Southern Flavors Phuket Food Tour with 15+ Tastings
Description
Join our truly small-group foodie tour limited to just 8 exclusive guests each day. There's no two ways about it, the food in Phuket is sublime. Perhaps that's why is was crowned the 'Thailand City of Gastronomy 2017' by UNESCO. This melting pot of Thai, Chinese, Malay and Burmese food certainly warrants a few hours away from the beach. There's no better way than diving into the hidden street eats in Phuket Old Town. You'll spend 4 hours with your foodie guide delving into the secrets behind the island's flavours. You'll make plenty of stops to mop up Burmese curries with wood-fried naans at a tucked away workers teashop, practise your chopstick skills on a bowl on the best bowl of Hokkien noodles in town and indulge in crispy roti dipped in creamy massaman curry, among a dozen more mouth-watering Phuketian culinary delights. You won't find food like this anywhere else on the island.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Our feasting tour of 15+ tastings invites guests on a culinary experience around the backstreets of old Phuket Town led by our team of professional foodie guides. We're Phuket's #1 food tour company on TripAdvisor. Over 5,000 guests can't be wrong. Before we get started, our tour reflects the local cuisine and the limitations of street food vendors means we unfortunately cannot cater for every dietary restriction. Here's an honest appraisal for the tour so no-one is disappointed ✔ We can cater for vegetarians and pescatarians though they may have to avoid 2-3 tastings (out of 15 total), so they won't go hungry! ✘ Unsuitable for severe shellfish and peanut allergies due to risk of traces and cross-contamination. So, of you are feeling adventurous for a foodie journey, read on!
This island and old trading post has got some serious food pedigree. Influences from all over Asia and beyond have evolved the dishes here into something truly original. That's why Phuket Town was crowned 'City of Gastronomy 2017' by UNESCO. While it's tempting to be a beach bum, those who drag themselves off the sand discover the secrets behind the island's flavours in small groups of up to 8 exclusive guests. Forget pad Thai and green curry, that's central Thai fare. We don't want to spoil the surprise, but prepare to drool as you mop up morsels with wood-fired naan, slurp bowls of smokey Hokkien noodles, work chopsticks over poh pia rolls smothered in rich tamarind sauce among many more lip-smackingly good tastings in places you'd struggle to find alone.
The tour concludes back at the start point, the Ranong Main market, located along Ranong Road in the heart of the city. Enjoy local hospitality and meet new friends along the way. End the tour armed with the knowledge you'll need to continue eating street food across Thailand.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- We can cater for vegetarians and pescatarians as long as those guests are okay that there may be 2-3 less tastings (out of 15) that won't be suitable. They certainly won't go hungry!
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately and bring an umbrella if rainy is likely
- The tour isn't suitable for severe shellfish or peanut allergies due to the risk of traces and cross-contamination
- Children must be accompanied by an adult.
- Note that our regular tour runs at 10:00am and 10:30am, and sometimes we add an extra tour at 12:30pm. Only the 12:30pm doesn't go inside the market (but our earlier tour times do!). Street food vendors take time off too, so not every Phuket food tour will be exactly the same, but fear not, the tour will always be packed with the good stuff!
Reviews(2,124)
Cat was an excellent guide! She was knowledgable and friendly, the food was delicious and this tour was a fantastic way to experience Phuket Old Town.
As a first time reviewer, I'd like to begin by stating that I am only a novice in the realm of food. I taste, and allow my senses to find myriad flavours both nostalgic and delightful in every new dish I should have the opportunity to experience for the first time, regardless of its origin. The Southern Flavours Tasting Tour provided my family with such an experience. A multitude of dishes experienced by myself and my family were not only delicious, but insightful into Phuket's culinary history. Gigi, our intrepid guide for the Southern Flavours Tour, was a wonderful personality that we were blessed to be escorted by. She informed us that the tour would focus on the authentic local cuisine that resembles what a typical Phuket native may come to enjoy in the comfort of their home, or perhaps the most revered establishments by both locals and tourists alike in Phuket. We explored Phuket Old Town, our itinerary consisting of five locations for multiple tastings at each, save for the first and final locations. Gigi gave us a taste of the Kolek Market vendor run by a single family that made the most invigorating Rice Noodle and Crispy Pork Belly. I found the texture of the intestines was so finely cooked, I could practically savour the love and effort imbued into the broth that the Madam would cook every morning from as early as 4am among the florist and sugar produce stalls. Lok Tian housed a satiating assortment of unique Thai-Chinese offerings, with the Poh Pia Phuket Fresh Spring Rolls being my most favoured among the 5 dishes we sampled from their restaurant. Our family counted ourselves quite fortunate to be able to taste such divine Thai roti with Masaman Chicken Curry and Beef Curry samplers. The Michelin Guide approved Roti Thaew Nam is rightfully labeled with such interesting and exciting flavours, opening my eyes to roti and its versatility as a side to be paired with the curry or presented as the lead role