251 Best Restaurants in Thailand

This simple open-sided restaurant just outside the city walls has been preparing traditional northern dishes, such as frog legs fried with ginger, for more than 30 years. Try the gaeng hang lay (Northern Thai pork curry) and sai ua (pork sausage with herbs). There is take-out service, too.

This restaurant in a converted house with a pleasant outdoor garden balances a casually upmarket feel with fairly authentic Thai cuisine oriented toward less adventurous palates. The basics are done well here, from chu chee goong mae nam (curried river prawns) to khao yum (southern Thai-style rice salad). Local artwork adorns the walls.

Just about 2 km north of Patong and perched over the water, Baan Rim Pa is a beloved institution, laid out over several levels to showcase the stunning panoramic views of the Andaman Sea. Alfresco dining, a piano and cocktail bar, and a range of classic Thai dishes make this one of Phuket’s perennial favorites.

This charming restaurant just a bit south of town is nestled in a lush tropical garden and has a vast menu of Thai specialties. Locally grown sesame is featured in a variety of dishes.

This old wooden house is an oasis in the concrete city; the decor is turn-of-the-20th-century Bangkok, with antique prints and old photographs adorning the walls. Ban Chiang is a Thai restaurant popular with the foreigner and tourist set, so your food won't come spicy unless you request it that way but despite this caveat, the dishes are otherwise prepared true to form.

Casually upmarket and aimed at tourists, this decades-old restaurant formerly in Siam Square serves authentic Thai cuisine in an atmosphere a few notches above that of the simple family restaurants. What's best about Ban Khun Mae is its large dining area filled with big round tables, warm wood, and a few antique decorations, offering a comfortable and airy feel perfect for post-shopping relaxation. Both à la carte and set menus are available.

Handsome locally fired floor tiles are among the original features of the century-old teak home this atmospheric old restaurant occupies. Step onto the riverside terrace and you could be in Venice—the waterway throbs with life, with tiny tugs pulling impossibly large barges loaded with rice and a small jetty where guests get picked up for a dinner cruise.

This sleek, modern restaurant overlooking the Dusit Thani resort's expansive pool and shimmering Pattaya Bay offers an "international skewers" concept with a wide variety of Chinese, Thai, and Western takes on grilled meat, seafood, and vegetables on skewers.

If you find yourself craving Western fast food, skip the global franchises and make a beeline for this restaurant run by two young Thai siblings, which grew out of a popular food truck. Beast's burgers and beef patties are made with premium-quality ingredients and perfectly cooked. The veggie patty is great, too. Choose from onion rings or fries for the perfect accompaniment.

Run by a friendly mother-and-daughter duo, this restaurant hides in a back alley near Pattaya Beach Road. In addition to breakfast favorites like omelets and fried eggs, they serve all-day brunch with choices like club sandwiches, fried chicken wings, and avocado salad with chicken breast. Cheap local and international beers are available as well. The streetside tables are a peaceful breakfast spot, perfect for catching the morning sun.

The concept—one familiar to western visitors, especially those from North America—is not exactly authentic to Japan or any country for that matter. But Benihana's take on Japanese-style teppanyaki has proved to be an enduring formula. The template is followed to a tee at its Pattaya outlet with flamboyant chefs cooking up a storm before diners' eyes. 

The food court on the fifth floor of the Big C shopping mall offers a staggering selection of authentic Thai (and a few Chinese, Korean, and halal/Muslim) dishes at rock-bottom prices, with virtually nothing exceeding B90. Prepay at the cashier station and get a debit card, then order at whatever counter you wish; the balance is refundable at the end. 

Pattaya's reputation as a top spot for sampling seafood is given fresh impetus at this lively restaurant. The venue is open daily for lunch, but it comes alive during dinnertime when gourmands flock to its seafood buffet (Wednesday through Sunday; B849 per person)—a kingly affair starring superfresh morsels served in an underwater-inspired space popping with eclectic artworks. Note that there is no a la carte dinner menu when there is a seafood buffet.

If you find yourself craving European dishes like pizza, schnitzel, and gyros, 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.

Hidden in plain sight on the way to an elephant camp and waterfall is this family-run Thai restaurant that brings a love of food, art (one of the owners is a multimedia artist and the decor reflects this), and music together under one canopy. Keep it classic with curries, stir-fries, or stuffed omelets—all fairly priced and full of flavor.

Although not on the river, this restaurant has the edge on the competition because of its spacious bench seating and garden atmosphere. House specialties include gai khua kem (roasted chicken with salt) and boo nim tort gratium (crab fried in garlic).

Loved for its breezy atmosphere and mouthwatering steaks, this brick-style eatery offers Italian, Mexican, and Thai dishes with a tasty selection of wines and signature cocktails. Come after 8 pm, when the house band takes to the stage, and take the garden seating.

This bohemian-chic café in Phuket's Old Town is part of a wave of creative venues 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. While 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.

Practically in the clouds at the State Tower, this ultra-hip Chinese-inspired eatery has a futuristic design that may leave you feeling transported to 2060—especially at night on the outdoor Sky Bridge and in the dining room glowing purple neon. Pan-Asian cuisine creations culminate in chef Sam Pang’s tasting menu priced at B5,500, but you can also order à la carte.

Whether you're after a strong piccolo or a handcrafted latte, this quality coffee shop is the spot to hit. It hosts occasional DJ sets, pop-ups, and more.

This large restaurant with white tablecloth seating inside and a pleasant garden seating outside is just the sort of local restaurant that you shouldn't miss. The menu is Thai-Chinese and you can feast on regional specialties and good seafood.

This terrace restaurant, covered in classic Thai wood furniture, is nestled in a little garden overlooking the wooden bridge and the lake. You can order local fish dishes, Thai and Burmese specialties, as well as salads, sandwiches, and Western-style breakfasts.

Most of the modest price of your meal at this quirkily named restaurant, one of 16 in Thailand, goes toward the country's leading nongovernmental organization that specializes in HIV/AIDS education. The food is Thai, geared somewhat to Western tastes. The eccentric interiors are a brilliant pastiche of brickwork, art deco, and edgy decor that includes megaphones, corded telephones, movie projectors, and a chandelier that could pass for deer antlers.

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. The café is the beach club of the Emerald Krabi Beach Resort. 

In an increasingly hip neighborhood on the edge of town, this taqueria serves authentic Mexican food including homemade tortillas (flour and corn), salsa, and hot sauce. The burritos, moles, and tortas are all delicious and a nice break from Thai food when the need arises.

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

As the name suggests, this is the place to come for quality imported black angus and Wagyu served with delicious sauces and sides, though the seafood---like the perfectly grilled tuna steaks---are top notch, too. 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. With DJ beats, an eclectic menu of tapas, sushi, and pastas, and imported champagne, it may not be to everyone's taste---but there's no denying Catch's allure of sun, sand, and style.

Lotus ponds reflect the city's beautiful evening lights at this romantic restaurant. The upmarket Thai food is good, with elegant touches that cater to locals as well as foreigners. A classic Thai dance performance takes place nightly at 7:30 and 8:30, complementing well-known Thai dishes served à la carte or as a seven-course tasting menu for B2,800.