Phuket Thai Food Guide
Thai food is one of the best reasons to visit Phuket. The island’s cuisine blends southern Thai traditions with Chinese, Malay, and Indian influences, creating flavours you won’t find anywhere else in Thailand.
Restaurant
Phuket restaurants serve all kinds of cuisine but finding real Thai food can be a little challenging. The large majority of the restaurants in the island’s tourist areas, such as Patong Beach, Kata or Karon, have been adjusting their tastes to accommodate first-timers. You probably would never see Thai people eating in those places, and it’s usually a sign. Real Thai food is often found in more modest areas of Phuket, and we list some great Local Thai Restaurants here. Phuket Seafood is also famous, and you should try the real thing without paying a fortune by checking out our Best Local Seafood Restaurants list.
CLC, Etna, and LUME
Phuket’s dining scene continues to evolve, blending creativity, atmosphere, and world-class cuisine. Three standout venues, Come Leo Come, Etna, and LUME, offer distinct experiences that redefine fine dining in Phuket.
Lume
LUME is a refined waterfront bistro located at Royal Phuket Marina, offering a relaxed yet elegant take on Mediterranean dining in Phuket.
ETNA
Etna is a stylish lakeside destination located at Boat Avenue Lakefront in the heart of Bang Tao, one of the island’s most vibrant dining hubs near Laguna Phuket.
CLC Restaurant
Come Leo Come (CLC) is redefining luxury dining in Phuket with an immersive concept that blends fine cuisine, entertainment, and cinematic design.
Leilani
Dine in a warm atmosphere surrounded by artworks and collectibles, candlelight and opulent flowers. Every texture tells a story. Every corner invites discovery
View Cafe at Phuket
View Cafe at Phuket is a hilltop cafe perched high above Bang Wad Reservoir in Kathu. The panoramic view stretches across Phuket Town to the east coast, Chalong Bay, and the islands beyond.
Yelloow Phuket
Yelloow Phuket is a cosy, sunlit café located in the heart of Phuket Old Town, created as a space where people can slow down and enjoy simple, good moments. Inspired by warmth and creativity, Yelloow offers a welcoming atmosphere with its signature yellow tones and relaxed vibe.
Fran’s Restaurant Phuket
Fran’s Phuket is the newest branch of Bangkok’s wildly popular brunch restaurant, and it just opened in one of the most beautiful heritage mansions in Phuket Town.
Black Cat Restaurant
I first walked into Black Cat sometime in the late 1990s when Bangtao was still a quiet stretch of road with almost nothing on it. Finding a proper French bistro out here felt slightly surreal.
The Taco Truck
The Taco Truck is a casual burrito and burger eatery found along the main road of Pa Klok about 4 km east of the Heroine’s Monument.
Mom Tri’s Kitchen at Mom Tri’s Villa Royale
Mom Tri’s Kitchen is one of Phuket’s acclaimed fine dining restaurants, set on multi-level terraces above the rocks at Kata Noi Beach andpart of Mom Tri’s Villa Royale.
The HideOut Area at Tri Trang Beach
The HideOut Area is a small restaurant and hotel right on the sand at Tri Trang Beach, a little-known beach near Patong. It’s at the northern end of the beach, and unless someone tells you about it, you probably won’t find it.
Blue Harbour Coffee at Tri-Trang Beach
Blue Harbour Coffee is a small but popular cafe built into the steep hillside along Tri Trang Beach, facing Patong Bay, on the road to Paradise Beach. The view from the top alone is worth stopping for.
Marush Restaurant
Marush is a Lebanese restaurant that started in Patong and now has four branches across Phuket. I tried the one on Soi Kep Sab, a tiny lane near Patong Beach.
12 Great Indian Restaurants in Phuket
Indian cuisine has become increasingly popular in Phuket, and the island now has an impressive selection of restaurants serving authentic dishes from across the subcontinent.
Tatum Timsum (ตาตั้มติ่มซำ)
We recently discovered Tatum Timsum (ตาตั้มติ่มซำ), a small breakfast spot on Wichit Songkhram Road in Phuket Town. The sign says “Since 2544,” which means they’ve been around since 2001.
