8 Best Restaurants in Phuket Town
Where to Eat in Phuket Town and What to Try?
Our list of the best restaurants in Phuket Town features the most recommended venues in this charming provincial city. Unlike Patong and the other big resort towns on the island’s west coast, Phuket Town’s dining scene mostly attracts the local market, which is why several of the restaurants featured below serve Thai cuisine exclusively.
As the capital of the province, Phuket Town (officially Phuket City since 2004) is home to an impressive array of dining options. Eating is one the most important pastimes in Thailand; the usual greeting when meeting someone is not, “How are you doing?’ but rather, ”Did you eat rice already?“ (gin khao reu yang?). It’s no wonder there are so many eateries!
What are the best restaurants in Phuket Town?
1. One Chun Café & Restaurant
Hip hangout with traditional Thai dishes
Good for: Food, Nightlife
One Chun (or Wan Jan, meaning ‘Monday’ in Thai) is a family-friendly restaurant near the intersection of Thepkasattri and Dibuk roads in Phuket’s Old Town. Unpretentious yet trendy, this joint draws huge crowds with its authentic southern Thai cuisine, quirky vintage décor, and relaxed atmosphere.
Featuring an al fresco backyard dining area, One Chun is as much a place to meet friends for drinks as it is a restaurant. Its extensive menu features classic Thai dishes like roasted duck, crab yellow curry, and pork panang. As the restaurant mostly caters to locals, some dishes are very spicy.
Location: 48, 1 Thep Krasattri Rd, Talat Yai, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000, Thailand
Open: Daily from 10 am to 10 pm
Phone: +66 76 355 909
One Chun Café & Restaurant
2. La Gaetana Restaurant
Featured in the Michelin Guide
Good for: Couples, Food, Nightlife
La Gaetana is a 32-cover restaurant in the center of Phuket Town. Set in a traditional two-storey shophouse, the venue may be small in size but it sure delivers the highest tier of cuisine, atmosphere, and service.
Opened in 1998 and run by a charming Italian/Thai couple – Gianni and Chonchita – La Gaetana is an intimate place with the décor of a stylish trattoria and the vibe of a high-class yet laidback bistro. Fine attention to detail is usually what differentiates a good and higher-grade establishment, and La Gaetana is indeed in the latter category. With its sumptuous Italian dishes, robust wine list, and a sophisticated yet pleasant ambience, La Gaetana is the perfect venue for a romantic dinner with your loved one.
Location: 352 Phuket Rd, Talat Yai, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000, Thailand
Open: Monday, Tuesday, and Friday from midday to 2 pm and 6 pm to 10 pm, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from 6 pm to 10 pm (closed on Wednesday)
Phone: +66 (0)76 250 523
La Gaetana Restaurant
3. Raya Restaurant
Magical Thai food served in a Sino-Portuguese mansion
Good for: Couples, Food, History
Raya Restaurant is one of the best places for authentic Thai cuisine in Phuket Town. Set in a converted two-storey mansion built at the beginning of the 20th century, this beloved local establishment serves aromatic dishes like fried shrimp in tamarind sauce, grouper fish cakes, and beef curry.
Raya is so renowned that it often hosts movie stars, royalty, TV personalities, and other VIPs. In fact, they even have customers in Bangkok who request the star dish – crabmeat curry – to be specially flown up to the capital. With its historical settings, relaxed atmosphere, and fair prices, Raya is a must-visit restaurant in Phuket Town. Read more
Location: 48/1 Dibuk Rd, Talat Yai, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000, Thailand
Open: Daily from 10 am to 10 pm
Phone: +66 76 218 155
Raya Restaurant
4. Brasserie Phuket
For fine French dining
Good for: Couples, Food, Luxury
Brasserie Phuket is a stylish European restaurant that’s situated in Downtown. An ambassador of French and Belgian cuisine, it features elegant décor, mood lighting, and beautiful old-world accents like wooden ceiling beams. This rather large restaurant showcases four distinct areas, each of them offering its own unique atmosphere.
