Best Coffee Shops & Cafés on the Gili Islands
There's a particular pleasure in finding a really good coffee shop on a tropical island. Not just a place that serves coffee — every beach bar does that — but somewhere with actual intention behind the cup. Somewhere the beans have been thought about, the milk has been steamed properly, and the surroundings make you want to stay for a second one.
The Gili Islands have quietly developed a café scene that would hold its own in far larger destinations. Whether you're after a silky flat white to start the day, a slow brunch that stretches into afternoon, a vegan feast with ethically sourced beans, or somewhere genuinely atmospheric to sit with a pastry and a book — it's all here, spread across Gili T and Gili Air.
With a GiliPass, it gets even better. Discounts across the cafés below mean you can explore the best of both islands without your coffee habit eating into your activities budget.
Gili Trawangan
Kayu Café & Boulangerie — The Island's Living Room
Kayu Café on Gili Trawangan
If there's one café on Gili Trawangan that feels like it belongs to the whole island rather than just its owners, it's Kayu Café. Positioned right on the beachfront strip close to the harbour, it has that rare quality of being the kind of place people end up at multiple times during a stay — once for breakfast, again for lunch, again because the cold-pressed juice was that good.
The food takes cues from both the island's tropical surroundings and a broader global sensibility: freshly baked breads and pastries, cinnamon rolls that are exactly as good as they look, smoothie bowls loaded with colour, all-day brunch dishes that manage to feel wholesome without being preachy about it. The coffee is seriously good — specialty-grade, consistently well-made — and the balance between the air-conditioned interior and the open beachfront terrace means there's a version of Kayu for every mood and time of day.
It describes itself as the island's living room, and that's earned, not just marketing. Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options are plentiful.
GiliPass holders get 20% off food from 4pm until 7pm — making late afternoon the time to linger. Valid for dine-in only. Cannot be combined with other promotions.
Contact: +62818 0349 0572
The Banyan Tree — Plant-Based, High Vibe, All Heart
Banyan Tree Gili Trawangan
A few steps from the harbour on the east side of Gili T, The Banyan Tree has carved out a loyal following built entirely on the quality of what it serves. Everything here is vegetarian, with a strong lean toward vegan — slow-pressed juices, nourishing smoothie bowls, tempeh satay bowls, veggie burgers, beautiful raw desserts — and yet non-vegetarians keep finding themselves back here because the food is simply that good.
The setting offers both indoor air-conditioned comfort and beach seating looking out towards the ocean, with an atmosphere that’s reliably warm. Portions are generous, prices are fair, and the coffee — while not the sole focus — is consistently praised. If you've ever needed convincing that plant-based food can be genuinely satisfying rather than just virtuous, The Banyan Tree will do it.
GiliPass holders save 10% on food and beverages. Valid for dine-in only. Cannot be combined with other promotions.
Contact: +62878 9852 4709
Coffee & Thyme — Consistently Great Coffee on Gili T
Coffee & Thyme Gili Trawangan
Ask around for the best coffee on Gili Trawangan and Coffee & Thyme comes up time and again. Located near the harbour on the main strip, this compact, friendly café has built its reputation on the simple premise of doing coffee properly — and then building a food menu around it that's equally worth your attention.
The iced lattes are a particular standout — smooth, well-balanced, the kind that make the tropical heat feel manageable. The smoothie bowls are creative and generously topped, the pastries and baked goods are made in-house, and the breakfast and brunch options span everything from avocado and eggs to vegan pancakes and savoury wraps. Vegan-friendly throughout, with the kind of upstairs seating that catches the breeze and makes it easy to lose an hour.
It's one of those places you wish you'd found on day one rather than day three.
GiliPass holders receive 10% off food and beverages. Valid for dine-in only. Cannot be combined with other promotions.
