The royal resort town’s newest restaurants.

Living Room Bistro and Wine Bar

The latest addition to Hua Hin’s gastronomic scene, the Living Room, certainly benefits from a striking location. A white 50s-style wooden beach house overlooks a peaceful stretch of sand, and offers a choice of alfresco dining options from formal tables to white benches and comfy bean bags. The menu is divided into three parts: Thai, international and old-school fusion dishes, which have been adapted from recipes of the previous owner of this former resort home. That means you’ll see old favorites like the two-flavor pasta (B260) and crab meat and mayo sandwich (B160). Their commitment to using fresh ingredients has already earned them praise as one of the best spots in town, and there is a decent selection of wines, too. Adjacent to the restaurant is a small coffee shop, and the place also opens for breakfast, if you fancy some French toast with a picturesque sea view. The prices are really affordable, too.
3 Soi Hua Hin 51, Damrongrat Rd., Hua Hin, 032-530-487. Open daily 8am-10pm.

Le Chapon

Hidden away inside boutique resort The Hen, Le Chapon’s black-and-white motif gives it a fashionable French café vibe. The food is a combination of French and international dishes with a specific focus on fresh seafood. But what we really recommend checking out is their afternoon high tea (B1,399). Your choice of tea (we recommend Scent of Cashmere from the Czech Republic) is served in a sophisticated tea pot, together with a selection of snacks and pastries. It’s a pleasantly indulgent way to spend an afternoon by the sea.
31 Diskul House, Naed Khehat Rd., 032-531-146. Open daily Thu-Tue 11am-9pm.

Baan Tua Yen

OK, we admit that Baan Tua Yen is not brand new, but it only moved to its new location about a year ago. The name means “House of Chilled Beans” in Thai, and, not surprisingly, they specialize in using sweetened chilled red beans in dishes. Still those without a sweet tooth can also enjoy a range of single-dish selections, like their moreish khao pad krapao (steamed rice with spicy stir-fried pork/chicken/shrimp with basil, B40). This place is definitely cheap and cheerful, so don’t expect fine dining décor, still we do like the walls made of aged wood and the old-school-style bar.
10 Naeb Khahat Rd., Hua Hin, 032-512-693. Open daily 7am-10pm.

Eighteen Below Ice Cream

Here’s another old favorite that has recently relocated. Hua Hin’s favorite gelato parlor has moved to a new space on Naeb Khehat Rd. Inside, this grey-colored building is a good place to hide away from the heat and cool off with a variety of ice creams and sorbets (B69/scoop). They also do cakes; you’d be remiss to skip the Belgian dark chocolate cake (B110). Moreover, they do an interesting daily breakfast, covering everything from grilled French bread to Swedish-style roast beef with potato salad on grilled bread (B105-125).
Naeb Khehat Rd., 032-512-208. Open Mon 11am-5pm, Thu 11am-6pm, Fri-Sun 7am-6pm.

Al Humra at Marrakesh

Following a Thailand-wide trend to embrace Moroccan-inspired décor, the Marrakesh Resort and Spa features lots of bright colors, Moorish curves and mosaic tiles throughout the property. On the seafront side, next to the resort’s main pool, is the signature restaurant Al Humra, where guests can enjoy a host of well-prepared international and fusion dishes, like salmon with kaeng kiew wan dressing and black pasta (pictured).
Marrakesh Hua Hin Resort and Spa, 63/411 Petchakesem Rd., Hua Hin, 032-616-777. Open daily 6:30am-11pm.

La Birra

La Birra is the town’s newest alfresco bistro and benefits from a position that’s close to the popular retro-inspired Cicada weekend flea market. The L-shaped-eatery offers you a choice to dine outside under the stars on their lawn or inside amidst the New York loft-style decor. Birra means beer in Italian, and following a trend that’s also pretty big in Bangkok, they offer an array of hard-to-find imported beers (B180-260/bottle), along with a simple selection of pasta and salad options. There’s a particular focus on brews from Belgium and Germany, with our personal favorite being the Floris from Belgium (B220/bottle), which tastes and smells like chocolate.
Hua Hin Khao Takiab Rd., Hua Hin, 084-567-6989. Open daily 2pm-midnight.

The Sea Market

Hua Hin is all about seafood, with the fleet heading out daily to catch squid and other super-fresh treats from the Gulf. Browse the catch of the day and then have it cooked according to your preferences. The vibe is very laid back with fish nets and the bright colors helping to give the place a slightly Mediterranean-feel, plus the prices are quite reasonable compared with other seafood restaurants in the area.
123/54 Mooban Takiab, Hua Hin, 032-527-633. Open Tue-Sun 9am-6pm.