Su Va Na Phuket

Su Va Na Phuket: Dining underwater in the world’s best underwater restaurant

When I read about Suvana on Phuket, I immediately knew: we have to go here and write about it! Not only because the restaurant is located underwater, but also because the dining experience is said to be fantastic according to various foodies. On top of that, this unique restaurant is located inside a luxury shopping mall, which also gives us something extra to write about on our site.

When we descended the escalator on Saturday, March 14 towards Aquaria Phuket and the blue glow of the massive aquarium came towards us, we felt it instantly: this is going to be a special evening!

“If you are looking for fine dining in Phuket with a truly unique experience, Su Va Na in Central Phuket Floresta is an absolute must.”

Where on Phuket is Su Va Na located?

Suvana Phuket is located on the basement level of Central Phuket Floresta, the largest and most luxurious shopping mall on Phuket, near Phuket Town. This stylish mall is centrally located: about 30 minutes from Patong Beach and within 15 minutes from Phuket Old Town. Coming from the north near the airport, it takes around 45 minutes.

For transport, you can easily use Grab. We took the songthaew (public bus) from Patong to the mall. There is also plenty of parking if you come by your own transport.

Check the floor plan of Central Floresta beforehand to easily find Suvana. The mall consists of two sections. Inside, follow the blue aquarium stickers on the floor; they lead you downstairs towards Aquaria Phuket. That’s how you reach the unique underwater restaurant Suvana!

Design

Su Va Na Phuket is not just a restaurant with an aquarium wall. It is literally built inside the aquarium of Aquaria Phuket, the largest and most advanced aquarium in Thailand. The dining room sits in the middle of the tank, surrounded by massive glass walls where over 300 different fish swim around you.

We dined in the corridor leading to the dining room, a cozy and intimate space. We personally found this smaller, rounded area much more pleasant than the large main dining room. That main room offers a frontal view of the massive tank or the tunnel, where you are completely surrounded by water and marine life. The table in the tunnel is by far the most popular spot.

The interior is dark and atmospheric: carefully set tables, soft lighting, and that calming blue glow filtering through the water and moving with the fish. The tableware is sleek and thoughtfully designed, perfectly matching the concept. Everything feels intentional, as if months were spent designing every detail to immerse you in a unique underwater experience.

The dining room has a semi-circular table setup, giving almost every table a clear view of the tank. Our spot, in what we called the “dining corridor,” consisted of six small tables right against the aquarium wall. Perfect for couples wanting a quiet and romantic evening.

At Su Va Na, the outside world stops at the escalators. Everything here is curated by Dax Lee, the brain and initiator behind Suvana. You enjoy excellent drinks and refined dishes, served slowly and explained along the way.

This creates an unforgettable atmosphere where everything simply works.

Suvana’s atmosphere and guests

The atmosphere at Su Va Na is hard to compare to other restaurants. Classical music and opera play softly in the background. The aquarium light moves gently with the water. Rays, sharks, and exotic tropical fish swim by as if they are part of your dining experience.

The crowd consists mainly of couples celebrating something or looking for a romantic evening. You’ll also find families, groups of friends celebrating something big, curious foodies, and travelers looking for a unique experience.

The vibe is romantic, spectacular, and slightly surreal — chic, but not stiff. Founder Dax Lee is often present and known for his personal involvement. We experienced this ourselves: Dax is warm, approachable, and genuinely interested. He asked multiple times how our evening was going. “Amazing Dax, A-MA-ZING!”

Service & Hospitality

If there’s one thing everyone remembers about Su Va Na Phuket, besides the mermaids, it’s the service. Our hostess guided us throughout the entire evening: professional, calm, well-informed, and able to clearly explain each dish in just a few sentences. The timing between courses felt relaxed; we never felt rushed.

We also appreciated how the team regularly stepped in as personal photographers. At the end of our unforgettable evening, we even received a personalized thank-you card with a Polaroid from the team.

Sommelier Yeasin deserves a special mention. The evening starts with drinks: Sense Cap Cuvée Brut Cava or the elegant Champagne Copinet Marie Complantée. His wine pairing advice perfectly matched the courses. The entire team works like a well-oiled machine.

Type of cuisine @ Su Va Na Phuket

Su Va Na Phuket does not serve traditional Thai, European, or Japanese cuisine. Instead, it blends all of these with Indian accents and Chinese spices into one harmonious whole.

