“Where should I eat on the Gili Islands?” “What does the Trawangan night market cost?” “Can I pay by card, and can I get a drink?” These are the food questions most people have before they cross. In short, Gili Trawangan has by far the most places to eat and the widest choice, Gili Air is mostly beachfront restaurants and cafes, and on Gili Meno you will eat mainly at hotel restaurants. As a rough guide, dishes at a local eatery (warung) cost Rp15,000 to 50,000 (about US$0.80 to 2.80). At a restaurant aimed at visitors, Scallywags on Gili Trawangan, which publishes its menu prices, charges Rp64,000 to 300,000 (about US$3.60 to 17) for a main course.
For this article we opened and read the official Indonesian tourism website, Lonely Planet, Indonesian news reports (detikBali, Poros Lombok) and each restaurant’s own website, and we include only what we could confirm as of October 2026. We name only places whose existence and location we could check on their official site. This is not a ranking of favourites: the places listed are examples to help you choose by location, budget and atmosphere. Where we could not confirm something, such as current night market prices, we say so at that point.
This guide is for people planning to cross from Bali or Lombok to the three Gili islands (Gili Trawangan, Gili Air and Gili Meno). If you have not yet decided which island to stay on, the differences in food on each island may also help you choose.
As of October 2026
What this article covers
- ✓How eating out differs on Gili Trawangan, Gili Air and Gili Meno
- ✓Examples of places we could confirm, by location and atmosphere
- ✓Rough budgets for warungs, mid-range restaurants and the night market
- ✓Where and when the Trawangan night market opens
- ✓West-side places for dinner at sunset, paying (cards and ATMs), alcohol, and eating during Ramadan
In short
If choice of food matters most, pick Gili Trawangan. Restaurants serving food from around the world line the harbour road, and a night market opens near the harbour after sunset. Gili Air is mostly beachfront restaurants and cafes, while Gili Meno has few places to eat and you will rely mainly on hotel restaurants. As of October 2026, warung dishes cost about Rp15,000 to 50,000 (about US$0.80 to 2.80) and main courses at visitor restaurants about Rp64,000 to 300,000 (about US$3.60 to 17, taking Scallywags as the example), with tax and service added at some places. Small places are often cash only, so bring small notes with you.
How does eating out differ on the three islands?
The biggest difference is the number of places. The official Indonesian tourism website says Gili Trawangan has a wide range of restaurants and bars, while Gili Meno and Gili Air have many hotels and restaurants built to suit the islands’ rustic village atmosphere. Wikivoyage, the traveller-edited guide, also says Gili Trawangan has the biggest concentration of places to eat of the three.
On Gili Trawangan, restaurants cluster along the road by the harbour. According to the booking site tiket.com (updated June 2026), the harbour road is lined with international restaurants serving pizza, pasta and Asian fusion dishes. The tourism website says there are many warungs and restaurants serving Lombok and Balinese food. In the evening a night market opens near the harbour.
Gili Air is mostly small places along the beach; Lonely Planet describes small restaurants where it feels as if you are eating over the sea. There is a good range of cafes, including a place serving only plant-based food and a beach cafe that bakes its own bread. Gili Meno is the smallest of the three and has the fewest places to eat. Hotel restaurants are the main option, so it helps to decide where to have dinner before it gets dark.
Figure: Eating out on the three Gili islands
If you are still deciding which island to stay on, food is only one factor: noise at night and the kind of accommodation matter too. Our complete guide to the Gili Islands compares the three islands.
Choosing by location and atmosphere: places we could confirm
We list only places whose island and location we could confirm on their own official website. The order is not a ranking, and there are many other places to eat.
