18 Great Restaurants in Phuket

Mom Tri's Kitchen Royale at Villa Royale in Kata Noi Beach offers a great location and setup, together with first-class food. It has terracotta floor tiling and offers breathtaking views out over Kata Noi and the Andaman Sea. Walk down into dining section where there are eclectic alcoves, antiques and beautiful artwork. 

Popular picks from the menu include slow-cooked veal cheek in a red wine sauce with porcini mushrooms and roast vegetables in a heavy dish made lighter by the excellent French rosé. Villa Royale straddles the headland separating Kata Yai and Kata Noi beaches on Phuket's west coast.

Black Ginger Phuket at The Slate Resort is set on an island in the middle of a lagoon. Access to this restaurant is by boat only and will take you across the flame-lit waters to the main venue, where you can enjoy modern twists on traditional Thai dishes. 

When it comes to Thai plates, you can order specialities such as som tam (green papaya salad), tom yam, or southern-style yellow fish curry. One unique point about this restaurant is that they also serve traditional Thai delicacies not often found in fine dining establishments, such as cha-plu leaves in batter with chilli sauce, as well as crab and pork spring rolls which you roll yourself right at the table.

La Gritta is located in the compound of Amari Phuket, at the southern end of Patong Bay. This fine-dining venue has a superb contemporary design throughout its 2 distinct areas – the restaurant offers indoor (air-conditioned) and outdoor dining areas, while La Gritta Terrace is a partially open-air and modern lounge on the second floor. 

Both areas have stunning views over Patong Bay, offering a unique place for a gourmet dinner under the stars, only ‘perturbed’ by the relaxing sound of waves against the shore.

Acqua is a modern Italian restaurant that lies roughly a kilometre north of Patong on the Beach Road. With clean lines, futuristic design and views out over the Andaman, it's one of the most aesthetically-pleasing restaurants in Phuket.

For starters, try their yellowfin tuna and swordfish carpaccio with Pantelleria capers, cherry tomatoes, and dried tuna musciame in lemon and matured extra-virgin olive oil. For mains, grilled tuna fillet on eggplants and zucchini, fresh cherry tomatoes, capers and oregano sauce is a must-try. Most of the restaurant's staff have previously worked together at a 5-star resort for years – expect quality service throughout the evening. 

Blue Elephant, an established restaurant brand, has branches in 12 different countries around the world. The group specialises in Royal Thai cuisine – a rich and exotic combination of flavours once reserved only for the Royal Palace that has recently grown popular because of the global spread of Thai cooking.

Blue Elephant's Phuket branch occupies a splendid Chinese-colonial mansion that's set in sprawling grounds, near the old quarter of Phuket Town.

Kan Eang@Pier is a long-established restaurant specialising in seafood and local delicacies. Located on the shore of Chalong Bay, right next to the jetty, it has indoor and outdoor dining areas with views of the marina. For a large restaurant dealing with so many people every day, the atmosphere stays somewhat laidback and relaxed. 

You can enjoy the sea breeze and unbeatable view while sitting under huge tamarind trees. If you prefer dining indoors, there are 3 tastefully decorated air-conditioned pavilions, as well as 2 open-sided ones – each with a thatched roof. 

Wok Pagoda Kitchen offers fusion dishes with sweeping views of Rawai, all at reasonable prices. The restaurant also presents a great wine list. The sister establishment of Mom Tri’s Kitchen, the globally renowned chef works with fresh ingredients to create traditional Thai fare and Western favourites, with added twists from other parts of Asia. 

Dishes can be shared between groups in a traditional Thai-style of dining. Wok Pagoda Kitchen is around 10 minutes from Kata Noi Beach. Call the restaurant in advance to arrange for a free transfer from the Kata/Karon area.

