Even the most ardent, dogmatic chilli head, the one whose eyes widen at ‘Thai spicy’ and who takes great pleasure in reaffirming phed MAK, must concede that, once in a while, the craving for some slow-cooked San Marzano sauce hits like a freight train.
As recently as a decade ago, that craving would have been left to simmer until it caught on the bottom of the pan. Sure, Phuket’s reputation as a food destination has grown sharply in recent years, now a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy and with a 60-strong Michelin Guide. But Phuket’s Italian food scene has only truly matured – slow fermented, properly proved and ready to hit the oven – in the last ten years or so. Chefs from Italy and local cooks with a copy of Marcella Hazan’s big one and a finely tuned instinct for flavour have both been drawn by the same combination of excellent seafood, sublime year-round produce and a captive audience of millions that first put the island on the tourist map.
Now, that scene extends well beyond the cardboard-pizza and spag-bol joints that once dominated the beachfront strips. From Michelin-recognised fine dining to six-table trattorias in Old Town shophouses, the island now offers the full range of regional Italian cooking, and a standard that can at times genuinely surprise.
Should you be visiting the island and a craving for Italian food hits (it always does), then it’s to these places you should head; the best Italian restaurants in Phuket.
Five Olives, Bang Tao
Ideal for Michelin-listed pizza and pasta in a buzzy neighbourhood trattoria…
Five Olives is the restaurant that put Phuket’s Italian food scene firmly on the map. Just inland from the burgeoning hotspot of Bang Tao beach, you’ll find some of the finest Italian food in Southeast Asia.
The restaurant, run by chef and owner Korn Kantapat Sinpradit and his sister Kwang, has earned a place in the big red book and now sits at 26th in the 50 Top Pizza Asia-Pacific 2026 rankings – its fourth consecutive year on the list and a steady climb from 34th in 2024. Honestly, it should be higher; the nduja and stracciatella is as good as any pizza we’ve had in Bangkok, and we’ve had fucking loads.
It’s easy to see why Five Olives is held in such high esteem. On the restaurant’s convivial front terrace in a leafier part of town, the lapping of waves almost audible, some truly exemplary Italian food is being served.
The pizzas, first. They hit the table with a noticeable exhale, the canotto comically puffed and pleasingly uniform. You could imagine taking this one out on the Andaman for a bob about until a generous ball of burrata, imported directly from Puglia, threatens to sink the whole vessel. Peel off a slice and the pizza’s agreeable sloppiness announces itself. Halves of fresh Chiang Mai tomatoes and baby basil leaves certainly haven’t discoloured our memory of events here either.
But Five Olives has grown into something far broader than a pizzeria. On a recent visit, a clam acqua pazza was superb – briny, aromatic and generously portioned – while a seabass carpaccio showed a confident lightness of touch. From the pasta menu, the Carmatricianna (a carbonara-amatriciana hybrid) delivered the richness of both traditions into one absurdly delicious plate, available on paccheri, spaghetti or bucatini. Go for the latter. We’re fans of their nduja chilli mussels in tomato sauce too, with all the spicy, funky notes of the easy-to-pronounce Calabrian sausage offering the perfect foil to those sweet, plump mussels.
Much of what makes the food here so good comes down to where things are from. Key Italian staples – the olive oil, the nduja, that burrata flown in from Puglia – arrive with the provenance intact, while the seafood and produce are as local and fresh as the Andaman allows. They do a damn fine steak, too. Whatever you do, don’t miss the gelato which is made in-house, followed by a glass of limoncello. Cheers to that, then.
Speaking of clinking glasses, the drinks list has enough personality to match the food’s big, bold flavours. Wines by the glass start at 350 baht for a Calmaggiore Prosecco or a Sicilian Nero d’Avola from Regaleali, with a compact but well-chosen selection that leans Italian and New Zealand across both colours. If cocktails are more your speed, the numbered signature list is worth exploring – the No. 7, a bourbon sour with Cinzano dry vermouth and ricotta cream cheese foam, is the kind of thing that sounds like it shouldn’t work but absolutely does.
Come on a weekend and you’ll find this place humming – we left at 10pm and tables were still filling up behind us. Some nights a DJ plays in the corner, low enough that you can actually hear your dining companion, but present enough to give the evening its shape. The front terrace benefits from a generous fan which is much appreciated in the height of Phuket’s busy season, but if you end up inside – where the air conditioning is strong – a light layer wouldn’t go amiss.
