PICA Ubud: A Tiny South American Kitchen on Jl. Dewi Sita

On Jl. Dewi Sita, the small lane running parallel to Monkey Forest Road and lined with galleries and cafes, sits a tiny dining room of roughly 24 seats: PICA South American Kitchen. The kitchen is run by Chilean chef Cristian Encina, and the menu moves between Chilean, Argentinian and Peruvian flavours. Small room, few tables, big reputation — which is why a queue often forms before the doors even open.

Honest South American Cooking

The menu is deliberately short and rotates with the day's catch and market. A few dishes rarely leave the list:

• Ceviche of fresh fish, often snapper, with passionfruit acidity and chilli.
• Pollo a la brasa, Peruvian-style roast organic chicken with crackling skin.
• Bife ancho grilled rib-eye and confit pork belly for meat lovers.
• Grilled prawns with salsa escabeche, and tres leches to finish.

Pisco Sours and Plates to Share

• A pisco sour is close to mandatory; the cocktail list is short but taken seriously.
• Portions are built for sharing: order three or four plates between two, then add more.
• Mains run roughly Rp150,000–250,000 as an estimate; the per-person total climbs quickly once drinks join in.

How to Avoid the Queue

• Open daily, usually around 6pm–10pm — check first, as hours can change.
• Turn up right at opening; the first tables typically fill within 20–30 minutes.
• The busiest window is roughly 7pm–8.30pm, especially at weekends and in high season.
• If reservation slots are open, secure one by message or official channel a few days ahead.

Ubud is hardly short of good tables — Locavore, Mozaic and Hujan Locale have long been fixtures — but PICA offers something different: an intimate South American kitchen with no fuss attached.

Practical Info & Booking

• Location: Jl. Dewi Sita, Ubud — View on Google Maps
• Booking: walk in and queue, or request a table by message or official channel if slots are open; arriving exactly at opening is the safest tactic.
• Hours & prices: usually dinner service only, mains around Rp150,000–250,000 — worth confirming first.
• Instagram: search on Instagram

Staying near Ubud makes a long, unhurried dinner at PICA far more relaxing, and an AccessiaPass hotel voucher helps you land the right room for it.