Restaurants on Koh Tao: Local Favorites and Go-To Spots

Koh Tao has a surprisingly diverse food scene for such a small island.

The mix of Western expats, Thai locals, and travelers from all over Asia brings a lot of different food influences together, and you really notice that once you start eating your way around the island. Whether you’re craving proper Thai food or something more international, there’s far more choice in the restaurants on Koh Tao than you might expect on a small island.

While living on Koh Tao, I ate out pretty much every day. Breakfast by the beach, quick lunches squeezed in between dives, and relaxed dinners at sunset slowly turned into a routine. Some places became regular go-tos, others were saved for specific moments.

If you’re here mainly for diving, my diving on Koh Tao guide gives a good overview of what dive days usually look like and how everything fits together on the island.

This guide is a collection of my personal favorites and places I genuinely enjoyed eating at. If you’re heading to Koh Tao and want to experience more than just the underwater world, these are the restaurants and cafés that stood out to me during my time on the island.

Breakfast Places and Cafés

Before dives, work, or heading anywhere, I almost always started the day with coffee and something simple to eat. These are the cafés I kept coming back to, some for quick pre-dive stops, others when I had time to slow down.

Coconut Monkey

Mae Haad | $$

Coconut Monkey was one of my regular post-dive breakfast spots, and a place I went both on my own and with dive buddies. It’s a relaxed café right on Mae Haad Beach, with a beautiful view over turquoise water and palm trees, but what really kept me coming back was the food.

My go-to order was always the Diver’s Wrap and an Americano, especially after early dive mornings. It was filling without being heavy, and a nice change from the usual English breakfast or simple sandwich you find in a lot of places. They also have plenty of vegetarian and vegan options, which made it easy when going with different people.

Coconut Monkey is usually busy, especially in the mornings, so I learned not to plan anything too tightly afterward and just enjoy the slower pace. I preferred sitting inside on the left side, on the floor cushions with the low tables, it’s surprisingly comfortable and perfect for easing into the day.

Zest

Sairee & Mae Haad | $

Zest was my go-to breakfast place when I was working in Mae Haad. It opens early and sits right on the way to several dive shops, which made it incredibly convenient before work or early dive days. Service is fast, portions are big, and you’re in and out without stress if you need to be.

Most mornings, I ordered eggs on toast with a coffee, but their pancakes are also really good if you have a bit more time.

Zest is almost always busy, especially in the mornings, and it’s very much a diver crowd. You end up running into instructors, divemasters, and people you recognize from around the island. It’s not the place for a quiet, slow breakfast, but it’s reliable, efficient, and exactly what you want when you need to eat well and move on.

Koppee

Chalok | $$

Koppee was more of an occasional stop for me, usually when I felt like slowing things down a bit.

I usually went here with friends, ordered an Americano, and stayed for a while. The coffee is excellent and often considered some of the best on the island. Breakfast options like Eggs Benedict, pancakes, and fruit bowls are popular, but Koppee is just as much about the setting as it is about the food.

One of the things that really sets it apart is the pool that belongs to the café. Being able to swim, sit in the bean bags, and look out over Chalok Bay turns a simple coffee into a slow, relaxed part of the day. It’s the kind of place you choose when you’re not in a rush and want to enjoy where you are.

Thipwimarn Farm Cafe

Up in the hills | $$

Thipwimarn Farm Cafe was my favorite place on Koh Tao for a relaxed coffee, not for breakfast, but for the experience. The café sits high up in the jungle-covered mountains, with a breathtaking view over Tanote Bay that makes the trip up feel special every time.

Getting there already feels like part of the visit. You walk through a beautifully cared-for farm and lush jungle paths before reaching the café, and once you arrive, everything feels quieter. It’s consistently peaceful up there, far removed from the busy beach areas and dive schedules.

They serve really good coffee along with a small selection of pastries and cakes, but this is a place you come to sit, look out over the bay, and slow down. Whenever I wanted a calm break from the island’s rhythm, this was where I went.

Everyday Thai Food

These are the Thai places I ate at regularly, sometimes in person, sometimes via delivery. None of them are fancy, but all of them do great food.

Chuchu’s

Sairee | $

Chuchu was my regular dinner spot on Koh Tao, and I ate here pretty much daily. It’s located in Sairee, but I didn’t always eat there in person. Especially in high season, after a long day, I often ordered delivery instead of heading back into busy Sairee.

Their fried rice was my absolute go-to and honestly some of the best fried rice I had on the island. They also do a Thai-fusion pizza with curry as a topping, which some of my friends absolutely love, but I usually stuck to the classic Thai dishes.

What really made Chuchu my regular wasn’t just the food. Prices are fair, portions are good, and the owner and staff are genuinely friendly. Add reliable delivery into the mix, and it quickly turned into one of those places you don’t even have to think about.

