Hua Hin Hotel Advice - Dining in Hua Hin - Hua Hin Thailand

Dining in Hua Hin


Though the sun doesn't set over the gulf here, there's no shortage of good food or things to do once the sun goes down. All of the large hotels have several restaurants and coffee shops and many of the guesthouses provide more than just basic Thai meals and sandwiches. Several of the large hotels have nightly buffets with Thai or international themes and often dinner shows of Thai classical dancing. The Salathai Restaurant, at the Mercure Hotel, across from the Sofitel has a Classical Thailand buffet and show each Wednesday evening.

To truly get a taste of what Hua Hin has to offer though, one should explore the restaurants of the city. Hua Hin is an extremely safe city, regardless of the time of day.

Seafood on the Water

There are several large seafood restaurants just south of the pier on Naresdamri Road, each offering beautiful views of the boats coming and going from the dock. These restaurants include the Meekaruna, the Chaolay, the Saeng Thai and the Cholern Pochana. Their menus are quite extensive and offer Thai delights unavailable in the local Thai restaurant in your home city. Remember though, the treats here are probably a bit more spicy than the bland fare your local take-away offers. The key Thai phrase to remember for the faint of taste bud is My Phet--not too spicy!

Chinese Restaurants

These restaurants are clustered on and around Petchkasem Road, between the night market and the Hua Hin temple. The menus are similar to those at the sea front places but the dishes tend to be a bit less spicy. The food is good however though the view might not be quite as romantic.

Typical Thai Food

The Night Market, on Dechanuchit Road, has everything from noodles, fried rice and oyster omelettes to Dom Yom Gung (spicy lemon grass soup with shrimp) and grilled horseshoe crab. Closed to traffic in the evening, this street west of Petchkasem Rd comes alive with food stalls with folding tables serving all types of food, sweets and cold drinks and many stalls offering handicrafts, wood carvings, Thai CDs and tapes, and even magic tricks. A great place to practice your bargaining skills between breaks for a cold beer, snacks, and some serious people watching.

For some spicy Northeastern (Essan) Thai food like grilled chicken, sticky rice and Som Tom (raw papaya salad) AND weekly Thai kick boxing matches, the Muay Thai Gardens on Poonsuk Road is the place to go.

Fast Food

I wrote before that Pizza Hut has now joined the Swensens Ice Cream on Petchkasem Rd as the token fast food outlets in Hua Hin. Well, Bill and Tricon had a spat so Bill's Pizza Huts have now been rebranded as The Pizza Company. If you've eaten in one, you'll find the other most familiar. There is now a Baskin Robbins to give Swensens a run for their money but they've changed locations so many times I'm not sure where they are now but they are in Hua Hin. There are no KFCs in Hua Hin though there is one in Cha Am, 26km to the north and another in Pranburi, 26km to the south. Don't know what Tricon has againist Hua Hin. Also, I don't know what keeps MickeyD from opening here as there is no shortage of those who would like to open a franchise. Burger King (Hua Hin has been good to Bill) has now opened close to the post office so others shouldn't be far behind though as for now, fast food is still mostly available in Thai flavors only.

Most Thai restaurants and food stalls are more than willing to wrap up anything from noodles to fried or grilled chicken to banana fritters for a quick take-away and most folks here still drink pop out of a plastic bag handily wrapped with a rubber band--it's cheaper and you don't have to worry about what to do with the aluminum can.

International Restaurants

Prices below do not reflect the recent devaluation of the Baht.  While some prices might have gone up a bit in Baht terms, more often than not the dollar prices shown here are higher than what you will find.

Expats from many nations have settled in Hua Hin and the large number of restaurants offering European dishes reflect the diversity of this group.

• Monta's Garden has international dishes, Thai food and seafood. Satukam Square. Tel: (01) 986-1022. Dishes $4-10 for large servings and the best deal on lobster in town. A very popular restaurant hosted by Wolfgang and Monta.

• Mats and Maam run Sweden House, a little off the beaten track at 48 Dechanuchit Road but well worth the 5-minute walk (and near lots of silk and silver shops). Mats fixes up great meatballs and schnitzel and his pork cutlets are huge. Dishes $5-7.

• The Sabai Restaurant has recently opened off Naresdamri Road on Soi Selekam, near the north end of the Melia. Those who remember Penny from Three Ladies might want to stop by and say hello to her and Roger. Thai and international food are served in a very charming setting. Tel: (01) 831-1154. Dishes $4-10.

