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A Guide to the best restaurants in Koh Phangan - Food from around the world!
A few years ago it was a struggle to get good international cuisine on Koh Phangan. First world problems I hear you say. And you are completely right. We have always been fortunate enough to get outstanding Thai food of all types on the island, however, until the last few years, the good western restaurants have been few and far between.
Donโt get me wrong, I love Thai food as much as anyone, but as a foreigner, itโs good to get a nice salad, a good western breakfast, or a delicious Italian or Indian for time to time.ย Or even a fry up or a burger, or a Sunday roast sometimesโฆ You get the point. Variety is the spice of life. And we are now blessed on this beautiful island to have culinary variety (among other things).
Over the last few years lots of restaurants have been and gone, but the best have survived as well as some great new ones popping up. Now itโs possible to get excellent cuisine from all over the world here, we are going to tell you all about some of our recommendations in the next few paragraphs.
As there are so many great restaurants, we are sure to miss some out (and I apologise for that in advance). But to make sure I get a decent variety in here – and because thereโs no way I could rank them from best to worst or vice versa โ I will break them down into categories/regions and give a short description of one or two of the best restaurants for each.
Thai Food
So lets start with the Thai Restaurantsโฆ
Mamma Kop
Amaaaaaazing northern Thai food is sold here. Mamma Kop now have two branches, one in Hin Kong and one in Srithanu.ย Whilst you canโt really go wrong with any of the dishes here, we recommend the Khao Soi, a delicious Northern Thai (or Isan) dish consisting of a fantastically flavoured curry with soft noodles in the sauce and crispy noodles on top. You can have it with chicken or tofu or anything else you like.ย
Food Markets
OK so this one is cheating a bit as there asre several food markets on the island. At each of them you can find a variety of great food. Some are mostly Thai food and some are a good mix of Thai and Western.
Firstly thereโs Pan Thip, the original food market which is located in the centre of Thong Sala, which is the main town on the island. This has awesome Thai food as well as sushi and loads of western cuisine such as salads, Italian, falafel, wraps, and cheap and delicious fruit shakes and juices.
Round the corner from Pan Thip, you can find the newer and slightly more modern one, Phangan food court. Whilst they still have plenty of Thai foods here, they also have a variety of affordable western food stalls which serve breakfasts, salads, burgers, juices and deserts among other things.
Then thereโs the new one in Baan Kai, this is a bit more modern with trendy stalls and even a live band playing some evenings. The food here ranges from sea food toโฆ.
Then you have the weekly walking street/food markets which are all worth a visit. Saturday is the Thong Sala one, Sunday is the Chaloklam pier one.
You can read more about the markets of Koh Phangan here https://phanganist.com/koh-phangan-tours-and-attractions-travel-guide-article/markets-koh-phangan
Noodle Shops
These are the go to snack places for many locals on the island and for good reason. Cheap, delicious and fast. If you are on Koh Phangan, you have to try one of the noodle shops. Usually consisting of a bowl of noodles of your choice, with a thin but tasty broth and some combo of meat/egg/tofu/veg. The table always has lots of garnishes, sauces and condiments so you can pretty much flavour the bowl however you like by adding fish sauce, chilli flakes, mint, lime, etc etcโฆ
Two we particularly recommend are Eggs Noodles in Baan Tai, usually open later in the evening but get in quick as once they run out, they close the doors.
The other is โKao Kah Mooโ or โPork Leg Riceโ in English. This is because their speciality is slow cooked braised pork with noodle. The pork leg cooks all day in the broth, the recipe for which has been passed down for generations. Located in thong Sala, this great little restaurant also has tonnes of fascinating antiques on display from old coins to a penny farthing bicycle.
Italian Food
Who doesn’t love a bit of Italian from time to time?
Luckily ย happen to be blessed with a load of good Italian restaurants, three of which happen to be in the small fishing village to the north of the island called Chaloklam.
If you have read our other blog about the best beaches in Phanganย you’ll recognise Chaloklam as the one at the north of the island that isย lovingly referred to by locals as the โdrinking village with a fishing problemโ. As opposed to โa fishing village with a drinking problemโ which is what people used to say. lol.
Jenni's or Cafรฉ dela Mocha
In my humble opinion does the best pizzas on the island. They are all delicious thin crust, traditional Italian style pizzas and my personal favourite is the gorgonzola, salami and capers one (which I forget the name of).
Apart from the excellent pizzas and pasta, Jennis is situated on a beautiful beach with views of the bay, itโs an unpretentious setting and is run by one of the nicest guys in town. Jenni was probably the first Italian to open a restaurant on the island and has been making pizza in Chaloklam for longer than most of the people reading this have been able to read. And he is an absolutely top bloke, so go and try one of his pizzas. If you like pizza that is.