La Gaetana enjoys a formidable reputation in Phuket as a small, family-run Italian restaurant with an eye for details. The main dining area of this 80-year-old building sports a red floor, dark wooden ceiling and bright mustard walls with nuances of lime green. There's an antique cupboard storing wine glasses next to its onsite bar, with plenty of tasteful trinkets and oddities throughout the area. The secret to dining at this fine Italian dining spot is to take your time and let the dishes complement and fill out the evening. 

Kata Rocks Clubhouse is located within a short walk of both Kata Noi and Kata Yai beaches. The restaurant is perched on a craggy headland, providing sweeping views of the ocean. They serve Mediterranean fare and Thai favourites with Spanish twists. Its Spanish chef prepares a wide range of world delicacies in the kitchen, while cuts of Australian steak are available from the grill.

Ka Jok See is one of the most successful restaurants on the island. Without any advertising at all, the restaurant has been featured in countless top magazines and newspapers around the globe. The food is served Thai-style, meaning that it's meant for everyone to share. Come past 9pm to enjoy a camp cabaret at the restaurant. The mood often escalates with shirts thrown off and absolute party mayhem ensues.

Raya Restaurant in Phuket Town occupies a renovated Sino-Thai mansion dating back to the 20th century. This venue literally takes its patrons back to the past, serving genuine local cuisine at reasonable prices. Many movie stars, prime ministers, and royalty frequent Raya Restaurant when they are in Phuket.

EAT Bar and Grill Phuket is a great option for enjoying some Western-style grill dining. You’ll find a varied menu of meaty favourites and an expansive selection of drinks at reasonable prices. 

The kitchen combines high-quality imported cuts with fresh local ingredients, putting as much effort into the presentation as the taste. The professional team members are well versed about the various imported meats and can provide quality recommendations. You’ll find EAT Bar and Grill on Thanon Patak, just a short walk from Karon Beach.

Sam's Steaks & Grill is an excellent steakhouse in Patong’s Holiday Inn. It also delivers classy decor, refined ambience, delicious cuisine and impeccable service.

The restaurant is divided into an open-air dining area and an intimate lounge, separated by a glass-walled wine cellar. It can only accommodate 50 diners, so it never becomes frenetic. 

Siam Supper Club is a well-known place to socialise, network and, of course, enjoy some first-class food in Cherngtalay. Located in Tinlay Place at the entrance of Laguna Phuket Complex, this restaurant is ranked highly one of the most recommended venues for fine-dining in Phuket.

CUT Grill & Lounge Phuket is an exceptionally high-quality steak restaurant on the lake at the back of Boat Avenue in Bangtao. The fact that it's also quite a classy lounge bar is an added bonus as the star of the show, as the name suggests, is undoubtedly the finest cuts of beef, lamb, pork and chicken, served with skill in a beautiful setting.

The newspaper-style menu features a choice of dishes beyond just meat, including quite an impressive selection of tapas, as well as salads, pasta, pizzas, fish and some Thai cuisine. The meats are certainly the best option, though, with the choice including rotisserie chicken, Australian Black Angus and New Zealand lamb, all prepared on a wood charcoal grill.

Tu Kab Khao is a great Thai restaurant in a 120-year-old building on Phang Nga Road in Phuket Old Town. It focuses on serving delicious dishes from Southern Thailand, offering an exceptional local dining experience. The restaurant is easily spotted along the street of similarly old and beautiful buildings because of the giant multicoloured lobster fastened to one wall.

One Chun (more correctly spelt Wan Jan, meaning 'Monday' in Thai) is a family-friendly restaurant near the intersection of Thepkasattri and Dibuk roads in Phuket Old Town. Unpretentious yet trendy, this restaurant is extremely popular for both its authentic southern Thai cuisine as well as for its quirky vintage décor and relaxed atmosphere.

Featuring an alfresco area in its backyard, One Chun is as much a place to meet friends around a drink as a restaurant. Its extensive menu hosts all the favourite Thai dishes from roasted duck with red curry to crabmeat with yellow curry to pork panang – so, plenty of local delicacies for you to sample. As the restaurant mostly caters to locals, be wary of how spicy some of the dishes can be.