12 Best Restaurants in Phuket: Where to Eat by Area

Featured image: ADwarf, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

12 Best Restaurants in Phuket by Area

We kept this list to 12 places across 3 zones, so you can eat well without crossing the island twice in one day. Six picks sit in Phuket Town. Three are in Chalong and the south, two are on the east coast, and one is in the northwest. Hours below come from published listings and can change. Confirm opening days with the venue before you go, and treat any venue we flag as unverified with extra caution.

• 1. Raya (Old Town, Phuket Town)
  • A Southern Thai Old Town dining room that has carried a Bib Gourmand mark in past Michelin editions.
  • Check the current guide and the restaurant's own page before you plan around it.
• 2. Tu Kab Khao (Old Town, Phuket Town)
  • A Southern Thai kitchen in Old Town that has appeared in earlier Michelin lists.
  • Its current status is unconfirmed, so verify hours and listing before you go.
• 3. Kopitiam by Wilai (Old Town, Phuket Town)
  • Best for a first lunch in Old Town. Its menu of local dishes is long, so it suits groups who cannot agree.
  • Price level is mid-range.
• 4. One Chun (Phuket Town)
  • Southern Thai food in a Sino-Portuguese shophouse. Crab curry with rice noodles and stir-fried pork belly with shrimp paste are the dishes to order.
  • Listings give 10 am to 10 pm daily. Book ahead for evenings, when Thai family groups fill the room.
• 5. Nam Yoi (Phuket Town)
  • Plain tables and fans, with bold Southern Thai cooking. Order the spicy crab curry with kanom jeen.
  • Listings give 11 am to 9 pm, and it fills fast around lunchtime. Price level is cheap.
• 6. Roti Thaew Nam (Phuket Town)
  • A breakfast stop at the start of the Sunday Walking Street. Order crispy roti and the beef curry.
  • Listings give 7 am to 12 pm, so go early. Price level is very cheap.
• 7. Mor Mu Dong (Chalong)
  • Wooden stilt huts in a mangrove area near Chalong. Deep-fried stuffed mackerel and spicy shrimp paste with vegetables are the signature orders.
  • Listings give 10:00 am to 9:30 pm. Expect a slow, unhurried meal.
• 8. Kan Eang@Pier (Chalong)
  • A seafood restaurant on the water that costs more than the plainer Chalong places nearby, and is well put together.
  • Choose it for a sunset dinner after a boat day. Confirm hours and reservations directly.
• 9. Samut (Nai Harn)
  • Modern Thai cooking built around local seafood, at Chivitr Hotel on Nai Harn Beach.
  • Listings give 4 pm to 11 pm and closed Tuesday. Price level is high.
• 10. Kruvit Raft (Laem Hin Pier, east coast)
  • A floating restaurant facing Coconut Island. You park on the mainland and take a short longtail shuttle.
  • Listings give 10 am to 10 pm and a free shuttle from the pier. Go at high tide for the better view.
• 11. Bang Pae Seafood (near Bang Pae Waterfall)
  • Open-air decking over a quiet mangrove bay, good for a lunch stop after the waterfall.
  • Listings give 10 am to 8:30 pm. Order squid with garlic or fish with turmeric.
• 12. PRU at Trisara (Naithon Beach)
  • Innovative Thai tasting dining and our splurge pick. It is listed with one Michelin star, so confirm that on the official guide.
  • Listings give 6 pm to 10:30 pm and closed Sunday. Reserve through the restaurant.

How to Choose the Best Restaurants in Phuket by Area and Budget

Base yourself first, then pick. Old Town and Phuket Town hold 6 of our 12 picks and suit lunches, breakfasts and early dinners. Chalong, Rawai and Nai Harn hold 3, and the east coast piers hold 2. Naithon has 1, so it works as a dedicated evening out. Local weather guides put the rainy season at May to October. Covered rooms like One Chun and Nam Yoi are safer bets then than open decks and rafts. Use the table to match a situation to a venue.

Booking Tips and Mistakes to Avoid at Phuket Restaurants

Check closed days first. Samut closes Tuesday and PRU closes Sunday, per published listings. Roti Thaew Nam stops serving at 12 pm, so a late start misses it entirely. Confirm the boat shuttle before you drive out to Kruvit Raft. Ask for per-weight prices before you choose seafood from a display tank on a main beach. Reserve the tasting-menu rooms days ahead. Walk-ins are fine at the local kitchens, but expect plastic chairs, fans and some Thai-only menus. Star and Bib status changes each year. Check the official MICHELIN Guide Phuket page before you book on that basis.

One Food Day in Phuket Town and the South

Start at 7 am with roti and beef curry at Roti Thaew Nam. Have lunch at Kopitiam by Wilai in Old Town, then take a coffee break at one of our Phuket cafe picks. Eat dinner at One Chun, which listings show open until 10 pm. If you want a lighter evening, graze at the Phuket night markets instead. Our Phuket street food guide covers noodle shops that fit between meals. If you want to cook the crab curry yourself, try a Phuket Cooking Class: How to Choose the Best Thai Class (2026).