• Fresh Restaurant at the front of the Fresh Inn Hotel has Thai and international dishes. Located opposite the Melia, you can spend your time watching people on the street from a nice restaurant. Try their Kung Noh My Farang (King Prawns with green asparagus). For dessert try their fried bananas. Dishes $4-8. (Thanks to Wolfgang and Gabi)

• Lo Stivale, Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria. Good food with both an air-conditioned dining room or a terrace with a nice view of the folks walking the street. 132 Naresdamri Rd. Tel: (032) 513-800.

• Le Chablis offers French and Thai foods and has a good selection of wines. 88 Naresdamri Rd. Tel: (032) 531-499. Dishes $5-10. Many swear by the French Onion Soup here.

• The Taj Mahal, near the Chinese temple at the north end of the Melia, has dishes from the sub-continent.

• Heidi's Musikgarten has German and Thai cooking, fish and seafood. Also Swiss specialties. Warsteiner/Diebels/Erdinger and draft beers. 2/1 Poonsuk Rd. Tel: (032) 532-367.

• La Villa Restaurant on Poonsuk Rd opposite the City Beach Hotel offers "the true taste of Italian food" and are known for their green lasagna. Tel: (032) 513-435.

• La Terrazza, near the fishing pier offers lunch and dinner prepared by an Italian chef. Sit downstairs and watch the action on the street or upstairs and gaze at the gulf. 3 Naresdamri Rd. Tel: (032) 531-349. Pizzas $3-6. Meals $4-15.

• The Piaf Restaurant serves German and Austrian food at moderate prices. This is a new place but business looks good. 23 Naresdamri Rd.

• Up the road in Cha Am, Anders runs the Cha Am Steak House next to the Phum Seafood Restaurant. Anders also has the Cha Am Bakery if you're looking for a cake.

Pubs and Beer Bars

• Our Scot, Billy, late of Joy Guesthouse, has moved from Soi Bintabaht and now runs Billy's Bar, in the Hua Hin Bazaar. Billy and the same staff now offer food all day and drinks 'til late. Some say the Billy's Bar's popularity is due to Billy's perverse sense of humor but my bet is that Pee Pee, the cook's 4-year-old son and unofficial greeter, is the true reason for the many return guests. A free beer for anyone who can tell Billy how the gecko died (limited to one customer each evening). As Billy has lost so much paying out for the dead gecko, we have a new quiz: Tell Billy who spent the most money at Burger King on their opening day and you get a free Buffalo Wing.

• Berny's Inn, located at the north end of the Hua Hin Bazaar, is Hua Hin's 19th Hole. Berny, long out of England via Zaire, is an avid golfer and expert at celebrating the links successes of the day. Berny can also help you with the latest golf news and can recommend the best courses in the area. Berny's is headquarters of the Hua Hin Golf Society. British pub fare.

• Hog's Breath Inn, around the corner from Bintabaht and across the street from the temple. Our resident Canuk, Jimmy, hosts a friendly, air-conditioned bar with cold beer and friendly ladies.

Max the dog is one of the more well known denizens of Soi Bintabaht and makes frequent sojourns between Berny's Inn and street of sorrows looking for ladies. Should you lose your way, just grab Max and he'll take you to Bernies or Billy's. sites.

• Universal Joynt, on Soi Bintabaht, is a popular beer bar with fine music and a good crowd.

• Aelpli Bar, 16/1 Soi Bintabaht, has been one of the most popular European bars on the Soi Bintabaht strip. Rolf has recently sold the bar (but not his accordion) and has returned to Switzerland. Heinz and his wife intend to carry on the friendly traditions and generous portions of home cooking are available also. Meals $3-6.

• Soi Bintabaht has several beers bars. Some show videos, some have pool tables and/or darts, some offer pizzas or Thai snacks. A few of the more popular places are: T's Bar, The Friendly Bar, Nice & Easy Bar, Happy Bar and on and on.

Discos and Clubs

Satchmo's, at the Sofitel, is the up-scale hotel nightclub and disco in Hua Hin. featuring Philippine bands doing cover tunes.

J. Gene, on Bintabaht is another club (with lots of rock 'n' roll from their house band) but without the hotel sanitizing. For night owls, The Paradise Disco really gets going around 0300 when the local bars put up their shutters and doesn't close 'til dawn. Rockestra, on Poonsuk, also has live bands.