Tambu

The story

Tambu Patong: Progressive Indian Charcoal Cuisine at a Rooftop Tented Palace – Michelin Recommended

The Experience

Tambu occupies a rooftop ‘tented palace’ at Avista Hideaway Phuket Patong, with views over the Andaman Sea. The setting is Mughal-inspired, open to the air, and built around a charcoal-fired kitchen where much of the cooking happens in plain sight. This is progressive Indian charcoal cuisine, a style that leans into smoke, earth, and open-flame technique.

The restaurant has been recognised in the Michelin Guide, a reflection of the precision and ambition behind the food. The wider awards list includes Tatler Best Spotlight and multiple Thailand Favourite Restaurant titles, but the focus here is squarely on the meal.

The Menu

Chef Saurabh Sachdeva, winner of Iron Chef Thailand, leads the kitchen. He trained under a Michelin-starred chef and brings a philosophy rooted in India’s Mughal-era cooking, but with modern restraint. The flagship offering is an eight-course tasting menu called Roots 2.0 – An Indian Heritage Journey. Ingredients change with the season, so the exact lineup shifts, but standouts from the current menu include Scallop Moilee with spiced coconut and Hua Hin caviar, Lamb Chop Barrah marinated in Mathaniya chilli, and Bhatti Ka Murgh – baby chicken Kalmi with clove-smoked makhni. A vegetarian version is also available, with dishes like Edamame Kofta in the same clove-smoked sauce and a Smoked Corn Galette.

The meal is designed to be experienced collectively. Tableside theatrics and visual storytelling are timed so that everyone at the table shares each course together. This attention to pacing and narrative is part of what makes the tasting menu feel like more than a list of dishes.

Sustainability

Tambu prioritises local, seasonal produce and sustainable seafood, supported by an organic chef’s garden. They recycle, compost, use energy-efficient equipment, and serve Rynn water (a sustainable brand). Wines are chosen from organic and biodynamic producers, and the tea comes from forest-friendly sources. Even the charcoal and wood-fired techniques are selected for efficiency. It’s a thorough approach that underpins the restaurant’s ethos without being loudly advertised.

For those who prefer to order individually, an à la carte menu runs alongside the tasting option, covering classics like butter chicken, ram laddoo, and pepper fry crab, all made with the same charcoal-driven technique. The beverage list includes Indian-inspired cocktails, fine spirits, and a curated wine pairing menu.