The best meals in Phuket cost less than a coffee back home — and they're served from a cart, not a dining room. A beginner's guide.
Some of the best meals in Phuket cost less than a coffee back home — and they're served from a cart, not a dining room. Here's a beginner's guide to the street food that defines eating on the island.
Pad Thai
The gateway dish, and everyone's first love. Look for a cart where the wok is smoking and the queue is locals, not tourists. The best Pad Thai is made to order, fast, with a squeeze of lime and a pinch of ground peanut on the side.
Moo Ping
Skewered grilled pork, glazed with a sweet-savory marinade. Sold from baskets on motorbikes all over the island, moo ping is the Thai answer to fast food — and it's far better. Three sticks and sticky rice is a perfect snack for 50 baht.
Roti
A flaky, fried flatbread brought south by Malay traders, roti is Phuket's breakfast of champions. The classic is roti with egg and condensed milk, but try roti mataba — stuffed with spiced chicken — for something savory.
Mango Sticky Rice
Sweet sticky rice drenched in coconut cream beside ripe, golden mango. It's technically dessert, but we've been known to eat it for breakfast. Peak mango season is March to May — don't miss it.
Tom Yum Goong
Not always a street dish, but the small shophouse versions are the best: a hot-and-sour soup with shrimp, lemongrass, and galangal that wakes up every sense. If you can handle the heat, ask for it pet pet — very spicy.
Where to go: The weekend night market near Phuket Town (Naka Market) is the island's greatest buffet. Go hungry, bring small bills, and follow the smoke. If you'd rather have a local guide you through it — and translate — our culinary tours are built exactly for that.