If you’re in the south of Phuket, around Nai Harn, Rawai and Kata, you will notice cafe after cafe, restaurant after restaurant and food stall after food stall. It can be a little overwhelming when you’re trying to choose from one of these many places to eat in Rawai and its surrounding areas. The southern tip of the island is becoming increasingly popular for expats and tourists due to it’s affordability and its laid back vibe.
If you’re a flip flop wearing, ocean loving, chilled kind of human, the southern portion of the island is for you. When it comes to food though, we are true experts. So sit back, relax, and let us take the stress out of meal times by recommending the best places to eat in Rawai, Nai Harn and Kata!
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Poached Breakfast Cafe Rawai
Of course, it goes without saying (although we’ll still say it), Poached Breakfast Cafe Rawai is categorically one of the best places to eat in Rawai and the surrounding areas. Located right on the beachfront of Rawai, you’ll be eating with a view of a crystal clear, calm sea, with gently bobbing long tail boats and palm tree filled islands dotted across the coastline. Talk about a stunning view.
Open early for your breakfast needs, right through until 5pm, Poached Breakfast Cafe Rawai serves all day breakfast, brunch and lunch that never fails to impress. With phenomenal menu options such as our pulled pork eggs benedict – creamy hollandaise and rich, runny poached eggs, on a bed of green apple slaw (the perfect tartness to cut through the richness), slow cooked pork shoulder, freshly baked sourdough bread all topped with mint leaves and pomegranate seeds – this dish has the perfect balance of sweet, salty, sour, crunch, richness and creaminess. Honestly, if you’re not drooling now, you should probably pop into the doctors to find out what’s wrong with you. Jokes aside, we really do have an absolutely stellar menu.
If you’re feeling the heat (as you may well do in Phuket), cool off with a fresh salad. Our Cobb Salad is amazingly popular. With avocado, bacon, egg, blue cheese, tomato and ranch dressing, this is one rich salad that is sure to make your tastebuds dance. If you want something a little more healthy, try our roasted pumpkin, quinoa, beetroot and feta salad with a balsamic drizzle. I refuse to stop eating it!
We have a range of amazing sandwiches if that’s more up your alley. I’m talking bagels with avo and chicken, or salmon and philly. Or, we have some absolutely killer sandwich combos with will 100% blow your mind and your tastebuds.
Maybe you’re hungry for a burger – we’ve got breakfast burgers (I KNOW – a burger at breakfast? I must be in an amazing dream!) which are delicious at any time of the day and even a vegetarian option so you don’t have to miss out on the fun if you aren’t a meat fiend. And if you’ve got a sweet tooth, we have this b-e-a-utiful stack of French toast topped with all sorts of sweet, sticky goodness.
Whether you’re a health fanatic or you love a dish that gets your heart going (that’s 100% us), we’ve got a menu that will be bacon you crazy for it…I mean, MAKING you crazy! Whatever you order, you’re sure to confirm that Poached Breakfast Cafe is one of the best places to eat in Rawai.
(Plus, and here’s a little bonus, we have the best coffee in the area. We take care of the coffee and machines like they’re our babies so you won’t want to miss out on our smooth brews and perfectly roasted caffeinated beverages. Eat, drink and be merry at one of the best places to eat in Rawai and the surrounding areas.)
Other places to eat in Rawai, Kata and Nai Harn
Kata Rocks
If price is no object and a stunning sea view is what reels you in, then nibble away little fish at Kata Rocks. With absolutely gorgeous sea views, a clean, minimalist style and a superstar menu, what’s not to love? Featuring a Mediterranean-style menu with a Thai twist, you could be forgiven for wondering if you’re in Thailand or Italy or some weird crossover world in between filled with phenomenal food. Kata Rocks is perfect for a special occasion, a romantic date and has won several food awards. It’s certainly on the pricey side but it’s a definite star when it comes to places to eat in Rawai and its surrounding areas.
Kongharn Restaurant
A local ‘hole-in-the-wall’ restaurant with amazing food, Kongharn Restaurant is located in the Soi Sai Yuan area of Rawai. A complete 360 from the elegance of Kata Rocks, you’ve got a very simple local style place that serves cheap dishes that are absolutely PACKED with flavour. This is a firm favourite among locals and expats alike. It’s always busy and the owners are delightful. It’s a Rawai staple and is not to be missed when it comes to places to eat in Rawai. Be warned, they have no set opening times, so you might want to call ahead to check if they’re open. It’s usually after 7pm that they start serving food.
AVO Kitchen & Wine
AVO Kitchen & Wine has it all, in our humble opinion. One of the best places to eat in Rawai in terms of food quality, affordability and aesthetic. Stunningly decorated with beautiful arched windows, hanging lights, rattan chairs and wooden tables, you’ll be drawn in right way on appearance alone. Whoever said not to judge a book by its cover could be right, but in this case, they’re flat out wrong.
This place can ABSOLUTELY be judged by its appearance because the food is just as good as you would hope. Another place with a Thai x Mediterranean twist, we recommend the Burrata (always burrata), Poké bowls and the salmon – WOW the salmon…. Plus, their cakes are fantastic, topped with loads of fresh fruit and can be served with a huge mug of coffee that really hits the spot.
Unni’s at Nai harn
Unni’s at Nai harn is an out of this world restaurant starring the flavours of Mexico and Japan. You might not think they work together, THEY DO – it’s what makes Unni’s one of the greatest places to eat in Rawai. But our absolute favourite part of their menu is the Mexican options. Slow cooker biro beef tacos, chicken tinga tacos (when they’re on special, they’re not part of the regular menu) and fish tacos (mmmm crispy fish with a little kick – I would give my right arm for one of these right now). However, their Poké bowls are famous across the island so if that is your vibe, you should absolutely dig in without a second thought!
So, how do you choose from the top places to eat in Rawai?
You don’t need to choose! Poached Breakfast Cafe Rawai should really and truly be your first port of call when it comes to food in the southern part of Phuket. Sea views, amazing service, delicious food and the best coffee possibly of your life, we are certainly up there on the list of best places to eat in Rawai.
It’s a calm, chilled and relaxing place to eat in the day. Plus, if you really want to try one of the other places in the list, then you can always pop there for dinner after trying Poached Breakfast Cafe in Rawai. Talk about a win – win. So, what are you waiting for? Come on down to Poached and check out one of the best places to eat in Rawai!
If you liked this article, why not check out one of our other recommendations such as: Exploring Cafe Culture: Where to Find the Best Cafe in Nai Harn and it’s surrounding areas
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