32 Best Restaurants in Phuket and the Andaman Coast, Thailand

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Get a seat at a palm-shaded table next to the seawall, order some delicious grilled fish, and enjoy---though be sure that your waiter understands whether you want yours served phet (spicy hot) or mai phet (not spicy). Succulent and sweet crabs should be a part of any meal here. It's right on the waterfront to the south of the pier.

For a remarkably pleasant meal of pizza and pasta taking in the sea views, it's hard to do better than this rustic beach club and restaurant with an open-air design. The seafood is sustainably caught by local fishermen. 

The decor is simple but locals love this spot for the radna—a noodle dish served with pork or chicken and a thick gravy—as well as the grilled pork or chicken satay, radish cakes, and varieties of fried rice. It's so popular that there's often a line for a table. 

There's not much to this casual restaurant, but their renditions of Thai dishes are very tasty and come at great prices. Seafood options are recommend, including the signature Pineapple Fried Rice with Shrimp or any of the spicy curries. 

For a good cup of coffee, try this artsy store, which sells funky designer souvenirs and serves traditional Thai food and international snacks, sandwiches, desserts, and shakes. It opens daily at 9:30 am.

There are two positive signs at this restaurant before you even try the food—locals hanging out, and the fish and seafood that will end up on your plate are on display in tanks in all their variety. You'll find every kind of fresh catch prepared using lots of local herbs and spices at this friendly, colorful place.

The seafood here is perfectly cooked and artfully presented, but what makes Lae Lay Grill extra-special is the location. The restaurant is on a terrace on a hill overlooking Ao Nang and the sea, which makes it a highly romantic spot from sunset on, but also lovely during the day. Staff will pick you up from your hotel and bring you here by van.

This extremely casual, roadside street-food restaurant serves delicious, basic, and inexpensive food that everyone loves. Try the Isaan (northeastern) catfish larb, the zingy som tam (spicy papaya salad), or the fat noodles cooked in a thick pork broth, and sticky barbecue chicken.

It's all in the name at this tiny roadside eatery presided over by the talented musician-owner who also plays local gigs. There are several varieties of delicious pad Thai.

Ask the owner when his next gig is. His band, Why Not, attracts huge crowds of locals, expats, and tourists alike and guarantees a rocking night out.

If you've been craving fresh-baked doughnuts, croissants, mouthwatering eggs Benedict, and real coffee rather than the instant stuff, you'll fall in love with the family-run Phi Phi Bakery, which serves American, continental, and Thai breakfast and brunch specials and freshly baked pastries (the cinnamon buns are especially good). They also serve Thai and Western standards for lunch (it closes at 5 pm).

Although it doesn't look like much from the Promthep Cape parking lot, views from the tables out back are hard to beat. The restaurant serves Thai food, specializing in fresh seafood, and some Western fare. 

The extensive menu at this street-side café includes breakfast platters, sandwiches served on freshly baked bread, Thai dishes, and, not surprisingly, a huge variety of coffee drinks, like raspberry latte frappés. It's in the heart of the hotel district and caters mainly to foreigners.

The friendly ladies at this popular street-side shanty serve made-to-order noodles and stir-fries with seafood. Every meal comes with a complimentary bowl of aromatic cardamom soup, which is delicious and known to aid digestion. During the day there are beach deliveries available, if you find you don't want to move from your particular spot in the sun. 

The menu at this simple Thai restaurant is encyclopedic, but the speciality is Tom Yam Pla, a spicy fish soup. The open-air setting is pleasant and the charming owner is happy to chat—he speaks a variety of languages. 

There are plenty of delicious Thai curries to choose from, as well as some French-influenced salads and stir-fries at this casual restaurant. An added bonus are the vegetarian and vegan options, as well as options for diners with other food sensitivities.

A few minutes' tuk-tuk ride north from the busy part of town, Smoh Ruer prepares top-notch food in the local Khao Lak style. Dishes include a spicy wild-boar red curry, perfectly cooked prawns fried in sesame oil on a bed of rice noodles and celery, and the mellow egg-fried morning glory in oyster sauce.

Serving Thai and European fusion food in an atmospheric garden setting, with a compact menu that creative chef Ed Qarré renews every six weeks, Red Snapper, unsurprisingly, has become one of the island's most happening restaurants. If you're hungry order one of their large platters, or opt for a wonderful selection of tapas dishes if your palate is yearning for adventure; the eponymous red snapper is always succulent and fresh. Cocktails, too, are innovative; try the Thaipiroska for a locally inspired alcoholic kick.