What is it that makes a hotspot, well, hot? Is it an edgy and creative sensibility? Is it that it’s peopled with culturally dynamic types? Maybe it’s in direct proportion to the amount of street art that adorns local buildings. One thing is certain, a hotspot is never truly hot unless there’s a certain level of culinary swagger in the mix. And that’s certainly the case with Canggu, a once sleepy seaside village that now boasts an exciting energy and a proliferation of interesting and diverse eateries. A decade ago, Canggu – or ‘The Gu’ as some expats call it – was little more than a smattering of villas surrounded by rice paddies. While the breaks off Echo Beach have been a long-time magnet for surfers, today super-hip beach clubs have popped up along the seafront, new hotels are adding a seriously luxe touch, and at night the main drags of Batu Bolong and Berawa twinkle with fairy lights and lanterns from the vast assortment of cafes, restaurants and bars. There’s a healthy array of outdoor murals, too, even if some of them are, strictly speaking, graffiti.

Much of this locale’s sizzle factor has to do with the progressive people who have capitalised on the area’s potential. Back in 2012, former fashion maverick George Gorrow (of Ksubi fame) and his wife, Cisco, earmarked the area as a place they might like to settle down; a place, Gorrow says, where he could spend time in a hammock, have kids and take the dogs down the dirt track to the beach. Fast-forward a few years, with the buzz of the area continually growing, and the pair realised the locale could work for a hotel and restaurant. “Canggu is open-minded, with a strong community that’s tight and collaborative,” says Gorrow. A little over 18 months ago the pair opened the doors of their 12-room boutique lodgings, The Slow.

Even if you don’t sleep here, you can still enjoy the design-led ‘tropical brutalism’ in the restaurant, Eat & Drink. Helmed by chef Shannon Moran, with Cisco’s own ceramics adorning the tables, expect mouth-watering dishes such aswok-fried barley with ginger, cauliflower and mushrooms, soft-shell crab tacos, and smoky mahi-mahi fish dip. The focus, Moran says, is on seasonality and “sane eating” – a philosophy that prioritises healthy, tasty fare, that is also kind to the planet. It’s an ethos shared by another Aussie expat, Dominique Brett. Her first venture, Fishbone Local, just down the road from The Slow, is all about “fresh, sustainable, honest food”, especially local, line-caught fish. “Sustainability and the environment is a growing factor in all hospitality decisions, but even more so in Canggu,” notes Brett. “Here, people choose their breakfast spot based on their ethics and limited use of plastics.” Such principles are laudable – and certainly a drawcard – but it’s also the market-led menu, the inspired cocktails (the gin gimlet is a winner) and lively atmosphere that keep the punters returning. More Aussie expats feeling the Canggu buzz are Maurice Terzini, of Icebergs fame, who has again teamed up with fellow restaurateur Adrian Reed for a second Italo Dining venture called Luigi’s Hot Pizza. The pair’s first collab, Da Maria, is in Seminyak, but for this second outpost, Canggu made “perfect sense”, says Terzini. The lo-fi pizza joint is set outdoors and boasts a rollicking vibe that fits the surf-shack scene. Piping-hot pizzas are made from a 24-hour naturally risen dough – and are US-inspired: varieties from Philadelphia, Brooklyn and New Jersey all inform the menu here.

Global flavours are also on the table at the newly opened COMO Beach Club (part of COMO Uma Canggu), where chef Dwayne Cheer is dishing up a menu he describes as “healthy, vibrant and interesting”. He aims to use between 80 and 90 per cent local ingredients. Naturally, this dictates the menu at this sophisticated oceanfront pavilion: succulent pork tacos are marinated in a house-made bumbu gede (a Balinese spice paste), and a tuna tartare from Ambon Island features local sambals. The menu also incorporates Shambhala cuisine, which has long been part of COMO’s DNA; here, the “delicious and nutritious” fare is evident in dishes like a knockout ceviche, which rather than featuring South American flavours, is done in a more Bali-inspired vein, with coconut water and local herbs.

