I used to have a very simple idea of what a romantic dinner looked like.
Before having children, my husband and I could choose a nice restaurant, sit quietly at a table for two, order some wine and spend the whole evening talking. There was no rush and nobody needed us to cut up their food.
Now we travel with two boys, so the definition has changed.
As an Australian mum visiting Bali with my husband and our children, I still want to enjoy a special evening together. But these days, romance also means finding somewhere the boys will enjoy, choosing food everyone can agree on and avoiding a complicated trip across Bali just for dinner.
That is why https://appetitobali.com/ looks like a good option for a romantic family dinner in Sanur.
Dinner Without the Extra Travel
Appetito is located inside ICON Mall Bali at Unit BF-16, Jl. Danau Tamblingan No. 27, Sanur, Denpasar, Bali, 80228.
For reservations, the restaurant can be contacted on +62 811-3838-517.
For our family, the location makes planning an evening much simpler.
We can spend the late afternoon near the Sanur beachfront, take the boys for a walk and let them burn off some energy. Then, when everyone starts getting hungry, we can head towards ICON Mall for dinner.
There’s no need to arrange another long car trip or convince two tired children to sit quietly while we search for somewhere to eat.
When you’re travelling with kids, convenience matters.
A lot.
Finding Food Everyone Will Eat
Our dinner conversations usually involve four different opinions.
My husband likes taking his time with the menu. He’ll look at pasta, then grilled dishes, then go back to pasta.
Our older son has a much easier approach.
Pizza.
Our younger son normally says he isn’t hungry, which lasts until someone else’s food arrives.
Then suddenly, he’s ready for dinner.
I’m just hoping for a meal I enjoy and perhaps a few uninterrupted minutes with my husband.
Italian food can be a great middle ground for a family like ours.
The children can have pizza, while adults can choose pasta, grilled dishes or starters. There is enough variety to keep everyone happy without making the meal feel overly complicated.
And somehow, once dessert appears, everyone has room again.
Why We Like Sanur
Sanur has a relaxed holiday atmosphere that works well for families.
There is plenty to do during the day, but you don’t have to make every evening into a major adventure. Sometimes a beach walk followed by dinner is all you need.
Bali welcomed approximately 6.95 million direct international visitors in 2025, with Australians accounting for around 23.44% of international arrivals.
For Australian families, Bali remains a popular destination, and easy family dining can be an important part of a comfortable holiday.
If you’re searching for different restaurants in the area, https://foodparadise.network/best-restaurants-in-sanur/ provides a useful overview of dining options in Sanur.
For families specifically interested in Italian cuisine, https://foodparadise.network/best-italian-restaurants-in-bali/ offers another way to explore Italian restaurants across the island.
Parents Still Need Date Nights
Having children doesn’t mean couples stop wanting to enjoy special evenings together.
We still celebrate anniversaries.
We still have birthdays.
We still want to sit down somewhere nice and enjoy a meal.
The difference is that our children are usually coming with us.
That makes family-friendly restaurants especially valuable.
I think Appetito could make this appeal even stronger by promoting different types of family occasions.
A sunset dinner for a family of four could be a simple holiday experience.
An anniversary dinner where children are welcome would be perfect for parents who are travelling without childcare.
Birthday packages for groups of 10, 15 or 20 could suit larger families.
And early dinner bookings around 5:30 PM would be particularly useful for parents with younger children.
These aren’t huge changes, but they speak directly to what families actually need.
Christmas Dinner Away From Australia
Christmas in Bali can be a wonderful experience for Australian families.
Many families travel during the December school holidays, escaping colder weather and enjoying a tropical Christmas instead.
But even when we’re overseas, we still want Christmas dinner to feel special.
Planning ahead makes that much easier.
A festive dining campaign through https://christmasdinnerbali.com could help Australian families find suitable Christmas dining options before arriving in Bali.
For parents travelling with extended family or a larger group, having a table organised in advance can remove one more thing from the holiday to-do list.
Christmas should be about enjoying time together, not worrying about where everyone will eat.
My New Definition of Romance
I’ve realised that romance doesn’t have to disappear when you have children.
It simply looks different.
A romantic evening can be a walk beside the beach with our boys.
It can be watching them happily eat pizza while my husband and I enjoy our own dinner.
It can be sharing a drink and talking about our favourite parts of the day.
And, honestly, it can be sitting through an entire meal without hearing a single complaint.
For our family, Appetito ICON MALL offers the possibility of combining all those things.
We can enjoy Sanur, spend some time near the beach and then sit down for a meal that works for both adults and children.
My husband gets the proper dinner he wants.
The boys get pizza.
I get my wine.
Everyone gets dessert.
It isn’t the same romantic experience we had before becoming parents, but I’ve come to realise that it doesn’t need to be.
Sometimes romance is simply finding a place where the whole family feels comfortable, sharing a good meal and enjoying a Bali evening together.
And after a busy day travelling with two energetic boys, that sounds pretty romantic to me.