Salsa Mexicana Phuket
Salsa Mexicana is one of those places you go for the location first and the food second. Built on a rocky hillside above the ocean between Patong and Kamala, the restaurant drops down in terraces from road level to the waterline.
At The Beach Restaurant & Bar
At The Beach Restaurant & Bar is a family-run Thai restaurant sitting directly on the sand of Khao Khad Beach on Phuket’s quieter east coast.
Buffalo Steakhouse Karon Beach
Buffalo Steakhouse in Karon Beach is one of the oldest Western restaurants on Phuket’s west coast. The Swedish owner opened the first branch in Patong back in 1993.
The Tent Phuket
The Tent is a small breakfast cafe in Phuket Old Town. We stopped by recently and found a place that’s part Instagram backdrop, part actual breakfast spot.
Ginger Farm Kitchen Phuket
Ginger Farm Kitchen is a Thai restaurant chain from Chiang Mai that opened its first Phuket branch in Central Phuket. The brand earned Michelin Bib Gourmand status five years running.
Lillo Island Restaurant & Bar
Lillo Island is one of those places we enjoy going back for a slow breakfast to on Kamala Beach. It’s right on the sand in the central part of the beach, among a row of restaurants.
YA Restaurant
Ya Restaurant is a small family-run place on the main road in Karon, right next to Karon Temple. It’s the kind of local spot you walk past a dozen times before finally stopping in.
NIBE Authentic Italian Aroma
Step into NIBE Authentic Italian Aroma and taste the true spirit of Italy. Nicolò and Beatrice, a young Italian couple, bring authentic cuisine from Riva del Garda to Rawai, Thailand.
Luca Cinì – A wine story
Luca Cini is a proper Italian trattoria at Boat Avenue in Bang Tao, run by Luca Cini himself. He’s a sommelier who trained with the Italian Sommeliers Association in Rome before moving to Phuket in 2013.
Bisou Phuket
Bisou Phuket is the newest addition to the Bisou family, following the success of its flagship restaurant in Bangkok. Known for its modern French cuisine with a bold yet refined identity
Brut & More
Brut & More is a place where people come for champagne, atmosphere, and the feeling of home. We offer one of the largest selections of champagnes and sparkling wines on Phuket.
Jungceylon Restaurants
Jungceylon in Patong has become as much about eating as shopping. The mall has dozens of restaurants spread across multiple floors, from quick bites at the food court to proper sit-down meals at steakhouses and international chains.
Maska
In the middle of lively Patong, where beach days blur into neon nights, Maska fits right in. Located in Tribe Phuket Patong It has the easy buzz of Indian streets – people coming and going, tables filling up, conversations overlapping
Restaurants Near Big Buddha Phuket
The winding road up Nakkerd Hill isn’t just about the Big Buddha. It’s lined with small restaurants and cafes, each with sweeping views over Karon Beach or Chalong Bay.
Bar No Name in Patong Beach
Bar No Name is a small local spot hidden at the north end of Patong Beach, just below the Novotel Phuket Resort. It’s the kind of place you’d walk right past if you didn’t know it was there.
O Tao Si Yaek Jui Tui
O Tao Si Yaek Jui Tui sits right at one of the busiest intersections in Phuket Town, next to the famous Jui Tui Shrine. Finding the place is easy. Stopping to eat there is the tricky part.
Ember Steakhouse
Chef Gautam’s two-decade journey across eleven countries finds its natural conclusion at Ember Steakhouse in Bangtao. With a wood-fired kitchen below and a rooftop open to the Andaman Sea, Ember is defined by elemental contrasts: smoke and salt air, fire and breeze.
Project Artisan
Project Artisan in Bang Tao serves Thai and European food in an art-filled garden setting. Poke bowls, burgers, pizzas, steaks, and Thai curries.
Restaurants in Central Phuket
Central Phuket has become one of the best places to eat on the island, and that’s not something I would normally say about a mall. The two connected wings offer completely different dining experiences.
