Phuket 101 choices
Contents
- Phuket 101 choices
- What are the best restaurants in Phuket?
- 1. Samut
- 2. Black Ginger Restaurant
- 3. Acqua
- 4. Tu Kab Khao Restaurant
- 5. Raya House
- 6. Suay Cherngtalay Restaurant
- 7. La Gritta Restaurant
- 8. Benny’s Cocktails & Grill
- 9. Mom Tri’s Kitchen
- 10. Mor Mu Dong
- 11. Kan Eang at Pier
- 12. One Chun Restaurant
- 13. Blue Elephant Phuket
- 14. Best Country Beef
- More related stories
The list of the Best Restaurants in Phuket is growing fast, especially since the Michelin Guide has arrived on the island. Phuket’s culinary scene has evolved a lot in recent years, and the choice of restaurants has grown tremendously. Having excellent restaurants in Phuket happened naturally for a few reasons:
- Thailand is naturally blessed with fantastic cuisine, able to offer something great for everyone at any price.
- Phuket has a beautiful choice of excellent, very fresh seafood,
- The island, the sea and the beaches are so beautiful; it was just a time for some great chefs from around the world to come and settle down, calling Phuket their new home.
After 28 years on the island, deciding which ones are the best is challenging since there are so many factors to consider: food, setting, service and price. Even great restaurants can have a bad day, so we usually give them at least a second chance. In any case, we never inform in advance, so we are always treated like regular anonymous customers. No unique treatments or free meals!
Some restaurants are fancy, some are genuinely local, and not everyone will agree with us, but these are places we love to go back to. Note that there are many restaurants to review in Phuket, and while we did try a lot of them, we still haven’t tried a few, so this list might evolve during the year.
What are the best restaurants in Phuket?
1. Samut
Samut is a trendy restaurant recently opened in Nai Harn, serving modern Thai cuisine focusing on local seafood prepared with local ingredients and spices. ‘Samut’, meaning ‘Ocean’ in Thai, is perfect for a special occasion, and while it appears like a high-end restaurant, it brings a new fresh and unique touch to Phuket island.
Location: Chivitr Hotel, Nai Harn Beach
Address: 14 120, Rawai, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83100
Hours: 4 pm – 11 pm (closed on Tuesday)
Phone: 06 1162 5269
Price: High
2. Black Ginger Restaurant
Black Ginger is a beautiful and excellent Thai restaurant in the middle of a small lake inside the Slate Resort on Nai Yang Beach. The food is delicious, and the magical setting adds a surreal touch to the experience as a raft gently glides from the restaurant to pick you up at the deck, illuminated by real torches. Chef Piak prepares a unique and genuine Thai cuisine, including some Phuket specialities and fabulous desserts. You should try her Som Tam, Tom Yum, Panaeng curry and crispy prawns with battered cha-plu leaves. Read more
Location: Nai Yang Beach
Address: 116, Moo 1, Sakhu, Thalang, Phuket 83110 (Nai Yang Beach)
Open: 6:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Phone: 076 327 006 (reservations strongly recommended)
Price: Expensive
3. Acqua
Acqua is a fantastic Italian restaurant run for just ten years by talented and friendly Chef Alessandro Frau. This exclusive dining has received many awards and accolades, including a ‘Plate’ award and the new Phuket Michelin Guide. The beautifully decorated restaurant is just outside Patong Beach on the way to Kamala, almost hidden in Kalim Beach. Acqua has been open for a decade, consistently growing in popularity, and Chef Alessandro’s creativity only got better. Read more
Location: Kalim Beach near Patong Beach
Address: 324/15 Prabaramee Road – Patong Kalim Phuket 83100
Open: 5pm – 11pm
Phone: 076 618 127
Price: High
4. Tu Kab Khao Restaurant
Tu Kab Khao is a favourite Thai restaurant in Phuket town serving great southern Thai food, a chance to try their selection of dishes typical from Phuket. Tu Kab Khao is the name given to every Thai house’s small closet a long time ago to keep the food safe from ants and flies for the next meal. The feet of that closet was placed in a bowl of water to keep the ants away. Read more
Location: Phuket Town
Address: 8 Phang Nga Road, Phuket Town
Open: Daily 11 am – 12 midnight
Phone: 076 608 888
Price: Affordable
5. Raya House
Raya House is an old classic restaurant that hasn’t changed much since its opening several decades ago. It’s a beautiful old house serving excellent Thai food, mainly known for its crab curry with rice vermicelli. It started modestly and became so popular; it’s not unusual to meet Thai celebrities from Bangkok stopping over to enjoy dinner here. It’s not overly expensive and a perfect place to dine near the old town. Read more
Location: Phuket Town
Address: Dibuk road, Mueang Phuket, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000
Open: Daily: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Phone: 076 218 155
Price: Affordable
6. Suay Cherngtalay Restaurant
Suay Cherngtalay is a popular and excellent restaurant serving modern Thai cuisine with a creative touch by chef Noi Tammasak (Suay means beautiful in Thai). The restaurant is very inviting, divided into two areas. The main dining room is a welcoming indoor building with large wooden tables, a cocktail bar, and a floor-to-ceiling glass facade. The outdoor sitting area in a garden is lovely, with a more casual atmosphere, a covered area and another bar.
