The Gallery Restaurant | Thai Cuisine | Fine Dining — Restaurant in Ko Tao

The Gallery offers an experience that — although our knowledge of Thailand is certainly limited — we can say is genuinely hard to come by, at least in relatively touristy places like Koh Tao.

I must admit that when I booked the ‘trust the chef’ menu, I felt a mix of curiosity and suspicion, partly influenced by some reviews and partly by the owner’s rather sharp responses to those reviews. In the end, I walked away pleasantly surprised, and I better understood the reasoning behind both the reviews and the replies.

In short, some guests felt the price didn’t match the menu — either in terms of quantity or when compared to the average dining costs in Thailand (Koh Tao included): a basic dinner is about €10–15 per person, a good one €20–25, and an excellent one €25–30. So, at €85, expectations naturally lean toward a Michelin-starred experience.

The menu at The Gallery, however, is something different: ultra-curated but not ‘starred’ in style — few frills, limited innovation, simple plating — and modest in portion size. That said, the obsessive attention to ingredient quality is evident, and the “lightness” of the menu reflects an authentic Asian dining philosophy: meals are meant to be frequent but not heavy, with balance found not only in flavors but also in quantity. We discovered flavors we hadn’t encountered anywhere else in Thailand, and every dish was beautifully balanced and delicious. Still, if judged solely by the food, the menu alone wouldn’t justify the price.

The price is explained instead by the overall experience: the service is dedicated to just a handful of tables (7–8, if I remember correctly), and the restaurant aims to deliver something beyond food and location (which is stunning in its own right). Each dish is introduced by the owner, who also shares insights into the Thai cultural background behind it. There’s also a personal touch in the attentive service and the conversations with the owner himself, who moves between tables throughout the evening.

So, does the experience justify the price? In my view, yes. As for the owner Chris’s sharp replies to negative reviews, they make more sense when you consider that both he and his wife (the chef) are deeply passionate about their work and care immensely about their guests’ feedback. This passion clearly shows in the experience they create.

In short? While Thailand offers extraordinary food experiences even in its simplest, most affordable forms, seeking authenticity and learning something new often requires an extra effort. I would recommend The Gallery precisely because, through an original format, it allows visitors to gain a deeper understanding of Thai gastronomy — even if they don’t have the time to travel the country...

A trip 3 years in the making and well worth the wait.

Originally planned for mid-2020 Covid-19 decided otherwise. 3 years later we finally made it, though now there were 6 of us not the original 2 I had planned.

I have been fortunate to eat in some of London's finest restaurants and I can say with all sincerity that the food here was as good as any, but what set it above every other experience was the location, the surroundings and the owners/staff.

We were welcomed like family into the most beautiful restaurant with views over the Gulf towards Chumphon. Thankfully the restaurant was open sided so the warm evening was very pleasant to experience. A local and very friendly squirrel made itself known to us, seemingly a resident of the area, bringing great entertainment to our group. The owner's dog was also present, though only after the owner asked us if we minded. We didn't.

Pre-dinner drinks were soon met with loud gong, a primitive but very fitting call to dinner, held upstairs from the bar. Chris, the owner and gracious host then proceeded to introduce us to 10 courses of the most delicate, exquisite Thai food imaginable. I cannot pick out a favourite, nor would I want to as each tasting dish was beautifully constructed using the finest ingredients, delicately spiced with the perfect balance, full of flavour but never overpowering. It was a gastronomic tour of Thailand, from North to South, East to West.

In keeping with the occasion we decided to accompany the food with a bottle each of red and white Thai wine. Both were excellent, but the Asoke Granmonte red was simply sublime. Who knew Thai wine could be this great.

Post dinner we were invited downstairs to chill, have a drink, relax and chat with the staff and the chef. A very fitting way to finish off the evening.

It is very obvious that the ingredients are very carefully curated with provenance and quality foremost in the selection process. But to take these ingredients and create something this special requires the hands of a skilled chef, and here we experienced a chef at the very top of her game.

The Gallery is not cheap, but nor should it be because food of this quality requires a lot of time, effort and quality ingredients. The main consideration is whether it is worth the cost, and in this instance it is an...

I have been traveling across Thailand for years now, and one of the main themes of all my trips has always been experiencing authentic Thai food, not adjusted to Western tastes. To give you an idea, I usually visit between 10 and 20 Thai restaurants during each trip, including hidden local gems in the countryside and various Michelin-awarded restaurants in the bigger cities.

In a month from today, I will land once again in Bangkok and then travel to Koh Tao to spend a week there. A few hours ago, I wrote an email to The Gallery Restaurant, hoping to have the pleasure of experiencing their apparently renowned food. The owner, Mr. Chris Clark, replied, "We only offer 7 tables, 3 times a week, so unfortunately I cannot book a table for one this far ahead of time."

I politely asked for more details about why he could not confirm my reservation request. Mr. Clark replied, "I understand it may be unusual, but The Gallery Restaurant is indeed different; it is also our home." Feeling something was off in the conversation, I replied, a bit upset, that his answer was anything but that of someone welcoming guests into their home. On the contrary, it seemed clear that the issue was the lack of profit from reserving one of his 7 tables for a solo diner. I wrote to Mr. Clark that this was the impression his answer gave me.

In his last email, Mr. Clark told me that my assumptions were completely wrong. He explained that June is usually quiet and that they sometimes cancel sittings to allow the chef to take a break. I apologized for the misunderstanding and gave him my mobile phone number so he could contact me if a table became available during my stay in Koh Tao.

A few hours later, I discovered Mr. Clark had visited my social media profiles and blocked me on all platforms.

If that is the kind of person you want to spend an evening with, I highly recommend trying to book The Gallery (for two or more people, of course). Otherwise, be aware that the "family business with warmth at the core," as Mr. Clark describes it, might not be exactly what you experience when interacting with him.

Side note for anyone interested in authentic Thai culture: it is highly unusual to find Thai people working in the food service industry who are anything less than hard-working, polite, friendly, and warm toward...