8 of the Best Koh Lanta Restaurants
Welcome to our complete guide on the best Koh Lanta restaurants in the Long Beach area of the island. If you’re a lover of tasty traditional Thai dishes with plenty of spice, or even the island’s take on western bites, you’re in for a treat! We spent 10 days exploring the relaxing and peaceful island of Koh Lanta and absolutely loved the food scene. Unlike other beach resort areas in Thailand, we found the food here to be very good, and whilst touristic in some areas, there are still plenty of great Thai restaurant.
If you’re staying in the most popular area of Koh Lanta, Long Beach, or are just visiting for the day, our list will give you plenty of inspiration for places to eat. All Koh Lanta restaurants on our list are rated 4+ on Tripadvisor.
Funky Fish
View map location | Tripadvisor rating 4/5
The first place on our list of the best Koh Lanta restaurants is one that we visited a handful of times, Funky Fish. This quirky, beach-front restaurant has such a chilled and laid-back atmosphere. The view of the ocean alone makes this place 5*. Visit for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or just a drink, and you’ll still have the same great experience.
Funky Fish mainly serves classic Thai dishes, but they also have a selection of western foods such as burgers and pizzas. We recommend opting for their Thai dishes, especially the Pad See Ew and signature papaya salad. It was one of the best we tasted in Thailand!
The best time to dine here is just before the sun starts to set. You can grab a seated table at the front of the restaurant, or day-bed/lounger-style table at the back. Watch the stunning sunset as you eat dinner – there’s nothing quite like it! Sunset is simply the best time of the day on Koh Lanta.
The service is the fastest we’ve had in the whole of Thailand. Additionally, prices are very affordable considering the beach-front location.
Malina’s Kitchen
View map location | Tripadvisor rating 5/5
Another must-try restaurant in Koh Lanta is the highly rated Malina’s Kitchen. Located along the main Long Beach road, away from the beach, it’s a small, family-run business that’s incredibly popular with guests staying in the nearby hotel. You know a place is good when there’s constantly queues outside, and Malina’s is no exception! We recommend making a reservation on any day of the week, especially during peak times. Simply message them on Facebook.
If you’re a lover of homely Thai food, this is the place to visit. Their menu is quite extensive, offering a range of traditional Thai dishes, from noodle plates, to stir fries, and their must-try chicken Massaman curry.
The service is quick, the food is of great quality and the staff are friendly. The only downside is how small the restaurant is. Book early enough to avoid disappointment.
Top tip: Malina’s will cater to your taste, so if you’re feeling brave and are ready to take on authentic Thai spice, be sure to let them know.
iRie Bar & Restaurant
View map location | Tripadvisor rating 4.5/5
Next up on our list is the funky and quirky, iRie Bar & Restaurant. The first thing that catches your eye with this restaurant is the unique set up. The wooden décor and coloured lights of the courtyard IS won us over here. We walked past and simply had to take a look inside. With open-air seating, a jungle tree-house style design and trendy reggae décor, you’ll have plenty to look at as you enjoy your food.
iRie Bar serves Thai food and classic western dishes. It is in fact part-managed by a European expat. The food here is incredibly rich and indulgent, so be sure to arrive here with an empty stomach! We went for the Penang curry and really enjoyed it.
Another great thing about this restaurant is the live reggae bands that play on various nights of the week. Arrive early for dinner (around 7pm), pay a small entrance fee and then sit back and enjoy live reggae until the early hours. It’s one of the best restaurants in Koh Lanta for a lively evening atmosphere.
The Glasshouse
View map location | Tripadvisor rating 5/5
The next restaurant on our list of the best restaurants in Koh Lanta is a mix between a restaurant, a café and a coffee shop, all-in-one. The Glasshouse is a quirky, welcoming restaurant that’s popular amongst digital nomads and backpackers, due to its laid-back atmosphere and coworking space. You can choose to seat indoors amongst the cool air-con, or outside in the garden area. Here, the vibe is relaxed and peaceful, no matter the time of day.
They serve the best drinks, including iced matcha latte and iced coffee, all made fresh on the spot. Seriously, it was the best coffee we tried on Koh Lanta! Food-wise, they serve a mix of Thai, Japanese, Korean and western foods, all reasonably priced. We had their chicken katsu curry, and the portion size was huge!
We recommend coming here in the daytime as it’s more of a breakfast and lunch restaurant, with early closing on an evening. The service was always provided with a smile and the waiters were always filling up your glasses with water.
The Best Isan Restaurant of Koh Lanta
View map location | GOOGLE rating 4.6/5
If you visited Bangkok, Chiang Mai or another traditional Thailand destination before visiting the islands, you probably got a good taste of street food and no frills but delicious restaurants. Koh Lanta, and the south of Thailand in general, doesn’t have as many street food options. Restaurants in Krabi, Koh Lanta and Phuket definitely have more of a tourist appeal. However, that isn’t the case with this restaurant.