← Scroll the table sideways
| Island | Place | Location and atmosphere | What we could confirm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trawangan | Scallywags | On the beach, south side of the island | Seafood and charcoal grill. Beach barbecue every night. Mains Rp64,000 to 300,000. 10% tax and 8% service charge extra. Cashless |
| Trawangan | Santi Beach (at Pondok Santi) | The quiet southern tip of the island | Non-residents welcome. 11:00 to 23:00. Tapas and cocktails, sunset cocktails |
| Trawangan | Ijo Restaurant (at Pondok Santi) | Southern tip of the island | Cooking with local ingredients. Daily 18:00 to 22:00 (last order 21:30) |
| Trawangan | Pearl Beach Lounge | A quieter stretch of beach | Daily 8:00 to 22:00. Food and drinks made with produce from the sea and the garden |
| Trawangan | Datu Restaurant (at Ombak Sunset) | West side of the island | Hotel restaurant promoting views of the sunset and Bali’s Mount Agung. We could not confirm whether non-residents can eat there |
| Air | Pituq | A garden in the middle of the island | Halal restaurant serving only plant-based food. Also a cafe and shop |
| Air | Mowies | West beach | Beachfront stay and kitchen since 2014. Breakfast, grilled fish, wood-fired pizza, vegan dishes |
| Air | SANDS | On the beach | Beach club with its own bakery. 7:30 to 22:30. Free entry |
| Meno | Mahamaya | Turtle Point | Resort with beachfront dining. We could not confirm whether non-residents can eat there |
| Meno | BASK Gili Meno | Inside the resort | Beach club and restaurant. We could not confirm whether non-residents can eat there |
Checked on each official website in October 2026. The websites carry no publication dates, so check that a place is open before you go. The Indonesian tourism website (undated) gives the same hours for Pearl Beach Lounge, 8:00 to 22:00. For Mowies, the tourism website gives 8:00 to 21:00 and the official website gives no hours. Hours and prices may change.
On Trawangan, Scallywags is the place that publishes its prices. On its official menu, burgers and sandwiches cost Rp76,000 to 99,000 (about US$4.30 to 5.60), and mains run from Rp64,000 (about US$3.60) for a vegetable curry to Rp300,000 (about US$17) for an imported beef rib-eye, with 10% government tax and an 8% service charge added to the listed prices. The nightly barbecue prices are written on a blackboard at the restaurant and are not on the website.
On Gili Air, Pituq describes itself on its official site as a restaurant, cafe and shop set in a large garden in the centre of the island. It is not on the beach, so pick somewhere else on days when you want to eat looking at the sea.
What will it cost? Budgets for warungs, mid-range places and the night market
According to detikBali (November 2025), warung dishes on Gili Trawangan cost Rp15,000 to 50,000 (about US$0.80 to 2.80). For Gili Meno, the blog of a traveller who stayed there in April 2026 (a personal post) gives Rp30,000 to 60,000 (about US$1.70 to 3.40) for a warung meal and Rp80,000 to 120,000 (about US$4.50 to 6.70) for a meal at a mid-range restaurant.
On the same blog, nasi goreng or fried noodles at a warung cost Rp30,000 to 45,000 and chicken or fish dishes Rp40,000 to 65,000, while at mid-range restaurants a mixed seafood platter was Rp200,000 (about US$11) and cocktails Rp130,000 to 150,000 (about US$7.30 to 8.40). In tiket.com’s sample daily budgets (updated June 2026), a budget traveller spends Rp150,000 (about US$8.40) on three meals, and a mid-range traveller eating three meals in restaurants spends Rp300,000 (about US$17).
Figure: Rough food prices (rupiah)
Drinks change the bill a lot. On the Scallywags menu, beer costs Rp41,000 to 88,000 (about US$2.30 to 4.90), cocktails Rp93,000 to 110,000 (about US$5.20 to 6.20) and wine Rp275,000 to 594,000 (about US$15 to 33) a bottle.
Caution
- Tax and service: some places, like Scallywags, add 10% tax and an 8% service charge to menu prices. Read the note at the bottom of the menu before you order and the bill will hold no surprises.
- Age of the price sources: night market prices come from a 2023 blog and warung prices from a 2025 news report. Prices at the stalls in October 2026 may be different.
Where is the Gili Trawangan night market, and when does it open?
The night market is right by the harbour on Gili Trawangan and opens every evening around sunset. The official Indonesian tourism website places it near the main harbour, and Lonely Planet (updated July 2026) describes an open-air market next to the harbour that opens nightly at sunset. tiket.com (updated June 2026) gives the opening time as around 18:00.
