Above: Mama San’s retro-inspired interior features a mural
by Melbourne-based textile designer Justine Missen.

There’s a story behind every dish—and perhaps every bite—at Mama San (135 Jl. Raya Kerobokan; 62-361/730-436; mamasanbali.com). For his latest Bali venture, Will Meyrick, the chef behind Sarong restaurant in nearby Seminyak, has created a menu that reads like a culinary travelogue, showcasing recipes gleaned from his food forays throughout Southeast Asia and India. Fitted with plump leather sofas and vintage accents, the warehouse-style dining room channels a bygone era of travel, while an upstairs lounge serves clever Prohibition-themed cocktails. Here you’ll also find what Meyrick calls “the heart of the restaurant”—a cooking school that will inspire diners to leave with a story or two of their own. –Nathan Myers

Note: Also see our video interview with Will Meyrick.

Originally appeared in the December 2011/
January 2012 print issue of DestinAsian magazine

Photograph above by David Burden Photography