Rimmini
Another Italian restaurant in Chaloklam, Rimminis speciality is their pasta. My favourite is the ravioli which comes in a few different varieties and is sure to leave your taste buds feeling satisfied. Itโs not a huge restaurant, so it has that quaint, family run vibe, but it gets busy in high season so be sure to reserve a table in advance if you plan on going there.
Mandalino
Right next door to Pan Thip food market is mandolin pizzeria. Also does a great pizza and is very conveniently located in the centre of town so those staying in the south of the island donโt have to venture all the way to Chaloklam in the north to get their fill of decent Italian food.
Seafood
As an island with lots of fisherman living on or around it, Koh Phangan certainly enjoys more than it’s fair share of delicious seafood. So here are a few good restaurants where you can get some.ย
Situated on the beach near Baan Tai pier, Fishermanโs has long been in the top 5 restaurants on Phangan on Trip Advisor and other platforms.
As well as a nice setting, Fishermanโs boasts a rich menu of traditional Thai dishes, delicious seafood dishes and some spectacular fusions. Our recommendation is the soft shell crab in yellow curry.
Nong M
At the opposite end of the island in Chaloklam is Nong M. Also situated on the beach and with an even better view than Fishermanโs. Nong M is a more old school Thai style, family run restaurant and still does amazing seafood and traditional Thai dishes at very reasonable prices.ย
Indian & Middle Eastern
There are not a huge number of Indian restaurants on Koh Phangan but if you’re a lover of the Indian Ruby Murray (curry) there are a few places it can be found.ย
There is also one absolutely banging Persian restaurant which we need to mention so it can go in this section with Indian so they are not by themselves.
Namascar
OK so you donโt come to Thailand for an Indian curry but if youโre on the island for a while and fancy something different then Namascar in Baan Kai should not disappoint!
In our opinion itโs the best Indian restaurant in Koh Phangan,ย we have never had a bad dish there and their garlic naan breads are to die for. And huuuuge.
Sati Pot
A lovely little Persian restaurant situated near Hin Kong Beach, sati pot is a great choice for a nice dinner out. The setting is cosy and cool and the food is absolutely amazing. From the Kings Rice to the ‘melt in your mouth’ aubergine lamb stew, to the delicious prawn and fish dishes.ย
Steak Restaurants
Peppercorn
Peppercorn is the OG steak restaurant in Koh Phangan and has probably been around the longest. Itโs located near Haad Salad and is easily accessible from the beach road or the Chaloklam side. The steaks here are awesome and as it is German owned, you can find some nice German comfort food and German specialities.
Outlaws Saloon
Right on the main road between Baan Tai and Thong Sala, Outlaws is based on a good ol fashioned western BBQ & grill. They serve all the classics like wings, ribs, burgers and of course good steaks, all at reasonable prices.
Conveniently located, good food and friendly service, meat eaters of all descriptions should be able to find something that suits their appetite here.
Belgian Beer Bistro (BBB)
Or BBB as itโs known as to those who go there often. Is a great Belgian themed restaurant which is part of Sritanu Bungalows, Resort on Haad Chao Pao in Sritanu.
The resort and restaurant are run by a nice Belgian family and as the name suggest they offer a wide range of Belgian and German beers in addition to their delicious food.
We recommend the Mussels in either the green curry or blue cheese sauce, followed by the steak and blue cheese or peppercorn sauce ๐ย
Burgers
Who doesn’t love a dirty burger from time to time? Or even a clean one if you can find the right place… Whilst many places in Thailand offer burgers on the menu, not everywhere can cook em properly. So here are a few spots that serve up a tasty one for when you get those cravings.ย
Located up in Chaloklam and run by an ozzie bloke named Troy, Mojoโs cooks up some of the best burgers in Phangan without a doubt.ย So good they have now opened another branch in the new food market in Thong Sala. So now you have no excuse not to try one of their burgers when you are on the island.
A little take away style burger joint off the main road in Thong Sala. Andoโs have a great selection of excellent Burgers and itโs owned by our main man Ando who also owns Ando Locoโs Mexican restaurant and the Bud Lounge (also in Thong Sala).
Friendship Concept
Whilst Koh Phangan has loooads of vegan options, as far as we know, Friendship concept is the only vegan burger place on the island. Itโs a really cool restaurant which sometimes hosts live bands and musicians for evening guests. Whilst a little more pricey, itโs burgers really are delicious and of course kinder to the cows and the planet ๐
Japanese / Sushi
Curry Salad
A strange name for a sushi restaurant we know. But itโs not owned by a normal person. Itโs owned by none other than Mr A. Heโs a lovely Thai guy who has trained with some of the best sushi chefs in Thailand and now practices the art at a little unassuming restaurant in Chaloklam.
And after asking him the other day we found out the reason he for it’s odd sounding name. The restaurant used to be on Haad Salad beach and is/was famous for it’s Katsu curry. Hence “Curry Salad”.