Chicken Lady

Sairee | $

“Chicken Lady” isn’t actually the official name of this place, and I’m not even sure it has one. It’s just what my friends and I started calling it at some point, and pretty much everyone on the island knows exactly which place you mean.

It’s still my favorite food on Koh Tao to this day. I came here at least a couple of times a week for lunch, and it was always busy with locals, which already tells you a lot.

My usual order was Khao Man Gai or Crispy Pork, and every meal comes with a small bowl of soup on the side. Simple, comforting, and incredibly good. The food is straightforward and honest.

This is strictly a lunch spot. Food is usually ready around 11 am, and they sell until it’s gone. It’s a favorite among dive professionals grabbing takeaway, so showing up late often means missing out.

The ladies cooking there are incredibly sweet, prices are super low, and the food is honestly as authentic as it gets. If there’s one place that represents everyday Thai food on Koh Tao for me, this is it.

Pranee Kitchen

Mae Haad | $

Pranee Kitchen was one of my go-to places in Mae Haad when I wanted a relaxed lunch or dinner and a bit more time to sit. I went here with friends, usually in the evenings, when we felt like slowing down rather than grabbing something quick.

I often ordered fried rice or one of their curries, and the curries in particular really stood out to me. It’s a family-run restaurant, and you notice that immediately, everyone is genuinely friendly and welcoming.

What makes Pranee Kitchen special is the seating area. Instead of regular tables, they have low tables with floor cushions, which turns dinner into a much more relaxed experience. Sitting on the cushions, sharing food, and taking your time made this place feel like a proper evening spot rather than just another meal.

Yin Yang

Chalok | $

Yin Yang is by far my favorite place for Thai food in Chalok. I came here for both lunch and dinner, but it felt more like an evening spot to me, especially once it started getting busy.

My go-to dish was their stir-fried vegetables with chicken in oyster sauce, which is packed with flavour and never got boring. It’s one of those simple dishes done really well. They also serve a really tasty Khao Soi, which is not easy to find on Koh Tao, since it’s a northern Thai dish, so that alone makes Yin Yang stand out.

In the evenings, the place often gets quite lively, with a good buzz and a steady flow of people coming in. The atmosphere feels social and energetic without being overwhelming, making it a nice option when you want proper Thai food and a bit of life around you.

Mama’s

Sairee | $

Mama’s started out in a very different way than it is today. It used to be just one woman cooking Thai food for a small group of people in her own kitchen, which is where the name comes from. Eating here really did feel like eating at mama’s house, simple, comforting, and homemade.

Over time, and with tourism on Koh Tao growing, Mama’s completely exploded. Today it’s a large restaurant in a prime location in Sairee, and because of that, it’s flooded with tourists almost every day. In high season, waiting an hour or more for a table is very normal, and that’s honestly not something I’m willing to do anymore.

The food, however, has stayed consistently good. My favorite dish here is the yellow noodles, which are seriously tasty and one of those meals I still think about.

The food absolutely deserves the reputation, but timing matters a lot here. For me, it’s a low-season favorite rather than an everyday spot.

Blue Chair

Sairee | $

Blue Chair was one of my favorite restaurants on Koh Tao for a long time, but similar to a few other popular places, it’s not really a high-season spot for me anymore. The restaurant gets very busy, and I’m personally not willing to wait long for a table after a full day.

That said, the food here is genuinely amazing. My usual order was the stir-fried chicken with broccoli, which is simple and always done well. What Blue Chair is really known for, though, is its massaman curry. It’s widely considered the best massaman curry on the island.

The massaman is only available for dinner, not lunch, because it’s slowly cooked throughout the day. The result is a rich, creamy curry with deep flavor that’s absolutely worth planning around.

International Food

As much as I love Thai food, eating it every single day eventually made me crave something different. These were the places I went to when I wanted a break from familiar flavours.

Neko Ramen

Chalok | $$

Neko Ramen was my favorite Japanese food on Koh Tao, and it was always a dinner place for me. Even though it’s called Neko Ramen, my go-to order wasn’t ramen at all, but the katsu don. It’s seriously good, and just having Japanese rice instead of Thai rice already makes it feel like a complete reset.

After eating Thai food most days, that small difference alone felt surprisingly refreshing.

Sometimes I ate with friends at the restaurant, sometimes we ordered takeaway and had dinner together at home. The place itself is also really nice, with a cozy setup and thoughtful details. The decoration mixes Japanese elements like lanterns with a slightly Thai feel, which makes it feel special without trying too hard.

La Pizzeria da Claudio

Sairee | $$

La Pizzeria da Claudio was my go-to place on Koh Tao whenever a pizza craving hit. I usually came here with friends, but I also ordered delivery from time to time, especially when I needed Netflix and pizza in bed.

