Where to Eat on Koh Samui
Seafood, Cafes & Top Markets

🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026

Samui food comes in layers. The first is fresh seafood landed by the fishing boats that work the waters around the island. The second is proper Southern Thai food — things like gaeng tai pla and khao yam that locals eat every day. The third is the international restaurants and cafes that grew up alongside tourism. All three sit in different parts of the island, so we've laid it out to show you what to eat and where.

Seafood spots and standout restaurants worth trying

This list is drawn from places with a steady stream of genuine reviews. It isn't ranked from expensive to cheap — it's ordered by value and how often a traveler is likely to use it. Prices are a rough guide per person (except the seafood dishes noted per plate) and can shift with the season and what you order.

Southern and local dishes you have to try

Samui is in the South, so the local food is bold Southern Thai cooking, backed by the coconut that grows all over the island. If you want to taste the real local flavor, these three dishes are the first stops to start with.

• Gaeng tai pla — an intense Southern curry made from fermented fish innards, hot and pungent, eaten with fresh vegetables. Find it at the Lamai market and Southern restaurants around the island.
• Khao yam (Southern herbed rice) — rice tossed with herbs, toasted coconut, and dried shrimp, dressed with budu sauce; sour, sweet, and salty all in one plate. A light, refreshing breakfast.
• Khanom jeen (curry/sauce over rice noodles) — fermented rice noodles topped with coconut nam ya or Southern curry, eaten with a spread of fresh vegetables. A popular breakfast-to-lunch for islanders.
• Hor mok — fish blended with red curry paste and coconut milk, steamed in a banana-leaf cup; smooth and fragrant. Found at fresh markets and Southern restaurants.
• Khanom krok — coconut cakes made from rice flour and coconut milk, crisp at the edges and soft in the middle. Buy them at morning-market stalls and evening night markets — a local sweet made all over the island.

Cafes and coffee shops you can linger in

Samui's cafe scene has grown a lot lately, from a genuine French bakery to sea-view cafes where you can sit and work all day. We've picked spots with steady reviews and different vibes, so you can choose by mood.

Night markets and street food

If you want to eat lots of things in one place without spending much, the night markets are the answer. Each area has its own day and character, so plan around your dates on the island and you won't miss out.

• Fishermen's Village Walking Street (Bophut) — every Friday evening, starting around 5pm. The liveliest one on the island, with grilled seafood, freshly cooked dishes, crafts, and live music.
• Lamai Night Market — genuinely local, with bold Southern food, cheap prices, and a raw, food-court atmosphere.
• Maenam Walking Street (Maenam) — every Thursday, roughly 6pm–8pm, running down to Maenam Beach. More laid-back than the other markets, with grilled corn, sai ua sausage, and roti.
• Chaweng Night Market — the tourist zone, with a wide range of food and plenty of stalls. Good if you're staying in Chaweng and want to graze close to your room.

Planning your eating on Samui to make it count

Samui is a big island — driving around it takes roughly 1.5–2 hours — so planning meals around where you're staying saves a lot of travel time. Bophut is the most convenient, since the well-known spots cluster around there. If you're in Lamai or Chaweng, there are enough places in the area for every meal, and you can drive out to Bang Por or Hua Thanon as a separate half-day eating trip.