Places to Eat in Rayong

Although Rayong is not popular with foreign visitors, this has not affected the culinary scene, which boasts a variety of cuisines including Korean, Indian, German and American. Rayong is also famous for its delicious seafood and tropical fruit, so despite there not being many tourist attractions here, you can spend your time sampling lots of great food! If you decide to skip the town itself, and just head to the coast, there are some good restaurants at the more developed beaches (Mae Rumphueng, Suan Son and Mae Phim), and most of the resorts have their own restaurants or cafes too.

Western and International Food

Starting with the international scene, your first stop should definitely be Yurak Rayong (17/7 Khlonhkhut Rd), a traditional Korean restaurant that serves a good variety of dishes. If you’ve never had Korean food before, this is the perfect opportunity, and I would list it as one of our favourite cuisines! There’s something to suit everyone, from barbequed meats to kimchi (spiced cabbage) stews.

Alternatively, you can enjoy some German comfort food and some imported beers at the German Bierhaus (Rajbamrung Soi 6 Rd). The food is authentic (as is the beer!) and they also offer a good variety of Thai dishes, pasta and pizza.

Close by to the Bierhaus, there are several nice cafes, Cake House and Happy Camper (109 Rajbamrung Rd), which are the best places to get coffee, cake and other sweet treats. There’s also Odile Steak House (Choeng Noen) for more Western food, and meat lovers will be impressed by the quality of their steaks.

Finally, if you love spicy food and curries, there’s an Indian restaurant a bit further out of town called Spices (Thanon Sukhumvit 38). As with anywhere in Thailand, international cuisine costs more than local food, so the above are probably not suitable choices if you are on a budget.

Local Food

Of course, if you are visiting Thailand it’s likely you want to try the local cuisine, and Rayong has plenty of Thai restaurants to choose from. The best venues are those that are popular with the locals, such as Naidol Makham Thao (16 Khlong Khut, off Sukhumvit Road), which is very centrally located too. The food is well priced, and the menu has an excellent selection of Thai dishes, including everyone’s favourite, tom yum soup.

Or, if you want to eat somewhere a bit trendier, you should try Terra Cotta (109 Moo 2). In addition to delicious Thai food, they also prepare their own mouthwatering selection of cakes and pastries, perfect for an after lunch or dinner treat.

Seafood

If you aren’t going to the coast, but looking to try some seafood, Laem Cha Reon (Riepjaifang Rd) is right by the waterfront, but very close to the town. The restaurant has a huge terrace overlooking the ocean, and guests can enjoy a wide range of dishes, from fresh crab to deep fried seabass.

That said, the coast is where to go for the freshest and most delicious seafood, and there are plenty of restaurants to choose from. The more developed areas of Mae Rumphueng, Ban Phe (Suan Son beach) and Mae Phim also have several Western style restaurants too.

Around Mae Rumphueng Beach

At Mae Rumphueng beach, it’s essential that you visit the famous Tamnanpar Restaurant (167/6 Moo 7 Sukhumvit Rd), aka The Classic Forest Restaurant, where visitors can enjoy a jungle setting, complete with streams, tropical flowers, and even a small water park. The food is quite good, but most people visit for the ambience and to enjoy some beautiful nature whilst they dine. Several times it was voted the best local restaurant in Thailand and if you can, do pay them a visit. Prices are surprisingly acceptable, so there is no reason not to go.

For Western food, Mae Rumphueng is also home to Pizza Sofia (Hat Mae Rumphueng Rd), which serves good quality thin-crust pizza. It’s possible to get take-away here, so you can take it to the beach which is just across the road!

Around Ban Phe Town

In Ban Phe town, which is where to go to catch the ferry to Koh Samet and a good base for Suan Son beach, there are plenty of restaurants to choose from. There are several good seafood restaurants with views over the ocean; Talay Rayong is reasonably priced, whilst Baan Rabeang Mai is a bit pricier but closer to the water (both just west of Seree Pier).

Suan Son beach has lots of smaller seafood restaurants too. Ban Phe also has a handful of cheap Thai eateries serving pad thai and kaprao gai, close to Nuan Thip and Phe Pier.

For Western food, the best spots are either Christie’s (280/92 Liap Chai Fang Rd) or O’Leary’s (157/8 Moo 2), both of which serve various comfort food dishes, plus a good selection of cocktails and wine.

Laem Mae Phim

Further east at Laem Mae Phim beach, there are lots of seafood eateries and a couple of Western-style restaurants too. Tequila Sunrise (opposite Pimpimarn Beach Hotel, Laem Mae Phim Beach Road) has gorgeous views of the ocean, and serves both Western and Thai dishes. They also have a good cocktail selection, and the bar often has live acoustic music. Alternatively, you can head to Villa Bali (308 Moo 3 Tambon Kram) for some delicious wood-fired pizzas, live music and great atmosphere.