Restaurants in Lower Southern Gulf
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Chopper's Bar & Grill
So popular that it's become a local landmark, Chopper's is a two-storey hang-out where divers and travellers can widen their beer belly. There's live music, sports on the big-screen TVs, billiards and a cinema room. Friday nights are particularly popular; the drinks are 'two for one', and dishes are half-priced as well. Cheers for scored goals are interspersed with exaggerated chatter about creatures seen on the day's dive.
reviewed
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Dining On The Rocks
Samui's ultimate dining experience takes place on nine cantilevered verandahs of weathered teak and bamboo that yawn over the gulf. After sunset (and a glass of wine), guests feel like they're dining on a wooden barge set adrift on a starlit sea. Each dish on the six-course prix-fixe menu is the brainchild of the experimental cooks who regularly experiment with taste, texture and temperature. If you're celebrating a special occasion, you'll have to book well in advance if you want to sit at 'table 99' – the honeymooners' table – positioned on a private terrace. Dining On The Rocks is located at the isolated Six Senses Samui.
reviewed
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Café Corner
Prime real estate, mod furnishings, and tasty iced coffees have made Café Corner a Sairee staple over the last few years. Swing by at 5pm to stock up for tomorrow morning's breakfast; the scrumptious baked breads are buy-one-get-one-free before being tossed at sunset.
reviewed
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Papa's Tapas
Another member of Ko Tao's new designer diner army, this swish set-up takes a stab at nouveau cuisine with sample-sized platters. Those with a big wallet (and a little foresight) can order the Chef's Special - a menu of unique dishes that requires 24 hours to procure and prepare. Reservation recommended.
reviewed
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Maew Hot Pan BBQ
The island’s best do-it-yourself dinner joint, Maew is an all-you-can-eat affair where diners cook their meats, veggies and quail eggs (a local fave) over a gurgling hot pot. Maew can be easy to miss; it is located on the ocean side of Ban Tai’s main road near the 7-Eleven.
reviewed
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Twins Restaurant
Don’t let the frump factor deter you from this eager-to-please Thai restaurant. The food-phobic Europeans get plenty of hand-holding, but the food-flexible can get fresh and fabulous Thai meals in an oh-so pretty setting.
reviewed
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GM Pub
GM has a good mix of locals and fa·ràng English teachers who return time and time again for the mellow atmosphere, tasty international menu, and wide selection of beer and cocktails.
reviewed
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Night Market
Head to the Night Market for fried, steamed, grilled or sautéed delicacies - don't forget to try the crunchy insects, we hear they're a great source of protein.
reviewed
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Kai Tod Daycha
Hat Yai–style fried chicken is a dish known across Thailand, and locals claim that Daycha does it best. Enjoy your spicy bird over fragrant yellow rice.
reviewed
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ZanziBar
The island's outpost of sandwich yuppie-dom slathers a mix of unpronounceable condiments betwixt two slices of wholegrain bread.
reviewed
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Night Market
A variety of food vendors convenes at the Night Market.
reviewed
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Five Islands
Five Islands defines the term 'destination dining' and offers the most unique eating experience on the island. Before your meal, a traditional longtail boat will take you out into the turquoise sea to visit the haunting Five Sister Islands where you'll learn about the ancient and little-known art of harvesting bird nests to make bird's-nest soup, a Chinese delicacy. This perilous task is rewarded with large sums of cash – a kilo of nests is usually sold for 100,000B to restaurants in Hong Kong (yup, that's five zeros). The lunch tour departs around 10am, and the dinner program leaves around 3pm. Customers are also welcome to dine without going on the tour and vice…
reviewed
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Sabeinglae
‘Everything there is delicious, ’ said our cab driver as he dropped us off. And indeed this rustic seafood shack, known for its Samui cuisine, delivered a table full of intensely delicious creations, like wai kôo·a (a coconut milk curry with octopus), yam tá-lair sà·mŭi (a zesty local-style salad) and a seaweed dish whose name has been forgotten. The Samui dishes appear in the menu in Thai only, so ask your server for recommendations. It’s south of Hin Ta Hin Yai.
reviewed
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Hua Thanon Market
Slip into the rhythm of this village market slightly south of Lamai; a window into the food ways of southern Thailand. Vendors shoo away the flies from the freshly butchered meat and housewives load bundles of vegetables into their baby-filled motorcycle baskets. Follow the market road to the row of food shops delivering edible Muslim culture: chicken biryani, fiery curries or toasted rice with coconut, bean sprouts, lemongrass and dried shrimp.