According to the tourism website, the food includes chicken satay, nasi campur (rice with several side dishes) and spiced grilled fish. Lonely Planet says that at the barbecue stalls you choose fish, prawns or lobster and they grill it in front of you, and for something sweet there is terang bulan (a thick pancake) and klepon (rice-flour balls filled with palm sugar and rolled in coconut).
We could not confirm 2026 prices from official sources or news reports. A blog by Mad Monkey, which runs a hostel on Gili Trawangan (2023), says a meal often comes to under Rp100,000 (about US$5.60) even with a beer. For seafood, check the price before they grill it.
For dinner at sunset, head to the west side of the island
If you want to eat as the sun goes down, choose a place on the west side or the southern tip of the island. The official tourism website says that from Gili Trawangan’s west coast you can watch the sun set behind Mount Agung on Bali. The ANTARA news agency (2022) names Ombak Sunset as one place to watch it. Sunset is around 18:00 from May to November and around 18:30 from December to March (Central Indonesia Time, WITA).
On Gili Trawangan, the west-side hotel Ombak Sunset has Datu Restaurant, but we could not confirm on its official website whether non-residents can eat there. Santi Beach at Pondok Santi, on the southern tip of the island, says on its official website that non-residents are welcome and promotes sunset cocktails.
On Gili Air, Mowies on the west beach says cocktails and music start as the evening sky changes colour. SANDS promotes sunset dinners on its official website; a beach bed costs Rp250,000 (about US$14), which goes towards your food and drinks. On Gili Meno, the official blog of the BASK resort (April 2026) recommends arriving at least 45 minutes before sunset.
In the dry season (April to October), west-side places fill up in the evening, and Lonely Planet (updated July 2026) says bar and restaurant tables are harder to get in the July and August peak. If you want a seat for the sunset, arrive early, or book if the place takes reservations.
Card or cash? The ATM situation
The safe assumption is cash at warungs and stalls, and cards accepted at some visitor restaurants. tiket.com (updated June 2026) says many local warungs take cash only while some restaurants and cafes accept cards, and recommends carrying enough cash. Wikivoyage says cards are accepted at pricier places and dive shops, usually with a fee of around 3%. Scallywags, on the other hand, says on its official website that it is cashless and charges no card fee.
ATMs differ from island to island. Gili Trawangan has ATMs around the harbour (tiket.com), and Wikivoyage says there are more than ten. For Gili Meno, the travel guide Travelfish said in 2015 that there was no ATM, and the April 2026 traveller’s blog says there was a single machine next to the harbour that had run out of cash by the third visit; either way, you cannot rely on it. For Gili Air, Wikivoyage lists an ATM east of the boat landing, but the date of that information is unclear and we could not confirm how many machines there were as of October 2026.
Wikivoyage says small change tends to run short on Trawangan and suggests bringing small notes from Bali. Changing money and when to use a card are covered in detail in our guide to money and payments on Lombok.
Can I drink alcohol? What about food during Ramadan?
On Gili Trawangan many bars, restaurants, beach clubs and hotels serve alcohol, and the Scallywags menu includes beer, cocktails and wine. At the same time, most people living on the islands are Muslim, and some places, like Pituq, serve halal food. tiket.com notes that there is halal food and a mosque on the island. Wikivoyage warns to be especially careful with locally made spirits (arak) and not to leave your drink unattended.
During Ramadan (the fasting month), daytime opening may be restricted. According to the local outlet Poros Lombok (18 February 2026), North Lombok Regency, which includes the three Gili islands, issued a circular for Ramadan 2026 saying eateries must not serve food to customers between 5:00 and 16:00 Central Indonesia Time. Businesses in tourist areas serving foreign visitors were exempt, but were asked to screen off their dining areas with curtains. Loud music and parties at hotels and similar venues were also banned.
Wikivoyage says that on the Gili Islands food is still served during the day in Ramadan, bars open at night, and little changes. Even so, expect fewer places open at lunchtime, shopfronts screened with curtains, and quieter music at night. When Ramadan falls and how it affects travel is covered in our article on travelling during Ramadan and Nyepi.