Near the entrance stands the oyster and lobster bar where you can sample seafood from various regions (Boston, the Atlantic, and local). The low lit dining room is the perfect place for intimate meals and romantic date nights. An alfresco eating area, at back of the establishment, offers dining in garden-like surroundings. Finally, a large bar occupies a central position and is the place to enjoy one (or more) of the 30 Belgian beers available.
Location: 18 Ratsada Rd, Tambon Talat Nuea, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000, Thailand
Open: Wednesday–Monday from 12 pm to 12 am (closed on Tuesdays)
Phone: +66 81 970 7804
Brasserie Phuket
5. Ka Jok See
Storied restaurant with electrifying entertainment
Good for: Food, Nightlife, Unusual
Ka Jok See is a legendary restaurant that’s packed out every night, though you never see it advertised or promoted anywhere. In fact, you could pass in front of its door without even noticing it, as there’s no sign to indicate its low-key presence.
Set in a converted shophouse in Phuket’s Old Town district, Ka Jok See serves up generous portions of aromatic Thai cuisine and an effervescent party spirit. Every night after 9 pm, things get out of hand: conga lines, limbo competitions, and tabletop dancing last until the late hours.
Location: 26 Takuapa Rd, Tambon Talat Nuea, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000, Thailand
Open: Wednesday–Saturday from 11 pm to 4 am (closed Sunday–Tuesday)
Phone: +66 76 217 903
Ka Jok See
6. Flavor Restaurant
A taste of Europe comes to the capital
Good for: Couples, Food, Luxury
Flavor Restaurant is a neat, clean, no-frills kind of place. The dark wooden furnishings, whitewashed walls, and black concrete flooring are just a backdrop to the outstanding quality of the cuisine prepared by Belgian chef/manager Erik Vranckx. He’s an extremely talented man whose main focus is on the freshness and excellence of the ingredients used.
The menu, and blackboard specials, feature exquisite Belgian and European dishes like salmon lasagna (yes, really!), garlic prawn pasta, and juicy steak served with house mashed potatoes. The staff are warm and welcoming and the prices are affordable. There’s nothing not to love about this underrated joint.
Location: 161 Phangnga Rd, Tambon Talat Yai, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000, Thailand
Open: Tuesday–Friday from 6 pm to 10.30 pm, Saturday from 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm, Sunday from 6 pm to 10.30 pm (closed on Mondays)
Phone: +66 98 014 6963
Flavor Restaurant
7. Blue Elephant
The epitome of excellence
Good for: Food, History, Luxury
Blue Elephant is certainly the most impressive restaurant in Phuket Town. Set in a sprawling Sino-colonial mansion built in 1903, this restaurant belongs to an internationally recognized chain of high-end eateries. Blue Elephant has restaurants in 12 countries that serve classic Royal Thai cuisine, including ‘forgotten dishes’ rediscovered by the restaurant’s Executive Chef Nooror.
Additionally available for private parties and Thai cooking classes, Blue Elephant should be on the bucket-list of every Phuket visitor, not only for its history and architecture but for its outstanding Thai cuisine. Read more
Location: 96 Krabi, Talat Nuea, Amphoe Mueang Phuket, Phuket 83000, Thailand
Open: Daily from 11.30 am to 10 pm
Phone: +66 76 354 355
Blue Elephant
8. Tu Kab Khao
Glittering gastronomy in Old Town
Good for: Food, Luxury, Photo
Tu Kab Khao is an esteemed Thai restaurant that’s set in a 120-year-old building in Phuket’s Old Town. It spotlights delicious dishes from southern Thailand and offers exceptional service throughout. Tu Kab Khao is the proud recipient of a Michelin ‘Bib Gourmand’ rating; a sign of gastronomic excellence.
The restaurant is easily spotted along a street lined with similarly old and beautiful buildings, mainly because of a giant multicolored lobster fastened to one of its wall. Order dishes like crab curry with noodles, deep-fried fish in turmeric, pork belly stew, and tamarind prawns.
Location: 8 Phangnga Rd, Tambon Talat Yai, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000, Thailand
Open: Daily from 11 am to 8.30 pm
Phone: +66 76 608 888
Tu Kab Khao
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