Best Thai Food in Phuket

Thai food – as exotic as it is – needs no introduction. While you’ll probably find a number of Thai restaurants in most Western cities, authentic Thai food in Phuket (and Thailand) is quite a different experience.

The juxtaposition of sweet, sour, hot, and salty flavors is what makes Thai cuisine so distinct. It’s most noticeable in tom yum, Thailand’s national soup. Thai chefs are also very talented in appropriating foreign dishes and making them their own (think salads and noodle dishes). Below, discover distinct Southeast Asian delicacies you should try on the island.

What are the best Thai foods in Phuket?

1. Tom Yum Goong

Hot and sour soup

Good for: Budget, Food

Tom yum goong is the national dish of Thailand. Generous use of fragrant herbs like lemongrass, lime leaves, galangal, and shallots provide a memorable aroma, while chilis and fish sauce lend it a seriously spicy kick.

The soup also features jumbo shrimp (goong) and mushrooms. As a result, the flavor is a unique, but addictive, combination of hot and sour. It makes for an excellent start to a meal or a filling main dish when paired with rice. Grab a bowl at culinary hotspots like Blue Elephant Phuket, One Chun Cafe, and the aptly titled Tom Yum Goong Restaurant.

2. Pad Thai

Stir-fried noodles

Good for: Budget, Food

Pad Thai is widely recognized not just in Thailand but in most parts of the world. There are so many variations of this iconic noodle dish but it usually contains tofu, bean sprouts, onion, and finely ground peanuts. Pad Thai is a diner-participation meal—you put on the finishing touches of fish sauce, sugar, chilli powder, and crushed peanuts to suit your personal taste.

Phuket is a hotbed of premium pad Thai dishes. Find it at popular haunts like Siam Thai Restaurant, The Pad Thai Shop, Paton Social, and NumNum Old Town Cafe.

3. Kuay Tiew

Noodle soup

Good for: Budget, Food

Kuay tiew (noodle soup) is a quick and easy staple of the Thai eating experience. Ingredient variations mean 10 different vendors could serve it 10 different ways, making it deserving of its very own top 10 list! Noodles – usually thin, occasionally broad – are served in a broth with just about any edible meat, including pork, chicken, beef, duck, and seafood.

Head to the hugely popular restaurant Baan Kway Teow in Phuket for a bowl of its famous noodle soup. You’ll find it to the east of Bangtao Beach and north of the Porto de Phuket shopping center.

4. Som Tam

Thai Papaya Salad

Good for: Food, Unusual

Som tam (Thai papaya salad) comes from northeast Thailand, but it’s reached near-cult status throughout the rest of the country. Slight regional differences in ingredients mean that the sweet-or-sour scale might vary greatly between restaurants. This dish contains a healthy dose of heat, depending on the amount of red chilli added.

Som tam is best paired with tasty barbequed chicken and sticky rice. Try it at venues like O-OH Farm Suanluang, The Grand View Restaurant & Bar, SIAM Phuket, and the Butterfly Restaurant.

5. Gai Pad Med Ma Muang

Stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts

Good for: Food

Phuket is known for growing some of the world’s best cashew nuts so, understandably, you’ll find many restaurants serving gai med ma moung. This dish of stir-fried chicken with cashews is excellent if you have a rather low tolerance for spice. It also contains soy sauce, honey, garlic, and a a handful of dried chilis. Enjoy it for lunch or dinner by pairing it with steamed rice.

You can find gai med ma moung at beloved Phuket eateries like Foodee’s, Thai Mueang, Pots & Pans, and Raya Restaurant.

6. Geng Kheaw Wan Gai

Thai Green Chicken Curry

Good for: Food

Thai green chicken curry contains an array of aromatic ingredients including coconut milk, cherry-sized eggplants, bamboo shoots, galangal, lemongrass, coriander, and sweet basil. It gets its distinct color from green chillies, though some restaurants use green curry paste. This dish is richer and sweeter than tom yum, and pairs well with roti bread or steamed rice.

Order a piping hot bowl at Zuri or EuroThai in Patong Beach or at Tamarind Restaurant (located in the Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort).

7. Tom Kha Gai

Coconut soup

Good for: Food

Tom kha gai (chicken and coconut soup) infuses coconut milk with lemongrass, galangal (ginger’s delightful Asian sister), and chicken. It’s a sweet, tame twist on tom yum goong (spicy shrimp soup). Like most Thai-style soups, it’s best enjoyed with a plate of steamed rice.

Patong Social Restaurant & Hotel in Phuket’s Kathu district is famed for its fragrant helpings of this traditional national dish, while Thai Me Up! is also popular.

8. Khao Phad

Fried Rice

Good for: Budget, Food

At first sight, khao phad appears to be little more than a mountain of rice. However, it’s actually made up of various ingredients including your choice of meat (shrimp and chicken being the most popular), along with eggs, onion, cilantro, garlic, and tomatoes. A side of chilli is often served with this dish, in case you like it extra spicy.

Phuket’s Day and Night Restaurant serves sumptuous Thai fried rice, as does Sand Box Beachfront Bar & Eatery and Takieng (both are located in the Renaissance Resort & Spa).

9. Kaeng Matsaman

Massaman Curry

Good for: Food

Massaman is the Thai word for Muslim, which is the community that’s responsible for this unique and delicious curry. It contains coconut milk, potatoes, roasted peanuts, bay leaves, sugar, cinnamon, and tamarind sauce. The meat of choice is often beef or chicken, but because it’s been embraced by the Thais, some restaurants serve it with succulent pork.

For the best massman curry in Phuket, swing by Roti Chaofa (winner of a Michelin ‘Bib Gourmand’ award), or try Dara Cuisine, Kopitiam by Wilai, or Tu Kab Khao restaurant (all which serve generous bowls of the stuff).

10. Khao Man Gai

Steamed chicken rice

Good for: Budget, Food

Khao man gai (steamed chicken rice) is a ubiquitous meal served mostly at special street food stalls and restaurants during the day. The chicken is gently boiled until tender, after which the water is used to prepare the rice.

Khao man gai is usually served with chicken broth and a sweet-and-spicy sauce. While in Phuket, savor a plate at Kota Khao Mun Kai, Egg E Egg Chicken Rice, and Briley Restaurant in Patong.

This article includes opinions of the Go Guides editorial team. Hotels.com compensates authors for their writing appearing on this site; such compensation may include travel and other costs.