Caffeine Italian Restaurant

Last week we tried a new restaurant for dinner. We do have a bunch of regular places, mostly selling inexpensive Thai food. Eating out can be pretty much as cheap as eating at home if you choose local Thai restaurants. But for sure, now and then, we need something different. The kids and I do like pizza now and then, and I have even convinced them that oddities like bruschetta and gnocchi are tasty! We have eaten a few times recently at Rum Jungle, which does very good steak, fish, meat dishes, pasta and good bruschetta. And the kids decided they like gnocchi after giving it a try at Da Sandro (to be blogged soon). I think that very good pizza is hard to find. There's a good place in Chalong called Agli Amici, where I have been a couple of times, but on this evening, we did not fancy a 20km drive for dinner. I was thinking of the Big Chicken which does good Thai and Isaan food, and is close to our house, but the kids said "Pizza" so we decided to try Caffeine, which is just over the road from the Big Chicken. It's been open a couple of years and a couple of people had mentioned to us that the food is good, so let's try!





Caffeine is by the main road, one of the routes that runs between Phuket Town and Patong Beach, not far from the entrance to Phuket Country Club golf course. It is open every day for lunch and dinner and is apparently Italian owned (an Italian - Thai couple, I believe). There's seating for maybe 30 people at a stretch, with outdoor and indoor tables, but it's not a big place. We chose indoors as it was early evening and there was quite a bit of traffic passing, so inside was quieter.





(above) Outdoor and indoor tables at Caffeine. The menu was quite extensive with many pizza options, calzone, lots of pasta choices, and sandwiches plus desserts and coffee. We went direct to the pizza section. Prices from 200 Baht (Margherita) with others from 240 - 280 Baht. I chose a peperonata, the kids chose ham and cheese / ham and mushroom. There are more than 20 pizza options on the menu. And we will be back to try more! The forno is outside and everything is freshly made.



We only had to wait about 15 minutes for all 3 pizzas to be ready. I was not expecting them to be so large. The kids were immediately questioning whether they could finish it all! I had secretly been thinking "260 Baht .. a bit expensive", but you get your money's worth here! My peperonata came first ...



Followed by the kids pizzas ...





Now, of course Dad finished all his pizza (and paid later with stomach ache .. my guts are used to lighter Thai food these days!). Kids managed no more than half. Never mind, we'll get the rest to take away, put in the fridge and eat cold tomorrow! Cold pizza? Yes, please :)

They really were big pizzas - ideal for big hungry adults. We do plan to eat there again and the kids can share one, or maybe we just get one pizza for 3 of us and add some pasta and bruschetta. My wife, by the way, doesn't really eat that kind of food, she is way too Thai! Our bill for 3 pizzas and some drinks (a beer, lemon soda, water) was 800 something Baht. And I did have a few slices of cold pizza next day for lunch :)

Caffeine - Location Map