reviewed
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Night Market
A heady mix of steam and snacking locals, Thong Sala's night market is a must for those looking for a dose of culture while nibbling on a low-priced snack. The best place to grab some cheap grub is the stall in the far right corner with a large white banner. Hit up the vendor next door for tasty seafood platters, such as red snapper served over a bed of thick noodles. Banana pancakes and fruit smoothies abound for dessert.
reviewed
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Café Aux Amis
Usually a high-powered view like this – stretching from Ko Matlang to the tip of Chaweng Noi – should cost a lot more, but Café Aux Amis is friendly to small spenders. The open-air restaurant is casual chic with a menu that expertly, but unpretentiously, fuses French and Thai cuisine. Enjoy the poisson avec trois sauces (basically Thai-style grilled fish with a French accent) and creamy gratin dauphinois.
reviewed
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Krua Bang Po
One of a string of seafood huts clustered together, Krua Bang Po fills the beachside bamboo tables with such local dishes as nám prík pŏw (a kind of chili paste) served on a coconut shell and hèt lúp pàt pèt (a stir-fried dish containing sea anemone), yam săh·rài kôr (seaweed salad) and Ъoo ním (deep-fried soft-shell crab mixed with cashews, garlic and pepper).
reviewed
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Whitening
Although it looks like a pile of forgotten driftwood during the day, this beachy spot falls somewhere between being a restaurant and being a chic seaside bar – foodies will appreciate the tasty twists on indigenous and international dishes while beertotalers will love the beachy, bleached-white atmosphere that hums with gentle lounge music. Dine amid dangling white Christmas lights while keeping your bare feet tucked into the sand. This is the top spot on the island for a celebratory dinner. And the best part? It's comparatively easy on the wallet.
reviewed
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Zazen Restaurant
Bathed in the music of the ocean and the soft red glow of lanterns, romantic Zazen has created a sophisticated setting for Samui’s gastronomic visitors. The menu is a global scrapbook of dishes, totalling close to 100 items and drawing from every imaginable world cuisine. Take your time in reading through the tome or surrender to the discovery menus that make the choices for you.
reviewed
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Pee Soon
Far from pretty but decidedly delicious, Pee Soon specialises in seafood barbecues for Samui residents. The ice tray in front shows off the day’s catch and the cacophonous kitchen at the back fills the tables with a delicate balance of sweet, spicy and sour side dishes, such as green curry, garlic-pepper squid and the house speciality, clams stir-fried with chilli paste.
reviewed
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Ran Kuaytiaw Leuk Lap
Looking like the ‘Cousin It’ of noodle shops, Mystery Noodles is shielded from the road by a curtain of greenery. Duck inside to find a few busy tables filled with Thai hotel workers and steaming bowls of đôm yam mŏo (pork noodles in a spicy broth). Another local favourite are the meaty lôok chín (pork balls) that taste like generic hot dogs to us.
reviewed
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Smile House
Of all the barbecue-on-the-beach spots, Smile House has the homeliest setting, just west of Fisherman’s Village. It is overstaffed, meaning someone has time to entertain the kids. And in the old-fashioned Thai tradition, the crowd is serenaded with easy listening tunes by the ajahn (teacher) and his electronic keyboard. Hardly chic, but endearingly corny.
reviewed
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E-san Inter
If you've never had sôm·đam tai (spicy papaya salad), here's the perfect place to start. The matronly owner caters each serving to meet her customer's tastes - ask for four chillies if you're feeling really adventurous (which is still milder than the original Thai recipe). Try the recommended side order of sticky rice and BBQ chicken.
reviewed
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Page
If you can't afford to stay at the ultra-swanky Library, have a meal at its beachside restaurant. The food is expensive (of course) but you'll receive glances from the beach bums on the beach as they try to figure out if you're a jetsetter or movie star. Lunch is a bit more casual and affordable, but you'll miss the designer lighting effects in the evening.
reviewed
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Kokomiko
Don’t let the ringside location beside the Ring Rd scare you off. Kokomiko is a lot like dinner at a friend’s house, if the friend is a professional cook. This is better-than home cooking with homey hospitality. Try the pepper steak, which is toothy Thai beef bathed in a signature coconut milk and peppercorn sauce. Come before 7pm to get a seat.
reviewed