善早酒店，塔库帕

The husband-and-wife team go to market every day to select fresh, local ingredients and seafood and offer a wide selection of Thai dishes. Check the blackboard for the specials which change every day, but the crispy softshell crab with a peppery chilli sauce is unmissable.

A local favourite in Takua Pa, popular for its flavoursome halal breakfast and beautifully aromatic and rich slow-cooked beef and goat curries. The clear beef soup made to order arrives piping hot. Dishes also come in smaller portions – perfect for sampling a variety of options.

The signature pork leg, which is stewed for 6 hours, has a spicy, charcoal flavour – the tasty recipe comes from the chef-owner’s Chinese great grandfather. Photos of visiting royals confirm its prestige; one of the most popular places among the Sino-Portuguese buildings of the old town.

Krua Luang Ten makes for an unusual setting with its tables arranged on sand-covered floors. Check the whiteboard for the specials, which often feature the catch of the day and seasonal ingredients. The dishes masterfully balance robust Southern Thai flavours for authentic spiciness, and the complimentary vegetables come with tai pla sauce. N.B. The restaurant is closed on the 10th, 20th, and 30th of the month.