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Your Local Guide to the 10 Phuket Restaurants with the Best Pad Thai [+ Why We Love Them!]
Ready to explore Phuket’s vibrant food scene? You’re in for a treat because Phuket isn’t just about its beautiful beaches! When talking about pad Thai, this island holds up its end.
But then again, finding the real deal can be a challenge, and most restaurants will also tell you they serve the best pad Thai. The only way to know is to try them all, which isn’t realistic if you’re only there for a few days (and without unlimited budget).
Well, good thing we already did our due diligence to track down the top pad Thai spots in town. So, let’s cut to the chase as we give you our definitive list of places for the best pad Thai in Phuket so you can have a serving soon. Let’s get started!
The Pad Thai Shop
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Address: 12/3 Patak Road, Karon Subdistrict
Operating Hours: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Monday – Saturday)
Contact Number: +66 63 521 1170
Pricing: ฿
The Pad Thai Shop is arguably the most popular pad Thai place in Phuket. This unpretentious roadside eatery serves three kinds of proteins with their pad thai: chicken, prawns, and egg.
You can also upgrade your pad Thai with side dishes or toppings like fried rice, fried egg, beef balls, and chicken balls. They also offer a larger serving of their standard pad Thai for an extra 30 baht which is great for tourists with bigger appetites.
Plus, you can customize your pad Thai with four types of noodles. Think thick rice noodles, yellow egg noodles, fine rice noodles, and mee mama noodles.
Pro Tip:
The Pad Thai Shop is usually packed with tourists and locals so be sure to visit early if you don’t like waiting in line. Parking is also limited to the side of the road, so you’ll have better chances of securing a spot the earlier you visit.
Also, this place doesn’t accept reservations and is cash-only.
Pad Thai Phanhin
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Address: 432, 434 Phuket Road, Talat Yai
Operating Hours: 11:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. (Monday – Saturday)
Contact Number: +66 81 691 2015
Pricing: ฿
Pad Thai Phanhin is well-known for offering the most diverse selection of pad Thai in Phuket. This small roadside restaurant serves nine varieties of this iconic dish, from shrimp pad Thai to chicken pad Thai, seafood pad Thai, pork pad Thai, and more
They also serve a healthy noodle-free version packed with julienned vegetables which health-conscious or vegan customers will appreciate. In fact, you can also have it with their wide selection of juices made from fresh fruits and flowers for a nutrient-rich meal.
Their menu also includes standard and premium portions so they have options for customers of all budget levels. Moreover, each serving comes with a plate of bean sprouts, scallions, and a lime wedge.
Pro Tip:
This restaurant is on a narrow road with no proper parking space, so it might not be your best option if you’re planning to drive a car. Pad Thai Phanhin also doesn’t accept card payments and reservations.
1000009 Thai Noodle Restaurant Phuket
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Address: 37, 30 Montri Road, Talat Yai
Operating Hours: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m. (Monday – Sunday)
Contact Number: +66 92 918 8218
Pricing: ฿฿
1000009 Thai Noodle Restaurant Phuket is a popular noodle restaurant just southeast of the old town. Its specialized noodle menu includes five varieties of authentic-tasting pad Thai dishes.
Think shrimp, beef, chicken, pork, and vegetable pad Thai. However, keep in mind that their version is not too dry compared to traditional pad Thai, so it might not be the best option for people who prefer a drier noodle texture.
They also have numerous side dishes that pair nicely with pad Thai, from BBQ pork skewers, chicken satay, grilled meatballs, vegetable spring rolls, and more
Pro Tip:
There are only 2twodesignated streetside parking spots in front of 1000009 Thai Noodle Restaurant Phuket so we recommend visiting early if you have a car with you. Otherwise, you might need to park in front of other nearby establishments.
Padthai Phuket
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Address: E Chofah Road, Talat Nuea Subdistrict
Operating Hours: 5 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. (Thursday – Tuesday)
Contact Number: +66 65 384 9192
Pricing: ฿฿
Padthai Phuket is a charming restaurant in the southeast end of Rama IX Park, so it’s a convenient place to go for pad Thai after sightseeing in this part of Phuket. It has a vintage industrial-style interior and tropical-themed rustic furnishings.
The highlights of its diverse Thai and Western-style menu are its signature pad Thai dishes with chicken, pork, or shrimp. Their chicken pad Thai, in particular, is a solid pick because they top it with a sizable chicken fillet and egg omelet.
Otherwise, you can opt for a massive serving with all three protein options included. They also serve their pad Thai dishes along with nachos, Thai chili, bean sprouts, crushed peanuts, and more.
Pro Tip:
Padthai Phuket takes reservations but you can only pay with cash. For the best experience, we also recommend picking the lone table at the small raised platform inside the restaurant.
It’s separated from the other tables via a handrail and a small staircase for a more intimate atmosphere. You also get a superb view of Rama IX Park.
One Chun Cafe & Restaurant
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Address: 48/1 Thep Krasattri Road, Talat Yai
Operating Hours: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. (Monday – Sunday)
Contact Number: +66 76 355 909
Pricing: ฿฿฿
One Chun Cafe & Restaurant is one of the more popular authentic Thai restaurants in Phuket Old Town. It’s best known for its colonial-style building, rustic interior, and vintage furnishings which perfectly capture the town’s charming atmosphere.
