Where to eat on Koh Samui.

The island's commercial heart has the deepest bench of restaurants - beachfront seafood terraces, steakhouses, sushi, sports bars and the food halls of Central Festival Samui, all walkable along the main strip and the beach road. It is the default for first-timers and anyone who wants everything from cheap Thai shophouses to a smart night out within a short walk.

The restored wooden-shophouse village on the north coast is Samui's dining destination: boutique bistros, wine bars, well-known international kitchens and sea-view fine dining line the lane, and the Friday Walking Street fills it with food stalls. The choice for a special meal or a stylish, unhurried dinner by the water.

Samui's second beach town, just south of Chaweng, eats more cheaply and casually - beachfront Thai restaurants, a compact centre of international eateries and a growing long-stay crowd. Calmer and better value than Chaweng while keeping a solid range of choices, which is why many residents settle here.

The quiet north coast around Maenam and the west-coast town of Nathon offer the most authentic, best-value eating on the island - local Thai restaurants, fresh markets, the Maenam and Nathon walking streets and simple seafood shacks. This is where long-stayers and retirees eat like locals, well away from the tourist mark-up.

The north-east corner near the airport pairs the upscale, quiet coves of Choeng Mon - resort dining rooms and sea-view restaurants - with the practical Bang Rak (Big Buddha) area, home to beachfront seafood, cafes and the pier restaurants. Handy for the airport and a quieter, smarter evening than the centre.

Seafood is the island's signature meal. Beachfront restaurants across Chaweng, Lamai, Bophut and Bang Rak grill prawns, squid, crab and whole fish - usually priced by weight and cooked to order - and evening beach BBQ buffets are a Samui institution. For the freshest and cheapest, seek out the local seafood spots around Bang Rak, Maenam and Nathon where the catch comes in daily.

For its size Samui has a strong upscale scene, concentrated in Bophut's Fisherman's Village and the north-coast and headland resorts: sea-view terraces, wine bars, modern European and pan-Asian kitchens and hotel fine dining. Dress is smart-casual and prices sit well below Bangkok or Western cities for comparable cooking - book ahead in high season.

Thanks to its yoga retreats, detox centres and long-stay wellness crowd, Samui has one of Thailand's biggest health-food scenes. Vegan and vegetarian restaurants, raw-food and smoothie-bowl cafes, and organic kitchens cluster around Fisherman's Village, Chaweng, Lamai and Maenam - an easy island for plant-based and clean eating.

Samui's established international community supports a broad range of foreign food: Italian, French, British, Scandinavian, German, Indian, Middle Eastern, Japanese and Korean restaurants are all easy to find, concentrated around Chaweng and Fisherman's Village. Handy when you want a taste of home alongside the Thai and seafood staples.

Samui eats brilliantly on the street. The Fisherman's Village Walking Street (Friday), plus the Chaweng, Lamai, Maenam and Nathon walking-street markets, are the big weekly food events, while carts and open-front shophouses island-wide serve pad kra pao, som tam, grilled skewers, mango sticky rice and seafood noodles. A full plate typically runs 50-90 baht, and busy, high-turnover stalls are a safe, delicious way to eat.

Delivery works across the island's built-up beaches. GrabFood and LINE MAN are the dominant apps, with foodpanda also available; all have English interfaces and take card or cash. Coverage is strongest around Chaweng, Bophut, Lamai and Maenam, with deliveries usually arriving in 20-45 minutes for a small fee - though remote hillside villas can fall outside a driver's range.

Street and market meals run roughly 50-100 baht; a casual sit-down Thai or beach restaurant 150-400 baht a head; mid-range international dining 400-1,000 baht; and Fisherman's Village fine dining or resort restaurants from about 1,200 baht and up, before drinks. Being an island, imported groceries, wine and spirits carry a noticeable mark-up over the mainland, and fresh seafood is charged by weight.

Fisherman's Village restaurants, popular seafood terraces and all fine dining are worth booking ahead, especially in the December-March high season - many take reservations by phone or LINE. Tipping isn't obligatory; a 10% service charge is common at upscale venues, and rounding up is normal elsewhere. Tap water is not for drinking - stick to bottled or filtered.

Chaweng has the widest choice and the mall food halls; Bophut's Fisherman's Village is the boutique fine-dining destination with the Friday Walking Street; Lamai is relaxed and better value; Maenam and Nathon offer the most authentic, local, best-value eating; and Choeng Mon and Bang Rak in the north-east pair upscale resort dining with beachfront seafood near the airport.

Yes - fresh island seafood is Samui's signature meal. Beachfront restaurants in Chaweng, Lamai, Bophut and Bang Rak grill prawns, squid, crab and whole fish to order (usually priced by weight), and evening beach BBQ buffets are a local institution. For the freshest and cheapest catch, head to the local spots around Bang Rak, Maenam and Nathon.

Street and market meals run 50-100 baht; casual Thai and beach restaurants 150-400 baht; mid-range international 400-1,000 baht; and Fisherman's Village or resort fine dining from about 1,200 baht and up. As an island, Samui carries a mark-up on imported groceries, wine and spirits versus the mainland, and fresh seafood is charged by weight - confirm the price before it's cooked.

Very - thanks to its yoga retreats, detox centres and wellness crowd, Samui has one of Thailand's biggest health-food scenes. Vegan and vegetarian restaurants, raw-food and smoothie-bowl cafes and organic kitchens cluster around Fisherman's Village, Chaweng, Lamai and Maenam, making it one of the easiest islands for plant-based and clean eating.

GrabFood and LINE MAN are the two biggest, with foodpanda also available. All have English-language apps and accept card or cash, with the best coverage around Chaweng, Bophut, Lamai and Maenam and deliveries usually arriving in 20-45 minutes. Remote hillside or west-coast villas can sometimes fall outside a driver's range.