Recommended Places in Koh Lanta
Koh Lanta is not a large island, yet you’ll find many restaurants here. Some are luxurious and expensive, while others are simple and homey. Most are located along the island’s main road, and many are right on the beach.
In many restaurants, you’ll find local Thai dishes alongside Western cuisine.
We usually eat local food, occasionally mixing it up with Indian food or a good pizza.
Restaurants We Loved
Harrison Blue
Located in the Klong Dao area (on the main road), this restaurant has a diverse menu, a pleasant atmosphere, and good background music.
Highly recommended is their excellent Khao Soi (based on our experience from four months in Northern Thailand). If you enjoy smoothies, try the thick and tasty mango shake.
We returned multiple times for the Khao Soi and were always greeted with warm, friendly service.
ECO Restaurant
A charming spot located right on the beach in the Klong Khong area, a quiet and pleasant location.
The menu includes a variety of Thai dishes and some Western options.
My favorite dish is the fish and chips. They also have a great coconut shake and a delicious strawberry lassi.
The owners often treat guests to complimentary fruit.
Basil Bistro Koh Lanta
Located on the main road in Klong Khong—hard to miss.
This two-story, brightly lit restaurant offers different seating styles: regular tables or open bamboo bungalows, with chairs or hammocks.
Our favorite dish is the vegetable curry, served with rice and a spring roll—a tasty and filling meal.
Saar recommends the mango shake.
Plaifon Restaurant
A small, family-run place on the main road in Klong Khong.
The husband handles the books and makes smoothies, the wife cooks and serves the food, and their sweet little daughter hands out menus. Even the family cat is part of the atmosphere 😺.
Since it’s close to our home and the food is great, we call it our “home restaurant.”
Most of the time, we dine in, and occasionally take away a papaya salad.
Saar, a smoothie fan, always orders the mango shake.
Pizza 🍕
Confession: we love pizza. When we feel like something different from local cuisine, pizza is our first choice.
A quick survey revealed three popular pizzerias on the island. We tried them all so we could give a proper recommendation.
Saar—our in-house “pizziologist” who makes great pizzas in a home oven, sampled margherita pizzas, evaluating the dough texture and overall taste. Here are his rankings:
1st Place: Loro Loco Pizza Cuisine Restaurant
2nd Place: Pizzeria Italiana Caipi
3rd Place: Sole Mare Italian Pizzeria & Restaurant
Bars 🍹
In addition to restaurants, you’ll also find bars on the island, mainly along the beaches.
At almost any time of day, you can see people lounging on bean bags or beach chairs, sipping cold beer or fun cocktails.
We visited FreeDom Bar twice, a fun beach bar located in Klong Khong.
The furniture is made from brightly painted tree trunks, with cool lounging corners, music, and a fire show.
We had a fantastic cocktail called Coconut Cooler. Price: 200 Baht per cocktail.
These are our top recommendations, most are located in the Klong Khong area where we live.
There are many restaurants of all kinds across the island, so everyone can find something they’ll love.
Bon appétit!
