Aulis

Should You Book Aulis?

If you are comparing Aulis to the farm-to-table tasting menu format at PRU in Phuket, the honest answer is that both operate in the same creative, ingredient-led register — but Aulis makes a stronger case for the special-occasion diner who wants the chef's table format with the added context of a destination setting. Opened in December 2023, it is Simon Rogan's first Thailand venture, which means it arrives with a well-documented philosophy behind it. For the price tier (฿฿฿฿), you are getting a multi-course tasting menu, an open-kitchen counter experience, and a lounge amuse-bouche sequence that turns dinner into an extended event. If that format fits your occasion, it is worth booking.

What Aulis Is

Aulis is built on a chef's table concept: a fixed number of seats positioned in front of an open kitchen, where the cooking is part of what you watch across the evening. The format mirrors what Rogan has applied at his UK restaurants under the same Aulis name, adapted here for Thai produce and local grower partnerships. The menu draws on native ingredients, many sourced from Thailand and the surrounding region, and the progression begins in the lounge with drinks and an amuse-bouche before moving to the kitchen counter. That two-stage structure matters for how you plan the night — allow more time than you would for a standard restaurant dinner. Service runs Tuesday through Saturday from 6:30 PM, with the kitchen open until 11 PM on Wednesday through Saturday, giving a reasonable window for the full tasting experience without feeling rushed.

The visual draw here is the open kitchen itself. Sitting at the counter means watching precise plating in real time, which makes Aulis a different kind of occasion from a table-service restaurant. For a celebration dinner, a date, or a business meal where the experience should carry the conversation, the format delivers on that expectation. Compare it to Aquila in Chiang Mai or Sorn in Bangkok if you are calibrating what a high-end creative tasting menu looks like across Thailand , Aulis sits in that tier but brings a Phang Nga provenance that neither of those venues can replicate.

Lunch vs. Dinner at Aulis

This is direct: Aulis does not serve lunch. The kitchen opens at 6:30 PM Tuesday through Saturday and is closed Sunday and Monday. There is no daytime service to compare. For visitors planning a Phang Nga afternoon, that means you will need to look elsewhere for lunch , Baan Rearn Mai for seafood or Hok Kee Lao for Thai-Chinese are practical options at a much lower price point. The value question at Aulis is therefore entirely about whether the evening tasting menu format is what you came for , there is no lighter, cheaper daytime entry point into the restaurant.

Among evening-only venues in the region, Aulis is in a category of its own at the ฿฿฿฿ tier. The non-alcoholic pairing is noted as worth trying, which is a practical detail for guests who want a structured drinks experience without wine. If you are visiting from Bangkok, the comparison point shifts to AKKEE in Pak Kret or the broader creative dining scene the capital offers , but Aulis makes a specific argument for the Phang Nga setting and its local sourcing network that those venues do not.

Practical Details

Aulis is located in Baan Natai, Khok Kloi, in Takua Thung District, Phang Nga , a rural address that requires a vehicle to reach. Plan your transport in advance, particularly if you are staying in Phuket or further along the Andaman coast. The restaurant is closed Sunday and Monday. Booking is currently rated as easy, which is consistent with a restaurant that only opened in December 2023 and is still building regional awareness , but that window may close as recognition grows. For a special occasion dinner, book ahead rather than assuming availability. No specific dress code is confirmed in the venue data, but at the ฿฿฿฿ price tier and chef's table format, smart casual is a reasonable baseline. For more on what to do around your visit, see our full Phang Nga restaurants guide, our Phang Nga hotels guide, and our Phang Nga experiences guide.

How It Compares

Against the rest of the Phang Nga dining options, Aulis operates in an entirely different tier. Hok Kee Lao (฿฿, Thai-Chinese) and Baan Rearn Mai (฿฿, seafood) are where you go for a good meal at a fraction of the cost. Anuwat and Bang Dean cover street food at the ฿ level. None of those are competitors to Aulis , they serve different needs entirely.

The relevant comparison for Aulis is the broader Thailand creative tasting menu scene. PRU in Phuket is the most direct peer: also farm-to-table, also in the Andaman region, also at the leading price tier. PRU has the longer track record and the Michelin recognition. Aulis counters with the chef's table counter format and the Rogan brand name behind it. If you are already staying in Phuket, PRU is slightly easier to access. If you are based in Phang Nga or are willing to travel for the counter experience specifically, Aulis earns the trip.

For a celebration meal in southern Thailand where the format of the dinner is as important as the food itself, Aulis is the clearest choice in its immediate geography. Beach Grill and Bar (Mediterranean, ฿฿฿) is an option for a more relaxed occasion with a lower spend. Khanom Chin Pa Son is a noodle shop , a different category entirely. Among the venues on this list, Aulis is the only one that makes sense for a special occasion dinner at the leading end of the market.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is lunch or dinner better at Aulis? Aulis is dinner-only, open Tuesday through Saturday from 6:30 PM. There is no lunch service to compare against. Plan your afternoon meal elsewhere , Baan Rearn Mai for seafood or Hok Kee Lao for Thai-Chinese are solid options at a lower price point.
• How far ahead should I book Aulis? Booking is currently easy, reflecting the restaurant's recent December 2023 opening and growing regional profile. That said, for a specific date or a special occasion, book at least a week or two in advance rather than relying on last-minute availability.
• Is Aulis good for a special occasion? Yes, more than most restaurants in Phang Nga. The chef's table counter format, lounge amuse-bouche, and multi-course tasting menu structure are designed for an extended evening, not a quick dinner. It is the format you want for a celebration or a date where the experience itself is the point. Compare it to Sorn in Bangkok or Lazy Bear in San Francisco if you want to calibrate the format , Aulis fits that same counter-dinner occasion category.
• What should I wear to Aulis? No official dress code is confirmed, but at the ฿฿฿฿ tier and chef's table setting, smart casual is a safe baseline. Avoid beachwear. The lounge-to-counter flow of the evening suggests a slightly more considered outfit than you would wear to a casual restaurant.
• Can Aulis accommodate groups? The chef's table concept typically involves a small number of counter seats, which limits group size. Specific seat count is not confirmed in the available data, but this is not the right format for large parties. Contact the venue directly to confirm capacity before organising a group booking.
• What are alternatives to Aulis in Phang Nga? For a fraction of the cost, Baan Rearn Mai (seafood, ฿฿) and Hok Kee Lao (Thai-Chinese, ฿฿) deliver good meals without the tasting menu format. For a closer creative dining comparison, PRU in Phuket is the most direct peer in the region. If you are in Bangkok, Sorn and AKKEE operate in the same high-end creative register. See our full Phang Nga restaurants guide for more options across price tiers.