couplesquest
- Sep 13, 2021
- 4 min read

7 BEST PLACES TO EAT IN PHUKET

Updated: May 16

Danielle and I were in Phuket for a few weeks while taking part in the sandbox programme. During this time we were lucky enough to eat in some incredible places. It's unfortunate that not everywhere was open due to the pandemic, but you can still find some great authentic places...here are our top picks of the bunch!

KAPI SUSHI BOX

This was our top pick and a real must-visit for any sushi fan who finds themselves nearby. It's like a small piece of Japan in the middle of Phuket, and although it's ranked #3 on Tripadvisor it's #1 in our hearts. We opted for one of the platters and added a few extra avocado pieces to the mix. With a drink, the whole thing still came under 1000THB, which is incredible for 40+ pieces of freshly made sushi. Service was great, everyone was very polite and the whole experience was amazing overall.

The image shows a young woman sat at a table with a latter of sushi in front of her as he holds a piece of sushi in some chop sticks while looking directly into the camera with a big smile on her face. The young woman is wearing a black strap top with a pendant necklace that hangs just in front of the top and she has small gold loop earnings in. Her blonde hair is tied up behind her and her eyes look big and dark as they gaze directly into the camera as she sits there with a large smile on her face which reveals her straight white teeth. The sushi platter in front of her is not complete as it looks to have been partly eaten but the salmon and tuna nigiri look very appetising as they sit on the plate. There are some other small sushi rolls that can be seen dotted around the black plate as well. The plate sits on top of a brown table and the wall behind shows grey brick. The girl looks ready to eat the sushi she currently holds in her chopsticks in her right hand.

Unfortunately, Danielle and I couldn't hold off eating to take a picture

KALIM RAY LAY

We ate here a couple of times and the food was always great. It sits right on the beach in a prime location to catch a brilliant sunset if the sky is clear. You can't help but notice the beach theme from the second you walk, with beach huts lining the sand. We ate here twice in total and both times the food was excellent.

The first time we ordered a single green curry to share with a portion of sticky rice each. They placed a huge bowl on the table and lit a flame underneath it...we couldn't finish it between us, but it tasted amazing. They don't serve alcohol so we got a sprite and water and that bill came to 120THB. The next time we tried the fried cashew nuts and veg, as well as the fried Thai red curry and rice. Again the food was great, we simply asked for the meals to be vegetarian and they understood straight away. That bill was still under 250THB. Such a good find and the exact kind of place we love as the staff make you feel right at home.

THE NEIGHBOURS CAFE

Danielle and I found this quaint little cafe after exploring Phuket Old Town at the height of midday. We desperately craved a smoothie bowl to help cool us down. We came in, sat down and were instantly greeted by two of the cutest French bulldogs! Everything on the menu looked great but we opted for one mixed berry and one chocolate and peanut butter smoothie bowl. We would recommend either of these in a heartbeat...definitely, a must-visit if you find yourself in Phuket Old Town.

A hand is holding a delicious looking smoothie bowl which is inside a coconut. The smoothie is a dark pink colour and it is topped with various fruits all layered out in their own sections. Firstly in the bottom right we can see some passionfruit seeds which are then surrounded with pomegranate seeds in the middle and down to the bottom left of the bowl. Next up just above the pomegranate is banana slices and above them are two orange slices cut into semicircles with the peel still attached. Finally in the top right there are two large pieces of dragon fruit both also cut into semicirles and the whole thing is topped with a green leaf in the centre as a garnish. The picture is taken from a birds eye angle as the shot looks directly down upon the bowl and beneath it is a tile white and black mosaic tile floor. You can see a faint white dress with black polkadot spots on it enter the frame in the centre of the bottom part of the image which leads down to two feet in light brown sandals.

Danielle couldn't wait to show off her delicious looking smoothie bowl

DUCK SPICY

The second we walked in we knew this place would have been bustling with tourists and travellers pre-pandemic. It really made us feel for the local businesses in Phuket. It's across the road from Kalim Ray Lay and is a great bar that serves good food in a fantastic setting. Danielle and I first went here for a couple of drinks but went back to eat another night as it looked great. We ordered pineapple fried rice and papaya salad, both tasted fantastic and they had live music playing as well. Anyone visiting who is a football fan will find it on here at the weekends too!

PATONG STREET FOOD MARKET

We found this by simply walking around, as it was a short walk up from our hotel. A few nights a week you will find plenty of people all taking in the brilliant cheap eats on offer. There's a great pad Thai stand along here, and it comes with an incredible view of the beach as well...what more could you want?! If you want a western dish with a Thai twist then you should check out the cheesy french fry stand.

A row of food stalls line a busy street and extend all the way on the left down as far as the eye can see. It's a street food market which would likely offer any food you could want looking at the number of stalls. People can be seen up and down being served and queuing for food. The street is met at the end by a mountain that is covered in trees which stretches all the all the way up to the blue sky ahead. An Asian woman can be seen just a few stalls down wearing a black mask with a pink top and light blue trousers as she waits to receive her food. Waiting behind her is a man with his back to the camera as he sits on a red scooter wearing a light blue shirt and dark blue trousers. The scooter is on as you can see the lights from the back. Other people and vehicles are lining the street but are too far ahead to really outline. The first stall in the image sits on a crossing as you can see a few of the large white lines leading across the image.

Street food is usually the best food

AT TWENTY-TWO HOUSE

If you follow us on Instagram then you'll soon learn that we love a smoothie bowl, but who doesn't? We went here a few days into our trip and it was great. The cafe is set up to be very Instagram friendly, with some nice areas for snaps and the food does not disappoint either. We sat down, split a smoothie bowl and iced coffee and the bill was under 250THB. Great food with friendly service.

this is a close up image looking directly down on a bowl of food from a birds eye view. The top of the bowl is covered in various fruits which start out with a row of papaya down the right side. The papaya is cut into a shape with points on one side, as so are the pieces of dragon fruit which form a vertical row to the left of the papaya. The next row is banana covered in black chia seeds and then a large section of the left side of the bowl is covered in granola. The top of the bowl shows 4 thinly slices pieces of apple poking out of the bowl looking down on all the fruit beneath it.

I think we're a little obsessed with smoothie bowls!

No 9 2nd RESTAURANT

Danielle and I went here on our first night in Phuket. We wanted somewhere close after a long flight and ultimately the reviews looked good, it was close and we were tired. The food was great so we went back again another night. Danielle had sushi and I had a massaman curry, which came in a large bowl and I ordered a portion of steamed rice to go along with it. It was all super tasty, filling and very reasonably priced.

There are so many incredible places to eat in Phuket, and we likely just scratched the surface. More places will be open now, so we can't wait to head back and experience even more incredible eats next time.

For anyone looking to explore Phuket, you can see our travel guide here. We have also got more food guides for Koh Samui and Koh Tao.

Follow us on Instagram & TikTok as we tackle the what, where, why and how we’re doing this... as well as all the twists and turns along the way.