With a wealth of luxurious resorts placing the focus on dining, Koh Samui has an array of fine dining restaurants to venture to, combining the local ingredients and traditions of authentic Thai cuisine with contemporary culinary techniques and some of the island’s most scenic locations. Here’s our pick of the seven best restaurants in Koh Samui.
The Height
Owing its name to its dramatic setting on the rocks overlooking the coastline and sea, The Height is celebrated for the panoramic views it boasts, with a glass-walled dining room and outdoor terrace making the most of its elevated position. But the food here is equally as impressive, with authentic Thai cuisine on the menu.
Poppies Restaurant
Considered by many to be Koh Samui’s standout fine dining venue, Poppies Restaurant has been serving fine Thai and international cuisine for more than two decades. Within its tropical garden and beachfront setting, diners can savor dishes such as steamed snapper with lime and chilli, while seated under the stars or in the Ayuthaya-style teak pavilion that overlooks the pool.
Saffron
Located within Banyan Tree Koh Samui in Lamai Bay, Saffron focuses on bringing together a blend of Southeast Asian flavors, fusing authentic Thai specialties with avant-garde culinary inspiration. In the restaurant’s elegant dining room, diners are treated to dishes like glazed and roasted duck.
Jahn
This award-winning restaurant at the Conrad Koh Samui excels for the ambiance of its contemporary Thai-style, lantern-lit dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows revealing far reaching ocean views, and for its contemporary Thai cuisine. Here, executive chef Amporn Choeng-Ngam creates innovative dishes that are best experienced in a degustation menu such as the Tasting of Jahn.
Full Moon
Having garnered awards for its culinary offering, Full Moon at Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort offers diners a personalized dining experience with table-side preparation of dishes such as beef tartar, along with a selection of flavorful chargrilled seafood and meat, and other specialties including octopus carpaccio with Chiang Mai greens, citrus and caviar.
The Cliff Bar & Grill
Another recipient of awards for both its food and wine, The Cliff Bar & Grill is one of the island’s steadfast fine dining favorites, serving up Mediterranean-inspired cuisine in its cliff-side setting overlooking the turquoise sea. Seafood in particular makes an impression here, having been caught off the coast by the local fishermen.
Kiree Restaurant
This fine dining spot at Vana Belle, a Luxury Collection Resort, Koh Samui sits on a hillside amid forest with an outdoor terrace that commands views over the Gulf of Thailand. It’s here that Asian and international cuisine is served, showcasing seasonal ingredients and a variety of cooking styles. The brunch is celebrated for its lobster and champagne offering.
For more inspiration on where to eat on your travels, take a look at our list of the world’s Top 100 Restaurants.
The post The 7 Best Restaurants in Koh Samui appeared first on Elite Traveler.