Dining in Hua Hin

Nothing less than a feast awaits for your taste buds… Leaving the cooking to someone else is always an important part of a holiday experience, and the variety and quality of restaurants in and around Hua Hin will ensure the experience is a memorable one. Once an active fishing port, Hua Hin still has enough fishermen around to provide a steady supply of fresh seafood for its restaurants and those in neighbouring Cha-Am and Pranburi. Traditional Thai food is, of course, served everywhere, including food stalls along the beachfront and in Hua Hin's well-known Night Market.

There are numerous dining spots serving Western, Indian and Japanese food. For those looking for a drink after the sun goes down, there is an ample supply of bars and pubs, some of which have live music. In addition, all of the hotels have bars and lobby lounges, many featuring live entertainment. All the hotels and resorts have restaurants too, and these range from top-notch speciality and international cuisine, to light meals of Thai and Western varieties. Highly recommended are the buffet spreads laid on by top hotels for breakfast, lunch and dinner – definitely worth the expense since you’ll get to sample an enormous variety of  Thai, Asian and Western food. At some venues, these buffets consist of open cooking stations, including a Seafood BBQ, and often also offer live entertainment like traditional Thai music and dancing.

Seafood fresh from the ocean…

Thais eat fish, prawns or other items foreigners think of as 'seafood' with virtually every meal. Basic condiments like fish sauce, shrimp paste, and ‘pla rah’ are all made from fermented fish or seafood. ‘Tom yum gung’, a delicious spicy and sour shrimp soup, is widely considered Thailand's national dish. Another regular is ‘tod man pla’, an unusual melange of fried minced fish, curry paste, and sliced long beans – fish cakes, basically. Hearkening back to the days before refrigeration, dried and salted fish are served in a variety of ways and are still a mainstay of the Kingdom's diet. There will also be lots of squid, catfish, 'serpent head' fish, and Nile River Tilapia. All are day-to-day favourites in homes and ordinary restaurants.

However, when Thais go to a restaurant specializing in seafood, the menu broadens considerably. The items previously mentioned will be present, but will take a backseat to a host of other dishes with their culinary roots in China. Crab, cockles, mussels, oysters and lobsters will suddenly appear. Cooking methods and sauces will change and there will be items like crab with yellow curry cauce, lobster cooked in XO Sauce and grilled clams or cockles. Fish will be steamed and served with a variety of sauces, as well as grilled and fried. Lobster and giant prawns, pricey items for the average Thai, will play a big role and will often arrive at the table after spending time on a grill.

Going out for seafood is a big event for Thais and they always seem to have a good time. Joining them will be a highlight of any holiday, particularly when the restaurant is in the area around Hua Hin. Many of the restaurants are found in Hua Hin town on Naresdamri Road, just south of the pier. Ao Takiap beach, 5km to the south, has several famous places, and there are some excellent restaurants to the north as you approach Cha-Am. The least expensive, and most popular with Thais, are scattered along Phetkasem Road.

Where to Eat in Hua Hin

A good start would be to have a look at these Hua Hin restaurant reviews for a collection of the finest places to try. But, your choices are unlimited, whether you’re looking for Western or Thai food. If you have an adventurous palate, you’ll have even more choices. A stroll around Hua Hin town will bring you to a smattering of authentic little eating places scattered about, street food is delicious, and the day or night market are excellent places to try out a few local delicacies.

Here are some more recommendations:

International and Seafood Restaurants

Taj Mahal
31/1 Naresdamri Road
Nice selection of northern Indian favourites.

Brasserie de Paris
3 Naresdamri Road
Charming French place adjacent to the pier.

Hagi Japanese Restaurant
1 Damnernkasem Road
Outstanding Japanese restaurant (Adjacent to Sofitel Centara Hotel Hua Hin).

Let's Sea, Hua Hin Beach Restaurant
83/155 Soi Talay 12
A big variety of delicious, affordable seafood.

Chao Lay Seafood
15 Naresdamri Rd. Hua Hin
Popular outdoor restaurant on pylons over the water by the pier.

Ketsarin Restaurant
17/1 Naresdamri Road
Big outdoor place right on Hua Hin's sea front near the pier.

Maharaja
25 Naresdamri Rd
Good northern Indian food served from 11:00 to 23:00

Thai Restaurants

Baan Monta Restaurant
51 Dechanuchit Rd
Excellent Thai food and seafood right in the middle of town.

Ban Nong Kae
Petchkassem Road
Modest surroundings with a good selection of basic Thai favourites

Orchids French & Thai Restaurant
110/1 Naresdamri Rd
Serves a mix of French and Thai dishes.

Sasi's ba Bar
83/159 Nhongkae, near the Hyatt Hotel
Features a mix of Western and Thai food, lots of drinks and live music from 20:30 onwards.