Beachfront dining at Veranda Grill

Tasty Thai seafood and succulent steaks are the order of the day at this popular restaurant overlooking Hua Hin Beach

ESTABLISHED 10 years ago as simply a hobby restaurant, Veranda Grill has gone on to become one of Hua Hin’s most popular Thai seafood restaurants and now even operates its own boutique resort, Veranda Lodge, which is located in the verdant gardens behind the premises. 

The restaurant’s success is testament to how doing what you love can reap big rewards, because the restaurant and resort’s owner, Khun Mae, is clearly doing what she loves. Ask her about any dish on her menu and she’ll most likely break into a wide smile and tell you how, after first discovering the recipes when she was a child, she has spent the rest of her life tweaking them to be as good as she can make them.

She certainly isn’t short of fresh ingredients. Veranda Grill is located in the middle of Hua Hin Beach so literally everything she needs is right on her doorstep.

Those meaty prawns you see coming from the kitchen – caught by a local fisherman. Ditto the crab, fish, squid and lots of other delicious deep sea bounty available on the extensive menu.

Among the many options on offer are delicious spicy salads like Som tam with prawn or crab (B240), fish dishes such as Sea bass with Thai herbal sauce (B350), and tasty nibbles such as Prawns with garlic butter (B380). A huge plate of Prawn ceviche, marinated with garlic and Thai spices, always goes down a treat, as does the Chicken curry (B240), made using a recipe from the King Rama V era and packed with tamarind, fragrant chillis, potatoes and onion.

If Thai food doesn’t take your fancy, don’t worry. There are plenty of western options to choose from, including a large selection of salads, soups, sandwiches, and pasta dishes (try the Spaghetti with bacon and anchovies. B180). The options aren’t limited to seafood either. Many tasty steak dishes dot the menu, with highlights such as Tenderloin steak with mushroom sauce (B380), and Pork chop with butter and herb sauce (B350).

To wash down your food there’s an extensive selection of beers, wines, and signature cocktails, plus healthy fruit smoothies. Our favourite is the Beach Girl cocktail (B180) which comes served in a hollowed out pineapple and is boozy and refreshing in equal measure.

Located at the front of the resort overlooking Hua Hin Beach, the restaurant captures the essence of an endless summer with an unfussy décor blending blue walls, terracotta tiles and bamboo. Diners can sit indoor or out on a terrace, with both options offering sea views.

---

Friendly, efficient service comes as standard, food arrives at the table piping hot, and the overall experience is relaxed and enjoyable. All in all, it’s a great place to enjoy a meal by the sea.

Veranda Grill, Veranda Lodge Hua Hin Resort, 113 Soi
Hua Hin 67, Petch Kasem Road. Restaurant opens daily 7am-11pm.
Tel: 032 533678
www.verandalodge.com