Zest, Ubud | The Jungle Vegan Café We All Love

Think jungle-temple meets treehouse café, with food that’s plant-based but not precious. Zest sits high above the valley so you get that mist-rolling-in view while you’re eating a pizza from the wood-fired oven (yes, pizza—this isn’t just smoothie bowls and green juice). It’s the kind of place where you wander in for a coconut and end up staying for hours under the big Zest tree in the middle of the resto, chatting with strangers and listening to live music.

The design alone is worth the pilgrimage, but it’s the vibe—equal parts conscious and playful—that makes it addictive. Oh, and the Cacao Ceremony? Life changing. We’re talking about the drink on the menu (yes, it’s called a Cacao Ceremony), not an actual ceremony, although there are plenty of those in Ubud, too. Anyway, Zest really is the best (rhyme accidentally intended). Go for the food, stay for the cacao and your new friends.  And dream about their desserts for the rest of your life.