Your guide to the best vegan cafes and restaurants in Phuket, Thailand
While famous for its stunning beaches and turquoise waters, the island of Phuket is a destination for vegan foodies best known for hosting the world's most impressive vegan food celebration, the Phuket Vegetarian Festival.
But beyond this incredible event, you'll find a thriving year-round vegan scene. From high-quality international restaurants in the charming Old Town to luxurious plant-based resorts near the beach, you'll love Phuket if you are a vegan foodie.
In this guide, I’m sharing my top 5 favourite restaurants from my recent trip, information about Phuket Vegetarian Festival, essential Phuket travel tips and more.
Where to Stay in Phuket
Old Town
Old Town is probably the best place to base yourself, especially if you travel during the festival. You are surrounded by Sino-Portuguese architecture, street art, and a high quality vegan restaurants.
- Hotel Midtown Ratsada: This is where I stayed during my trip. It’s a solid, modern option that is affordable and incredibly central, walking distance to everything in Old Town. The rooms are clean and relatively spacious.
- Courtyard by Marriott Phuket Town: For something more high-end, Courtyard by Marriott is a fantastic option features luxurious rooms and a rooftop pool with a view of the city.
Vegan Resort
There is a vegan resort in Phuket called Soul Villa by the Beach. I stayed here for a few days. With only 6 villas right next to the beach, it's one of the most relaxing experiences I've had. They have a 99% vegan cafe right at the resort where you can enjoy floating vegan breakfast right at your room's private pool, and delicious vegan meals throughout the day.
Must-Visit Phuket Vegan Restaurants
Ubuntu Eat
Vegan | Old Town
Ubuntu Eat is easily one of the best places to have a vegan meal near Phuket's Old Town. The menu is massive, covering everything from Indian and Lebanese to Thai and Western dishes, making it perfect if you are traveling with a group who may all want something different.
The quality is high across the board, but my personal favourites are their Indian specialties. The vegan paneer butter masala was rich and creamy; it had a tomato flavour that wasn't overpowering. It went perfectly with the chicken tikka biryani. The rice was fragrant, and because it is a Kolkata Biryani, it had a huge piece of saffron potato inside.
Soul Cafe & Restaurant
Vegan | Karon Beach
Located right next to the popular Karon Beach, you'll find Soul Vegan Cafe with a welcoming, beachy vibe and calming pastel decor. Soul Cafe is fully vegan and focuses on food that is good for your body and the planet, and it's also owned by the plant-based Soul Villa by the beach which I mentioned earlier.
The food here was amazing with great attention to detail. For me, the star of the meal was the spinach, mushroom, and feta white sauce pizza. The dough is fermented for 24 hours, making it soft and digestible, and the creamy vegan cheese on top was rich and cheesy. If you want something Thai, try the crispy tofu with lemongrass curry served over riceberry rice, which has a fragrant lemongrass creamy curry sauce.
The Vegan Table
Vegan | Old Town
If you find yourself craving Western comfort food in the middle of Phuket's Old Town, The Vegan Table is a convenient and comfortable option. It’s a very popular spot with a large menu focusing heavily on familiar favourites like burgers, pizzas, wraps, and even a full English breakfast.
While the food here was a bit of a mixed bag for me personally, it is a reliable stop for a hearty meal after a day of travelling. I tried the chicken and garlic mayo wrap, which uses crispy plant-based chicken and spirulina tortillas. It’s a great pitstop if you need a break if you want something Western.
Pure Vegan Heaven
Vegan | Rawai & Chalong
There are two Pure Vegan Heaven in Phuket. It is a reliable spot for fresh, healthy, and beautifully presented vegan food. I visited the Rawai branch, which is set in a big, beautiful garden. You reach the open-air cafe after walking through a windy garden path. The menu is extensive, featuring colourful smoothie bowls, hearty wraps, and burgers. If you want something lighter, order the Nutty Bliss Bowl like I did. It was beautifully presented with a fantastic mix of peanut butter, granola, berries, and banana.
Yo Vegan
Vegan | Ratsada
If you want a truly local Thai dining experience in Phuket, it doesn't get more local than visiting Yo Vegan. It's a no-frills restaurant where locals eat, and I was the only tourist during my visit.
They run on a self-serve setup where you point to what you want from a delicious spread of pre-made dishes. There's no English menu and staff may speak limited English, so learning a few essential Thai phrases would be helpful. All the food is vegan, and I went for a green curry with vegan sausages and tofu, along with some crispy soy protein. It wasn't fancy, but it was flavourful and incredible value.
The Phuket Vegetarian Festival
If you can time your visit for October, you are in for a treat. The annual Phuket Vegetarian Festival is a spiritual event where the streets fill with yellow flags(the sign for "Jay" or vegan/veg food).
For one week, the whole island turns extremely vegan-friendly, with one of the biggest street food markets in the world selling everything from plant-based meats to desserts.
(Full article about the Vegetarian Festival coming soon)
Essential Travel Tips
Stay Connected
Navigating a large island like Phuket without internet can be tricky. There are SIM card options available at the airport, but I recommend sorting out your data and internet before you land so you can use maps and translation apps immediately. I use Airalo for eSIMs during this trip and the coverage and pricing were great.
Getting Around
Taxis and TukTuks in Phuket are more expensive compared to Bangkok. Download the Bolt or Grab apps to get fair, fixed prices for getting between the Old Town and the beaches. For a budget-friendly option, look out for the Phuket Smart Bus. It runs all the way from the airport down the west coast (passing beaches like Surin, Patong, Karon, and Kata) to Rawai for a flat fee (usually 100 THB). It’s a great way to beach-hop without paying taxi prices. There are also local Blue Buses (Songthaews) that run between the Old Town (leaving from Ranong Road market) and the beaches for about 40–50 THB.
Understanding the "Jay" Culture
You will see the red and yellow "17" symbol (which looks like the number 17 but is the Thai word for "Jay") everywhere. This means the food is vegan (no meat, dairy, eggs) but also excludes pungent veggies like garlic and onions. It is the safest sign to look for when eating street food!
Want the Full Foodie Guide on Bangkok, Chiang Mai & Phuket?
This guide is just a taste of what Bangkok has to offer. In my full book, The Vegan Foodie Guide to Thailand, I cover over 110 vegan spots across Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket, including additional information on vegan hotels, the famous Vegetarian Festival, shopping guides, and more. There's also a free sample if you are not sure whether this book is a good fit:
Get your copy of The Vegan Foodie Guide to Thailand here
