10 Best Local Thai Food to Try in Koh Samui

Thai noodle soup is a popular and versatile dish that can be found throughout Thailand. This delicious soup is made of vegetables, chicken, beef or pork broth and served with a choice of beef, chicken, pork or seafood. You can usually choose the shape and size of your noodles from wide flat, small wiry or medium flat. You can then add dry chili, white vinegar or other condiments to spice it up as it’s usually served without much seasoning.

Thai noodle soup is a satisfying meal that can be enjoyed any time of day. It is also a great way to experience the diverse flavours of Thai cuisine. It’s typically eaten with chopsticks and a spoon.

Papaya salad (Som tam) is a tasty cold dish originally from Isaan, in northeast Thailand, but it has spread right across the country. It includes shredded green papaya, garlic, tomato, yardlong bean, peanuts and chili. Preserved crab is often added to it. 

Papaya salad is usually served with barbecued chicken or fish, and with khao niao (sticky rice). An excellent variant with shredded carrots instead of papaya is also available in most restaurants and street food stalls. Just ask the staff or vendor for this exciting combination.

One the dishes most Thailand visitors fall in love with at first bite is phat thai. These hearty, stir-fried noodles are seasoned with fish sauce, lime, red chili pepper, sugar and tamarind. Often eggs, dried fish, tofu and bean sprouts are added to the mix before the whole thing is served with shrimp, chicken or pork.

There are many variations of phat thai, but the basic ingredients and cooking method remain the same. Phat thai is typically served with a side of lime wedges, roasted peanuts and chili flakes. 

Originally from Indonesia, satay is a broiled or barbecued chicken, beef, pork or occasionally fish skewer dish served with a peanut sauce. The sauce is made from peanuts, chili peppers, garlic and sugar and it’s thick and creamy and has a slightly sweet and spicy flavour. Before being broiled, the meat is marinated in turmeric, which gives its distinctive yellow color.

Delicious and easy to eat, this popular snack can be found at roadside stands all around Samui. In restaurants, satay is often served as an appetizer or starter, but it can also be enjoyed as a main course.

Kanom jeen (often spelled "khanom chin") are crisp, thin rice noodles served with a spicy green or yellow curry, as well as boiled eggs and fresh or pickled vegetables, or fresh herbs. This tasty traditional dish can also be served with papaya salad instead of sticky rice.

It’s part of the fun seeing a street food vendor cook these wispy noodles and observe how they just quickly whisk them around in a pan filled with in oil. It only takes a few seconds for them to be cooked and ready to eat.

Yellow chicken rice (khao mok kai) is originally from Malaysia and is served with fried shallots, sliced cucumber and a small bowl of clear soup. The yellow color of the rice is made by boiling it with a mix of onions, oil, turmeric and garlic powder. 

The chicken is marinated with curry powder, turmeric, cumin, cilantro and chili powder. This combination makes it an extremely flavoursome dish. Khao mok kai is typically a southern Thai Muslim dish that gained popularity around the country.

Barbecued meat, fish, or seafood skewers are a classic of street food in Thailand. Usually made of chicken breast, entire small squid, sausages or slices of pork, they’re cheap, although you'll often ask for more than just one skewer. They’re easy to enjoy while walking around a night market.

Some street food stalls have all vegan options on offer as well. You’d typically see cut-up roasted vegetables on skewers, sometimes even pieces of pineapple or papaya dotted in between chunks of cherry tomatoes, bamboo shoots or eggplant.

Chicken rice (khao man kai) is a classic of Thai cuisine that originated from Hainan province in southern China. The chicken is usually poached or steamed until tender and juicy. It's often served sliced, with or without the skin. The rice is cooked in chicken broth, infused with ginger, garlic and sometimes pandan leaves for a fragrant and flavourful base.

The dipping sauce is the star of this dish It's a savoury and spicy blend of fermented soybean paste, ginger, garlic, chilies, vinegar and soy sauce. Fresh cucumber slices and cilantro sprigs add a refreshing touch. Sometimes, a side of chicken broth is served as well.

Thai pancakes (roti) is a sweet treat, a flatbread originated in India and is one of the most popular snacks among locals and visitors alike. It's a thin, crispy pancake that's pan-fried and typically topped with sweetened condensed milk, banana, chocolate sauce or jelly. This goodie can be eaten at any time of the day.

Vendors have a unique way of preparing roti. They stretch the dough incredibly thin, often twirling and slapping it in the air before laying it on a hot griddle. Don't be afraid to ask for your favorite filling or topping combination. 

You’ll find cocktail stalls in night markets and in pedestrian zones around Koh Samui. You can usually get any well-known drink from a mojito to a Tequila Sunrise to go and sip on your cocktail while you continue shopping or sightseeing.

Street cocktails are usually served in plastic cups, but if you’re traveling with your own cup or mug, you can ask the bartender to pour the cocktail in that. Despite their low price, these street cocktails are often as good and as potent as the more expensive mixed beverages served in trendy bars.