Thailand is a food lover’s dream, with a wide range of delicious dishes to choose from. Think iconic Pad Thai, comforting Khao Soi, and spicy Pad Kra Pao. While we mostly enjoyed street food from bustling markets during our 6 weeks in Thailand, we couldn’t resist trying out some amazing restaurants too. Join us as we explore 15 must-try restaurants across Thailand, covering both the northern and southern regions. Get your notebook ready!
1. Its good kitchen, Chiang Mai
Let’s start with our favorite spot in Chiang Mai, and perhaps even in all of Thailand: Its Good Kitchen. This place serves up delicious, authentic Thai dishes. We’ve been here multiple times and tried at least 8 different dishes, all of them incredible. We had the best Khao Soi here during our Thailand trip, and trust us, we tried this dish a lot! Its Good Kitchen also offers a veggie Khao Soi option, which is great because it’s usually made with chicken.
And the best part? We usually paid around € 5 for 2 dishes and 2 drinks, how affordable is that? It’s a popular spot, yes, but you typically won’t have to wait too long for a table. They work with a number system when it gets busy, which ensures no-one can cut in line. We recommend visiting between lunch and dinner times when it’s usually quieter.
What to order: Khao Soi, garlic and pepper chicken
2. Charlie&Lek, Pai
Charlie&Lek is a popular restaurant in Pai, known for its delicious Thai food. The setup is simple, just a big room with basic tables and chairs near the sides. But, let us tell you that the food is just fantastic! Who says everything needs to be fancy? Charlie&Lek is the place to be if all you’re after is good food, and nothing else. They’ve got plenty of vegetarian options, and the portions are very generous too. The presentation of the food is simple, but nice. And if it’s recommendations you’re after, their fresh spring rolls with avocado were the best we had in Thailand!
What to order: fresh spring rolls with avocado, pineapple fried rice
3. Cafecito, Pai
If you’re craving something other than Thai food in Pai, we recommend checking out Cafecito. This Mexican spot serves up tasty dishes like tacos and quesadillas, perfect if you want to have a “cheat day”. 😉 Prices range from € 2 to € 6, which is a bit higher than the usual Thai dishes, we admit. However, the quality definitely makes up for it! Kelvin also ordered a very nice cocktail here, although we don’t quite remember the name. We really liked it, though! Also, we absolutely love the atmosphere here. It’s bursting with bright colors and a lively vibe, very Mexican indeed.
What to order: Mexican torta
4. Pad Thai Jed Yod, Chiang Rai
Pad Thai Jed Yod in Chiang Rai is one of our go-to spots for Pad Thai. It’s a small place with only a few seats, but their Pad Thai is amazing! It’s places like this that we had in mind prior to our trip to Thailand. Small and cozy, local, and… serving amazing food! On top of that, it’s super affordable, too. We paid just under €4 for 2 dishes and 2 soft drinks, which is a great deal. We recommend sitting outside so you can do a bit of people-watching. There’s a beautiful temple right across the street from this place called Wat Jed Yod, so the views are pretty great!
What to order: Pad Thai (obviously)
5. Day & Night of Phuket, Phuket
When we heard that Day & Night of Phuket made it into the 2024 Michelin Guide of Thailand, we knew we had to give it a try! And let us tell you, it lived up to our expectations! First off, the interior is absolutely gorgeous. The bar, in particular, is a real standout and definitely steals the show.
Now, onto the food because that’s what you’re here for, right? 😉 Day & Night of Phuket offers both Thai and Western dishes, all at a very high quality. We shared a pizza and each ordered a pasta, and everything was delicious! Oh, and their cocktails are amazing too. We went for the “Day by Day Light” and “When the Winter End” and they were both really good. The best part? We only paid around € 60 for 2 cocktails, a pizza, and 2 pasta dishes. That’s pretty reasonable for a Michelin Guide restaurant, and it was totally worth it! It’s no surprise that Day & Night of Phuket made it onto our list of 15 must-try restaurants across Thailand.
What to order: truffle Alfredo
6. The Neighbors Cafe, Phuket
One of the things we miss most while traveling around Asia is having brunch. In Asia, it’s common to eat rice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can imagine we were absolutely thrilled when we stumbled upon The Neighbors Cafe, a charming brunch spot in Phuket! Their food was delicious, and the presentation was lovely. And let’s talk about their croffles: croissant dough cooked in a waffle maker. They’re crispy on the outside, flaky on the inside, and oh so satisfying! Ever since, we’ve been on the lookout for croffles everywhere we go. The Neighbors Cafe is part of The Neighbors Hostel, and if their rooms are as good as their food you should definitely consider staying there. 😉
What to order: Biscoff croffle
7. Cafe 8.98, Krabi
Another fantastic brunch spot is Cafe 8.98 in Ao Nang, Krabi. They offer a variety of options, from savory to sweet dishes, with both Thai and Western twists. We’re not going to lie, everything on the menu sounds delicious! The french toast and breakfast taco were both delicious, and next time we’re eager to try the lemon ricotta-banana pancakes. The place is a hotspot, but you’ll never have to wait for more than a couple of minutes.