A note from Sekotong
Before you cross to the Gili islands, get plenty of Rp10,000 to 50,000 notes. They make it easy to pay at warungs, food stalls and for the cidomo (horse cart). At the night market, check the price of seafood before it is grilled, and check the amount when you pay. If you are staying on Gili Meno, ask on arrival how late the hotel restaurant stays open, so you are not left wondering where to have dinner.
The downsides of eating on the Gilis, who they suit, and where to find quieter seas
The downsides first. Visitor restaurants cost more than warungs on mainland Lombok, and some add tax and service. Small places are often cash only, yet on Gili Meno you cannot rely on the ATM. Popular places are hard to get into in July and August and over the year-end holidays, and daytime opening may change during Ramadan. If eating cheaply at local warungs is central to your trip, the islands other than Gili Trawangan may feel short on options.
On the other hand, Gili Trawangan and Gili Air suit people who want dinner with a sunset, a choice of international food and cafes, and an evening at the night market. Gili Meno suits people who want a quiet hotel and are happy to eat at its restaurant.
If you are looking for even quieter seas, there are small islands off Sekotong in southwest Lombok known as the South Gilis. They have far fewer places to eat and stay than the three Gili islands, you usually arrange a boat from the Sekotong side to reach them, and they are less convenient. We compare them in Gili Islands vs the Secret Gilis: which should you stay on? and in our guide to the South Gili islands off Sekotong. In a fishing village in Sekotong, we run the beach cafe SAKURA CAFE (10:00 to 22:00, closed Mondays) with local Sasak people.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Where can I eat cheaply on the Gili Islands?
At warungs (local eateries) and the night market. According to detikBali (November 2025), warung dishes on Gili Trawangan cost Rp15,000 to 50,000 (about US$0.80 to 2.80). The night market opens near the harbour around sunset.
Q. Is there a night market on Gili Air or Gili Meno too?
The only night market we could confirm is the one near the harbour on Gili Trawangan. Our sources did not tell us whether a similar evening market runs on Gili Air or Gili Meno.
Q. Can I use a credit card?
At some visitor restaurants and cafes, yes, but according to Wikivoyage a fee of around 3% is often charged. Warungs and food stalls are often cash only, so carry small notes.
Q. Is there vegetarian or vegan food?
Yes. Pituq on Gili Air is a halal restaurant serving only plant-based food, and Mowies also lists vegan dishes.
Q. Can I get food during Ramadan?
Yes, but for Ramadan 2026 North Lombok Regency issued a circular banning eateries from serving food between 5:00 and 16:00, except businesses in tourist areas serving foreign visitors. Expect fewer places open at lunchtime and shopfronts screened with curtains.
Summary
How much choice you have for food on the Gili Islands depends a lot on the island. Gili Trawangan has the most places and the widest range, and the night market near the harbour opens every evening around sunset. Gili Air is mostly beachfront restaurants and cafes, and Gili Meno mainly hotel restaurants.
As a guide, warung dishes cost Rp15,000 to 50,000 (about US$0.80 to 2.80) and mains at visitor restaurants Rp64,000 to 300,000 (about US$3.60 to 17, taking Scallywags as the example), and some places add tax and service. Small places are often cash only, and on Gili Meno you cannot rely on the ATM. For dinner at sunset, choose a place on the west side or the southern tip, and during Ramadan allow for changes to daytime opening. Prices and hours are as of October 2026 and may change.
Related reading
- Gili Trawangan complete guideGetting there, how to spend your time on the island, and things to watch
- Gili Air or Gili Meno: which suits you?The two islands compared on atmosphere, getting there and room prices
- Lombok food guideSpice, hygiene, halal and daily food costs on Lombok
SEMELAR BEACH VILLAGE
Come and spend some time in the Sekotong village we call home
About 1 hour 10 minutes by car from Lombok International Airport. We offer a stay programme of 3 nights/4 days or more, with island trips by local boat and sunsets at SAKURA CAFE. The villas are due to be completed in stages from 2027.