You can see him prepping the dishes right in front of you with fresh fish that has likely just been brought in by the local fishermen (Chaloklam is a fishing village).ย In fact, youโll often be able to catch him playing the guitar and sharing a whisky or saki or two with some of these fishermen and his other friends late into the night.
The sashimi in here is seriously world class and probably the best I have ever tasted.ย
Wassabi
Our second favourite Japanese restaurant on the island. This place makes an absolutely banging California roll and serves some of the best sushimi you will have this side of Japan. A little more pricey than your average restaurant in Phangan but well worth it in our humble opinion(s). A great place to take your mrs/mr out for a treat. If they like sushi.
Mexicans
The old classic, Andoโs was the original Mexican restaurant in Koh Phangan. Run by our old pal Ando from Andoโs burgers, this place does a great variety of Mexican dishes and down n dirty comfort food like the Chicago Sin Fries.
They also mix a mean margarita in several flavours and if youโre looking for a bargain, head down for Taco Tuesdays where you can eat your fill of delicious tacos for only 30thb a pop. You canโt argue with that.
Top Notch Breakfasts
Ok so whilst breakfasts are not specific to any part of the world. Everyone needs some good tucker in the morning to start the day off right. So here are three of our favourites.
Bubbas is an awesome little cafรฉ/coffee shop in Baan Tai. Itโs run by a Dutch guy named Robin who spent many years in Melbourne coffee shops learning the art of the bean.
Obviously Bubbas do a great coffee, but they also cook up a variety of great breakfast/brunch dishes from shakshuka to eggs benny. So successful has Robin been with the first restaurant, he opened a second cafรฉ/roastery up in Sritanu as well as another Bubbas in Thong Sala. Why not try them all?
Aโs famous
Another of our favourites is Aโs Famous, an American style diner in the heart of Thong Sala. Aโs is owned and run by Mike from the US who has been on the island around 30 years and was probably the first western style restaurant of this type.
Itโs no surprise that he has stood the test of time here as his food is so consistently good. We highly recommend the vanilla ice cream milk shake, the beef pastrami sandwich, eggs benedict and the salmon and cream cheese omelette on bagel.
Swenglish
This one is for those that need a dirty English style fry up from time to time (like me).
Swenglish is actually more of a bar than a restaurant but by George, they do a good fry up. And a good fry up is not easy to come by in Thailand. Trust us.
English breakfasts are usually served on Saturday or Sunday mornings and they are prepared by the lovely Nana, who is the wife of the bars owner and host, Sam who can be found there or at his other venue King Kong bar most evenings. entertaining his friends and guests.ย
Again, not region specific but if we are going to eat steaks and burgers and fry ups, then we need to add some balance with some healthy options. Fortunately we have a load of healthy restaurants on the island. Here are two.
A really cool concept in the middle of the island where they grow as much of their own produce as possible on site. So itโs like a cool little farm/restaurant and you know the ingredients are organic and fresh.
You really canโt go wrong at Seed to Feed, every one of the salads, sandwiches and breakfasts we have had there has been spot on. And their juices and shakes are also pretty banging too.
Food & Roots
Another Chaloklam restaurant, just down the beach from Nong M, and next door to Keif, Food N Roots is a plant based place which serves up a variety of tasty, herbivore friendly delights which wonโt add inches to the waistline.
All-rounders and Honourable Mentions
Ok so modesty aside, if weare honestly talking about the best food in Phangan, we can not miss the chefs at Tiki Beach. We eat 75% of our meals here and we still arenโt sick of the food. ANDโฆ. We have just updated the menu and made it even better! The smoothy bowls are amazing, as are the smoothies and freshly squeezed juices.
We have been told on numerous occasions that the Burmese salad here is the best on the island, as well as the Penang curry and the potato hash. I canโt wait until people try the new stuff on the menu like the eggs benny and the deserts!!
Located in the heart of Koh Phangan, Signature not only boasts a great central location but also a delicious and varied menu, put together and regularly updated by executive chef Tom.
We can highly recommend the shrimp sliders and ceviche for starters and the seared tuna and hangar steak for mains. (Not all for one person though). Bonus tip, the Hangar steak is only 500thb at the moment!
Harbour House
An absolute classic which also can not be missed is Harbour House. A lovely little restaurant in Baan Tai which does everything pretty damn well. Thai food, western dishes and sea food. Try the calamari, or even the burgers or pasta. You wonโt be disappointed!
Kief
Last on our list but not least, is another restaurant on Chaloklam beach, Keif. This little place is funky and fresh. It serves great food at breakfast, lunch and dinner time, has cool interior dรฉcor, and even has live music and other entertainment on some evenings.
In the day time it boasts an amazing view of the bay, and my personal favourite breakfast/brunch dish is the truffle scrambled eggs. Delicious.
