Best Restaurants Koh Tao: My 8 Favorite Food Spots in Koh Tao 2026

I absolutely love the food in Thailand and it’s my favorite food out of all the countries in Southeast Asia! Especially in Koh Tao, I had some amazing Thai food, but I also found loads of good international food too.

Koh Tao is a pretty small island, so I was surprised by how many good restaurants there actually were, especially compared to many other islands in Thailand I’ve been to.

I just got back from Koh Tao, and naturally, I’ve tried a bunch of Thai food restaurants. But I also went to a couple of beach clubs and rooftop restaurants; I pretty much tried loads of different things kind of on purpose! I wanted to make sure that in this guide, I included all the food I really enjoyed.

That means you’ll find everything from more upscale Western restaurants to, of course, a bunch of local Thai cheap eats, because let’s be honest, that’s probably where I eat the most.

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Best Restaurants Koh Tao: My 8 Favorite Food Spots in Koh Tao 2026

Best Restaurants Koh Tao – My Experience

Usually, when I’m in Thailand, whether that’s in Koh Tao, Bangkok, or Chiang Mai, I’ll be eating Thai food most of the time. I’ve honestly just found that going to a local, family-run Thai restaurant is where you’ll find the best food, and it’s also the most affordable at the same time. It just makes sense! Also, I love Thai food so much I could literally eat it every day.

However, when I was in Koh Tao, I definitely wanted to make sure I tried some Western and international restaurants too. There were a few cool places I’d heard good things about, like Barracuda Rooftop Restaurant and Koppee Beach Club, so I was more than happy to switch up my mainly Thai food diet and have some tasty pasta and seafood in between.

So, at the end of the day, this list is basically the restaurants in Koh Tao that I enjoyed the most. It ended up being a mix of Western spots, beach clubs, and some of my favorite “cheap eat” local Thai restaurants. I feel like it has a good mix of everything, and of course, it only includes places where I’ve actually been and that I would actually recommend!

The 8 Best Restaurants in Koh Tao Thailand I’ve Actually Been to

1. Barracuda Rooftop Restaurant // Best Seafood in Koh Tao

Opening Hours: 4pm-11pm
Price: $$$
My Rating: ★★★★★
Menu & Location

I absolutely loved Barracuda Rooftop Restaurant for so many reasons, the food, the drinks, and the views were all spot on.

We actually ended up here on our very first night in Koh Tao, and I’m so glad we did. I just randomly saw it on Google Maps, saw it had good reviews, and figured we might as well check it out while we were in the area.

I had the grilled salmon, we had fish tacos, and then we also shared some calamari. It was honestly some of the best seafood I’ve had in Thailand so far. If you’re a seafood lover, I definitely suggest you visit. On top of that, Barracuda has some of the best views over Sairee Beach (since, duh, it’s a rooftop). Their cocktails were also really good and super cheap during happy hour, too. For me, it was just the perfect place for first-night dinner and drinks on the island.

2. Koppee Beach Club // My Favorite Beach Club in Koh Tao

Opening Hours: 9am-10pm
Price: $$
My Rating: ★★★★★
Menu & Location

My personal favorite beach club in Koh Tao is definitely Koppee. I’ve been here quite a few times because it’s in a beautiful location, has a great pool, and, best of all, it’s never overcrowded.

Koppee is in the very south of Koh Tao, which is where I stayed, and it’s usually way less busy than Sairee Beach.

I’ve been here many times for drinks but only once for dinner, and it was awesome. They actually have fantastic pasta, which kind of surprised me, and we also tried their beef burger which was great too.

The cool thing is that I could basically come here at any time of the day; I’d come for lunch just to hang out by the pool, but I’d also come back for dinner because Koppee actually has some of the best sunsets I’ve seen in Koh Tao.

I can also highly recommend their happy hour (which, yes, I’ve taken advantage of more than just once!). My favorite cocktail of theirs was definitely the espresso martini.

3. Matchima Thai Food

Opening Hours: 11am-10pm
Price: $
My Rating: ★★★★
Menu & Location

Matchima Thai Food is the number one Thai restaurant in Koh Tao I go to when I am truly, properly hungry because wow, their portions are insane. I mean it!

What they do here is something I personally love, even though I’m not actually sure if it’s “authentic” Thai or not. They basically serve all their chicken dishes with a massive chicken cutlet (or a chicken schnitzel, if you will).

So, whenever I ordered a chicken Pad Thai, it arrived with a huge, crispy chicken cutlet right on top. The same thing happened when I had the curry, and I loved every bit of it. Just a fair warning: only come here if you are super hungry, because you are going to get a lot of food.

4. Fizz Beach Club Restaurant // Best Restaurant for Sunset

Opening Hours: 4pm-1am
Price: $$$
My Rating: ★★★★
Menu & Location

One of the best restaurants I visited for sunset and drinks in Koh Tao was definitely Fizz Beach Club. This is where I go when I want a slightly more lively atmosphere. I was there on a Friday when they had a DJ playing, and we got super lucky because we managed to grab the last two beanbags right on the beach.

I’ll be honest: I didn’t actually have a “proper” meal here; we only ordered some French fries and calamari to snack on. However, I’ve heard the Pad Thai and the seared tuna are supposed to be pretty good if you’re looking for something heavier.

