Places to eat on Koh Phangan

Koh Phangan serves up delicious cuisine on every corner so foodie lovers travelling to this island will not be disappointed!

With a huge range of food on offer from western to Thai and even Mexican, you are sure to find somewhere to keep your hunger at bay. As is always the case in Asia, local cuisine will be much cheaper, fresher and often much tastier than western cuisine. However, if you have a craving for a pizza, burger, salad or sandwich there are plenty of good restaurants on Koh Phangan to choose from.

If you choose to dine on the beach with your feet in the sand you can expect to pay a premium, so to save money head back inland to the village restaurants where you can get a much cheaper meal. Here we recommend our favourites based on budget so you can decide whether to travel on a shoestring or to push the boat out and enjoy a slap-up meal!
Budget Eats

Budget

For around THB50 (USD1-2) you can get a tasty Thai dish that will fill you up for hours. Choose from classic pad thai, jungle curries, stir fries and soups for a fresh, local dining experience.

Cheap Thai eateries include Mateo Muslim Restaurant on the beach at Baan Kai, My Friend Restaurant on Haad Rin, the rather aptly named Thai Food on Thong Nai Pan Noi.

Chaloklam is the island’s main fishing port so fresh seafood will be cheaper here than anywhere else on the island. Most of the restaurants here will have their catch of the day displayed out front so choose which you fancy and it will be freshly cooked to order.

For street food, the best location on Koh Phangan is the island’s capital Thongsala. Unlike the touristy beach spots on the island, the street food vendors serve up bold Thai flavours that pack a punch. As always with street food, if you see locals eating there you’re probably on to a good thing!

Mid-range

Most restaurants in Koh Phangan serve mid-range fare at reasonable prices. Dishes may be hit and miss but you will generally find a decent meal for around THB100-200. If you choose western food you can expect to pay around THB200-300 for a main meal.

Salad Hut on Haad Salad offers a huge menu which means you can go back again and again for tasty Thai dishes. Tapan Noi on Thong Nai Pan Noi is one of the more affordable seafood restaurants along this stretch of beach and Malibu Beach Resort in Chaloklam provides simple cuisine with great views.

Top end

If you want to push the boat out in Thailand, you often can for the equivalent of USD10-15 (THB300-500). This is nothing in comparison to eating out in the UK or USA but will get you a feast on Koh Phangan.

Many beachfront restaurants in Haad Rin offer all-you-can-eat seafood barbeques which is a great way to try many of the local fish dishes!

Perhaps the most famous ‘fine dining’ in Koh Phangan is Fisherman’s Restaurant in Baan Tai. Here you can enjoy a candlelit dinner with delicious food, cocktails, beach views and even a cold glass of wine. The chef at Fisherman’s cooks up a range of seafood dishes such as yellow crab curry, seafood platters and crisp calamari but there is also a good choice of meat and vegetarian dishes.

For more expensive western food, Peppercorn, located between Haad Salad and Haad Yao is a great place for a steak and Canadian-run Crave in Seethanu offers delicious burgers that are well worth trying!

Wherever you dine in Koh Phangan you’re likely to have a great meal, just make sure you’re not too hungover to enjoy it!