Contact: +62853 3733 4927
Moody's Café & Vinyls — Coffee with a Soundtrack
Moody’s Café & Vinyl Gili Trawangan
Not every café needs a view of the ocean to be worth seeking out. Moody's Café & Vinyls makes its case through character and atmosphere — a café with a vinyl record collection woven into the experience, the kind of place where the music is genuinely curated and the whole thing feels more like someone's well-appointed front room than a tourist-facing venue.
For coffee lovers who care about what's playing as much as what's in the cup, Moody's offers something the beachfront spots simply can't: a distinctly individual vibe, where sitting down with a coffee feels unhurried and genuinely pleasurable. Food and drinks are served with the same level of care that goes into the playlist. It's one of Gili T's most distinctive spots.
GiliPass holders get 10% off food and beverages until midday. Valid for dine-in only. Cannot be combined with other promotions.
Find them on Instagram: @moodysgili
The Shack — Laid-Back, Delicious, and Genuinely Good Value
The Shack Gili Trawangan
Tucked away from the main beachfront strip, The Shack has the feel of a discovery — the kind of place you find on a wander and then tell everyone else about. The atmosphere is rustic and unhurried, the kitchen turns out food that punches well above its casual setting, and the coffee and drinks menu makes a solid companion to either a slow breakfast or a lazy afternoon.
The menu covers healthy bowls, hearty sandwiches, quality Indonesian and European-influenced dishes, with strong vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options throughout. It also has a pool bar, which earns instant points. The crowd tends to be a mix of longer-stay travellers and people who've wised up and moved off the main strip — which, on Gili T, is always a good sign.
GiliPass holders save 10% on food and beverages. Valid for dine-in only. Cannot be combined with other promotions.
Contact: +62851 9847 5919
Kayu Manis — Fresh Baked, All Day, Full of Heart
Kayu Manis Gili Trawangan
The name means 'cinnamon' in Bahasa Indonesia, and Kayu Manis carries that warmth through everything it does. A newer addition to the Gili T café scene, it's built around the same principles that make the best neighbourhood cafés irresistible: daily-baked sourdough, honest coffee, a menu that runs from breakfast through dinner without ever feeling like it's trying too hard.
Expect homemade sourdough burgers, strong smoothies, proper cocktails in the evening, and a range of breakfast and brunch dishes that make use of their fresh baking in exactly the ways you'd hope. Gluten-free and vegetarian options are available throughout. It's a place that rewards the kind of traveller who seeks out spots that feel local and genuine rather than just convenient.
GiliPass holders receive 10% off food and beverages. Cannot be combined with other promotions.
Gili Air
Gili Air's café scene has a different tempo to Gili T — slower, more considered, with a strong independent streak. The island has attracted a cluster of genuinely excellent spots, most of which take their coffee and their food seriously without taking themselves too seriously. It's the ideal island for café-hopping between dives or after a yoga class.
Kopi Susu — Gili Air's Beloved Coffee & Brunch Spot
Kopi Susu on Gili Air
The name translates simply as 'milk coffee', and Kopi Susu has made that simplicity into something genuinely special. Situated in the heart of Gili Air, this coffee and brunch café has built a devoted following — the kind where people come back the same day and already have plans to return tomorrow.
The coffee is consistently excellent: specialty-grade beans, proper milk steaming, latte art that actually lands. But the real genius is the build-your-own brunch board concept — select your components from a thoughtfully designed menu, mix and match as you like, and create a breakfast that's actually yours. Fresh baked goods arrive daily, the iced lattes are the drink of choice for half the island, and the boho-chic space has the kind of easy charm that makes it a natural gathering point.
Matcha, smoothie bowls, cheesecake, tofu scrambled eggs, banana bread — the menu has range, and very little of it disappoints. The staff are warm and genuinely remember you.
GiliPass holders save 10% on food and beverages. Valid for dine-in only. Cannot be combined with other promotions.