The philosophy is to use international techniques to create new flavors while maintaining an Asian identity. Thai ingredients like Surat Thani oysters and Chiang Mai blueberries are prepared using French or Spanish techniques. They are then enhanced with Japanese umami flavors such as miso and mala custard, combined with Indian spices like korma and tikka, and finished with Western classics like Italian cannellini beans or French crème brûlée.

The menu takes you on a global journey of surprising flavors — all within an underwater world.

Chef Atanu Nath & the Kitchen Team

All praise to Chef Atanu Nath! This master leads the kitchen at Suvana. His background is impressive: a strong European foundation, followed by deep experience in Japanese and Asian cuisine, combined with his Indian roots.

Each dish is a carefully crafted composition. Luxury ingredients like caviar, truffle, Wagyu, and Canadian lobster are used, but never overpower the story of the plate.

The result? Strong contrasts and layered flavors. Richness and acidity, textures and temperatures, Eastern and Western influences — all perfectly balanced.

The menu

Suvana works exclusively with tasting menus; there is no à la carte menu. When making your reservation, you choose in advance from one of the five menu variations:

• Full seasonal menu
• Pescatarian menu
• Menu without fish
• Vegan menu
• Baba Lee Kitchen Take Over menu (Wednesdays only)

The menu consists of 13 to 14 small courses that are served over approximately two to three hours. Although the portions are modest, the total amount is more than sufficient. At Suvana, it is about precision and layered flavors, not large quantities.

We found the menu surprising and were very impressed by the quality. An evening at Suvana Phuket is a special experience that you will not forget anytime soon!

Beverages and wine pairing

As a guest at Su Va Na Phuket, you can choose from various drink menus, including wine pairings. During our visit, we were able to experience sommelier Yeasin’s craftsmanship. We were served five beautiful glasses of wine and one glass of champagne — everything was perfect!

Yeasin is not just a sommelier; he tells captivating stories. He not only explains which wine pairs with which dish, but also why that is the case. He also shares where the grapes come from and what attracted him to that specific bottle. A true ‘sommelier extraordinaire’!

Our Su Va Na Phuket experience on February 2026

Our evening begins exactly as it should: as soon as we take our seats at the table, we receive a wet towel scented with Eau de Masca. That scent is truly special; you notice that it has been well thought out. We were lucky to secure a table in the corridor. Directly opposite and above our heads, rays slowly move in circles. To the right, something large glides past in the darkness: “What a big shark,” Ilonka whispers.

Slowly the courses unfold, each with its own story. Our hostess briefly explains where each dish comes from and what ingredients it contains. With the arroz meloso, she explains the Spanish technique; with the chicken tikka, we hear about palm sugar specially sourced from Malaysia. Fact: you taste differently when you know exactly what you are eating!

Before our culinary adventure truly begins, the music changes and all guests are asked to come to the main hall for a show. Two mermaids glide gracefully through the water, accompanied by safety divers working invisibly in the background. Dax Lee tells me:
“The costumes are heavy and professional performers swim without oxygen tanks, purely on breath technique. And yes, with sharks you are never completely sure.”

What follows is a choreography of surprising elegance. Perhaps a bit theatrical, but above all spectacular. After a few photo moments, we return to our table for our favorite Suvana dishes.

Champagne Copinet Marie (my choice)

An elegant blend of different grapes that together create a fresh, layered taste. Just like the menu itself, this champagne feels like a perfect mix of worlds that come together beautifully.

Sense Cap Cuvée Brut (Ilonka’s choice)

Fresh and light with fine bubbles — an accessible Cava that contrasts with my more complex champagne.

Amuse: Japanese cucumber with fish roe

Light, crunchy and salty-fresh; perfect to gently awaken your taste buds without overpowering them.

Caviar cheesecake with pickled Japanese ginger and passion fruit gel

A small bite with a crunchy base, creamy filling and fresh passion fruit gel. The salty pop of caviar makes it surprisingly playful and beautiful to look at.

Spanish arroz meloso

Creamy like risotto with cheese, salmon roe and sea grapes that burst in your mouth. The cheese adds roundness while the salmon roe brings depth — perfectly balanced.