Sources for this article
- Indonesian Ministry of Tourism (official), “Gili Trawangan” (night market location and food, sunset from the west coast)https://www.indonesia.travel/gb/en/travel-ideas/adventure/gili-trawangan/
- Indonesian Ministry of Tourism (official), “Lombok – Gili Trawangan and the Gilis” (restaurants on the three islands)https://www.indonesia.travel/us-en/destination/bali-nusa-tenggara/west-nusa-tenggara/lombok—gili-trawangan-and-the-gilis
- Indonesian Ministry of Tourism (official), “5 Perfect Beachfront Dining Experiences on Lombok’s Gili Islands” (opening hours of Pearl Beach Lounge and Mowies)https://www.indonesia.travel/id/id/travel-ideas/gastronomy/5-perfect-beachfront-dining-experiences-on-lombok-s-gili-islands/
- Lonely Planet, “10 of the Best Things to Do on Indonesia’s Gili Islands” (updated 23 July 2026; night market)https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/top-things-to-do-in-gili-islands
- Lonely Planet, “The Best Time to Visit the Gili Islands” (updated 13 July 2026; peak season)https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/best-time-to-visit-gili-islands
- Lonely Planet, “Gili Air” (small beachfront restaurants)https://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/indonesia/gili-air
- tiket.com, “Gili Trawangan Lombok 2026” (updated 19 June 2026; harbour road restaurants, night market hours, ATMs, cash and cards, sample budgets)https://www.tiket.com/id-id/stories/top-facts/gili-trawangan-panduan-wisata
- detikBali, “Aktivitas Seru hingga Estimasi Biaya saat Solo Traveling ke Gili Trawangan” (26 November 2025; warung prices)https://www.detik.com/bali/wisata/d-8229116/aktivitas-seru-hingga-estimasi-biaya-saat-solo-traveling-ke-gili-trawangan
- Poros Lombok (18 February 2026; North Lombok Regency Ramadan circular)https://poroslombok.com/lombok-utara/turis-asing-wajib-tertutup-simak-aturan-ramadhan-ketat-bupati-lombok-utara/
- ANTARA, “Vacationing at Gili Trawangan, party island of Lombok” (13 April 2022; sunset time and place)https://mataram.antaranews.com/berita/191365/vacationing-at-gili-trawangan-party-island-of-lombok
- Wikivoyage, “Gili Islands” (where restaurants cluster, ATMs, card fees, alcohol, Ramadan)https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Gili_Islands
- Wikivoyage, “Gili Air” (ATM on Gili Air)https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Gili_Air
- Mad Monkey, “Things to do in Gili Trawangan on a budget” (3 July 2023; night market budget)https://madmonkeyhostels.com/blogs/blogs-travel-guide-indonesia-travel-things-to-do-in-gili-trawangan-on-a-budget/
- Thom Travels, “How Much Does Gili Meno Cost?” (19 April 2026; personal travel blog; food costs and ATM on Gili Meno)https://thomtravels.mypixieset.com/blog/how-much-does-gili-meno-cost-2026/
- Travelfish, “Gili Meno” (1 October 2015; ATM)https://www.travelfish.org/eatandmeet/indonesia/west_nusa_tenggara/gili_islands/gili_meno/eat
- Scallywags (official), “Dine Gili Trawangan” (location, menu prices, tax and service, cashless)https://scallywagsresort.com/dine-gili-trawangan/
- Pondok Santi Estate (official; Santi Beach, Ijo Restaurant)https://www.pondoksanti.com/
- Pearl Beach Lounge (official)https://pearlbeachlounge.com/
- Ombak Sunset (official; west side of the island, Datu Restaurant)https://www.ombaksunset.com/
- Pituq (official)https://www.pituq.com/
- Mowies Gili Air (official)https://www.mowiesgiliair.com/
- SANDS Gili Air (official)https://www.sandsgiliair.com/
- Tatler Asia, “SANDS Gili Air” (21 August 2025)https://www.tatlerasia.com/lifestyle/travel/sands-gili-air-menikmati-rasa-dan-pemandangan-di-pantai-terindah-gili-air-id
- Mahamaya (official)https://www.mahamaya.co/
- BASK Gili Meno (official)https://baskgilimeno.com/
- BASK Gili Meno official blog, “Sunset on Gili Meno” (6 April 2026; when to go for sunset)https://baskgilimeno.com/blog/sunset-gili-meno-west-side
