15 Best Restaurants in Mai Khao Beach

Andaman Grill Steak & Seafood Phuket blends traditional Thai surroundings with the vibe of a modern American steakhouse. The flagship restaurant of JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa offers a wide range of fresh seafood and imported steak served with an assortment of sauces. A popular pick for date nights and anniversaries in Phuket, it's illuminated with soft lighting in the evenings. Book a table at its open-air wooden pavilion for views of Mai Khao Beach.

The northern end of Mai Khao Beach has around 10 bamboo-and-thatch restaurants serving Thai-style seafood dishes. You can find them on Route 402, which runs for about 700 metres near Sarasin Bridge. Standouts include Jakkajan Seafood and Pla Pao. Prices for certain meals are based on the weight of the seafood, especially barbecued dishes – make sure to check before ordering.

Black Ginger at The Slate Phuket Resort occupies a small island in the middle of a lagoon in Mai Khao. You can only get there on a small barge, which takes you across the flame-lit waters to the main venue. The restaurant specialises in Thai dishes with a modern twist, using organic produce sourced from its own garden. Specialities include som tam, tom yum and the southern-style yellow fish curry.

Bill Bentley Pub at Turtle Village is a cosy place to dine and hang out in Mai Khao. Drinks include a wide range of draught and bottled beers, while its menu consists of pub grub, soups and stews, burgers, sandwiches, and classic Thai dishes.

This wooden-panelled bar has plenty of booth seating with leather finishing, along with an imported pool table, shuffleboard, large screens showing live sports, and good old classic tunes on the sound system. Happy hour runs every day from 4pm to 7pm.

Ginja Taste at JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa serves Royal Thai cuisine in a traditional yet air-conditioned wooden Thai sala. The impressive teak ceiling and sturdy pillars will make you feel as if you're dining in an open-air pavilion. Book a window seat to enjoy lovely sunset vistas of Mai Khao Beach. If you prefer to feel the ocean breeze, Ginja Taste has an alfresco terrace close to the beach.

Kabuki at JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa serves authentic Japanese cuisine. This stylish restaurant is run by Executive Chef Millist, who takes pride in serving classic Japanese dishes using top-notch ingredients. You can enjoy teppanyaki-style dishes, sushi, and sashimi, along with imported sake, Japanese-inspired cocktails, and wines. Kabuki also hosts a Japanese brunch on Sundays from 11am to 4pm.

Kin Dee Restaurant is a family-run eatery near Sarasin Bridge in Mai Khao. There are 12 bamboo-and-wood tables in its open-sided dining area, where you can enjoy views of an adjacent mangrove forest. The restaurant's unique and hidden-away feel attracts those looking to enjoy genuine Thai food in a beautiful setting. Standout dishes include Thai calamari with garlic pepper sauce, tom yum goong (spicy shrimp soup), and duck in a passionfruit sauce.

Cucina at JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa is an award-winning Italian restaurant with a definite slant on down-home, genuine countryside cuisine. Resembling a cosy Italian trattoria, it has an open kitchen where a team of skilled chefs prepare traditional antipasti, salads, homemade pasta, and wood-fired pizzas. Standouts include the spaghetti con polpette alla Siciliana (Sicilian-style spaghetti with beef meatballs), pizza Regina, and burrata (with locally grown cherry tomatoes and shallot).

Micky Monkey Beach is part of a resort of the same name, located on Mai Khao's beachfront. You can find dozens of rustic yet comfortable bungalows surrounding the bamboo-and-thatch seafood restaurant. The menu is very extensive, ranging from hamburgers, club sandwiches and salads to sashimi, sushi and Thai-style seafood dishes. There's a terrace with several seats in front of the restaurant, which offers an excellent sundowner spot in Mai Khao.

Pesto Restaurant at the Holiday Inn Resort on Mai Khao Beach serves traditional Italian and international cuisine, as well as Thai-style seafood dishes. The alfresco restaurant enjoys a beachfront location in Mai Khao, offering a casual seaside dining experience with hearty Italian dishes. Must-tries include the carbonara and chicken panini, followed with upside-down cake or crème brulée for dessert.

SALA Restaurant at SALA Phuket Mai Khao Beach Resort is a beachfront eatery adjacent to the resort pools. You have the option to have your meals in an air-conditioned room or dine alfresco on the rooftop (between November and May). Helmed by Executive Chef Davide, the menu includes fresh seafood, Mediterranean and Thai dishes. Prices are on the expensive side, but SALA Restaurant is excellent for those who want a romantic dining experience in Mai Khao.

Seaside Cottages & Restaurant is a family-run establishment on a rather pretty part of Mai Khao's beachfront. The restaurant is very basic but offers home-cooked Thai cuisine, fresh seafood, and international dishes at reasonable prices. Must-tries at Seaside Cottages include the som tam (green papaya salad), pad Thai, bangers & mash, grilled king prawns, and fish & chips.

Sea.Fire.Salt at Anantara Phuket specialises in seafood cuisine with excellent views of Mai Khao Beach. It’s the kind of place where you'll need to dress in your best for lunch or dinner. Some of Sea.Fire.Salt's most popular dishes are the seafood chowder and Wagyu tomahawk. If you want a bit of everything, try the Asian tasting plate, which comes with sesame prawn toast, spring rolls, tempura prawns, Thai salad, lemongrass seafood stick, pandan leaf chicken, and dipping sauces.

Siam Deli at JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa is a café-style dining venue offering made-to-order gourmet sandwiches, salads, cakes, pastries, and desserts. Loaves of bread are freshly baked every day – there's a blackboard announcing when the next batch will come out of the oven. Located on the ground floor, Siam Deli has indoor and outdoor dining areas for you to enjoy its light snacks, speciality coffees or teas, and fresh fruit juices.

Takieng at Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa serves a variety of Thai cuisine in a classy lounge setting. Some of its most popular dishes are ho mok talay (fish cake with curry), pad Thai with shrimp, and pla sam rod (crispy whole grouper in sweet, sour and spicy sauce). Live shows often take place on the resort's private beach in the evenings. Choose a table on Takieng's alfresco deck for sunset views of Mai Khao Beach.