Given that Phuket was a former trading and mining hub that drew in people from China, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, its culinary landscape is a mix of cooking styles and cuisines from several countries. Here are some of the best dishes to try from among the vibrant culinary world of Phuket.

Mee Hokkien

This Hokkien-style noodle dish is prepared with wheat noodles, seafood, pork slices, and greens, all cooked in a broth. It is sometimes served with an egg upon the diner’s request. Like many of the dishes from China’s Hokkien province, this dish is fairly mild and savoury, making it the perfect dish to start with.

Kao Phad

This fairly simple-looking dish brings you a mound-shaped serving of fried rice that is packed with various ingredients including shrimp or chicken, garlic, tomatoes, eggs and onion. It is often served with a side of chilli for those who prefer a higher level of spice. Kho Phad can be found at any of the Bangtao restaurants in the area.

Geng Kheaw Wan Gai

This green curry is a popular dish in Thai cuisine that gets its colour from the green chillies used in preparation. Despite this, the curry can be made across varying levels of spice and often includes other ingredients like coconut milk, eggplants, galangal, lemongrass, sweet basil and other staple Thai ingredients. It is often enjoyed with steamed rice or flatbread and can be found in any of Phuket’s restaurants, food stalls or hotels like Saii Laguna Phuket.

Roti

This is a type of pancake from Thai-Muslim tradition and is a popular choice for breakfast meals in Phuket. The roti is often shredded to create a flaky heap which is then topped with a fried egg and served with a bowl of fragrant curry.

Massaman Curry

Massaman Curry – Image via Flickr

Taken from the Muslim culinary world, this flavourful curry contains a mix of ingredients including roasted peanuts, potatoes, beef or chicken, coconut milk, tamarind sauce bay leaves and more. When prepared in Phuket and other areas of Thailand, pork is frequently used as it is a popular choice of meat.