Da Maria: Reinventing The Cornerstone of Seminyak

Standing strong for nearly a decade at one of Bali’s rapidly changing culinary streets, Da Maria’s longevity is no accident. Part restaurant, lifestyle hub, and nighttime entertainment, this multifaceted space has pioneered the rhythm of Petitenget.

And now, they’re boldly stepping into their next season with brand new flavors, while still keeping their Italo-Australian heart in the middle of it all. The result is a more mature, food-led version of Da Maria: still lively, still stylish, but now with sharper focus on seafood, grilled dishes, local produce, and a more considered cocktail experience.

“The Da Maria on the way marks the natural evolution of our concept and offering. Without drifting from our Italian roots, we feel ready as a team to step into and embrace a new chapter. This evolution reflects not only our own growth but also the ever-changing landscape of Bali,” says Executive Chef Lorenzo De Petris, whose culinary venture has led him to multiple Michelin-starred kitchens before settling on the island of the Gods.

The Menu

The new menu is set to move beyond the familiar idea of Da Maria as simply an Italian restaurant in Bali. Instead, it draws bold inspiration from the wider Mediterranean, balancing imported Italian staples with ingredients sourced closer to home—an approach that is already deeply embedded in the Da Maria philosophy, creating a stronger connection between Mediterranean cooking and Bali’s natural landscape.

 “It’s something that we’re really proud of and want to showcase… We’re very much aware of our surroundings. We know we are based in the tropics so we want to reflect that through our food,” explains De Petris.

While the principle remains the same, the shift is most visible in the opening dishes. Guests can expect bright, simple plates such as cold-smoked sardines with lemon, kingfish crudo, burrata, and grass-fed beef tartare with anchoïade. These dishes feel lighter and more coastal, setting the tone for a menu that is less about heavy Italian comfort and more about freshness, acidity, smoke, and restraint.

Pasta remains central to the Da Maria experience, but the selection feels tighter and more deliberate. Dishes such as tonnarelli with lemon butter, prawns, and bottarga sit alongside bucatini with fresh tomato sauce and pecorino, keeping the restaurant’s Italian foundation firmly in place. Pizza also remains part of the offering, with a curated list of Neapolitan-inspired options using local flour.

Expect a stronger presence of grilled mains and seafood. Market fish with burnt citrus, lamb skewers with rosemary and lemon, spring chicken with rouille, and BBQ tiger prawns bring the menu closer to the relaxed, sunlit style of Mediterranean dining. It gives Da Maria more range, making it as suited to a proper dinner as it is to a quick pizza, pasta, and spritz.

The Martinis

The bar has evolved too, with Beverage Director Denny Bakiev welcoming Luca Marcolin—formerly of the award-winning cocktail bar Zuma Dubai (World’s 50 Best Bars)—as Bar Manager.

While the spritz remains part of Da Maria’s identity, the new cocktail direction brings more theatre to the table, with drinks prepared tableside on a martini trolley and shaped around Mediterranean aromatics that guests are invited to choose from.

“This focus on the martini comes from our intention to bring a more international cocktail experience to Da Maria,” says Marcolin. “The list features beautifully balanced, fruit-driven martinis, as well as classic options, accompanied by distilled aromas inspired by the Amalfi Coast.”

The New Moment

What makes this reinvention work is that it does not feel like a rejection of the old Da Maria. The restaurant still has its energy, its recognizable interiors by Roman architects Lazzarini Pickering, its homemade pizza and pasta, and its sense of occasion. But the new menu gives it more depth. It feels more connected to Bali, more confident in its Mediterranean point of view, and more relevant to the island’s current dining scene.

Da Maria is not starting over. It is growing up — and doing so without losing the spirit that made it one of Seminyak’s most recognizable restaurants.