Name: A Blanket & A Pillow - A Hidden Restaurant Above The Ocean
Address: 10/1 Laemsai Road Tumbon, Karon, Muang, Phuket 83100, Karon Beach, Phuket, 83100, TH
Telephone: 080 992 9983
Price range: Moderate

Post Views: 19,468

A Hidden Restaurant Above the Ocean

19,468 viewsBy Willy Thuan · Living in Phuket since 1994

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A Blanket & A Pillow is a small open-air restaurant tucked into the trees on the rocky headland north of Kata Beach. The place spreads across several bamboo terraces connected by uneven wooden staircases, with the ocean below and the cliffs of Kata Noi in the distance. It opens daily from 10.30 am to 7.30 pm and is closed on Mondays. The vibe is barefoot and slow, the kind of spot where you settle in for a couple of hours rather than just stop for lunch.

What the Place Feels Like

You arrive at the top of the property and walk down. Each terrace sits lower than the last, so the higher you go, the wider the view. Some terraces have low Thai-style tables on woven mats. Others have bean bags scattered on bamboo platforms. There is no dress code, no formality, and most customers end up barefoot within ten minutes of sitting down.

The music is well chosen and never too loud. On a quiet afternoon, you mostly hear the wind in the trees and the waves below. It is not a place for big groups or fast service. Couples, friends in twos and threes, and solo travellers with a book do best here.

The Name and the Story of ‘A Blanket & A Pillow’

‘A Blanket & A Pillow’ is a direct translation of a Thai idiom about Chinese immigrants who came to Thailand with nothing but a blanket and a pillow and built new lives from scratch. The phrase fits the restaurant well. Everything here is simple, handmade, and stripped back. You can even rent a tent on a bamboo platform or one of the small bungalows behind the restaurant if you want to stay the night.

What to Eat and Drink

The menu is short and Thai-leaning. The signature dishes are what the restaurant calls Lunch Boxes, small Thai meals served in lacquer boxes with rice and a few side dishes. Expect classics like pad krapao moo (ผัดกะเพราหมู), green curry chicken (แกงเขียวหวานไก่), or massaman beef (มัสมั่นเนื้อ). Lunch Boxes run from 80 to 180 baht. There is also spaghetti from 120 baht, plus a small list of snacks, fresh juices, cocktails, and mocktails. Nothing on the menu is going to win awards, but the food is honest and the prices are fair for the setting.

When To Go

Late afternoon is the sweet spot. The light through the trees softens, the heat drops, and you can stay for the early evening with a cocktail. The restaurant closes at 7.30 pm, so it is not a sunset dinner place in the traditional sense, but the hour before closing is the best of the day. Lunch is quieter and good if you want the terraces to yourself. Weekends and Thai public holidays bring more local customers.

Avoid the middle of the day in April and May when the heat on the open terraces can be intense. In the rainy season, June to October, check the weather before going as the staircases get slippery and the bamboo platforms have limited cover.

How to Get There

A Blanket & A Pillow sits on the hill in the northern part of Kata, past the Aspasia Hotel and Novotel Phuket Kata Avista Resort, at the end of a small alley with limited parking. Finding it used to be a small adventure. Google Maps now takes you straight there: https://goo.gl/maps/M3BWdmxYyU6iVH527.

From Kata Beach it is a 10-minute walk if you are happy with a short uphill section, or 5 minutes by scooter. Taxi and tuk-tuk drivers will not always know the name, so showing them the map pin or saying “near Novotel Kata Avista” works better. The Thai name is ผ้าห่มกับหมอน (pha hom kap mon) if you need to show it to a driver.

Insider Tips

A few things worth knowing before you go.

The top terrace gets the breeze, but the lower ones get the better ocean view. If you are unsure, ask to look around before you sit down.
The bean bags are comfortable but hard to get out of after a couple of drinks. Take the table-and-mat seating if you plan to eat properly.
The staircases are uneven and have no handrails in places. Flat shoes only, and not the best spot for very young children or anyone with mobility issues.
Parking can be tricky during the high season, especially if you come by car