Even if you aren’t hungry, I would come back here just for the happy hour cocktails and the views. It’s such a vibe hanging out in the beanbags and watching the sun go down. We definitely lucked out with our seats, so on a good sunset night, I’d recommend getting there early to make sure you get a spot on the sand.

5. Dee Dee Thai Food // My Favorite Thai Food I Had in Koh Tao

Opening Hours: 11am-10pm
Price: $
My Rating: ★★★★
Menu & Location

As promised, I’m also including some of my local favorites, and you’ll find some of the best value for your money at Dee Dee Thai Food. It’s a very simple restaurant, pretty much similar to most local Thai places I’ve been to, but the food was super delicious and incredibly affordable.

I had some amazing Pad Kra Pao here (which is my favorite Thai dish, by the way), but I was also really feeling some deep-fried chicken, which was just as good.

I actually tried to come here a second time, but every single table was taken and there were people already waiting out front. It definitely gets busy, so I’d recommend coming a little earlier if you want to snag a table without the wait!

6. 995 Roasted Duck

Opening Hours: 9am-3:30pm, 5:30pm-9pm
Price: $
My Rating: ★★★★
Menu & Location

995 Roasted Duck is a total institution in Koh Tao. It’s incredibly popular, and for good reason, the food is amazing. I’m no food expert, but I’d assume their menu is a bit of a fusion between Chinese and Thai food. You see roasted duck more often in places like Vietnam or China, but then they also have Pad Thai on the menu here.

Either way, everything is delicious. It’s a super local, simple restaurant, but it gets incredibly busy. When we went during peak dinner time, we had to wait about 20 minutes for a table, but it was totally worth it.

We tried the duck noodles and the duck Pad Thai, and I would definitely pick the duck noodles over the Pad Thai. Don’t get me wrong, the Pad Thai was good, but the duck noodles were just really yummy. Plus, after eating Thai food almost every day, it was nice to have something that felt a little different.

7. Sandwich Lady

Opening Hours: 8am-7pm
Price: $
My Rating: ★★★
Menu & Location

The Sandwich Lady, and no joke, that is actually the name of the restaurant, is a small little street-side restaurant that I think pretty much every backpacker who stays for a while in Koh Tao knows about.

Whenever I needed a quick, delicious, and filling lunch and didn’t want to spend a lot of money, I would come here.

The Sandwich Lady makes some of the best sandwiches on the island for only about $2–$3, and they are pretty big, too. She has everything from tofu and avocado to ham, cheese, and chicken, but my go-to was always the chicken sandwich; it was easily my favorite.

She also sells fresh juices here for around $2, so for about $5 USD total, I could get a whole lunch including a fresh-pressed juice. It’s honestly amazing value.

8. Sandbar Restaurant // Best Restaurant in Koh Tao for Date Night

Opening Hours: 12pm-12am
Price: $$$
My Rating: ★★★★★
Menu & Location

The Sandbar Restaurant is the spot I picked for a date night we had on the island. I don’t know if it’s the fanciest restaurant in Koh Tao, probably not, but it’s definitely one of the more upscale places I’ve visited there. (Just an FYI: “upscale” in Koh Tao is definitely not quite as fancy as upscale in a city like Bangkok!)

However, the atmosphere here was amazing because it’s right on the beach with incredible sunset views. It just has a much more elevated feel overall.

We had some really delicious food; we ordered wine and prosecco, and then we tried their tuna tartare and the seared tuna. Everything was super delicious. It was definitely a little on the pricier side, at least by Koh Tao standards, but that isn’t surprising given the location and the vibe. I would definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a nicer dinner out.

FAQs About the Best Food in Koh Tao Thailand

What is the best restaurant in Koh Tao for Thai food?

There are quite a few amazing Thai food restaurants I’ve been to, but my two favorites are Dee Dee Thai Food, where I usually get the Pad Kra Pao (which is fantastic!), and then I also loved Matchima Thai Food, where I would always get the chicken Pad Thai.

What are the best restaurants in Koh Tao with a view?

I really like Sandbar Restaurant or Koppee Beach Club; they both have amazing views right on the beach. However, if you’re looking for something from higher up, then I personally think Secret Bar has the best views and great drinks (though it’s a little pricey and I didn’t like the food that much).

What restaurant has the best seafood in Koh Tao?

The best restaurant for seafood that I found in Koh Tao was definitely Barracuda Rooftop Restaurant. I had some amazing seared tuna and tuna tartare there, and both were delicious, even if they were on the more expensive side.

What are the best Koh Tao restaurants in Sairee Beach?

My favorite restaurant in Sairee Beach for delicious food is definitely 995 Roasted Duck. But if I want something with more of a vibe, music, and good drinks, then I think I love Fizz Beach Club the most, especially for sunset.

Final Thoughts on Where to Eat in Koh Tao Thailand

All in all, I have to say that I was actually very pleasantly surprised by the restaurants in Koh Tao. Before I came here, I’d been to places like Koh Samui and Phuket where I just assumed that because they’re so much bigger, they’d have much better food.

Absolutely not! Especially in Phuket, I felt like there were way more “average” food options, whereas here in Koh Tao, because it’s still so local and small, you can almost walk into any single Thai restaurant on the street and it’s going to be good.

There were actually way more restaurants (especially local Thai spots) I visited that I couldn’t put on this list just because it would’ve gotten way too long. But the more upscale Western restaurants and all the seafood spots I tried really impressed me. For a small island, Koh Tao really packs a punch food-wise!