Rooms, guided tours through the labs that shape the menu, and even a walk into the jungle itself, each step reveals not only what it takes to build a meal, but also the Balinese philosophy of keeping the circle whole: working with nature at its rhythm, honoring the people who shape it, and ensuring nothing is ever taken without giving back.
A Room in the Woods.
Guests arrive not to a traditional restaurant, but campus with many possibilites. Down one wooded trail, a collection of cabins offer a place of quiet retreat — part boutique stay, part backstage pass — designed to frame the Locavore ecosystem from the very first step.
Simple yet sophisticated, The Woods Rooms invite rest while anchoring guests directly in the environment that sustains the kitchen. Built in partnership with a reforestry foundation, they’re rooted in the same ethos that guides Locavore’s food: respect for land, rhythm, and renewal. With only three cabins, generally reserved for restaurant guests and rarely available for outside bookings, this stay is a rare opportunity worth taking.
Bigger Than Back-of-House.
While the rooms offer respite, the pre-dinner tour reveals the immense work it takes to execute a multi-layered operation. From hundreds of mushrooms quietly cultivating in the lab to the hours of testing and refinement happening in the R&D kitchen, every detail speaks to a larger vision.
One stop on the tour brings guests face to face with Carlos, the fermentation lead whose work reads like both science and storytelling. His ongoing study of traditional techniques — and the way microbes transform local ingredients — informs everything from the sauces on the plate to the philosophy that drives the kitchen.
In our conversation, Carlos pushed the subject further: beyond fermentation itself, to the role of governance and authorship in food. What happens when someone outside a specific culture steps into a new cuisine? How do we honor traditions while still experimenting? He referenced a study he once took part in that explored these very questions — a reminder that fermentation, at NXT, is as much about ethics and culture as it is about taste
More Than a Meal.
The meal itself unfolds like theatre but ultimately settles into something comfortable. First stop is a seat in the bar room — cozy, curious, and an opening to the lessons learned in the lab. From there, guests make their way through the underground mushroom cave — a red-lit operation that could easily be mistaken for art. Look closely and you’ll see it’s both.
Last, the dining room opens—designed not just for eating, but full immersion. Flavors stretch across seasons, thanks to fermentation. The food is serious, the vibe is not. With an eager staff and pacing that makes the meal feel easily intentional, the kitchen’s philosophy of balance — of using what’s at its peak and nothing more — becomes tangible course by course, reminding diners that indulgence here is always grounded in respect.
The Morning After.
The day begins with the sounds of the jungle. Sunlight filters through the wooden rooms, welcoming you to the canteen for breakfast.
Guests are offered coffee cuppings and an off-menu Indonesian breakfast that highlight everyday flavors elevated through craft. It’s both grounding and expansive — a reminder that Locavore’s work isn’t only about fine dining, but also about preserving, celebrating, and reimagining the traditions of the region.
Into the Jungle.
While The Full NXT Experience traditionally ends with breakfast, the team anticipates guests who are hungry for more. For those who choose to go deeper, the journey extends into the jungle with head forager “Boss” Kasida.
Here, guests see the philosophy in action: using ingredients at their true peak, and only then considering how much can be responsibly harvested. Guided by ‘Boss’ Kasida and Pak Agung, a founding member of their farmer network, the practice is clear — abundance is not about scale, but about timing, restraint, and respect. This is how the circle is kept whole.
No Way to Leave Empty Handed.
If the experience itself wasn’t impressive enough, Locavore’s collateral takes it to another level. Guests can leave with a piece of the philosophy in their hands — a copy of their zine, beautifully written and photographed, t-shirts urging us to “Landscape Yourself,” and an assortment of pantry goods.
It reminded me that food is never just food—it is story, science, and community, and Locavore honors that truth.”
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