Restaurants
Ten restaurants we have checked on the island: beach seafood shacks from about 200 THB a dish, French bistros, and tasting menus above 3,000 THB.
Best for
3 situations, 9 picks
Every place
10 checked, none ranked
Where you eat on Samui depends mostly on where you sleep. Lamai and Hua Thanon in the south hold the seafood houses with live tanks, Chaweng has Thai kitchens and one treehouse tasting room, Bophut has Fisherman's Village, and Choeng Mon in the north-east has the hotel restaurants. Most of the island is 20 to 40 minutes apart by car or taxi.
Maenam About 15 km from ChawengAbout 24 km from LamaiAbout 11 km from BophutAbout 7 km from Maenam
Michelin-listed beach shack on the Maenam-Bang Po coast, grilled fish from about 350 THB, open daily.
Bophut About 5 km from ChawengAbout 14 km from LamaiAbout 1 km from BophutAbout 5 km from Maenam
Small French set-menu room at Fisherman's Village, 4-5 courses from 1,475 THB, phone booking only.
Choeng Mon About 9 km from ChawengAbout 18 km from LamaiAbout 7 km from BophutAbout 11 km from Maenam
Michelin-listed beachfront seafood at Kimpton Kitalay in Choeng Mon, open daily from noon.
Choeng Mon About 10 km from ChawengAbout 19 km from LamaiAbout 8 km from BophutAbout 12 km from Maenam
David Thompson's Southern Thai kitchen on Cape Fahn's private island, Michelin-listed, dinner only.
Chaweng About 5 km from ChawengAbout 14 km from LamaiAbout 8 km from BophutAbout 12 km from Maenam
Eight pods in a rain tree at Anantara Lawana, 8-course tasting menus from 3,200 THB.
Chaweng About 3 km from ChawengAbout 12 km from LamaiAbout 6 km from BophutAbout 10 km from Maenam
Cook-to-order Thai on Chaweng Beach Road, no MSG, open from 15:00, closed Wednesday.
Lamai About 6 km from ChawengAbout 4 km from LamaiAbout 10 km from BophutAbout 14 km from Maenam
Mediterranean cooking on a clifftop terrace between Chaweng and Lamai, open since 2004.
Lamai About 11 km from ChawengAbout 2 km from LamaiAbout 15 km from BophutAbout 19 km from Maenam
French bistro on Lamai Beach, steak frites, free sun loungers, open daily 08:30-18:00.
Lamai About 12 km from ChawengAbout 2 km from LamaiAbout 16 km from BophutAbout 20 km from Maenam
Lamai seafood with live tanks near Hin Ta Hin Yai, from about 300 THB, closed Sunday on some listings.
Hua Thanon About 13 km from ChawengAbout 3 km from LamaiAbout 17 km from BophutAbout 21 km from Maenam
Michelin Bib Gourmand seafood on the Hua Thanon coast, dishes from about 200 THB, open daily.
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Before you go
Prices by style · Booking and opening hours · Getting around
Numbers match the map
Beach seafood shacks run about 6 to 10 USD (200 to 350 THB) a dish. French bistros sit near 7 USD and up. Tasting menus start around 42 USD (1,475 THB) and reach 91 USD (3,200 THB) and more.
10 of 10 publish hours. Chez François: closed Mon, Sun; Long Dtai: closed Wed; Khaw Glong Thai: closed Wed; Sabienglae Restaurant: closed Sun.
Chez François takes bookings by phone only. Tasting rooms such as Tree Tops and Long Dtai serve evenings only. Khaw Glong is closed on Wednesday. Sabienglae hours differ between listings, so call ahead.
3-15km from Chaweng
Nearest: Khaw Glong Thai. Farthest: Bang Por Seafood Takho, about 15 km by the ring road.
Restaurants sit 20 to 40 minutes apart by car. Hua Thanon and Lamai are close together in the south, Bophut and Maenam in the north. Plan one area per evening and book a return taxi for remote spots.
There is no starred restaurant on the island. The Michelin Guide lists 13 places (3 Bib Gourmand, 10 Selected). Bang Po, Krua Chao Baan, Long Dtai and FishHouse are in our list. Listings change yearly.
Read next
Same island, other angles
FAQ
Questions
No. No restaurant on Samui holds a Michelin star. The Michelin Guide lists 13 island restaurants, 3 with a Bib Gourmand and 10 Selected. Krua Chao Baan is a Bib Gourmand; Bang Po Seafood, Long Dtai and FishHouse are Michelin-listed.
It depends on where you sit. A seafood shack dish costs about 6 to 10 USD (200 to 350 THB). Hotel restaurants and tasting menus cost 40 to 90 USD or more per person. Mixing both keeps a week's food budget sensible.
Fresh seafood, grilled or steamed, and southern Thai curries. The south coast around Lamai and Hua Thanon has the live-tank seafood houses. Our local dishes guide covers coconut-heavy island cooking in more detail.
Neither wins outright. Lamai has beachfront seafood and a French bistro on the sand. Chaweng has more Thai kitchens and a treehouse tasting menu. Pick by where you stay, as the two are about 15 to 25 minutes apart.
For tasting menus and phone-only rooms such as Chez François, yes. Beach seafood shacks usually take walk-ins. Book ahead for evenings between December and March, and for any table with a sunset view.
