The very large Chinese community means that there are many fine Chinese restaurants all over the island, particularly in Phuket City, and many of these will offer regional specialities that cannot be found anywhere else in the country.

A food experience not to be missed is a visit to a night market, such as the one next door to Robinson's Department Store on Ong Sim Phai Road, in Phuket City. Vendors set up their mobile cooking units, tables and chairs, and display their fresh ingredients for passing customers to view. This colourful market offers a wealth of Muslim, Thai and Chinese cooked meals and sweets. Simply point at what you want and eat it right there, with a bottle of ice-cold beer.

In recent years, Phuket has emerged as a star player on the international dining scene, with gourmet French, Italian and fusion restaurants in many locations. Some are located in hotels, while others are independent concerns owned by people who love fine food and wine. Patong, Kata and Karon are the main resorts to go searching for fine dining, but little gems of places can be found all the way along the west coast. Other than this, a huge range of popular cuisines is available, including Japanese, Indian, Korean and Middle Eastern.