Phuket restaurants serve all kinds of cuisine but finding real Thai food can be a little challenging. The large majority of the restaurants in the island’s tourist areas, such as Patong Beach, Kata or Karon, have been adjusting their tastes to accommodate first-timers. You probably would never see Thai people eating in those places, and it’s usually a sign. Real Thai food is often found in more modest areas of Phuket, and we list some great Local Thai Restaurants here. Phuket Seafood is also famous, and you should try the real thing without paying a fortune by checking out our Best Local Seafood Restaurants list.
After Beach Bar Phuket is a very popular Thai restaurant perched high on a cliffside above Kata Noi Beach, on the way to Nai Harn Beach; from the outside, the restaurant looks modest, with low thatched roofs and an old-fashioned reggae atmosphere.
Mor Mu Dong is quite an unusual restaurant in Phuket. If you enjoy eating off the beaten tracks where many locals go for a great lunch or dinner, Mor Mu Dong is your place. Every Phuket resident knows it, and you have to count the cars in the parking to know that something special is cooking here.
Big Chicken Restaurant (Thung Thong Restaurant) is one of our three favourite venues in Kathu. If you drove past the Phuket Country Club in the past twenty years, you certainly saw that massive chicken statue on the side of the road.
The best seafood in Phuket is mostly in local restaurants, which are sometimes hard to find and often away from tourist places, but also in some more upmarket restaurants around the island. Of course, the seafood you will find in Patong, Kata, Karon, and other famous beaches is good, but local restaurants have a little more.
Suay Cherngtalay is a popular and excellent restaurant serving modern Thai cuisine with a creative touch by chef Noi Tammasak.
Romantic Thai Dinner by the beach near Patong Ta Khai received a ‘Michelin Plate’ rating from the new Michelin Guide for Phuket. ‘Michelin Plate’ is… Read More »Ta Khai Restaurant at Rosewood Phuket
Seaside dinner on Kalim Beach near Patong Sea Salt Lounge and Grill is a beautiful restaurant and a seaside bar built on a prime seafront… Read More »Sea Salt Lounge & Grill Phuket
Ta Tuay is a little-known local restaurant, hidden not far from the Sarasin Bridge in the very north of Phuket, near Sai Kaew Beach. Ta Tuay serves excellent local food and dishes from Phuket.
EAT Bar & Grill Phuket Restaurant is a tiny place on the second street of Karon Beach. Thankfully, many people talk about the restaurant.
A restaurant and theatre hidden in plain sight Grind Cafe Phuket at Junkyard Theatre is a surprisingly beautiful restaurant and art gallery hidden on the… Read More »Grind Cafe Phuket at Junkyard Theatre
Kaab Gluay is one of the few authentic local Thai restaurants in Patong Beach. The food is delicious and well priced, and the staff is always amiable.
Siam Supper Club is a long-established cosy restaurant near Bang Tao Beach, on the west coast of Phuket. The restaurant is mostly a steakhouse that also serves an excellent choice of European comfort food.
The Boathouse restaurant on Kata Beach, offers a blend of Southern Thai and Western cuisine, serving both lunches and fine dinners. Guests can choose between indoor and outdoor seating, enjoying a romantic dining experience with the stunning backdrop of the Andaman Sea.
Arva is an authentic traditional Italian restaurant at the iconic Amanpuri Resort on the private Pansea Beach. The restaurant serves excellent, sustainable Italian cuisine. Arva is the perfect place to treat yourself and your loved one to a unique and unforgettable dinner in Phuket.
Surf & Turf by Soul Kitchen is a small Thai-German-owned restaurant on Phang Nga Road in Phuket Town that received a Bib Gourmand from the Michelin Guide. The menu is short but changes monthly, and Chef Tom takes great pride in composing European-Thai dishes, including some vegetarian options.
Rimpan Seafood is a small but great Phuket local restaurant hidden in plain sight in the north of Phuket Island, near the bridge that connects the island to the mainland. Thousand people drive past Rimpan each day without realising such a great place sits right here.
Krua Jongjit restaurant in Kathu is proof that a restaurant doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive to be excellent, and even receive a Michelin Plate for fresh ingredients, carefully prepared. The restaurant is local and modest, the prices are low and the food served is excellent and truly local, making it a good culinary experience while in Phuket.
Pine Beach Bar is a beautiful venue on the sand of Kamala Beach and part of the prestigious Intercontinental Phuket Resort. With such a wide strip of soft white sand and a beautiful landscape, the north end of Kamala is an ideal place to spend the afternoon.
The Sundeck Phuket is a new rooftop bar and restaurant in a fantastic location, high above the beautiful Kata Noi Beach. The location by the roadside between Kata Beach and Nai Harn Beach is such that almost everyone drives in front of this stunning viewpoint at least once.
Kin-Kub-Ei Restaurant is a hidden gem serving delicious southern dishes cooked by Khun Tubtim (the lady in the photos) with her family recipes and served in a beautiful garden hidden from the main road on the way to Bangtao Beach.
