55 Best Restaurants in Phuket and the Andaman Coast, Thailand

Looking for delicious local food at a low price: This strip of street-side food stalls serves everything from simple fried rice and papaya salad to more sophisticated southern delicacies such as kanom jeen (rice noodles topped with whatever sauces and vegetables you want). Open from nightfall until midnight, the stalls provide an excellent opportunity to discover some exotic and enjoyable Thai foods. Walk along the street and enjoy the carnival atmosphere—the local stall holders are more than happy to let you try the assorted delicacies before deciding what to buy. This is one of the highlights of Krabi Town, and the street enjoys a nationwide reputation.

From the outside, this restaurant looks like a standard, wooden Thai beach restaurant, but the creative cooking elevates it from the ordinary. Sizzling "hot pan" dishes of seafood in coconut cream, stir-fried morning glory, and sweet-and-sour shrimp are delicious. Specials, such as duck curry served in a hollowed-out pineapple, change daily and augment the already extensive menu.

The walls of this unique restaurant--café in the heart of the architecturally quaint Sino-Colonial Old Town are lined with vintage black-and-white images of Phuket, which pretty much reflect the kind of food served here—old-school Thai-Chinese fare. Signature dishes are inspired by family recipes, and include bak kut teh (a pungent shiitake-mushroom-and-pork soup), mee sua pad (noodles with seafood and spices), and the crispy noodle and egg salad. Ice teas like Butterfly Pea Flower and lime are especially good for cooling your insides on a hot day, while a variety of smoothies and good coffee strained in a cloth bag are also worth a try.

For a delicious snack, buy some of the creamy homemade pepper cookies or crunchy caramel peanuts to take with you.

This long-standing restaurant (it opened in 2011) is in a picturesque marina on the banks of Krabi River and specializes in thoughtfully presented Thai seafood dishes. The space itself is modern and dimly lighted with blues and greens, but weather permitting, tables by the river are the way to go. Signature dishes include the spicy green curry with crab, grilled white snapper stuffed with lemongrass and pandan leaves, and the large, juicy mussels with garlic and chili. It's a favorite for well-to-do Krabi locals. 

Built on a rock overlooking Karon Beach, this restaurant has great views of the water. Seafood is the specialty, but well-made Italian and traditional Thai dishes are also on the menu. Book in advance to ensure you get a beachside table.

This is one of the most popular beach bar/restaurants in Koh Lanta, mostly owing to its vibrant owner, Otto, a been-there, done-that, rocker-hippie-type with an infectious joie de vivre. It's open all day, serving delicious, fruity cocktails and a variety of barbecued meats (burgers have a following) and salads. Otto also has few basic bungalows backed away from the beach.

In the heart of Phuket Old Town, this beloved restaurant is in a historical Sino-Thai mansion, built in the early 20th century by a rich tin-mining family. Authentic Phuket dishes are the specialty here; try the yellow crab curry with rice noodles or the whole red snapper with roasted garlic. The charming decor is traditional Thai, with a nod to colonial influences, and the atmosphere is as much part of the experience as the outstanding food. 

At the top of the cape, overlooking the isolated bay, Taste is one of Phuket’s finest restaurants, with a romantic al fresco setting. Chef Martin and his team pride themselves on preparing classic international dishes with a local twist, like the soft-shell crab burger, lamb tenderloin, and Thai twice-cooked pork cheek.

Time for Lime is a large, open-air restaurant right off the beach. Each night there is a different three-course set menu, and reclining chairs are placed on the recessed sandbar while music plays and wonderful cocktails (try the chili margarita) are served. They also have cooking classes. Time For Lime also offers basic yet comfortable bungalows.

All proceeds from Time For Lime go to the owner Junie's extremely worthy cause: the Lanta Animal Welfare, which has already offered much-needed help to the many strays on the island.

For a change of pace from Thai food, head to this Italian restaurant specializing in seafood and Sicilian specialities. Dishes are presented with flair and the busy dining room is a lively backdrop. The restaurant is decorated in black and white, features an outstanding wine list and the signature degustation menus.

The chicken satay, an otherwise ordinary dish of chicken skewers served with a side of spicy peanut sauce, is especially skillfully prepared at this traditional restaurant. More elaborate Thai dishes are available as well.

Just about 2 km north of Patong and perched over the water, the magnificent Baan Rim Pa Thai restaurant is laid out over several levels to showcase the stunning panoramic views of the Andaman Sea. Elegant teak and silk decor, a piano and cocktail bar, and excellent Thai food make this one of Phuket’s premier dining establishments. The wine cellar is impressive, too.

If you find yourself craving European dishes like pizza, schnitzel, and hearty sausages, this is one of the best places in town. The portions are large, the atmosphere is casual, and the prices are affordable. 

There are plenty of restaurants along the beach, serving international dishes and Thai classics, but this one is a step above. The seafood here is superb, especially the barracuda fillet. 