Five Olives’ sister restaurant Marni, on the peripheries of Phuket Old Town, is also well worth a visit.
Website: fiveolives.co
Address: 2/1 Cherngtalay, Thalang District, Phuket 83110, Thailand
Acqua, Patong
Ideal for fine dining with Sardinian flair and a serious wine list…
Acqua is one of the island’s most exclusive (and expensive) restaurants, Italian or otherwise. A rare Phuket fine dining restaurant not housed in the bowels of a corporate hotel, here diners can survey the twinkling Kalim Bay from Acqua’s esteemed vantage point, luxuriating in the dining room’s clean lines and futuristic posture.
It’s certainly a leading contender for one of the most visually appealing restaurants in Phuket, even if the decor at times wouldn’t look out of place on Sky Atlantic’s mafia drama Gomorrah. Given some of the characters who’ve washed up on Phuket’s shores in recent years, perhaps the design is deliberate…
That’s not to say that the stunning backdrop pulls focus away from the food. Acqua’s success is down to its dedication to Italian cuisine, influenced by the traditions and culture of Southern Italy, in particular, with the special touch of chef Alessandro Frau’s native Sardinia gracing many of the dishes.
The chef’s philosophy emphasises the use of the finest ingredients, both local (Phuket lobster makes a welcome appearance in the Catalana-style salad) and imported (Siberian caviar, Japanese Amaebi prawns, and, of course, extra virgin olive oil and Parmigiano-Reggiano) treated with the utmost respect. It’s a winning formula, and one which has earned Acqua a place in every edition of the Michelin Guide Thailand since Phuket’s inaugural inclusion.
The wine list here is deserving of the setting, with Acqua a long-running holder of Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence. It stretches to over 450 labels, overwhelmingly Italian, with particular depth in Piedmont and Tuscany – the Barolo section alone covers over 20 entries and the Super Tuscan coverage is equally serious. Prices start at around 1,900 baht for a Valpolicella Classico and climb steeply from there, though it’s the mid-range Nebbiolo and Barbaresco bottles in the 3,000–5,000 baht bracket that represent the sweet spot for anyone who wants to drink well without the bill’s arrival becoming a moment of some dread. It’s comfortably one of the most impressive wine selections in Phuket – the food ain’t half bad, either.
A second branch has now opened in Bangkok, a testament to Acqua’s enduring quality.
Address: 324, 15 Phrabaramee Rd, Pa Tong, Kathu District, Phuket 83150, Thailand
Website: acquarestaurantphuket.com
La Gaetana, Phuket Old Town
Ideal for generations-old family recipes in a six-table Old Town charmer…
In the relentlessly gorgeous Old Town, La Gaetana has been open for over two decades, which in a place as transient as Phuket is a statement in itself. Owned by Gianni Ferrara, an Italian from Campania, and his Thai wife Chonticha, this cute six-table restaurant is the product of two cultures that both take hospitality very seriously indeed, and it shows the moment you walk through the door.
Though the welcome is full of the beaming smiles Thailand is so famous for, the menu is resolutely, traditionally home-style Italian, with the couple’s passion for Italian cuisine evident in proud pasta dishes that sit front row and centre of the menu here, many of which are inspired by traditional recipes passed down through several generations of Ferrara’s family. A family, it should be noted, that you feel very much a part of after a meal here.
On our last visit, the bottarga pasta from the specials board, ideally suited to linguine (the choice is yours here), was superb simplicity at its very best, full of umami and just the right level of sweet bitterness from perfectly golden garlic.
Should you be looking for a more elaborate spread, then it’s to that specials board you should head, with osso buco (done with actual veal here – a rare treat) and Hokkaido scallops both excellent, the latter an exemplary display of letting the ingredients shine, served seared with little more than a few rocket leaves and a drift of taut dressing.
Indeed, sometimes the most simple things are also the most memorable, and the eggplant-topped bruschetta isn’t something we’re going to forget anytime soon. Similar in taste profile to a parmigiana, it hit all the right notes; crisp, juicy, umami-heavy, yet ultimately refreshing. Speaking of memorable, the apple tart dessert is quite the spectacle when it’s served; order one and you’ll find out what we mean. Away from the plate, the homely room is a visual treat too, with sunflower yellow walls, old family photos, and trinkets from the owners’ pasts creating curiosity at every turn.
