Top 10 Best and Most Popular Dining Restaurants in Phuket

Thai cuisine really is one of the world’s best and most desirable cuisine styles. And it's known for its spicy flavors and earthy roots. When you come on holiday, our top 10 list will introduce you to some of the most popular Phuket dining spots. 

This guide will help you experience Thai cuisine and the island's various culinary options. When you visit any tourist destination and want to find a quality restaurant, it's essential that you choose correctly 🏅 Nothing can turn you off food more than visiting a lousy restaurant. Phuket is no different from any other tourism destination in the world. And although most eateries are of excellent quality, you should not choose an inferior one and have a bad feeling towards Thai food. 

From seafood to barbecued meats, spicy curries and Isaan specialties, Western food, and more, there is something for everyone in Phuket 🏆 Below are some of the best Phuket restaurants for you a guaranteed night of culinary excellence.

#10 Tu Kab Khao Restaurant

Tu Kab Khao is one of the most popular restaurants in Phuket town, serving Southern Thai food. It is located on Phangnga Road opposite the Shrine of Serene Light and has a giant lobster on the side of the house. This restaurant has received a Michelin Plate rating, showing higher standards 🧔 Set inside an old heritage house, it offers an attractive dining experience. It isn't as expensive as it may look.

Tu Kab Khao is a large restaurant with exquisite decoration and five separate sections. Apart from the decor, the menu has a selection of authentic Thai dishes, and you are in for a treat. The assortment of dishes includes Pla sai, Sen Mee Gaeng Poo, Big Prawns, Nam Prik Koong Siap, and many more mouth-watering dishes. Besides the main course, you can also delight yourself with local desserts.

If you are in Phuket, don't forget to have dinner at Tu Kab Khao and enjoy the night 🥇

#9 Phuket Floating Restaurants

If you want to dine in one of the unique ways, head towards the East coast of Phuket, and you can enjoy fresh seafood in the floating restaurants. There are several floating restaurants between Phuket and neighboring Maphrao Island. It only takes a five-minute longtail boat ride from Laem Hin Pier to reach one of these restaurants.

These floating restaurants offer the freshest seafood, and you can also choose live seafood that can be cooked for you right there. So you can taste the best seafood in your life, whether it is fried shrimp, stir-fried crab, or fresh oysters. Although most restaurants don't sell beverages, you can bring your own. 

Among the best-floating restaurants are Laem Hin Seafood, Kruvit Seafood, Bang Mud Floating Restaurant, and Lobster Pawns. Make sure you head out in the evening when it's more relaxed, and the boat rides to the restaurants are accessible. So, make sure to delight your taste buds uniquely in Phuket.

#8 La Gritta

Enjoy fine dining at La Gritta Italian restaurant, which has a romantic outlook and is located at Amari Phuket on Patong Beach. It is one of the best and most beautiful places to dine in Phuket, with an open dining space close to the beach, and you can enjoy a dinner with a cool sea breeze and stars in the sky. And their indoor dining area is just as spectacular.

La Gritta is an Italian restaurant, and you can find an assortment of classic Italian dishes on the menu. You can also order grilled meat, hearty seafood, lamb chops, or salmon Rossini with foie gras. But, no matter what you order, their menu is impressive. Also, don't forget to try their wine selection and cocktails with one of their experienced mixologists.

 If you are in Phuket, make sure to head this way and enjoy a rich culinary experience 🏅

#7 Other Irish Pubs in Phuket

Irish pubs are great places to enjoy quality English food and imported draught beers. So, if you happen to be at Patong Beach and want to try out an Irish pub, that is either Scruffy Murphy’s or Molly Malone’s.

Both are hotspots for holidaymakers looking to find affordable food they are accustomed to. Don’t miss out on these two institutions that have been open in Phuket for over 15 years 🏅

#6 Angus O’Tools Irish Pub

Are you in desperate need of your British food fix in Phuket? One of the longest-standing and most popular British restaurants is the Angus O’Tools Irish Pub at Karon Beach. This very friendly establishment has been open for over 10 years and has garnered a fantastic reputation for its gut-busting British fare. 

