Places to Eat in Koh Si Chang

Seafood! That is what you are going to eat while on Koh Si Chang. There are a number of local no-frills restaurants dishing out decent portions at affordable prices. Add a few Baht and have a nicer beach setting.

Markets and Street Food

There is no a real food market on the island to spend a couple of hours wandering around and trying different mysterious local specialties, alas. For those who love street food options are limited to a few stalls selling noodles or the usual chicken skewers.

In a secondary street shooting west from Atsadang road (not far from the pier), Sho Gun is a small covered area with a few shops opened for lunch and serving the most simple Thai dishes, such as chicken fried rice or pad ka prao (stir fry chicken or pork with basil leafs); this place is the favourite destination for locals searching for a simple, quick and cheap lunch; expect to pay no more than THB40 for a dish.

Seafood

But the reason why food lovers will not be disappointed in Koh Si Chang is seafood; wherever you decide to eat you can’t really go wrong, since if you take away all the tourists from the island, all those left are basically fishermen who go out into the sea every night to bring their catch of the day to all the island restaurants: their boats come back full with delicious squid (the specialty of the island that will be offered on every single menu), giant prawns, crabs and various kind of fish that will be shown to you before you place your order. It’s pretty common everywhere to let you choose the fish and the way you want it cooked, what in fact is a lot easier than trying to figure out from a picture on the menu the ingredients which will be used to prepare the dish that you’re about to order.

Located at the south end of Atsadang Road close to Rama V Palace, Pa Noi Rim Tahng (open every day from 5pm to 9pm) is one of the most popular seafood places on the island. The setting is pretty basic with plastic tables and umbrellas, but their food is exceptional; their main thing is the grill, but they can cook your fish other ways too. Expect to pay roughly THB250 for a complete dinner (excluding drinks).

Also on the main road and not far from Pa Noi, Lek Tha Wang (open every day from 7:30am to 8:30pm) is a long time running establishment which is well known for offering more seafood options compared to almost every other restaurant on Si Chang. Fried and grilled scallops are among their signature dishes, but also the soups are worth a try. It is slightly more expensive than Pa Noi, but you pay for a better setting and a larger menu.

Western and International Food

Close to the intersection to Tham Phang beach, Pan and David Restaurant (open every day from 10:30am to 22:30pm) is the place we would chose to eat if we stayed only one night on Si Chang. Along with a good selection of great seafood (the garlic squid and the crispy tuna steak are unforgettable), they have a few options of European dishes, steaks and burgers for those who had enough of fish. Everything is delicious and make sure you leave enough space for a slice of their homemade cheesecake or a scoop of their ice-cream (homemade as well). To crown it all, Pan and David have the best wine list on the island, a beautiful garden, English speaking staff and lovely owners. Expect to pay around THB200 for a main course.

Dinner with a View

For a dinner with a sunset view head to Tham Phang beach where a couple of low-key restaurants offer the same fresh seafood you can find anywhere else on the island just a bit pricier because of the location.