Though it’s certainly not a ‘hidden gem’ – La Gaetana is featured in the Michelin Guide – the restaurant’s intimacy will have you feeling like you discovered this place for the evening. All that said, booking in advance is very much recommended.
Address: 352 Phuket Rd, Talat Yai, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000, Thailand
Website: La Gaetana | Phuket | Facebook
Red Sauce at Rosewood Phuket, Tri Trang
Ideal for farm-to-table Italian cooking with an admirable attention to sourcing…
Part of the Rosewood Hotel, Red Sauce sits pretty on Tri Trang beach, with Chef Luigi Troise, who cut his teeth as senior sous chef at BluHouse in Hong Kong, now at the stoves, continuing the restaurant’s focus on regional Italian cooking with a keen eye on local produce. The open kitchen invites diners to gather as they would in a traditional Italian home, and evenings here can begin the old-fashioned way with a vermouth board (bianco, dry and red, served with Italian light bites) before moving on to the food.
Expect copper-coloured shellfish soups that straddle the rustic and the refined with grace and style, designed to be paired with the restaurant’s house focaccia, this one studded with anchovies and served alongside burrata and a pesto throbbing with Thai basil.
There’s a seriousness to the sourcing here that goes beyond the usual hotel kitchen supply chain, with duck from Klong Phai Farm, fish from a local eco-aquaculture operation and Thai artisan goat cheese from Little Goat Farm in Nakhon Pathom all featuring on the menu. That local influence extends into desserts, with a baba made with Phuket rum – it’s excellent, bracing and boozy, but comforting too. The menu has ambition beyond the island too, taking in handmade agnolotti del plin and a Margaret River Wagyu ribeye.
The wine list is compact but well chosen, with everything available by the glass (a Puglia Primitivo at 470 baht or a Chablis at 630) and pizzas start at 560 baht. For a Rosewood restaurant, the accessibility is a pleasant surprise.
Website: rosewoodhotels.com
La Gritta, Patong
Ideal for simple Italian plates and Phuket’s best sunset terrace…
Perched on a cliff (though not too precariously, we might add) overlooking stunning Patong Bay, La Gritta is a romantic restaurant that has been serving carefully composed Italian plates for over a decade to islanders and tourists alike.
Housed in the Amari Resort, the restaurant is led by chef Giordano Roscini, a native of Amelia, Umbria, who brings his passion for regional Italian food to the table here; a table which, if you can snag one on the terrace overlooking the bay, is arguably the most beautifully positioned in Phuket. Just remember to douse yourself in mosquito repellent before buckling up.
La Gritta’s menu is a little more pedestrian than some of the other entries on our list, with bolognese, carbonara, a couple of pizzas and even a hamburger, but, honestly, we’re here for the vibes, and that view really is something.
Website: lagritta.com
Address: Amari, 2 Muen-ngern Road Beach, Pa Tong, Kathu District, Phuket 83150, Thailand
ALTO at the Pavilions Phuket, Layan
Ideal for contemporary Italian dining with hilltop panoramas and strong Negronis…
Positioned at the highest point of The Pavilions Phuket, ALTO is twinned with the award-winning ALTO in Rome, and the pedigree shows. Chef Pietro Mangani, who has worked under three-Michelin-starred chefs Heinz Beck and Quique Dacosta during a decade-long career across European kitchens, made his Asian debut here and has shaped a menu that balances contemporary Italian cooking with smart use of Thai produce.
Though he’s since moved on, his spaghetti al nero remains, while the cacio e pepe con tartufo is a truffle-topped rendition of the Roman staple. We didn’t think this classic ever needed finessing, but this version certainly hit the spot.
Local ingredients surface throughout: the Layan red snapper is cooked with tomatoes and capers and laid onto garden vegetables from Chiang Mai, while the polpo arrosto – roasted octopus – arrives with chickpea hummus and pak choi, a dish that straddles continents in terms of ingredients, but makes sense when you eat it.
