Pattaya guide · Where to eat
Places to eat in Pattaya, with what to order and how comfortable each is for families and older travellers.
Updated
Pattaya is a seafood-and-Thai city by default, so vegetarian diners need to choose restaurants rather than rely on luck. The most reliable answer is the cluster of vegetarian Indian restaurants around Pattaya Klang Road, including Govindam and Jai Jinendra, and Shree Krishna in the Pattaya Klang area. These serve thalis, dosa and North Indian curries. Zaika on South Pattaya Road is an older halal Indian restaurant that is known for vegetarian dishes but is not vegetarian itself.
For Thai-style vegetarian eating there is a different route. Five Star J on South Pattaya Road is a vegetarian restaurant serving Thai-style dishes, and Thai Jay restaurants (marked by a yellow flag with red lettering) avoid meat, fish sauce and, in traditional versions, garlic and onion. Do not assume a Thai menu is vegetarian: fish sauce, shrimp paste and oyster sauce appear in many dishes. Say 'mai sai nam pla' (no fish sauce) and confirm.
If you are staying at a large hotel, ask the kitchen in advance for a vegetarian or no-onion-no-garlic meal. Strict Jain diners should treat any listing as a starting point and check with the staff, because kitchen practices change and some listings differ on whether egg or dairy is used. Many Indian travellers also carry dry snacks for the day trips.
Menus and kitchens change. If you follow a strict diet or have an allergy, confirm with the restaurant before you order.
Thappraya Road, Nongprue, near Grand Carribean Condo Resort
A vegetarian restaurant on Thappraya Road selling Italian, Indian and Indo-Chinese fast food, from noodles and fried rice to samosas and Punjabi dishes.
Central Pattaya Road (Pattaya Klang), central Pattaya
An Indian restaurant on Central Pattaya Road with a menu that marks its vegan dishes, and a long-standing name among visitors who want vegetarian Indian food.
Pratamnak Soi 6, at the end of a row of shophouses
A small plant-based-friendly stop on Pratamnak Soi 6 serving hummus with pita-style bread and olive oil, at the far end of a row of shophouses.
South Pattaya Road (Thanon Pattaya Tai), 313/37
A fully vegetarian restaurant on South Pattaya Road serving Thai, European and American dishes with plant-based substitutes. A good choice for vegetarian diners who want Thai flavours.
Pattaya Klang Road (Central Pattaya Road), central Pattaya
A vegetarian Indian restaurant in central Pattaya known for thalis, dosas and North Indian curries. A dependable lunch stop for Indian families.
Hilton Pattaya, Beach Road, central Pattaya
A rooftop restaurant and bar on the 34th floor of the Hilton Pattaya, named by several guides for its views over Pattaya Bay. Go for an evening drink or dinner, and expect hotel pricing.
Central Pattaya Klang Road, Nongprue
A pure vegetarian Indian restaurant serving North and South Indian thalis and Jain-style dishes. Menu descriptions list ingredients, which helps with dietary choices.
Second Road, central Pattaya
A South Indian restaurant on Second Road with a menu that is close to half vegetarian, including a vegetable thali and a Peshwari naan reviewers recommend.
Second Road, facing Central Festival Pattaya Beach
A restaurant on Second Road, opposite Central Festival Pattaya Beach, with a large menu of North and South Indian dishes including many dosas.
Na Kluea Soi 4, Naklua, north Pattaya
A very large open-air seafood restaurant in Naklua, north Pattaya, named by several guides and set at the water's edge. Go for fresh Thai-style seafood and a sunset table, and expect little for vegetarians.
Pattaya Klang Soi 16, central Pattaya
A small air-conditioned pure vegetarian Indian restaurant off Pattaya Klang with three thalis and North and South Indian dishes. Simple and reliable.
Pattayaland Soi 2, central Pattaya
A small curry restaurant on Pattayaland Soi 2 serving Indian and Bangladeshi dishes with a South Indian focus, and a full range of vegetable dishes.
Soi Na Jomtien 10, Na Jomtien, south of Jomtien Beach
A beachfront Thai, seafood and international restaurant on Soi Na Jomtien 10, south of Jomtien, with seating on the sand. Pretty for a sunset meal, but expensive for Pattaya and far from the city centre.
South Pattaya Road, near Second Road
An old, halal North Indian restaurant in Pattaya known for vegetarian dishes alongside meat dishes. A familiar option for mixed groups.