The Best Isan Restaurant of Koh Lanta is a family-run outdoor restaurant with basic plastic chairs and tables. At first glance, it doesn’t look much. But isn’t that where the best food usually hides? It does indeed! Dishes here are authentic to the Isan Thai cuisine, cooked up fresh by the owner and his family. Flavours are rich and tasty and your taste buds will be surprised.
This Koh Lanta restaurant is a great place for those that want to sample authentic Thai food is a simple settings. As a bonus, it’s one of the cheapest dining options on our list!
Kraken Lanta
View map location | Tripadvisor rating 4.5/5
Sometimes we need a break from the local food and fancy something a bit more familiar, and besides, who doesn’t love a beasty burger anyway? Kraken Lanta is a small and quirky burger bar located on one of the side streets, just off the main road. Owned by a westerner, this burger bar is an experience in itself. With its own rules, a wall of fame for bad reviews and fun names for the burgers, we highly recommend dining here. It’s simply the best Koh Lanta restaurant for burgers!
The burgers themselves are huge! Made with high-quality beef, cheese and a lot of fillings, you won’t be left hungry. We had their classic burger with a side of fries and almost struggled to finish it. If you fancy a challenge, you can order a full pound of burger!
The only slight negative of this place is its size. It only has three tables and a bar area. Therefore, we recommend coming here before 7pm for a higher chance of securing a seat.
The Backyard
View map location | Tripadvisor rating 4.5/5
Another Koh Lanta restaurant with a super-cool interior is The Backyard. As its name suggests, this restaurant has a real bohemian-vibe to it, with a straw roof, open sides and large garden area. The Backyard is the perfect place for a casual breakfast, a hearty lunch, or a simple smoothie bowl and coffee.
It primarily serves western food with a few Thai dishes. We personally recommend opting for a western meal, as the Thai foods are incredibly westernised and don’t taste very authentic. They do western food very well!
Food choices here include chicken burgers, beef burgers, breakfast bowls, a selection of wraps and sandwiches and much more. They also have a selection of smoothie bowls, including our favourite, their acai bowl. The fruit shakes and smoothies here are also very good. They’re more expensive than street shakes but they have a unique combination of flavours and use little ice.
Prices are slightly more than the other restaurants we tried in Koh Lanta, mainly due to the type of food they serve.
Where Else
View map location | Tripadvisor rating 4.5/5
An alternative to The Backyard is Where Else restaurant, which is just down the road. The setting of this restaurant is incredibly unique, especially on an evening, where the outdoor courtyard is lit up with colourful lights.
In terms of food options, they serve many western dishes, from burgers to fried chicken, but also some Thai dishes. The seating at Where Else is also very unique. You’ll be seated in your own cabin area, with several hammocks for you to relax on as you wait for your food.
Where Else serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, but we recommend coming here for dinner. The evening setting really adds to the dining experience!
Our top tips for eating out in Koh Lanta
- Restaurants overlooking the beach tend to be more expensive. Eat in a restaurant on the main Long Beach road or on a side street for more affordable prices.
- The area has a wide array of restaurants, some of which are better than others. We recommend eating in places that are busy, checking reviews before pulling up to a table and using inspiration from our list. You wouldn’t want a bad meal 😉
- Some restaurants close early on an evening and are only really open for breakfast, lunch or snacks. Keep this in mind when planning your evening out. We recommend checking opening times on Google Maps before visiting.
- Most restaurants in Koh Lanta have a Facebook page but don’t have a website. Consider messaging to book a table, especially if travelling during peak times of the year.
- As tempting as it may be to eat in your hotel restaurant, we encourage you to step away from the resort and explore the foodie delights of the area. Restaurants prices outside of the hotel are much cheaper.
- Don’t be afraid to return to a restaurant if you liked it. Just order a different dish! We personally visit some restaurants, 3, 4, 5 and even 6 times whilst travelling around Thailand.
- Being near the ocean, Koh Lanta is a great place to try seafood! It’s fresh, delicious and can be more affordable than the Thai mainland. Make the most of it!
We hope you enjoyed our guide on the best restaurants in Koh Lanta. There are of course many other options, and depending on where your accommodation is, some may be more convenient than others. We personally tried a ton of different dining options during our stay and did research on where to eat, including only the restaurants we loved. If you have any other suggestions, or want to find out more, post a comment down below. 😊
By Susie
Author bio:I’m a passionate traveller that loves a sunny beach holiday, but also appreciate the cultural side to a trip and checking out undiscovered destinations. I’m the go-to Toucan Traveller for great holiday stories, cool photos and foodie recommendations.
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