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Cha-Am: general information
Where to eat
Cha-Am is not a large city and the restaurants are mostly concentrated on the beachfront. Instead of a comprehensive guide, we chose to mention a few places that we like.
Types of restaurants
Thai food
Thai restaurants are of course all over the place, especially on the beachfront and Narathip road, where the speciality seems to be roasted chicken and pork.
Food stalls can also be found everywhere. The food is usually very good (the more people sitting around, the more you can be sure!) and it's great if you are on a budget.
If you want to taste Thai food without moving from your beach chair, usually all you have to do is ask the people who rent the beach chairs for some drinks or food. You can also buy food from vendors who walk along the beach.
For more information, see our page about Thai food and Thai restaurants
One of many restaurants on Narathip road: same same but different! |
A Thai restaurant on the beachfront. |
Seafood
Almost all restaurants have seafood in their menus, but the real seafood restaurants are in North Cha-Am, near the fishing pier. You can order from the menu or choose living fish and seafood directly from the basins outside.
A seafood restaurant on the road to the pier. |
A seafood restaurant on the beach, close to the pier. |
International food
As there are many tourists from Norway and Sweden, there are quite logically some Scandinavian restaurants in North Cha-Am, like Max restaurant near the Golden Beach hotel, or the restaurant opposite Tony's restaurant in the Long Beach soi.
In Cha-Am there is no fast food like Burger King, and no restaurant like Pizza Hut, Starbucks or Sizzler. There are a few pizzerias, like in soi "Bus station" (the soi between Narathip road and soi Cha-Am South 1).
Hotels restaurants also provide international food. The Grand Pacific Sovereign, for instance, boasts three international restaurants: Japanese, Chinese and Italian.
A few places we like
Disclaimer - Please note that we wrote "a few places that we like" and not "a few places that we recommend". Some people will like certain places, some won't. Or you can have a wonderful experience in a particular venue, and someone else will have a bad experience, just because it's not the same day, the same staff, etc. End of the disclaimer. ;-)
Beachfront
Tony, Max and other Scandinavian restaurants - These restaurants usually have Scandinavian food, of course, but also Thai food and seafood. Tony is located in a soi between soi 9 and 10 (the Long Beach hotel soi), and there is another Scandinavian restaurant facing it. Max is near the Golden Beach hotel, that is just before soi Cha-Am North 8. Just beside Max, on the other side of the Golden Beach hotel entrance is Baan Thai, another Norwegian restaurant. Like many beachfront restaurants, there are also rooms for rent upstairs. Around soi Cha-Am North 5, let's also mention Scandy Resort, and finally Da Vinci, a restaurant with Swedish specialities, but also Italian and Thai food.
Dee-Lek restaurant - This is the restaurant of the Dee-Lek guesthouse (in the area of soi Cha-Am North 5, just beside Da Vinci). Nice place and a large variety of dishes in the menu. Free fresh fruits at the end of the meal, this is a very nice touch.
On the beachfront you will also find many Thai restaurants, from simple foodstalls to real restaurants. O-Zone, for instance, is a typical Thai restaurant with long tables, flashing neons, a live singer murdering Robbie Williams and a large TV screen broadcasting Animal Planet.
Chaolay road
Aroy restaurant - A small restaurant near the crossroads of Narathip Road and Chaolay road. From the beachfront, take Narathip Road then turn right at the traffic lights, and you will find the restaurant on your right. It's a very small place, but there is a nice setting if you sit in the "garden". It can be busy (and slow) on week-ends. Thai food and international food.
Wilay is a German-Thai restaurant on Chaolay road, just at the end of soi Cha-Am plaza (where the bus station is). Very simple place, and we like it for that.
Bella Pizza is our favorite place when we feel like eating a pizza. It's in the Bus soi, you can't miss it.
Narathip road
There are many restaurants on Narathip road. Many of them look the same ("same same but different", like they say), with the same display of grilled chicken and pork. But some have a bit more style, like Krua kan wila, on the left side of the road when coming from the beach, not far from Phetkasem road. Their sign is in Thai but if you see a nice little garden with lights just close to the street, then you probably found it. The food (Thai food only) is tasteful, but if you are hungry don't hesitate to order several dishes, as the portions are rather small.
Still on the left side of the road when coming from the beach, closer to Phetkasem again, is Krungthep bar and restaurant. The food is delicious and it's in a nice setting, especially at night. There is a live band playing, as well as a big TV screen playing at the same time... which makes a typically Thai ambiance! You can eat at tables or on Thai cushions.
