Voting is underway to find the winners in this year’s Phuket Clique Dining Awards. With the voting window open until 30th September, this is how you can get involved to choose your favourite restaurants
By: Andrew MacKenzie
It all started in March 2026 when members of the exotiqPhuket readers’ club (The Clique) chose their top 5 nominees across 18 different dining categories. These are detailed in this article.
The categories were split into ‘The Indulgence Series’, which features high-end premium restaurants, ‘The Daily Delights Series’, affordable mid-range establishments, and ‘The Best of the Best’, the ultimate selection to crown Phuket’s ‘Best Chef’, ‘Best New Restaurant’ and ‘Best Restaurant’.
A second phase of public voting started in May, when the list of nominees was published in the Summer Season edition of the exotiqPhuket magazine. Today we have received well over 3,000 votes.
As voting continues through this edition of the magazine, you can have your say by scanning the QR codes in the article, which will remain open until the end of September 2026.
You can vote for as many nominees as you wish, and if you sign-up for our weekly newsletter, by adding your email address to your online voting slip, your votes will count DOUBLE!
The winners are announced in the November issue of exotiqPhuket. Vote across all categories here or category by category below.
INDULGENCE SERIES
Celebrating elevated cuisine, impeccable service and standout wine programmes. From chef’s tables to landmark dining rooms, these are Phuket’s celebration-worthy venues:
1. Best Modern Thai & Royal Thai
– Black Ginger at the Slate
– Bucha Gallery
– Silk at Andara
– Suay Cherngtalay
– Thai Library at Trisara
2. Best Upscale European
– Bisou Phuket
– Bocconcino Phuket
– Cava Bien Marché
– Mrs B Bar & Table
– Vero at the Pullman Arcadia Naithon
3. Best Premium Steakhouse
– Benny’s Cocktail & Grill
– El Gaucho
– Sam’s Steakhouse
– Rivet & Rebar at the Slate
– Wagyu Steakhouse at Twinpalms
4. Best Upscale Seafood
– Issara Restaurant & Bar
– Kan Eang@Pier
– La Marée
– Rock Salt at the Naiharn
– Sea Fire Salt at Anantara Mai Khao Villas
5. Best Experimental & Tasting
– Alchemy Dining
– Baba Lee
– Jampa
– Restaurant Royd
– The Smokaccia Laboratory
6. Best Fine Dining
– Acqua
– Aulis Phuket
– Saffron at the Banyan Tree
– HOM at the InterContinental Phuket
– PRU at Trisara
7. Best Brunch
– Carpe Diem Beach Club
– Catch Beach Club
– Kata Rocks Saturday Brunch
– SALA Phuket Saturday Brunch
– Sunday Brunch at the Slate
8. Best Roof Top
– 360° Bar at the Pavilions
– Baba Nest at Sri Panwa
– Casa Boho at the Hyatt Regency
– Sizzle Rooftop at Avista Hideaway
– Vanilla Sky Bar & Gastro Pub at Cape Sienna
DAILY DELIGHTS SERIES
Spotlighting cafés, noodle bars, beachside grills and neighbourhood bistros that deliver flavour, value and warm hospitality you’ll happily revisit any day:
9. Best Authentic Thai
– Charm Dining Gallery
– Paed Sen Noodle & Rice
– Pan’s Bistro
– Toh Daeng by Baan Ar Joor
– Tu Khab Khao
10. Best Casual Seafood
– 517 Fisherman Seafood
– Ban Pae Seafood
– Laem Sai Seafood
– Lao Pa Sat
– Tondak Seafood & Cafe
11. Best Casual International
– Ann’s Kitchen – The Diner
– Day & Night
– Little Paris
– The Barrel
– Wine Connection
12. Best Casual Beachfront
– Beach Cuisine
– Cove
– Lazy Coconut
– Lillo Island
– Sea Almond Chilled Restaurant
14. Best Best Cafe & Bakery
– Bake
– Bartels
– Cannelle
– Daily Dose
– Holey Artisan
15. Best Healthy
– Go Fresh
– Slice
– Soul Vegan Karon
– Wandee
– Woo Phuket
16. Best Hidden Gem
– Cafe Gluck
– Grind Cafe
– Muan Jai
– Project Artisan
– Riverside
BEST OF THE BEST SERIES
Honouring Phuket’s pinnacle performers, regardless of genre – restaurants and chefs setting the benchmark for creativity, consistency, sustainability and service across the island:
17. Chef of the Year
– Davide Mastrangeli – JW Marriott Phuket
– Luca Mascolo – The Smokaccia Laboratory
– Massimo Pettinau – Bocconcino
– Saowaluk Jansong – Black Ginger at the Slate
– Tammasak Chootong – Suay & Alchemy
18. New Restaurant of the Year
– Alchemy Dining
– Ashes
– Baba Lee
– Jonny Brisket
– Trattoria Luca Cini
19. Restaurant of the Year
– Blue Elephant
– Bocconcino
– Carpe Diem Beach Club
– The Smokaccia Laboratory
– Su Va Na
END