10 Best Thai Restaurants in Phuket

Here’s a definitive list of Phuket’s best Thai restaurants where the chillies are hot and the ambience is fiery. The restaurants featured here are not necessarily the cheapest in Phuket. Rather, they represent the top end of Thai dining on the island.

We’ve all done it at least once: gone to a Thai restaurant in anticipation of real-deal cooking, only to have been served underwhelming curries and watery tom yam kung. Yup, even in Phuket – and especially in the touristy areas – you can draw the short straw when it comes to genuine Thai food. These restaurants, however, are sure to please even the hardest of critics.

What are the best Thai restaurants on Phuket island?

1. Mom Tri’s Kitchen

Kata Noi

Good for: Food, Photo

Mom Tri’s Kitchen at Villa Royale is a fine-dining experience with one of the best wine cellars in the country, yet you can enjoy down-home and expertly prepared Thai food here. Simple dishes such as som tam (green papaya salad) are lovingly rendered with delicate flavors and textures. Their fish dishes are among the must-tries in Phuket.

This award-winning restaurant edges a stunning stretch of coastline, a little north of Katahani Beach. Grab a table on the outdoor terrace for glorious vistas or the turquoise ocean. Don’t miss the refreshing coconut water, served fresh in its shell, that’s decorated with a bright pink orchid. Read more

Location: 12 Kata Noi Road, Karon, Muang, Phuket 83100, Thailand

Open: Daily from 11.30 am to 10.30 pm

Phone: +66 76 333 568

2. One Chun Café & Restaurant

Phuket Town

Good for: Budget, Food, History

One Chun Café & Restaurant serves authentic Thai dishes at affordable prices, with a focus on southern cuisine in particular. It also boasts a relaxed atmosphere and vintage décor that only adds to its undeniable charm. Located in Phuket Old Town, this popular haunt is set in a historical building that dates to the early 20th century. When it comes to the food, there’s no doubt that One Chun is among Phuket’s most hailed Thai restaurants. Its daily high-level occupancy really speaks for itself (many of the diners are local).

The most popular dish here is the crab meat curry in coconut milk—it blends the sweet flavor of coconut with the slow-release warmth of curry spices and the freshness of juicy crab meat. It’s an absolute winner!

Location: 48/1 Thep Krasattri Rd, Talat Yai, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000, Thailand

Open: Daily from 10 am to 10 pm

Phone: +66 76 355 909

3. Ka Jok See Restaurant

Phuket Town

Good for: Food, Nightlife, Unusual

Known for its late night party atmosphere, Ka Jok See actually serves up well-prepared Thai dishes in portions fit for sharing. One of the longest-running establishments on the island, expect dishes based on traditional Thai recipes with a few twists here and there. You’ll have to reserve ahead due to its popularity.

When you’re not enjoying limbo and Latin dancing, or beating your fists on bongo drums, order delicious dishes like crispy spring rolls, pomelo salad, pad Thai noodles, and green chicken curry. Mojitos are the cocktail of choice and the wine list features a quality array of Italian whites.

Location: 26 Takuapa Rd, Tambon Talat Nuea, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000, Thailand

Open: Wednesday–Saturday from 11 pm to 4 am (closed Sunday–Tuesday)

Phone: +66 76 217 903

4. Raya Restaurant

Phuket Town

Good for: Food, History

Raya Restaurant is a testament to Phuket’s Old Town charm with its Sino-Portuguese architecture. Along Dibuk, Thalang, and Phang Nga roads you’ll see beautiful examples of restored shophouses. Raya is a great example of this (it’s renovated mansion dates to the early 20th century). It’s also among the most recommended Thai restaurants in Phuket.

Signature dishes include a sensational crabmeat curry served with rice vermicelli, as well as caramelized braised pork belly, spicy Phuket prawns, and deep-fried sea bass in a tamarind and lemongrass glaze. There’s also a wonderfully refreshing drinks menu featuring some tantalizing bevvies like the bright pink rose soda and the zesty pineapple shake. Read more

Location: 48/1 Dibuk Rd, Talat Yai, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000, Thailand

Open: Daily from 10 am to 10 pm

Phone: +66 76 218 155

5. Kan Eang@Pier

Chalong

Good for: Food, Luxury, Photo

Seafood is the specialty at Kan Eang@Pier and many travellers flock there for its coconut-husk-fired broils. The menu is massive and features dishes that you may not have heard of—fortunately, the experienced wait staff can talk you through the many delicious options.

