Chez François

Chez François is a small restaurant in Fisherman's Village, Bophut, run by its owner and head chef François Porté. The room holds only a handful of tables, and diners regularly mention that the chef comes out to talk them through the menu. Several dishes are carried over from his earlier restaurant, Le Classique at the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai.

Dinner is a set menu of several courses with a choice at each stage, opening with bread and an amuse-bouche and including a sorbet to clear the palate. Recent diners mention escargots, French onion soup, foie gras, scallops and grouper, followed by duck, rack of lamb, beef cheek, Australian rib-eye and tournedos Rossini. A four-course menu was 1,495 baht a head in 2025.

It suits a quiet date night or a small celebration rather than a large group. Seats are limited, so book ahead by phone, especially in the high season from December to April. It opens for dinner only, Tuesday to Saturday, and is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Fisherman's Village is a short taxi ride from Chaweng and Samui Airport.