Koh Phangan - Our 5 Favourite Places For Vegan Food
There is so much good vegan food on the beautiful island of Koh Phangan. As we expected, a lot of it was geared towards western tourists, i.e, people like us. However, we embraced the fact that in many ways Koh Phangan was a holiday from Thailand and we enjoyed some insanely delicious and healthy food. Here are our 5 favourite places.
As with a number of other places we visited during the rainy season, several restaurants were either closed or had mysterious opening hours that we couldn't get our heads round. Even so, we had plenty of options!1. Mama Poo's KitchenMama Poo's is not just a restaurant, it's an eating experience. As you approach the entrance, the first thing you notice is a pile of old television sets and a huge sign that reads "Mama Poo's Kitchen Reasonable Price But Nice". Poetry it is not, but it is the truth, even if it does undersell the place a bit. The restaurant which although undercover is essentially outside feels a bit like you're in somebody's workshop in their garage. It's not a vegan or veggie restaurant, but the owners have obviously cottoned on to the constant stream of visitors who eat healthy and vegan food to compliment their yoga practise. This was the place we visited most because you get big portions of delicious Thai food for not very much money.
2.Eat.coIf and when we eventually settle down somewhere, we hope that there'll be somewhere like Eat.co nearby. Delicious colourful and fresh dishes with crunchy vegetables and big flavours. Their menu is inventive and the daily specials meant there was always something new to try. We were particularly bowled over by the beetroot burgers and their thali. Oh and their raw desserts were some of the best we've tasted. EVER.
Green LeafWhen we last visited Green Leaf, it was about to undergo some really exciting renovations both in terms of the structure of the building and the food. The place itself is run and nurtured by good people who seem to be striving towards creating a positive and harmonious space where people can enjoy art, music and some of the bloody best pancakes you can get. Shakes, smoothies, veggie buffet, healthy puds. All the stuff you need to make yourself feel wonderful can be found, in some form at this awesome little cafe. Go there enough times to try both the sweet pancakes with sorbet and the savoury ones with hummus. <3
Soul OrganicsThis is a food stall inside the food hall at Phantip Market in Thong Sala. It's at the back, in the left hand corner if you come in past the outdoor stalls. The food here is absolutely delicious and considering it's all organic, it's really cheap too! The massaman curry is so rich and more-ish, just make sure you order it on an empty stomach because it is mighty.
Falafel and HummusSo this place is actually a kebab joint but they offer specifically vegan (or vigan) falafel wraps and salads which are so tasty. It's just next to Soul Organics, at the back of Phantip Market in Thong Sala.
SmoothiesIn the same market, outside you can get some delicious smoothies from a few different stalls. Their menus can be a bit overwhelming, with literally about a hundred different combos! Try to keep/bring your own straw or cup though, because things like this are heavy AF on the plastic usage.
Karma cafeLast but not least, if you're after a meal that is bursting with nutrients, something to make your skin glow and your nails grow, Karma Cafe is the place to go. Some of the food was, in our opinion a little expensive for the size of the portions (like the sushi...even though it tasted like heaven), while others were notably generous in size! We ate several of their Kalefornia bowls (pictured at the top of the post) as well as their Karma Burritos. Green spirulina wraps! Whhut!
We hope to head back to Koh Phangan at some point so if you have any other places you think we need to try, we're all ears.