A French Restaurant in Bang Tao
Bisou Phuket opened in late 2025 on the busy Bandon-Cherngtalay road, just before Boat Avenue in Bang Tao. It is the second address from the team behind Bisou Bangkok, the Langsuan restaurant recognised in the Michelin Guide and Tatler Best Restaurants. The Phuket version keeps the same modern French cooking and playful spirit, in a more relaxed island setting.
The first thing I noticed was the green façade and the glowing Bisou sign. Hard to miss, even on a road as busy as this one. The second thing I noticed was the clawfoot bathtub at the entrance, filled with ice and champagne bottles. It sets the tone immediately. Bisou is serious about food but not serious about itself.
Inside, the dining room is split between a long marble counter facing the open kitchen and a quieter banquette area in the back. I chose the counter and I would do it again. Watching the chefs work in front of you, hearing the pans, smelling the butter and the smoke, this is half the show.
The food is modern French, built for sharing. I started with the grilled octopus paired with burrata and a smoky chilli oil. The octopus was charred outside and tender inside, the burrata cool and creamy. A simple idea done very well. The beef tartare came next, served inside a hollowed marrow bone with a quail yolk on top. You scoop it out with a long spoon. Rich, fun, and one of the best tartares I have had on the island.
The pasta with sea urchin was the surprise of the evening. Fresh tagliolini, a buttery sauce, and generous pieces of uni on top. I was not expecting that level of finesse from a restaurant this new. The seabass came in a clear bouillon with crispy skin and small dots of saffron cream on a lace tuile. Beautiful to look at and even better to eat.
The wine list is one of the most interesting I have seen open in Bang Tao recently. A real range of Old and New World bottles, including good options by the glass. Cocktails are taken seriously too. I had a gin-based aperitif that arrived with a small tray of dried flowers, finished at the bar in front of me.
Service was the other strong point. Friendly, knowledgeable, never stiff. The team explained each dish without lecturing, refilled water without being asked, and clearly knew the wine list. For a Phuket opening this is rare, and it tells me the Bangkok team trained the floor properly before launch.
Bang Tao has grown into one of the strongest dining areas on the island, with new restaurants opening almost every month around Boat Avenue and Porto de Phuket. Bisou is the only one in that immediate stretch doing modern French at this level, which makes it easy to recommend.
One practical note before you go. The location on Bandon-Cherngtalay road looks like a parking nightmare, especially at dinner time when the road is packed. Do not let that put you off. Bisou has easy parking in the back of the building. Pull into the side street next to the restaurant and you will find it straight away.
Insider Tips
Book a counter seat if you can. The open kitchen is the best seat in the house and the chefs often chat with guests at the bar.
Go between 6 pm and 7 pm if you want the room calm. After 8 pm it fills up fast, especially Thursday to Saturday.
Order the beef tartare on the bone and the pasta with sea urchin if both are on the menu the night you visit. These were my two favourites.
Ask the bartender for a custom cocktail. They are happy to build something around what you usually drink, and the result is often better than the menu list.
Park in the back. The road in front is one of the busiest in Bang Tao, but the building has its own parking area accessible from the side.
Bisou Through the Years
The Bisou story started in Bangkok on Soi Langsuan, a small street off Lumpini Park known for its high-end dining. The original Bisou opened there as a modern French restaurant with a young chef team and a clear identity: serious cooking, playful room, and a strong wine list. It earned a Michelin mention quickly, then a place in the Tatler Best Restaurants list, and won Thailand’s Favourite Restaurant.
The Phuket opening came in late 2025. The team chose Bang Tao for the same reason many quality restaurants choose it now. The area has a steady mix of long-stay visitors, residents, and travellers who want more than beachfront pizza and pad Thai. Boat Avenue and Porto de Phuket are nearby, and the road in front of Bisou has become one of the most dynamic dining stretches on the west coast.
What I find interesting is how the Phuket version is not a copy of Bangkok. The menu is shorter, the prices a touch friendlier, and the room feels more island than city. Same DNA, different mood. After more than 30 years on this island, I have seen many Bangkok restaurants try to open a Phuket branch and fail. Bisou is one of the rare ones that arrived with a clear plan and the right team to execute it.
More Photos of Bisou Phuket
Bisou Phuket Info
Location: Bang Tao Beach
Address: No.4, Bandon-Cherngtalay Rd, Tambon Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket 83110
Hours: 5.30 pm to 12 am
Phone: 096 378 9668
Website: bisouphuket.com