Location: Cherngtalay
Address: 4, 177/99 Moo 6 Si Sunthon, Thalang District, Phuket 83110
Open: 4 pm – 11 pm
Phone: 093 339 1890
Price: High
7. La Gritta Restaurant
La Gritta at Amari Phuket at the southern end of Patong combines excellent Italian cuisine with a unique view of the entire Patong Bay and a spotless service at a reasonable price. Book in advance and take your loved one to a great romantic evening you won’t forget. Read more
Location: Amari Phuket Resort in Patong Beach
Open: 10:00 am – 12:00 am
Phone: 076 340 112
Price: a bit high
8. Benny’s Cocktails & Grill
Benny’s Cocktail and Grill is an understated gem hidden by the roadside in Bangtao Beach, opened in 2015 and specialising in meats, but with many excellent other options, including Thai food. The restaurant is beautifully designed, with floor-to-ceiling glass walls around the dining room. The lighting is extremely well designed and successfully creates a cosy atmosphere in a vast open room.
Location: Bangtao Beach
Address: 5/6 Soi Had Bangtao Cherngtalay, Thalang District, Phuket 83110
Hours: 5 pm – 10 pm (Monday closed)
Phone: 080 700 1509
9. Mom Tri’s Kitchen
Mom Tri’s Kitchen is one of the longest established restaurants in Phuket, one of the few places serving authentic cuisine when there was just a handful. Chef Darren and Chef Sura prepare excellent Thai cuisine, including seafood and some real Phuket dishes. The restaurant is in a wooden Thai-style house on a small cliff with beautiful sea views. Mom Tri’s Kitchen is also known for keeping a superb wine cellar for your romantic dinner. Prices are on the high side, and as it is quite popular, we recommend booking in advance. Read more
Location: Kata Noi Beach
Address: 12 Kata Noi Road, Kata Noi Beach
Open: 7 am – 11.30 pm
Phone: 076 333 568
Price: Expensive
10. Mor Mu Dong
Mor Mu Dong has always been one of our all-time favourites in Phuket. It’s hidden in the mangrove somewhere in the south of the island, and you still eat on the floor of little huts with thatched roofs over the water. The food is excellent and as local as it gets. Best of all, it was not even expensive. If you travelled all the way to experience Thailand and Thai food, this is a real experience you won’t forget. Their seafood is also delicious, and some are local, like the beloved ‘Gaeng Som Pla’, a delicious pungent and sour fish curry that is really spicy but so good… if you can take it! If you can’t eat on the floor, Mor Mu Dong also has areas where you can sit on chairs, but it’s not as fun. Read more
Location: Chalong
Address: 32/9 Soi Mu Dong, Chao Fah East, Chalong (past the zoo)
Open: 10:00 am – 9:30 pm
Phone: 088 766 1634
Price: Affordable
11. Kan Eang at Pier
Kan Eang is another excellent restaurant in Phuket, with decades of successful stories. The setting is superb, the food is delicious, and we love to go whenever we can. Some might argue that it’s more expensive than it should be for seafood and that you can get cheaper seafood elsewhere. Well, yes and no. Crabs, squid, prawns and other seafood are larger, fresher and sweeter than your average Thai restaurant. Both seafood and Thai food are delicious, and the setting by the sea is perfect for a lazy lunch or dinner by the sea. We love to go there for a relaxing Sunday lunch. Read more
Location: Chalong
Address: 44/1 Moo 5, Viset Road, Near the Chalong circle
Open: 10:30 am – 11:00 pm
Phone: 083 173 1187 (reservations not necessary)
Price: Medium to Expensive
12. One Chun Restaurant
One Chun is very popular with locals, which usually is a pretty good clue about the food served. One Chun serves a great choice of Thai and Phuket dishes at a fair price in a fun and casual restaurant. The historical Phuket Town location just next to the weekend street market makes it an excellent opportunity to end your exploration day with great Phuket food. Note that One Chun is cash-only. Read more
Location: Phuket Town
Address: 48/1 Thepkrasattri Rd., Talat Yai, Phuket Town, Phuket 83000
Open: 10 am – 10 pm
Tel: 076 355 909
Price: Affordable
13. Blue Elephant Phuket
Blue Elephant is both a famous Thai restaurant and a cooking school. The food is delicious, and the presentation is more elaborate than in most Thai restaurants on the island. What strikes most is the setting in the old and beautiful Phra Pitak Chinpracha Mansion that long ago belonged to a governor. The food is excellent; the presentation is superb; the service is impeccable; the wine list is impressive, and of course, the house is fantastic — many good reasons to visit the Blue Elephant. The price is relatively high, so keep it for a special occasion. Read more
Location: Cherngtalay
Address: 96, Krabi Road in Phuket Town
Open: 11.30 am – 10.30 pm
Phone: 076 354 355
Price: Expensive
14. Best Country Beef
A special mention for one of our favourite non-Thai, casual restaurants in Phuket is Best Country Beef, a place to treat yourself if you are craving a perfectly cooked steak after a day of exploring Old Phuket Town. The restaurant is on Dibuk Road, in an old-fashioned house with a wooden facade that reminds a bit of an old Japanese shop. Inside is a long, welcoming dining room half occupied by the open kitchen. The choice of steaks is attractive, and while the prices may appear a little high at first, they are justified considering the quality of the meat.
Location: Phuket Town
Address: 7 Dibuk Road, Tambon Talat Yai, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000
Open: 4 pm – 11 pm
Phone: 089 513 7334
Price: Affordable