SōL Phuket
Sol Restaurant is a new all-day dining spot near Bang Tao Beach, opened in late 2024 by Chef Top Russell. If that name sounds familiar, he’s the Thai chef behind Mia in Bangkok, which has held a Michelin star for three consecutive years.
SOUL Vegan Cafe & Restaurant
Soul Vegan Cafe is the first fully plant-based restaurant in Karon, and we’ve been back several times since it opened. The food is genuinely good, and even if you’re not vegan, it’s worth a stop.
Churchill Bar and Restaurant
Churchill Bar and Restaurant sits just off Karon’s main road, below the Rattana Beach Hotel. It’s only a few metres from Patak Road, but most people walk right past without noticing. That’s a mistake.
Tian Tian Phuket Dessert Cafe
Tian Tian Phuket Dessert Cafe offers Thai and Chinese-style desserts in Phuket Old Town, almost opposite the well-known Shrine of the Serene Light and On On Hotel on Phang Nga Road.
M&M’s Pizzeria
M&M’s Pizzeria remains Phuket’s most consistently popular pizza restaurant nearly two decades after opening. The name stands for Maggie and Mario, the Italian owners who built this place into a landmark by doing one thing exceptionally well: authentic wood-fired pizza.
Baanrai I Talay Cafe Phuket
Baanrai I Talay Cafe in Kamala has panoramic views over Kamala Bay. Thai food, coffee, cakes. Best for sunset. How to get there, what to order, prices.
Haidilao Hot Pot Phuket
Haidilao is a popular Chinese hot pot restaurant located on the 7th Floor at Central Festival Phuket, specialising in traditional charcoal hot pot dining.
FARANG ICE CREAM
FARANG ICE CREAM is a cozy café on Kata Beach with an atmosphere of endless summer. Here, guests can enjoy unlimited ice cream (30+ unique flavors), a stylish interior, and a friendly atmosphere. We have a mascot, Skupik, a symbol of endless summer.
Rawai Wonderland Food Court
Rawai Wonderland Food Court, a tropical-style food court designed for everyone who loves good food, good vibes, and good company.
Coffee Talk Cafe at Thavorn Museum
Coffee Talk Cafe on Ratsada Road in Phuket town is easy to miss if you walk by, but it is also easy to spot because of the unusual and beautiful vintage black car ornamenting the front door, as it serves as the entrance of the Thavorn Museum in Phuket Old Town.
Chuan Heang Dim Sum Restaurant
Chuan Heang is a locally famous dim sum restaurant located in Phuket Town that has been serving traditional breakfast fare for over 100 years. This historic establishment represents one of Phuket’s most enduring culinary traditions and is considered arguably the oldest breakfast restaurant on the island.
THYME Cafe & Brunch
THYME Cafe & Brunch, which has earned Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition, brings Northern Thai halal cooking traditions to the island’s heritage district, replicating the success of Sanae’s original Chiang Mai location on the Ping River.
Prawn Noodle Ao Ke
Prawn Noodle Ao Ke in Phuket Town serves Hokkien-style prawn noodles that have kept locals and visitors coming back for more than a decade. The restaurant earned recognition from the Michelin Guide for consistently delivering simple, well-executed bowls built around one thing: prawn broth.
Juicy Lucy Burger & Bar
Juicy Lucy Burger and Bar on Yaowarat Road in Phuket Old Town is set in a vintage Sino-Portuguese shophouse typical of the area, giving it a unique historic feel, and a perfect spot to end the day after exploring the historical street of Phuket Town. The bar, which is also a restaurant, is known for burgers, generous portions, and reasonably priced drinks and cocktails.
MARNI Phuket Town
MARNI is located on Montri Road in Phuket Town, not far from the Clock Circle and a bit tucked away from the main tourist areas. The restaurant earned recognition in the 50 Top Pizza Asia-Pacific rankings, placing 36th in 2025.
Pink Boat Restaurant
Pink Boat is a small seaside restaurant on Phuket’s east coast, located just before the well-known Laem Hin Seafood restaurant. This casual spot offers southern Thai kanom jeen noodles with generous portions of fresh veggies and a panoramic sea view, all at wallet-friendly prices.