Cuca

Cuca was founded in 2013 by Canadian chef Kevin Cherkas and entrepreneur Virginia Entizne. Cherkas trained in some of the world’s most influential kitchens, including El Bulli, Arzak and Daniel, and at Cuca he channels that experience into something deliberately more playful: comfort food served as tapas, cooked to fine-dining standards and built on ingredients sourced from Indonesian farmers and fishers.

The restaurant sits in a quiet corner of Jimbaran, away from the seafood strip on the beach, and feels like a relaxed garden escape. It has been featured in Tatler’s Best Restaurants in Indonesia for 2025 and 2026 and in the Michelin Green Guide 2025, but the mood remains warm and unstuffy.

The food

The menu is divided into tapas, desserts and cocktails, and the fun is in ordering several plates to share. Familiar flavours are reworked with surprising textures and presentations, and desserts are treated as seriously as the savoury dishes. Dietary needs are well covered, with dedicated vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free menus, plus a kids’ menu and a lunch special.

Signature experiences

• Chef Tasting Meal – IDR 960,000++ per person; highlights of the menu across tapas, desserts and house digestives called “Cuca Brews”
• Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free versions of the tasting meal
• Tapas à la carte – small plates for sharing
• Cocktail bar with creative, locally inspired drinks
• Dessert menu designed as a course in its own right

The space

Cuca is made up of several areas: the main dining room, a food bar where you can watch the kitchen at work, a garden lounge, a separate cocktail bar and a private dining room for groups and celebrations. Parking is available on site, and the whole venue is air-conditioned indoors with open-air options in the garden.

Tips for your visit

• Book ahead, especially for the Chef Tasting Meal, which is recommended to reserve in advance.
• Sit at the food bar if you enjoy watching chefs plate up.
• Mention dietary restrictions when booking – the kitchen adapts the tasting meal.
• Lunch is quieter and there is a lunch special for a lighter visit.
• Combine with a Jimbaran sunset before dinner.

The philosophy

The team’s aim is to make creative cooking feel approachable rather than formal. Rather than a formal set menu with long explanations, most guests build their own meal from small plates, choosing as much or as little as they like. Ingredients come from Indonesian farmers, fishers and producers wherever possible, and dishes are reworked regularly as the seasons and suppliers change.

That flexibility makes Cuca unusually good for mixed groups: children have their own menu, diners with allergies have dedicated options, and adventurous eaters can hand the decisions over to the kitchen through the tasting meal. Lunch is a relaxed introduction, while dinner brings a little more atmosphere as the garden and cocktail bar come alive after dark.

Creative without being fussy, Cuca is one of the best reasons to make the trip to Jimbaran for a meal.