What to order: breakfast taco, french toast
8. Cru, Krabi
As we mentioned in our Thailand budget breakdown, our most expensive dinner was at Cru in Ao Nang, Krabi. We enjoyed a variety of dishes here: three sharing plates as starters, followed by pasta, and a bottle of prosecco to celebrate our anniversary. It was wonderful to enjoy such a luxurious dinner! After some time on the road, you really appreciate fine(r) dining even more! The attention to detail here is impeccable, the food tasted even better than it looked and that’s a rare feat. From squid and lobster to burrata, every bite we had was delightful. We highly recommend Cru for a special occasion or a romantic night out with delicious food.
What to order: squid & chorizo, lobster tempura
Fun fact
Cru is a sister restaurant of Cafe 8.98. No wonder we like both of these places!
9. Pooky, Phi Phi Don
You’ll find the best food in Thailand at a simple street food stall with only 2 plastic tables and chairs. This was also the case at Pooky! It’s not fancy at all, but the food is incredibly delicious! We paid about €8 for 2 dishes, a bit more than usual for street food, but it was totally worth it for the amazing flavors. Just the idea of enjoying amazing food on the side of the road… pure happiness we’ll tell you that!
What to order: fried garlic and pepper shrimp
10. Thai Duck Noodle Soup, Phi Phi Don
Another street food stall on Phi Phi Don that we really enjoyed was Thai Duck Noodle Soup. Again, nothing fancy, but the food is so good. Kelvin can’t stop thinking about their duck noodle soup. It was incredibly tasty and flavorful! He’s still looking for a similar experience but hasn’t yet found it. Also, the staff at Thai Duck Noodle Soup are the friendliest people ever. They will help you choose and give great recommendations, on top of that they are also in for some small talk!
What to order: duck noodle soup
11. Patcharee, Phi Phi Don
Our final recommendation on Phi Phi Don is Patcharee, a very trendy brunch spot. Their menu is extensive, literally pages and pages of amazing food, so you’ll definitely find something you like. For us, the menu could have been a bit smaller, because we were overwhelmed by all the choices! We ended up ordering multiple dishes, just because we could! Everything was so delicious, it makes our mouths water just thinking of it. It’s always busy here and a bit more expensive, but the quality of the food is totally worth it. Also, they close around 5 PM, so no place to go for dinner.
What to order: pumpkin and egg quesadillas
12. Elephant, Koh Lipe
Elephant was definitely one of our top spots on Koh Lipe. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you’re in for a treat! Everything we tried here was incredibly tasty and packed with flavor. There’s one dish that we can’t stop thinking about: their buffalo chicken wrap. It was absolutely amazing! We still daydream about it and wish we could teleport back to Koh Lipe just for another taste. And their cocktails? They’re fantastic too! We looooved Elephant, it should come as no surprise that we visited this place multiple times. 😳
What to order: buffalo chicken wrap, pesto grilled cheese
13. Castaway Restaurant, Koh Lipe
Looking for lunch with a view on the island Koh Lipe? Look no further! Castaway Restaurant is situated right on the beach, so you’ll enjoy stunning beach views all the time. They have a variety of Thai dishes, salads, plenty of vegetarian options, and much more. With delicious food and such a great location, there’s no reason not to visit this place! The restaurant is part of Castaway Resort, where you can stay in comfy bungalows right besides the beach. Just by looking at the photos we want to go there!
What to order: chicken Pad Kra Pao
14. Mom’s Kitchen, Koh Samui
On our first night in Koh Samui, we took a stroll and stumbled upon Mom’s Kitchen, a little spot filled with locals. We decided to have dinner there, and it was an amazing choice! The three dishes we ordered were all delicious. We even had the best Pad Thai of our entire trip in Thailand here, so if you’re craving some fantastic Pad Thai, this is the place to be. Yes, it is THAT good!
What to order: Pad Thai
15. Da’s Sandwiches, Koh Tao
Last but not least is Da’s Sandwiches, an incredible and budget-friendly lunch spot on Koh Tao. They serve some of the juiciest sandwiches you can imagine! You can either customize your own sandwich or choose from their bestsellers. We recommend you order a “premade” one if it’s your first time. That way you’ll know what you like and what not, so you can customize your next sandwich at Da’s! We’ve recommended this place to tons of people, and they all loved the sandwiches here! If you’re on Koh Tao, you have to visit this place, and once you do, you’ll be craving more.
What to order: chicken, egg, cheese, and avocado with sweet chili and barbecue sauce
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