Though pricey, this restaurant also serves some of the best-quality pad Thais in Phuket. They serve this iconic dish in two varieties: prawn and vegetable pad Thai.
Their pad Thai portions are quite small for their price but they make up for it when it comes to the taste and freshness. This restaurant received a Michelin Bib Gourmand from 2019 to 2024 for a reason.
Pro Tip:
This place is usually packed so remember to book a reservation. If you’re driving a car, be sure to plan where you’ll be parking as well because there are only a few streetside parking slots in front of One Chun Cafe & Restaurant.
Oh, and bring cash because this restaurant is cash-only.
Blue Elephant Phuket Cooking School & Restaurant
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Address: 96 Krabi Road, Talat Nuea
Operating Hours: 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. (Monday – Sunday)
Contact Number: +66 76 354 355
Pricing: ฿฿฿
Blue Elephant Phuket Cooking School & Restaurant is a fine-dining restaurant with elegant Sino-Portuguese architecture and chic traditional-style interiors. This place is known for its Peranakan menu which is a recreation of Phuketian culture.
This includes their unique pad Thai dishes with tofu or tiger prawns. These versions are traditional-style because they use Chanthaburi rice noodles, ground roasted peanuts, and tamarind to recreate the textures and flavors the classic pad Thai is known for.
They also have a cooking school in case you like to learn how to make pad Thai. This dish is part of their weekly cooking class program but it’s only taught every Thursday.
Pro Tip:
Blue Elephant has plenty of free parking spaces but it requires a reservation so be sure to book ahead of time if you plan to dine there.
Kopitiam by Wilai
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Address: 18 Thalang Road, Talat Yai
Operating Hours: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. (Monday – Saturday)
Contact Number: +66 81 895 4278
Pricing: ฿฿
Kopitiam by Wilai is a well-known old-town coffee shop that also serves some of the best pad Thais in Phuket. It specializes in original-style pad Thai so their version ticks all the boxes when it comes to flavor.
Think sweet, spicy, sour, salty, and umami. You can have their pad Thai with shrimp or chicken but they also have a healthier and budget-friendly vegetarian version.
Plus, you can enjoy this iconic dish with its wide selection of drinks and desserts, from coffees to ice creams, teas, and more.
Pro Tip:
The coffee shop’s limited streetside parking space is serviceable for motorbikes but it’s inconvenient for cars because Thalang Road is on the narrower side.
It’s also one of the more popular cafes in town, so try to come by early because it’s always packed.
Phad Thai Boran
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Address: Bangkok Road, Talat Nuea Subdistrict
Operating Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. (Monday – Saturday)
Pricing: ฿
Phad Thai Boran is a cozy streetside restaurant frequented for its traditional-style pad Thai dishes. Their specialty is the original decade-old pad Thai recipe that uses Chanthaburi rice noodles, dried shrimp, and tamarind.
They also offer topping options like crispy pork rind, omelet, fried egg, and deep-fried crab meat roll. Don’t worry, this place also serves the contemporary version of pad Thai with flat rice noodles, fresh shrimp, eggs, tofu, etc.
In fact, they also have a special version that combines fresh and sun-dried shrimps. Their pad Thais come with a small plate filled with bean sprouts, scallions, and cucumber slices.
Pro Tip:
Phad Thai Boran is cash-only and doesn’t take reservations. Parking is also inconvenient, so it’s not the best option if you’re driving a car.
Pad Thai Pra Tu Mhee
Address: 248 Moo 5, Yaowarad Road, Talat Yai Subdistrict
Operating Hours: 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. (Monday – Sunday)
Contact Number: +66 95 287 9323
Pricing: ฿
Pad Thai Pra Tu Mhee is a popular pad Thai spot in Phuket. It offers a wide range of pad Thai dishes served with different proteins, from crispy fried pork to Chinese red pork, squid, mixed seafood, and more.
However, this place is best known for its signature pad Thai giant shrimps. It’s a seafood pad Thai dish with tofu, a giant grilled river prawn, and nam jim dipping sauce.
They also include a small plate with bean sprouts, scallions, basil leaves, and a lime wedge.
Pro Tip:
This restaurant has a small dining area so we recommend booking a reservation to secure a table for your visit. Be sure to bring sufficient cash as well because Pad Thai Pra Tu Mhee doesn’t take card payments.
The Charm Dining Gallery
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Address: 93 Dibuk Road, Tambon Talat Nuea
Operating Hours: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. (Thursday – Tuesday)
Contact Number: +66 76 530 199
Pricing: ฿฿฿
The Charm Dining Gallery is a well-known Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant in Phuket Old Town. It has a chic Sino-Portuguese building, traditional-style interiors, and vintage Thai-Chinese furnishings.
This restaurant specializes in Phuket-style Thai dishes including their signature pad Thai goong which they make using thin rice noodles. They also serve it with a side of scallions, crushed peanuts, bean sprouts, and a lime wedge.
Their pad Thai’s portion is slightly bigger than other restaurants but it’s also on the pricier side.
Pro Tip:
There are free streetside parking slots in front of The Charm Dining Gallery but it’s difficult to find an open space so we suggest arriving before the restaurant opens. You can also book a reservation ahead of time to secure a table.