Pearl bonbon as palate cleanser

A beautiful pause: a delicate bonbon melts in your mouth, followed by a fresh filling that completely resets everything — hats off to the chef!

Potato with broccoli, korma sauce and truffle (vegan)

Warm, deep korma flavors combined with earthy truffle and a surprising bite in the potato: here the vegan menu is taken seriously.

Barbarie duck with mala sauce, Japanese custard and mango sandwich

The spicy mala provides warmth and tingling while custard softens and mango adds fresh fruit — the fat of the duck melts away in harmony.

Loimer Pinot Noir

This wine brought elegance and finesse to the spicy mala! Light, fresh, and perfectly balanced with subtle red fruit notes.

Lamb with mushrooms and blueberry bread

Perfectly grilled lamb chop plus various mushrooms create heavenly flavors; combined with sweet bread filled with blueberries — my favorite savory dish of the evening.

Persevero Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

A powerful and deep wine with a rich body and velvety soft tannins — a perfect match for the lamb dish.

Crème brûlée with shiro miso caramel, caviar and truffle (highlight)

Creamy custard under a caramelized sugar layer enhanced by umami miso sauce, carried by earthy truffle and finished with salty caviar — sweet, salty, sour and earthy, united in four layers to enjoy long after.

Negroni dessert with chocolate & blood orange

This dessert perfectly translates my favorite cocktail into food: bitter orange plus powerful chocolate plus spices create a surprising and refined ending to this evening full of contrasts underwater!

OK one more…

I couldn’t help but end with one more powerful Negroni — almost wistfully I thought to myself: “What a fantastic dinner… almost over.” Luckily, we were able to stay for drinks with Dax Lee’s company from Thailand, Australia, Malaysia and the Netherlands (ourselves).

We left full of impressions and comfortably full from one certainty: returning to Phuket without dining here again? No longer an option!

Our conclusion

Su Va Na is not a classic restaurant. It is a theatrical fine dining experience that takes you through countless courses and different cultures in one unforgettable evening. All while rays, sharks and other fish swim above your head.

The food is creative and precise: chef Atanu Nath cooks with a precision that makes it clear that the spectacular setting is no excuse for mediocrity. The miso caramel crème brûlée alone justifies the trip to Phuket. The service is warm, personal and attentive in a way that you rarely encounter elsewhere.

Winner of World’s Best Underwater Restaurant 2024, a title that is more than deserved!

Some good reasons to book a table at Su Va Na!

• Thailand’s only underwater restaurant and winner of World’s Best Underwater Restaurant 2024
• An aquarium with more than 25,000 living marine animals and 300 species of fish as a living backdrop
• Chef Atanu Nath: a unique signature with European, Asian and Indian influences
• Live mermaid show as a culinary intermezzo, theatrical and surprising
• Excellent wine pairing by sommelier Yeasin
• Luxury ingredients: caviar from Hua Hin, truffle, Canadian lobster, Barbarie duck
• Attentive service: knowledge of the menu, personal photographer and simply very friendly!

Some tips and interesting facts about Suvana Phuket

• Reserve at least one week in advance — capacity is limited and the restaurant is popular
• Check in advance where the aquarium is located in the shopping mall
• Take Phuket traffic into account
• Ask for a table in the tunnel for the most immersive experience
• Choose the wine pairing
• Plan the evening generously, two hours is the minimum, three hours is comfortable
• Dresscode: Smart casual to formal, no beach sandals or shorts
• The name Suvana refers to Suvannamaccha, the golden mermaid from the Thai national epic Ramakien
• Suvana opened just before Covid-19 in Oct 2019 under the name Andasi, before being renamed to Suvana in Dec 2022. In less than two years, it grew into a winner of the most prestigious culinary awards in the world
• Founder Dax Lee comes from the Malaysian hospitality industry and described his ambition simply yet grand: to create a place where food, theatre and nature come together. Well, that succeeded!

General information about Su Va Na Phuket

Address: No. 199, B01, B Floor, Central Phuket Floresta, M.4, Wichit Sub Rd, Muang Phuket 83000 — Aquaria Phuket, B floor
Tel: +66 (0)6 3308 8262
Opening hours: Thursday to Tuesday, 7 PM – 12 AM. Closed on Wednesday (except Baba Lee Kitchen Takeover evenings).
Reserve via this link
Website: Suvana Phuket