Le Bistro

Le Bistro sits on the ground level of Haven Samui, the community mall on Chaweng Beach Road. The signage reads bar, French restaurant and grill, and the room takes its cue from the neighbourhood bistros of Paris: café chairs out front, a long bar inside and air-conditioning when the Chaweng heat builds.

The kitchen runs all day. Mornings bring croissants, pastries, poached eggs and coffee. Lunch turns to savoury crêpes, salads and sandwiches on fresh bread. In the evening the bistro classics take over, with steak frites and French onion soup leading the menu, and a European wine list to go with them.

It is an easy choice for families and shoppers, for a working lunch, or for a glass of wine after the beach, and the mall has free parking. It opens daily from 8.30am until late, and booking is rarely needed outside peak evenings.