If you read through articles on this blog, you will notice one consistent theme is Phuket’s food scene. There are good reasons to never put this topic to rest. One of those reasons is that one would be hard-pressed to find the kind of variety, quality, and value in another similarly sized city. Many would agree that the island’s culinary scene is one of the best things that has come out of decades of tourism and a burgeoning expat population from all over the world in combination with Thailand’s treasured culinary heritage. Of all of the various types of restaurants in Phuket, let’s focus on a few of the best representing Eastern Europe.

Spice House

The Spice House has been around Phuket since they opened their first location in Patong’s Jungceylon shopping mall in 2007. Now, 17 years later, they have four locations around the island including one at the Porto de Phuket shopping center in Cherng Talay. While they offer a selection of cuisines including some Thai dishes, the focus is on Russian food. Here you’ll find typical dishes done well like borscht, olivier salad, and solyanka.

Moldova Phuket

Sandwiched between Ukraine and Romania, Moldova likely resurrects memories of a wine-producing region rather than famous cuisine. That being said, some hearty and tasty food originates from there. One of the most well-known dishes is placinte which is a flat, flaky pastry that can be stuffed with a variety of ingredients. At Moldova Phuket, they offer placinte with cottage cheese or cabbage. Other recommended dishes are the dumplings, samarle (stuffed cabbage rolls), and chicken with polenta.

Georgian House

Having opened their doors less than two years ago, the Georgian House is a relative newcomer to the bountiful food scene in Rawai. Not every restaurant finds success in Rawai where many try, and in the end, only a few succeed. However, in that short time, the Georgian House has proven to have what it takes.

Unlike many restaurants whose menu is 100 pages long their menu has just the right amount of options – quality over quantity. One meal here and it’s apparent that the owner takes much pride in his work. A few of the tastiest dishes here are the khinkali (requires a bit of skill to eat properly), phali, and the acharuli.

Alma-Ata Kazakhstan Restaurant

This new addition to Phuket’s Eastern European dining options is located along Chao Fa East about one kilometer north of Chalong Circle. It’s a beautifully designed restaurant with a slightly upscale ambiance and classy decor. 

Compared to other restaurants specializing in cuisine from this region, Alma-Ata has a unique collection of offerings. Check out the borscht with smoked horse meat, braised lamb, and the crispy eggplant salad.

d’Odessa

Once again, the beauty of Phuket is that we even have the option to try traditional Ukrainian homestyle cooking. They offer a wide selection of interesting dishes made with fresh vegetables, quality meats, and imported grains. 

Some crowd-pleasers to try are the Crimean pilaf with lamb, homemade dumplings, dressed herring, and the okroshka.