When does a restaurant stop being interesting? Is it when its novelty has worn off after social media sings too much of its praises, or its longstanding menu has gone stale? Those are questions The cave by Chef Ryan Clift isn’t concerned with. There’s plenty that the restaurant has to offer, from its distinctive location to an ever-changing menu that reflects the eponymous, globally renowned chef’s culinary prowess.
Hidden below the manicured lawns of The edge in Pecatu, Uluwatu, this natural limestone cavern has been carefully transformed into an intimate 22-seat restaurant that feels worlds away from the bustle above. The design thoughtfully preserves the cave’s raw geological beauty while layering in modern sophistication. Overhead, stalactites hang like natural sculptures, while carefully positioned lighting reveals the contours of surrounding stones without overpowering the space. The result is a setting that feels at once ancient and contemporary. It’s immersive, theatrical, and quietly luxurious. Every detail has been considered to ensure the environment enhances, rather than distracts from, the culinary journey.
It’s one that takes diners on a world tour, following a cuisine-blind ethos that draws from various global gastronomic influences in one menu. With Chef Ryan’s creative direction at the helm, the approach to food is never a strict play by the book, rather becoming a way to have fun and challenge the boundaries of cooking. Guests can choose between a seven- or ten-course tasting menu, refreshed every four months to allow guests a new discovery with each visit.
Throughout the constantly renewed menu, diners can still expect familiarity with each iteration. One can always find well-known dishes, albeit having been twisted and reimagined into a unique creation; some examples from the restaurant’s archives include panna cotta, mango sticky rice, and bebek betutu. Foie gras is also a mainstay ingredient, having appeared as a cannoli, eclair, and even cheesecake.
