Our Top Five Places to Eat in Pai

We had heard from a lot of fellow travellers and family that if you love food and a chilled out atmosphere surrounded by jungle, then Pai is the place to be. We are very much foody people and love a chilled setup. We couldn't wait to arrive and experience this wonderful place for ourselves, obviously after the 3 hour motorbike journey. Check out our previous blog on the drive. We couldn't wait to explore Pai.

To be perfectly honest we love food, I mean who doesn't.

Suze will pretty much try anything (food wise, don't be cheeky) and Beardy has always been very fussy so this trip has opened up our eyes to all sorts of new cuisine.

From low budget, where we are grabbing a Pad Thai off a food stand on the street, to fine dining where the portions are no bigger than a teaspoon, very rah, but wherever we end up, we would defiantly call ourselves 'foodies'.

So we want to share with you a variety of places to check out, whether you're on a budget whilst travelling or just taking a holiday break.

Here are our top five places to go if you are planning on heading to Pai.

Earth Tone 

Now for all you meat lovers out there this may be a little hard to handle, as it is a vegan cafe.

Being two carnivores we were a little hesitant, however, hand on heart, we loved it! 

The dishes at Earth Tone are so fresh and colourful you can't help but dig in. 

This bamboo built hut does not only provide wonderfully clean healthy meals, but they also double up as a natural health and beauty shop. 

The shop has everything you need to take care of yourself in a very 'mother earth' kind of way. We loved this shop and to be honest probably spent far too much here, especially on coconut oil. 

Honestly guys and girls if you want super soft hair and flawless skin, coconut oil is the way to go. It may be a bit pricier back at home, as most organic and natural things are, however if you are planning on travelling or just taking a trip to Pai it's definitely worth picking some up.

A few other essentials were also purchased, like shampoo and conditioner, and at half the price of your high street brands and giving us both fantastic results, we aren't going to complain. Suze's hair has grown a good two inches or so since using both products. Might be showing on the old root front, but she doesn't seem to care...what a little hippy. 

To top this place off they do an amazing iced mocha and cookies which are ideal for a great start to the day.

     

       

Silhouette

After reading so many reviews on this place we had to go and check it out for ourselves.

Let's just say when we rocked up on our bike in shorts and vest tops, we felt very underdressed. 

Silhouette was rated a (£) on Trip Advisor. For those of you who aren't fully up to speed on the TA price ratings, the amount of '£' signs depends on the cost.

£ = cheap 

££ = average 

£££ = pricy 

££££ = really pricy 

£££££ =  too pricy for our pockets 

Anyway back to Silhouette.

The atmosphere was lovely and they even had a Ska/reggae live band playing a vast selection of covers, from Stevie Wonder to Disney's jungle book. 

Even though it was a little pricier than we originally had set out to spend, we thought we would stay and try the food as it was a beautiful set up. 

We were sat on a comfortable sofa bench seat which overlooked the silhouette of the mountains. Don't know whether that had anything to do with the name, but seemed quite fitting. 

We went for the chefs mixed board of cheeses and cured meats which were delicious. The only down side was we both could have done with one. So we ended up ordering one of their pizzas to try and fill our very empty tums. 

However we could have done with two of these yet again, as when it turned up it was the size of a small side dish. Beardy's face was a right picture. "This is the smallest pizza I've ever seen in a restaurant" we're the exact words if I recall.

Saying all this, we were surprisingly full after having a fair bit of 'picky' food. 

The food quality is incredible here and extremely tasty.

We would recommend Silhouette, however, we just wanted warn you that if you are on a tight budget it's probably not ideal. If you can check it out though the food and view are worth the cost. You won't be disappointed. They also provide a Tuk Tuk service home which is rare in Pai. 

     

Lemon and Thyme 

One morning we were taking a drive through walking street, not always the best idea, especially after 6pm when it becomes a full blown market and the roads are full of people. However it was early and we were on the hunt for Breakfast.

Lemon and Thyme is a very small, but cute cafe which could be missed quite easily if you weren't paying attention.

This place is ideal for a good hearty breakfast!

As usual we kicked off with our morning Iced Mocha and browsed the menu. It was full of fantastic filling meals to start your day from a classic full English to yoghurt and fruit. 

