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Much of Pattaya feels like Little America, with McDonald's, Burger King, and KFC next to each other in the Royal Gardens Plaza mall, and other familiar names nearby. But Pattaya has access to just-picked produce and seafood fresh from the gulf, so you'll have no trouble finding worthwhile local cuisine. Fancier, if not necessarily better, restaurants can be a refuge from the noise and crowds at the simple beachside places.
Pattaya's reputation as a top spot for sampling seafood is given fresh impetus at this lively restaurant. The venue is open daily for lunch, but it comes alive during dinnertime when gourmands flock to its seafood buffet (Wednesday through Sunday; B849 per person)—a kingly affair starring superfresh morsels served in an underwater-inspired space popping with eclectic artworks. Note that there is no a la carte dinner menu when there is a seafood buffet.
Regulars pack the room at this elegant Indian restaurant, which honors Pattaya's bountiful seafood supply with dishes like a comforting prawn curry and a "Trio of Fish" with salmon and dory fillets cooked in three unique ways—an absolute must-try. The service is attentive but never overbearing, living up to the awards this local favorite has earned since it opened in 2004.
