Thai Dishes Every Visitor Should Try
Visiting Phuket for the first time and wondering what to eat? Thai food is one of the best parts of any trip, and these 10 dishes are the perfect place to start. They are easy to find in most restaurants, not too adventurous, and absolutely delicious.
Once you’re comfortable with these, explore our guides to local Thai food, southern Thai specialities, and even hardcore dishes for the brave! Try them at Phuket’s best local restaurants.
1. Tom Yam Goong – ต้มยำกุ้ง (Spicy Prawn Soup)
Tom Yam is undoubtedly the best-known Thai food worldwide; many know about it, and everybody loves it. Tom Yam is a hot soup in many versions, with prawns or mixed seafood, red or clear. It uses many herbs such as lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and chillies. It is spicy and sour, with a unique personality and a delicious taste. Once you have tried, you will never forget. The orange colour in Tom Yam Goong Nam Khon comes from the prawn head fat; this creamy version is the one most visitors fall in love with. If you prefer something lighter, ask for Tom Yam Nam Sai (the clear version).
Where to find Tom Yam in Phuket: Almost every restaurant serves it, but for an outstanding version, try One Chun or Raya House in Phuket Town.
2. Pad Thai – ผัดไทย (Fried Noodles)
Pad Thai is a big favourite for most travellers visiting Thailand, but ironically not all that popular with Thai people! Often sold on night market streets (where tourists hang out), it’s an excellent introduction to Thai food as it is not spicy. Fried white rice noodles with prawns and omelette, often served with crushed peanuts, bean sprouts, lime, herbs and a good spoonful of sugar! The key to a great Pad Thai is the wok heat — the noodles should be slightly charred and smoky, not soggy. Squeeze the lime over it and add chilli flakes to taste.
Where to find Pad Thai in Phuket: Street vendors at Phuket Weekend Market cook it fresh in front of you, or read our guide to the best Pad Thai restaurants.
3. Khao Pad – ข้าวผัด (Fried Rice)
Khao Pad is the most basic rice dish served almost anywhere in Thailand. You can order it with chicken (kai), pork (moo), or shrimp (koong). It is served with a few slices of cucumber (always 3, for no known reason) and goes nicely with ‘prik nam pla’, a strong fish sauce with small but powerful chillies. It proves that it takes talent to cook such a simple dish — the rice must be a day old to get the right texture, and the wok must be scorching hot. It’s a safe bet when you’re not sure what to order, and kids love it too.
Where to find Khao Pad in Phuket: Our favourite is Boon restaurant in Phuket Town — their fried rice is simple but perfect.
4. Tom Kha Kai – ต้มข่าไก่ (Coconut Chicken Soup)
Tom Kha Kai is a favourite soup using chicken, mushrooms, galangal, tomatoes and lemongrass cooked in coconut milk. Most of the time, it does not contain any chilli, which makes this dish great for people who like something exotic but not spicy. The coconut milk gives it a rich, creamy sweetness that balances the sour lime and fragrant herbs beautifully. Think of it as Tom Yam’s gentler sibling — same aromatic herbs, but wrapped in coconut silk instead of fiery broth. You should be able to order Tom Kha in any restaurant around Phuket.
Where to find Tom Kha Kai in Phuket: Chom Chan and One Chun in Phuket Town both serve excellent versions.
5. Gaeng Keow Wan Gai – แกงเขียวหวานไก่ (Green Curry)
Green curry with chicken is a traditional Thai food found in many restaurants, and occasionally, it can be just a little spicy. It is cooked with coconut milk and two types of eggplants: some big, round ones cut into quarters and some tiny, round ones that treacherously look like green peas — bite into those carefully, they can be bitter! The green colour comes from fresh green chillies blended into the curry paste with Thai basil, coriander and kaffir lime. It is always served with steamed rice, which helps tame the heat. If you enjoy this, also try the milder yellow curry or the richer red curry.