This bohemian-chic café in Phuket's Old Town is part of a new wave of trendy global enterprises that focuses on excellent coffee and baked goods. It's also home to a design bookshop, as well as an exhibition arts space, and there's an upstairs film room, where indie flicks are played from time to time. Creativity seeps through the walls at this venue, but it's the scent of their homemade brownies and freshly ground coffee beans that will keep you here, wiling away the day in the company of Phuket's artsy set, a relaxed bunch of Thais who mostly absconded from Bangkok in search of exactly this type of vibe.

Right on the beach, this open-air café is popular for its boho chic vibe, unique decor, and excellent food. The menu features freshly brewed Italian coffee, classic Thai dishes such as green curry with jumbo prawns, international fare such as pasta and pizza, and a wide range of imported and local beers, as well as tropical cocktails.

Championship baristas pull specialty coffee drinks and serve homemade cakes and pastries at this bright little spot in the heart of Phuket Old Town. They also sell freshly roasted coffee beans and coffee accessories.

This lovely restaurant is situated at the end of a small dirt road in a wooden, traditional house with high ceilings from which colorful Chinese lanterns hang, swaying in the sea breeze. The Thai chef has a culinary vision and style that differs from the standard southern fare, so expect food a bit more sophisticated than elsewhere. The  menu reflects what was in the market that day so don't expect a menu. You can sit inside or choose to relax on the scenic wraparound terrace at the water's edge, taking in beautiful views of the horizon. 

As it is off the beaten track and less busy in the evenings, the restaurant only stays open if it receives reservations.

As the name suggests, this is the place to come for high-quality imported cuts served with delicious sauces and sides, though the seafood is top quality, too. Fresh lobster bisque, perfectly grilled tuna steak, and white snapper in butter-and-garlic cream sauce are all good non-meat options. The efficient service adds to the lively atmosphere.

Although now just one among many superb venues, Catch remains the standard-bearer for beach clubs on the island. In its former location on Surin Beach, this gleaming white, St. Tropez–style lounge drew Phuket's rich—and occasionally famous—with its DJ beats, imported Champagne and fine-dining tapas. The government-led beach cleanup a few years back saw them lose their prime location, but they simply upped sticks and moved to Bang Thao Beach a few miles up the coast. Today the formula continues to pack them in—it's not to everyone's taste, but there's no denying Catch's allure of sun, sand, and style.

As you stroll Tonsai's walking path, it's hard to miss the catch of the day on display in front of Chao Koh Restaurant (opposite the Chao Koh Resort). Kingfish, swordfish, and barracuda are some of the usual options, and are served grilled with garlic and butter, white wine, or marsala sauce; clams, crabs, shrimp, Phuket lobster, and live rock lobsters are priced by weight. Chao Koh also serves a variety of Thai salads, appetizers, noodles, and curry dishes, but seafood is their specialty. This restaurant is popular with day-trippers, and often fills up with boatloads of people herded in by their guides.

The scent of freshly ground espresso greets you as you enter this lovely café next to one end of the weekly Sunday Walking Street. In addition to light meals, coffee, and desserts there are souvenirs made with natural materials, notebooks, and postcards.

An Italian bar-ristorante is the last in the trio of Patong's cliff restaurants. Dining is just above a secluded beach. Try pizza, fettuccine, ravioli, and other Italian traditions, or opt for fresh seafood baked in a wood-burning oven. The restaurant prides itself on its use of exclusively organic ingredients.

This is one of those quintessential backpacker-friendly cafés with a laid-back vibe, eclectic seating (including beanbags and hammocks), and all kinds of comfort food. Try the tuna wasabi sub, the DK veggie samosas in puff pastry, or a burger.

Churrasco (Brazilian grilled meat) is the specialty at the Mövenpick resort's restaurant, with a terrace overlooking Karon Beach and sunset views that make dining here delightful. The space is large but still manages to be atmospheric, with discreet background music and friendly staff. 

There are two kitchens, and two cuisines—Thai and Western—but the Fat Monkey is best known and loved for its large, juicy burgers. It's a pleasant place for a meal, with a pretty garden.

Over in the small village of Din Daeang Noi, this is the place to try delicious regional specialties that are not easy to find elsewhere. The seafood is excellent---try the fresh crab spring rolls---as are the curries. The owner is always happy to share his knowledge about the region with travelers hungry for new perspectives.

Although this sleek café sells delicious baked goods like orange cinnamon rolls and croissants, it's the ice cream, made on-site in a variety of unique and delicious flavors, that really draws the crowd. Try the Tom Yum Kung ice cream for a real taste of Thailand or more traditional with Almond Espresso. 

The chefs at this bamboo-patio restaurant specialize in seafood and fish dishes made according to traditional recipes from the northern hill tribes, like tempura of banana flowers, a sizzling seafood hot plate, or the prawns fried with herbs in a red-whisky sauce. The dessert of sticky rice with coconut cream and ripe mango is just wonderful.

On the eastern end of Tonsai Beach, Hippies serves a mixture of international food, from burgers and steaks to pasta and pizza. The staff at both the restaurant and seaside bar are friendly. Once the sun sets, this is the most happening beach bar in Tonsai, with people dancing on the sand, a large projector screening music concerts, and regular fire shows.