with the sweet peaks of Roti Banana or the scintillating tingles brought on by their Roti Mataba, whilst situated in the very heart of Phuket Old Town. Our penultimate destination came in the form of Priik Thai Restaurant, an establishment that featured the kind of food any child of Phuket would find themselves tired of eating, yearning in search of something more fun or exciting. However, meals such the Mhoo Hong Kong Braised Pork Belly and the Keng Som Spicy & Sour Curry Soup with Fish & Young Coconut Shoots may not always be the most striking dishes to young children growing up in Phuket and teating these meals daily, but in time, it becomes appreciated anew by the very same children who grow to become adults, realising that such a bevy of interesting flavours are not only delicious, they are also clearly an institution, for it is representative of Phuket in its most honest form. The staples that Phuket have to offer shine in their variety of spices, soy sauces and oils, the mighty fish sauce cooked into many fascinating dishes that may be so inclined as to not have any fish in it whatsoever, and yet taste amazing all the same. To see out the finality of our tour, we also experienced a very unique Oh Aew Ai You Jelly at the Prem Dessert Bar. The Jelly was so subtle in its flavour profile, that the fusion of honeycomb, orange slices and shaved ice completed the mildly sweet sensations, and created a perfect marriage of flavours feeling somewhat fruity, tart, and refreshing all at once. This truly made for an unforgettably beautiful end to our tour. My family rates the Southern Flavours food tour extremely highly in terms of value for money, authenticity of Southern Thai cuisine sampled, and we recommend that should you ever choose to experience this tour, ask always for Gigi, as she was beaming with gumption and excitement throughout the tour, and always willing to educate us on the history of the delicious food we sampled, whilst being an all-round great person to spend the day with our family. Enjoy Phuket if you can, you only live once, but tasty food memories are forever.
Lucky was knowledgeable, fun and entertaining . Not only was the food amazing, there’s a lot of it. Everything was so good even though I was almost bursting at the end I couldn’t not eat it . So delicious. My tour guide was kind enough to take lots of phitts of me too as I’m a solo traveller so I don’t get many photos of myself. He really gave me the best experience ever. Thank you so much
The tour was great with Gigi a fantastic guide. We really enjoyed the variety of styles of food tried, with new and local foods that challenge your taste buds combined with hearty dishes that easily please. All while wandering the lovely old town of Phuket!
Gigi guided me and my wife through the wonderful tastes of Phuket. She even organised all meals for us to be vegetarian/pescetarian. All stops on the tasing route felt so nice as she knew and introduced us to the restaurant owners and cooks. We tried so many nice dishes and got all Information about the ingredients history of the food, the restaurants and the old town of Phuket. We really enjoyed the time with Gigi showing us the Phuketarian cuisine and culture of cooking and eating. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity!
Lucky was a fabulous guide throughout the entire tour. Culture and history of the various counties represented in the Phuket food scene was well shared. We experienced the traditional Thai fresh market also. 10/10 recommend!
Highly recommend this tour as a great way to see Phuket Old Town and to try a range of delicious food. Lucky was a wonderful tour guide - so friendly and knowledgeable!
Gigi was very informative, pleasant and knowledgeable, she made this tour fun. The group was small only 8 people including the guide. The dishes were so delicious and filling after the 2nd stop I was ready to tap out, my husband tapped out before the desert LOL, the portions were big enough, we had multiple tastings at some locations. The finale was desert, a very interesting desert with a surprising sweet taste, the tour was worth every penny and time spent. Warning do not eat breakfast, go hungry! They offer two more tours in Bangkok my husband and I plan to do both, LOL. Thanks Gigi for a great tour!!
I had an amazing time on the Chef's Tour 15+ Tastings! Our guide, Lucky, was incredibly energetic, friendly, and extremely knowledgeable. He shared the history and cultural background behind every dish, making the experience so much more than just a food tour. The variety of tastings was outstanding, featuring delicious dishes inspired by Chinese, Malaysian, and Thai cuisine. What I really loved was that Lucky gave us the chance to experience food from different perspectives—you could try places where the locals eat, popular tourist favorites, or enjoy a perfect mix of both. It made the tour feel authentic while still being approachable for visitors. If you're looking to experience the local food scene while learning about the culture from a passionate guide, I highly recommend this tour. Come hungry—you'll leave full, happy, and with a much greater appreciation for the local cuisine!
Our food tour with Gigi was an outstanding experience from start to finish. Gigi’s passion, local knowledge, and warm personality made every stop memorable. The food selection was exceptional, showcasing authentic Southern Thai flavours at carefully chosen local establishments that we would never have discovered on our own. Every dish was delicious and perfectly represented the region’s rich culinary heritage. This tour was a true highlight of our trip, and if you want a genuine Southern Thai food experience, book this tour without hesitation. PS it is a generous amount of food!