The pizza here is genuinely excellent and, for me, the most authentic Italian pizza on the island. That said, it’s not just about pizza. They also serve really good pasta, including gluten-free pasta, which made it a great option when eating with a group where everyone wanted something slightly different.

La Pizzeria da Claudio felt like a proper Italian restaurant rather than just a pizza place. Good food, lots of choice, and a setting that works well for long dinners with friends. The atmosphere is lively without being overwhelming, and on some evenings they even have live music, which adds to the experience.

Gemini Dumplings & Noodles

Sairee & Mae Haad | $$

Gemini Dumplings & Noodles serves authentic Chinese food and ended up becoming one of my regular non-Thai options on Koh Tao. They have two locations on the island, one in Sairee and another in Mae Haad, which made it an easy choice no matter where I was staying. The menu is the same at both and focuses on dumplings, wontons, and different noodle dishes.

I usually came here with friends, but I also ordered takeaway from time to time. It’s the kind of food that works really well for sharing and doesn’t feel heavy, which made it perfect for relaxed nights in.

Gemini is known for its homemade noodles. The Dan Dan noodles and braised pork rib noodles are the most popular dishes, and both are absolutely worth trying. There are also good vegetarian and vegan dumpling and noodle options, which made it an easy pick when eating with different people.

Sairee Hotpot & BBQ

Sairee | $$

Sairee Hotpot & BBQ was always a group thing for me. Hotpot isn’t something you eat alone, and this was very much a dinner-only plan whenever a bunch of us were hungry and felt like doing something a bit more social. I’m not even sure they open for lunch, it was never on my radar outside of evenings.

What I loved most about it was the cooking experience. Everyone gets to choose exactly what they want, throw it into the pot, and cook at their own pace. I also really love soup, and hotpot is basically the ultimate soup situation. You slowly build your own broth by frying and boiling different ingredients, and the flavor just gets better as the night goes on.

It’s an all-you-can-eat buffet, which makes it great value if you’re hungry, but for me it was never just about quantity. It was about sitting together, talking, cooking, and sharing food without rushing.

Milk & Honey

Chalok | $$

Milk & Honey was more of a brunch or lunch place for me. I don’t think I’ve ever been here for dinner, it was always somewhere I went during the day when I felt like something completely different from the usual island food.

They serve Middle Eastern and Israeli food, and their hummus is hands down the best on Koh Tao, which honestly isn’t a surprise once you know the background. I absolutely loved their hummus and pita in all its variations. Creamy, flavorful, and exactly the kind of food that makes you slow down and actually enjoy what you’re eating.

What I really appreciated about Milk & Honey is how different it feels from everything else on the island. After eating Thai food most days, coming here every now and then felt like a proper reset. Same island, completely different flavors.

Restaurants With a Great View

These are the restaurants I chose when the view was part of the reason for going, for special occasions, slower dinners, or evenings that were meant to feel a bit more memorable.

Barracuda Rooftop

Sairee | $$$

Barracuda Rooftop was a dinner place for me, and not an everyday one. I usually came here for special occasions like birthdays, date nights, or evenings when we wanted to do something a bit nicer. It’s definitely the kind of place where booking a table in advance makes sense, otherwise you’ll likely end up waiting.

The food here is genuinely good across the menu. My personal favorite were the spare ribs, but honestly, I never had a bad meal here. That said, the view is a big part of why you come. From up on the rooftop, you look out over Sairee Beach, and even though you’re right in the middle of busy Sairee, it feels surprisingly far away.

Being that high up creates this calm, slightly removed feeling. You still see the lights and the movement below, but you’re not part of the chaos anymore. It’s a really nice contrast and exactly what made Barracuda Rooftop work so well for longer dinners and special nights.

Lung Pae

Up in the hills | $$–$$$

Lung Pae was another dinner-only place for me, and again, one I saved for special occasions. It’s tucked away high up in the mountains in the south of Koh Tao, and the view alone puts it in a completely different league.

The restaurant is run by a super friendly Thai family, and despite being one of the most talked-about places on the island, it still feels surprisingly local. You’ll find Thai food, fish, and some international dishes on the menu. I usually go for Thai food here, but Lung Pae is especially famous for its steaks. I’m not a big steak person myself, but pretty much everyone I know raves about them and considers them the best on Koh Tao.

The atmosphere is calm and cozy, and the large terrace offers an incredible view over the south of the island and the sea, especially at sunset. After the sun goes down, dinner continues under the stars, which makes this place perfect for a romantic evening or a quiet, memorable night out.

One thing I really appreciated is that Lung Pae offers a free taxi service to and from the restaurant if you book directly with them. Given the location, that makes the whole experience much easier and lets you fully relax and enjoy the evening.

Map of the restaurants mentioned in this guide

I’ve added all the restaurants and cafés from this guide to the map below, this should help you quickly spot what’s close to where you’re staying on Koh Tao.