Looking for other culinary hits to add to your must-visit list? Try these. 1. CRATE. Smoothie bowls, smashing breakfasts and barista-made cappuccinos overlooking rice paddies. 2. LACALITA. Fresh, zesty and flavour-filled Mexican fare. 3. LITTLE FLINDERS. Perfect for those craving Melbourne cafe culture while overseas. 4. BOTTEGA ITALIANA. They call it a “gourmet Italian marketplace” – that means housemade pastas, a range of salamis, ’nduja and meats, and paninis and fresh bread. 5. DEUS EX MACHINA. The Balinese outpost of the Sydney Camperdown institution serves jaw-busting burgers and other crowd-pleasers. 6. MONSIEUR SPOON. Expect crisp, buttery croissants, traditional choux eclairs, croque monsieur and more at this delightful French bakery. 7. HUNGRY BIRD. The hottest coffee pit stop in The Gu. 8. WARUNG YESS. Traditional Balinese eats, recommended by everyone from top-notch chefs to taxi drivers. 9. GREEN GINGER NOODLE HOUSE. A vibrant eatery with a focus on Southeast Asian vegetarian bites: wontons, tofu puffs, spring rolls, curries, laksas and more.

The newest kid on the block, COMO Uma Canggu opened its doors in February, and prioritises the same combination of wellness and luxury that has made the brand famous. The elegant beachside resort has 52 rooms and suites, 55 residences, several of which open onto the 115-metre lagoon pool, and 12 penthouses, each with private infinity pools. The fitness centre features two Pilates and two yoga studios, plus a 25-metre lap pool is tucked alongside the Beach Club. The COMO Shambhala Retreat spa is definitely worth a pit stop.

Set among verdant tropical gardens, Tugu Hotel Bali is a surprisingly Zen oasis of 21 rooms in the heart of bustling Batu Balong. Indonesia’s largest collector of Chinese and local artworks and cultural antiquities owns this boutique hotel – and you’ll find many artefacts on display around the property. Tugu also offers a range of activities to connect you with local culture – think cooking demonstrations, flower-arranging and traditional Balinese dance classes.

This 12-room hotel (The Slow) will appeal to the creative types – there’s edgy artwork adorning the walls, the cool sounds of Reverberation Radio piping through rooms and common areas, and the designer-led suites feature bespoke furniture, lush greenery and muted decor. We particularly like the clever additions such as Bali Belly Aid in the mini-bar. On the top floor there’s a rooftop for events and festivals.

And it wouldn’t be Bali without a few sought-after beach clubs: choose between Finns, which relocated from Uluwatu in 2015 to capitalise on the Canggu cool-factor; The Lawn, the creation of former pro-surfer Tai Graham; and Old Man’s, run by Aussie expat Sean Cosgrove, who has worked in Bali for more than 15 years. They might be hedonistic temples of pleasure with the hip crowd jostling for a position beside the pool – and enough bronzed skin to keep a dermatologist up at night – but excellent fare dominates.

At Finns, the sushi is succulent and precision cut, the pizzas on par with Italy, and a newly installed Indian kitchen is dishing out authentic naan and curries.

If there’s one venue that stands apart from all the ‘new’, it’s Tugu, – a property that can easily be described as being ahead of the curve, having been at Canggu for close to 20 years. Downstairs in the hotel’s Ji at Bale Sutra 1706, you can dine in a 312-year-old Chinese temple, or opt for Ji Terrace by the Sea upstairs: a breezy, outdoor balcony serving fresh Japanese fusion dishes and cocktails, all with a view of the sunset. What’s lovely about Canggu is how it differs from Bali’s other hotspots: it’s less chi-chi than Seminyak, less hippie than Ubud. And where almost every inch of land in Seminyak has been developed, in Canggu green spaces still feature. Cranes might prick the skyline and bamboo scaffolding might be common, but rice paddies are still a part of the landscape. It’s a chilled out, Byron-meets-Bondi feel – and it’s undeniably Bali’s current culinary epicentre of cool.