The setting helps, too. Panoramic views across Phuket’s lush interior to the Andaman Sea provide the kind of backdrop that commands a premium you don’t ever resent paying. The cocktail bar is a draw in its own right, with spritzes and Negronis at 400 baht and signatures like the Alto Royale – Phraya Elements rum, Martini Rosso, red wine and fresh ginger – leaning into the Italian aperitivo tradition rather than the generic tropical playbook.
The wine list is more eclectic than you might expect from a hotel restaurant, stretching from a 540 baht Chianti Montalbano by the glass to serious Italian bottles from Gaja, Querciabella and Quintarelli, with enough French and Australian detours to keep things interesting.
ALTO is open to non-guests, Tuesday to Saturday.
Website: altophuket.com
Address: 1, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket 83110, Thailand
Goodfellas at Courtyard By Marriott, Patong
Ideal for honest trattoria cooking steps from Patong Beach…
Goodfellas opened in late 2024 as part of the Courtyard by Marriott Phuket’s dining expansion (alongside the excellent Smokestack), and the name alone – plus its billing as solely a pizzeria – might tempt you to write this one off as a corporate hotel afterthought. That would be a mistake.
Chef James Emilio Richmond Gargiulo, raised in Reggio Emilia – a region celebrated for its culinary heritage – brings the heart of the Italian trattoria to Patong Beach. His early training in classic trattorias taught him the beauty of simplicity and fresh ingredients, and that sensibility runs through the menu here.
Pizzas feel more Italian-American in their crisp, burnished crust, but the real joy at Goodfella’s is actually found elsewhere on the menu. Meatballs in a rich tomato sauce were well-seasoned and suitably bouncy, coming in a sauce of real depth.
A pesto pasta was vibrant and just the right level of loose, topped with a generosity of pine nuts that would bankrupt a restaurant back home, while the aubergine parmigiana was a properly layered job, its enthusiastic caramelisation showing a chef cooking with instinct rather than from a hotel playbook.
The setting rewards you differently depending on when you visit. By day, the terrace catches the Andaman sun at a flattering angle; by evening, the adjacent beach club comes alive with live guitar, fire shows and a DJ, and Goodfellas sits at just the right remove – close enough to feel the energy, far enough to hold a conversation without raising your voice.
For Patong – where Italian restaurants can lean heavily on the tourist baht – Goodfellas is a really welcome addition.
Website: goodfellaspizzeriaphuket.com
Address: 44 Thaweewong Rd, Pa Tong, Phuket, 83150, Thailand
Bocconcino, Laguna
Ideal for Sardinian specialities and sunset drinks by the lagoon…
Bocconcino has been a fixture on Phuket’s Laguna dining scene since 2012, and chef Massimo Pettinau’s Sardinian roots are written all over the menu. The malloreddus with sausage ragù and aged pecorino is a Sardinian staple done in textbook fashion, the grilled pecorino sardo arrives with chestnut honey and fresh figs and tastes more of the Gennargentu than local limestone karst. A bottarga linguine with clams rounds out a pasta section with genuine regional depth. Back on the mainland, the pappardelle with venison ragù, a slow-cooked lamb shank and a vitello tonnato suggest a kitchen that takes its time where it matters.
The opulent, overblown setting plays its part in a big way. Bocconcino sits right on the lagoon at Boat Avenue, its terrace extending over the water, and at sunset it’s a genuinely striking spot, made all the more surreal by the restaurant’s own gondola, moored at a small pier and available for private dining, gondolier in striped shirt included.
Inside, a deli counter stocked with imported cheeses and cured meats sits near the entrance, with shelves of olive oils, vinegars and dried pasta lining the dining room. You can take a bag of produce home if the meal inspires. But the real surprise is the wine list, which is frankly staggering for a restaurant of this profile. Organised by Italian region with serious depth in Piedmont, Tuscany and Sardinia, it takes in Gaja Barbaresco, Ornellaia, Sassicaia and a Masseto at the top end, with Sardinian bottles from Argiolas, Capichera and Agricola Punica offering a nod to the chef’s homeland. A Coravin service on the better bottles means you can drink well without committing to a full one.
And since we’re by the beach, by the way, we’re off for a swim. Come on in, the water’s fine…
Website: bocconcinophuket.com
Address: 21 14 Lagoon Rd, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket 83110, Thailand