If you are looking for a jaw-dropping British breakfast to start the day or a quality main course dish, this is the place for you. With very affordable daily specials, delicious Traditional Sunday Roasts, a fantastic choice of draught beers such as Guinness and Kilkenny, and more, Angus O’Tools is the ideal establishment if you are looking for value for money British food in Phuket 🥇

#5 Friendship Beach Resort & Restaurant

Situated between Nai Harn and Rawai in Phuket, the Friendship Beach Resort & Restaurant is a true hidden gem. Most expats already know about this cool restaurant that offers some of the most mesmerizing sea views of any eatery in Phuket.

Aside from Chalong Bay, the resort has a restaurant area equipped with a swimming pool open to guests. They serve a delicious selection of Western and Thai favorites alongside a vast choice of beverages, all within a breathtaking location. They have live music every Sunday afternoon. 

Drop by with your family and enjoy some quality food and drink while soaking up the views and the music 🏅

#4 Thai Food Stalls and Small Street Vendors

Some people believe an authentic Thai food experience is at the small local Thai restaurants and street-side vendors. These places are generally where the locals eat their meals. So, for your first Thai food experience, it is recommended to try the Thai food stalls and small street vendors first 🏅

#3 Kan Eng Seafood (Chalong Pier)

Some Thai food restaurants in Phuket are ranked higher than Kan Eng Seafood at Chalong Pier in terms of quality. But for the location, combined with excellent quality Thai and seafood cuisine, this stylish eatery takes some beating.

Located directly at Chalong Pier and showcasing amazing sea views looking out over Chalong Bay, this is one of the most laidback and beautiful places to eat Thai cuisine in Phuket. Kan Eng is popular with holidaymakers, local foreign expats, and Thai people. So that should tell you all you need to know 🏅

#2 Tamachart (Natural) Restaurant (Phuket Town)

Are you looking for somewhere authentic, interesting, and unique to dine in Phuket Town? ครัวธรรมชาติภูเก็ต Natural Restaurant 自然餐厅 in Phuket Town, also known as Natural Restaurant, is an excellent choice. This restaurant is visited by many Thai locals who live there, mainly because the Thai food is so great. 

ครัวธรรมชาติภูเก็ต Natural Restaurant 自然餐厅 also has a unique interior design with lots of art-deco memorabilia that makes it a joy to visit, offering something completely different from the norm 🏅 This is a restaurant you visit when you want guaranteed quality. Not only is the food absolutely delicious, but it is also excellently presented to impress every time.

#1 Mom Tri’s Kitchen (Kata Noi)

Mom Tri’s is famous for being quite an upscale Thai cuisine establishment. But it combines the best Andaman views at Kata Noi with an elegant and sophisticated atmosphere. And best of all… the Thai cuisine is simply delicious. 

Although the food might be classed as high-end Thai cuisine, the restaurant's quality in every respect is astounding. Mom Tri’s might be different from eating from a Thai food street vendor, but the cuisine style is more Royal Thai and a great introduction for first-timers 🏆

Unforgettable Phuket Dining Experience

If you know someone who lives in Phuket and can recommend a quality small-scale Thai restaurant, you must try it. Not only is this authentic daily Thai food, but the prices are also very affordable 🏅 The dining conditions won’t be like a Western-style restaurant, but you will receive an authentic experience, which many tourists seek nowadays. Regarding Thai food vendors, please remember that they can be very hit-and-miss.

If you are searching for affordable local Thai food, you should sample the fare at one of the food courts that frequent the island’s shopping centers. The food court at Central Festival is especially good, with many choices. You should check out the Massaman curry there if you want to sample true deliciousness. In terms of restaurants and dining, Phuket is a true paradise 🏆

Many restaurants serve cuisine styles from the four corners of the globe 🏅 Some of the main areas you will find the most international restaurants in Phuket are Patong Beach, Karon, Kata Beach, Kamala, Rawai, Surin, and Bang Tao. It doesn’t matter if you want to eat food from your own country or if you want to try something different. 

There is a Phuket restaurant that suits every style and budget. From Italian, British, and French flavors to Vietnamese, Thai, Mongolian, and many more 🧔 If you are on holiday in Phuket and want to have a gastronomic tour around the world of flavors, not many places can match Phuket 🏆