Where to find Green Curry in Phuket: Raya House in Phuket Town is known for their curries, or try any local restaurant.
6. Pad Krapao – ผัดกะเพรา (Holy Basil Stir-Fry)
This very traditional dish can be found anywhere in Phuket and Thailand. Made with pork (moo), chicken (kai) or beef (nua) cooked with holy basil leaves and chilli. Often topped with a fried egg (kai dao) and served with steamed rice, it is cheap and tasty but may come with a severe chilli punch. This is when this useful phrase comes in handy: “Mai Pet” (not spicy, please). Pad Krapao is what Thai people actually eat for lunch every day — it’s fast, satisfying and costs around 50-60 baht from a street stall. Order it “rad khao” (over rice) with a crispy fried egg on top for the full experience.
Where to find Pad Krapao in Phuket: Almost every restaurant and street stall, but our favourite is a tiny place in Phuket Town called Boon’s Restaurant.
7. Som Tam – ส้มตำ (Green Papaya Salad)
Som Tam is another excellent Thai classic and a must-try if you are here to experience Thai culture, but it might be a little more daring! This grated green papaya salad is pounded in a mortar with fish sauce, lime juice, chillies, dried shrimp, green beans and peanuts. Som Tam Thai is the ‘normal’ version and the safest for beginners, but ‘Som Tam Poo Ma’ comes with pieces of raw blue crab and pungent fish sauce — leave that one for your second trip! Som Tam is usually eaten with sticky rice (khao niao) or cold rice noodles (kanom jeen). Always say “Mai Pet” if you can’t handle spice, because the default in southern Thailand is seriously hot.
Where to find Som Tam in Phuket: Street vendors with a mortar and pestle are your best bet. Look for them at local markets or outside Isaan-style restaurants.
8. Kuay Tiao – ก๋วยเตี๋ยว (Noodle Soup)
There are many variations of noodle soups in Thailand; it would take pages to describe half of them! There is a soup for every taste, from clear and light to dark and intense. You start by choosing your noodle — thin rice noodles (sen lek), wide flat noodles (sen yai), glass noodles (wun sen) or egg noodles (ba mee) — then pick your meat: pork, chicken, beef or fish balls. Every table has a condiment tray with sugar, fish sauce, chilli flakes and vinegar to adjust the flavour to your liking. A bowl of Kuay Tiao rarely costs more than 50-60 baht and is a perfect quick meal any time of day.
Where to find Kuay Tiao in Phuket: Noodle shops are everywhere, but read our guide to Phuket’s best noodle soups for top picks.
9. Khao Man Gai – ข้าวมันไก่ (Chicken Rice)
Chicken rice is a very popular meal and not spicy at all unless you add one of the sauces available. Some shops are famous for it and are almost sold out in no time, so if you are a bit late, you might end up disappointed. Tender poached chicken is served on rice cooked in chicken broth and garlic — the rice is the real star of this dish, rich and fragrant. It comes with a bowl of clear soup and a trio of sauces: soy, chilli, and a ginger-garlic dip. It’s one of the safest and most satisfying choices for first-timers, and kids love it.
Where to find Khao Man Gai in Phuket: The two most famous spots are Kota Khao Man Kai in Phuket Town and Briley Chicken Rice in Patong Beach.
10. Massaman – แกงมัสมั่น (Mild Beef Curry)
Massaman is an excellent beef curry that tastes like a rich, aromatic stew, cooked slowly with onions, potatoes and roasted peanuts, then served with steamed rice. Unlike most Thai curries, Massaman is not spicy at all — its flavour comes from warm spices like cinnamon, cardamom, star anise and cloves, reflecting its Persian and Indian origins. It’s a southern Thai speciality and one of the most popular Thai dishes internationally — CNN once voted it the world’s best food. A perfect choice if you can’t handle heat but still want something deeply flavourful. Note that it contains peanuts and cashew nuts.
Where to find Massaman in Phuket: Raya House and The Charm in Phuket Town both serve outstanding versions.
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