Hua Hin is perhaps an odd location for The Mouth to write a guide about, but circumstances had us planting our feet firmly in the sand for over a month. A quite substantial time for someone to amass at least a few tried and tested places to throw your money at.

Seafood is an obvious concern when vacationing by the beach, and Hua Hin has options in spades. However, the quality of the seafood in the main strip is questionable, and if you want to do what the locals do, be prepared to drive south to Pran Buri to taste the best.

Another burgeouning factor in Hua Hin's landscape is the appearance of numerous coffee shops specialising in rather decent brews. As The Mouth does not imbibe in evil spirits, there are sadly no bar recommendations for those who enjoy sailing on insane seas. Find your own.

By now we shouldn't need to remind you, that everything in life is personal taste so don't get your knickers in a twist. At the time of writing those mentioned below offered sustenance and pleasure in equal measure, and catered to our palates. If you veer into territories of other flavour profiles, then you will not find riches in this mess of a report.

CLICK MAP LINK BELOW FOR ALL LOCATIONS

RATAMA DUCK PALO

The locals choice for duck soup, and who can blame them. One of the few places that doesn't serve overtly sweet broth, their duck is beautifully cooked and you have the choice between three styles of noodles. A true local gem.

NAI HOI

It's a question of how local you want to go if you hit this spot. Famous for their fried fish with skin on, this humble shack sells out often before midday, battling the throngs of locals craving a bite. We ordered both the fish with skin and without, and made the mistake of eating full plates of both. The oil-overload was a bit too much, but if you stick to one plate or share, you'll be happy you visited.

Grandma has been cooking fish for over 40 years and it shows in how crispy the batter is, yet the fish inside is perfectly moist.

TUM SAI SEAFOOD

Where the locals go to eat seafood. Everything is fresh as a peach and flavourful. It's a 20 minute drive from Hua Hin, but worth the adventure.

GALLERY DRIP

The coffee scene is alive and well in Hua Hin, and of the two we chose to include in this guide, this was our favourite. The couple who run it are superbly friendly and a great resource if you are curious about where to eat. Their coffee is great and the shop is right infront of our favourite Phad Kha Prow joint.

p.s. Note the shop is rumoured to move across the road in February 2024.

MHAN

Fiery plates of Phad Kha Prow with Australian beef, a perfectly cooked egg, and no mercy with the level of chilli's, this was our absolute go-to in Hua Hin.

CHAINAT KITCHEN

Located on a dark road near the airport, and popular with ex-pats with local wives, the restaurant kills two birds with one stone by having a "Foreigner" menu, along with a Thai one. No marriages will be ruined over arguments on dishes here.

Our recommendation is to choose from the Thai menu. Not the thai dishes in the English menu, but ask for the actual Thai menu and point at one of the photos.

HUA HIN BIG OYSTER

Sticking to the area near the airport, another local gem that is perpetually packed at night. Our recommendation if you want a change from oysters is to ask for the crab curry in yellow-ish sauce. It is cooked with some form of local green vegetable and packs a heck of a punch.

EIGHTEEN BELOW

When the heat overcomes you, find salvation in this small ice-cream shop.

SRNA

Our second choice for coffee in Hua Hin, though this is strictly a take-away only place and if you get caught having a coffee on the benches in the waiting area, be prepared for an endless throng of selfie takers.

TAM SOM

The Isaan food cravings are satisfied at Tam Som, which is quite a drive out of normal areas for tourists, but well worth it.

Special mention to the Gai Yang (Grilled Chicken) and of course the Som Tum.

OGEN

Ogen does middle eastern food, and it does it well. Prices are a tad on the handsome side, but the portions are generous and service is friendly.

KHO MARK

Should you be worried about travelling the next day and avoiding a bad stomach, then Kho Mark serves up decent versions of all the regular seafood dishes in a very clean and safe environment. The food here is safe, has no bells & whistles, but sometimes you just want something you can trust.

Their Tom Yum Goong is quite good.

NO NAME RESTAURANT

Fans of Phad See Ew Moo can grab a plate around the corner from Gallery Drip. Just walk up to the corner, turn left and walk down about 40 meters. The chef will be cooking outside and the interiors are hipster green tiles and red signs, although it couldn't be further from a hipster place at all.

The map link below goes to a restaurant next door to help you find it.

ATCHA RESTAURANT

In the middle of bloody nowhere, yet definitely not a secret anymore, this Indian restaurant does the best food in town. BE WARNED, on weekends it can take upwards of an hour to get your food as it's a husband-wife team alone in the kitchen and all the ex-pats love this place.

Our advice is to call ahead and order and tell him what time you'll be there.

p.s. If you are craving Indian and can't be arsed to drive all the way out there, then Bombay Palace was a decent substitute in town. Avoid Everest and Mukhti at all costs.

Food is forever evolving, and sometimes it devolves. Owners change, locations change, chefs change. We can only assure you that when we visited, we liked it.