Contact: +6281934017671
Il Baretto — Italian Bakery & Coffee Bar
Il Baretto on Gili Air
Tucked in the north of Gili Air, Il Baretto is the kind of find that makes you feel like you've discovered something the guidebooks haven't caught up with yet. This Italian bakery and coffee bar does exactly what that description promises — and does it very well.
The pastries are made in-house and genuinely excellent: think cornetto crema stuffed with lemon cream, focaccia fresh from the oven, croissant sandwiches filled with quality ingredients. The coffee is smooth, balanced, and served with proper technique — a small here means a tightly crafted espresso-based drink rather than a watery afterthought. The food takes an Italian spin on breakfast and brunch classics, from scrambled eggs on homemade focaccia to breakfast-style amatriciana.
If you're diving nearby, this has a habit of becoming your pre-dive breakfast ritual. Once it does, it's hard to shake.
GiliPass holders get 10% off food and beverages. Valid for dine-in only. Cannot be combined with other promotions.
Contact: +6281215598338
JUJU — Zero Waste Store & Vegan Café
JUJU on Gili Air
JUJU is two things at once, and it excels at both. As a café, it serves entirely plant-based food with a creativity and flavour that converts even the most committed meat-eaters — the curries alone have people coming back multiple days running. As a zero-waste store, it stocks eco-friendly products, bulk food goods, and the kind of thoughtful gifts that are actually worth bringing home.
The menu spans rainbow toast, hash brown stacks, poke bowls, bao buns, tempeh nuggets, date smoothies, French press coffee, and a rotating selection of raw desserts. The Crazy Date smoothie has achieved something close to cult status. The vibe is cosy and unpretentious, the staff are genuinely welcoming, and every visit feels aligned with something — both the food and the philosophy make sense together.
For conscious travellers, for vegans, for curious omnivores, and for anyone who wants a really good smoothie bowl with a strong coffee — JUJU is essential.
GiliPass holders receive 20% off all drinks from 4pm onwards — a great reason to make it your sunset café of choice. Valid for dine-in only. Cannot be combined with other promotions.
Contact: +6281238262754
Pachamama — The Bohemian Organic Oasis
Pachamama on Gili Air
You have to go looking for Pachamama — it's set slightly back from the main beach road on the northeast side of Gili Air — and that's part of what makes finding it feel like a reward. This is the island's original organic café, and it still sets the standard.
The food is fresh, plant-forward, and made with care: locally sourced organic produce wherever possible, coconut oil in the kitchen, house-brewed kombucha, raw desserts that are genuinely worth ordering, and a menu that covers everything from nourishing bowls and courgette spaghetti to burritos and slow-coffee brews. The setting is gorgeous — a sun-drenched courtyard with bohemian décor, gypsy-inspired textiles, and the kind of calm that makes you forget the beach is a short walk away.
The Pachamama experience goes beyond the food: a boutique gift shop, a botanical spa, and a private villa complete the picture. But the café alone is worth the detour.
GiliPass holders save 10% on food and beverages. Valid for dine-in only. Cannot be combined with other promotions.
Contact: +6282146495915
Your Caffeinated Island Itinerary
The Gili Islands are, at their best, a place where mornings stretch out, afternoons slow down, and there's always a reason to linger somewhere good. The cafés above make the most of that rhythm — whether you're starting the day with specialty coffee and fresh pastry, refuelling between ocean adventures, or finding your favourite afternoon spot to sit and watch island life drift past.
With GiliPass discounts at every venue on this list across both Gili T and Gili Air, you can explore all of it without watching the bill too carefully. The savings add up fast — and sometimes the best days on these islands are the ones built around exactly this kind of café-to-beach-to-café loop.
Start wherever the coffee is. The rest tends to sort itself out.
Grab Your GiliPass
One pass. Discounts at ten venues across Gili T and Gili Air. Coffee, brunch, juices, pastries, and a lot of very good afternoons.
Get your GiliPass and drink well while you're here.