We actually ended up sharing the Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon and avocado, which no word of a lie, was one of the best we have ever tasted. 

The portion size was enough for both of our grumbly tums and the price wasn't bad either. We were both nicely full and ready for a day of adventuring. 

Little word of warning which is also stated on the menu, it's 'Slow Food'. There are only two members of staff here and it does get busy. But instead of fretting, get into the Pai way of life and slow things down. And trust us it's worth the wait. (We were so hungry we didn't take a picture so here's Pai instead) 

      

Edible jazz cafe and garden 

On entry of EJ we knew we had found a place we would enjoy.

The decor and layout of this place is awesome.

By the bar there is selection of old music posters, a sound system and even a small stage, which is set up for live bands in the evening. 

The surrounding fences of this place are covered in a variety of black and white intricate graffiti art which look awesome. 

The tables are very low and you gave to sit on the floor but feel free to grab a load of cushions from the side. 

There are also hammocks dotted all over the place, however unfortunately we weren't able to use these due to the rainy weather.

Edible Jazz have quite a few pets, from dogs, cats and even a scraggy looking chicken. Obviously if your not a fan the owners will move them, but as we are very much animal people, Beardy went all Dr Dolittle on the situation. Seriously at one point he had two dogs snuggled up to him and a cat on his lap. Just a shame the chicken didn't sit on his head, it would have completed the look. 

So onto the food. 

The menu is simple and can be found on a blackboard on one of the posts as you enter. This is  very handy when it comes to ordering. They offer a selection of international food, with an Asian twist which is both delicious and cheap! 

Beardy went for a classic Pad Thai and I went for a Burrito. It had not only the authentic Mexican taste, but by adding the extra Thai chilies, coriander and spring onions, it gave it that subtle but delicious Thai flavouring. Both were extremely filling and tasty.  

The service here is super friendly, they made us feel very welcome and were very chatty.

       

Just to prove Dr Dolittle was in the house. 

       

Thien Art Space 

This was the first place we checked out on arrival to Pai, after a long motorbike ride we needed some hearty food. After having a quick search on Trip Advisor we both decided to take a trip to Thien Art Space.

The ratings and reviews both sounded awesome, and due to it being all art inspired we thought we could snap some decent pictures. 

Now on the map from good old TA we thought we had a good 10 minute bike ride. How wrong we were, we hopped on our bike and within 30 seconds we were outside...that's right, it was on our doorstep, so beardy took the bike back so he could have some drinks.

The building looks like a bamboo spaceship. It's very artdeco and the same goes for inside. 

From retro sofas, to hideaway cubby holes, to a social circle covered in pillows, this place has it all. It has a very chilled vibe which was ideal after such a hectic day of travelling.

The menu caters for all tastes. We would highly recommend the Burger or the Green Chicken Curry! Both delicious and affordable! 

As you know we love our Mojitos, and Thien didn't disappoint. They were served in a large glass (always a winner) and were sweet with the perfect balance of mint and rum. Still not as good as Sometimes Always (see our previous blog) but still, a good competitor. 

As well as having comfy surroundings and delicious food, they also have a beautiful gallery of art which is for sale. 

So even if you just pop in for a drink make sure you have a little look around, as you might find something that catches your eye.

       

Top Tips 

▪️Earth Tone - Take some extra cash for the shop, we gaurentee you'll find something you want. Also the road opposite takes you up to the Buddha on the Hill! Well worth the visit, but beware there are a lot of steps! 

▪️Silhouette - As you won't want to be carrying around loads of cash, not to worry as they expect card. Also if you have a drink don't risk it, take advantage of the free Tuk Tuk. 

▪️Lemon and Thyme - Park just off Walking Street and wander to the cafe. There are a lot of people and we don't want any accidents. 

▪️Edible Jazz - It again is located just off of walking street. To make it easier when you see the temple there is a sign post for it, just wander on down and grab yourself a hammock! 

▪️Thien Art Space - Bug Spray!!! Sounds like an odd tip for a restaurant but honestly you'll thank us. It's very open plan, and as you are in the jungle you will get the odd flying or crawling friend! So spray up to avoid getting bitten. 

▪️We obviously ate at a few other restaurants and cafes but couldn't mention them all, but they were uploaded and tagged on our instagrams so go check them out @suzeandthebeard and @beardyandsuzetravel