Popular items include Andaman mud crab curry, tiger prawn sashimi, mixed seafood platters, and marinated chicken in pandan leaves. Seat yourself on the al fresco terrace to soak up the warm Phuket sunshine and to gaze at beautiful Chalong Bay and its shimmering blue-green sea.

Location: 44/1 Rawai, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83130, Thailand

Open: Daily from 10 am to 11 pm

Phone: +66 83 173 1187

6. Pan Yaah Seaview Restaurant & Bar

Kalim Beach (near Patong Beach)

Good for: Couples, Food, Luxury

Pan Yaah Seaview Restaurant & Bar showcases one of the best views of Patong Bay and the town itself. It also serves fantastic Thai food. It’s located in Kalim, about 1 km north of Patong, along a scenic beach road that wends its way to Kamala Beach. Established for many years, Pan Yaah is a great little place for romantic date nights and atmospheric sunset dining.

The restaurant is largely made of dark wood and boasts a fan-cooled terrace that overlooks the sea. It’s set above large granite rocks and diners can hear the surf breaking below. Try dishes like the pineapple seafood rice, spicy tom yum soup, and river prawn salad with crispy fried catfish. Read more

Location: 249 Phrabaramee Rd, Pa Tong, Kathu District, Phuket 83150, Thailand

Open: Daily from 11am to midnight

Phone: +66 90 389 6683

7. Tamachart Restaurant

Phuket Town

Good for: Food, Photo, Unusual

Also known as Natural Restaurant, Tamachart in Phuket Town has got to be one of the most unusual eateries on the island. It’s been open for more than 20 years and is a tremendously popular spot for expats and locals alike, mainly due to its plant-filled interior and characterful thatched roof that makes the whole place feel like a giant treehouse.

The word tamachart translates to ‘natural’ in English and many people in Phuket use the word when discussing this exotic Thai-Chinese eating place. Order the freshly shucked oysters, young papaya salad, chicken galangal soup, and hearty beef satay sticks.

Location: 62/5 Phuthon, Bangkok Rd, Talat Nuea, Phuket 83000, Thailand

Open: Daily from 10.30 am to 10 pm

Phone: +66 76 214 037

8. Blue Elephant

Phuket Town

Good for: Couples, Food, Luxury

Blue Elephant specializes in Royal Thai cuisine: a rich and exotic combination of flavors that was initially created for the Royal Palace. This style of gastronomy has recently grown popular because of the global spread of Thai cooking. It’s located in a splendid Sino-Portuguese mansion near the heart of Phuket Town’s old quarter.

Reserve a table in its stunning vintage dining room to savor dishes like blue swimmer crab dumplings, lamb massaman curry, and duck leg confit with tamarind roasted rice. Read more

Location: 96 Krabi, Talat Nuea, Muang, Phuket 83000, Thailand

Open: Daily from 11.30 am to 10 pm

Phone: +66 76 354 355

9. Baan Rim Pa

Patong Beach

Good for: Couples, Food, Luxury

One of Phuket’s finest all-around dining experiences, Baan Rim Pa is situated inside a gorgeous teakwood house overlooking breathtaking Patong Bay. The restaurant serves Thai cuisine with panache. Boasting a fantastic wine collection, elegant wait staff, and tables adorned with crisp white tablecloths, Baan Rim Pa is years away from budget Thai eateries.

The whole idea behind Baan Rim Pa is to invite diners to sample Royal Thai Cuisine in regal surroundings. It succeeds well and its seaside location only elevates the experience further. Order the green curry with Andaman lobster, the steamed fish in pickled plum sauce, and the deep-fried honey chicken.

Location: 249/4 Prabaramee Road, Kalim, Pa Tong, Kathu District, Phuket 83150, Thailand

Open: Daily from midday to 11 pm

Phone: +66 92 274 9095

10. Kaab Gluay Restaurant

Patong

Good for: Budget, Families, Food

A long-established restaurant in Patong, Kaab Gluay’s modern, Western look can trick people into thinking that it’s not really a local restaurant. But the reasonably priced Thai cuisine is more genuinely Thai than what you’ll find in the more ‘local-looking’ restaurants around town.

Its seafood focused menu includes delights such as stir-fried crab with curry powder, whole sweet-and-sour fish, and steamed prawns served with various sauces. Its local popularity lends the clean and modern dining room a boisterous, food court-like atmosphere.

Location: 58/3 Phrabaramee Rd, Pa Tong, Kathu District, Phuket 83150, Thailand

Open: Daily from 11 am to midnight

Phone: +66 76 346 832

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