Daddy Deli acquires Taboo restaurant in Hua Hin expansion

Daddy Deli acquires Taboo restaurant as it prepares to open new gastro pub in Hua Hin’s Smorprong area

Daddy Deli has acquired the Taboo Tapas Wine & Lounge Bar in Hua Hin’s Smorprong area and is preparing to reopen the venue as a new gastro pub, marking the brand’s fourth location in the town and continuing its steady expansion since launching in 2020.

The new venue, to be called Taboo by Daddy Deli, will build on the success of the existing restaurant while introducing a more relaxed, community-focused dining concept. The gastro pub is expected to open in May.

Founded by Peter Hagstedt during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 lockdown, Daddy Deli began as a personal project driven by a passion for cooking and a need to provide for his young son.

Daddy Deli’s growth has been a gradual process. In the first three to four years, Peter built the brand largely on his own, establishing it as a well-known and respected name in Hua Hin.

Peter later became business partners with Adam Clark, who now serves as a director of the group, a move that helped accelerate the business. Since then, Daddy Deli has expanded significantly, growing from a single venue into a group with multiple locations across Hua Hin and beyond.

Much of that growth came from recognising what was already there. From early on, the concept stood out as something special, with strong food, consistent service and a clear identity. The real shift was putting that in front of a wider audience and scaling it in the right way.

That approach has taken Daddy Deli from a small, single venue just a few years ago to the multi-location brand it is today.

New gastro pub to build on Taboo’s foundations

The Smorprong location will retain elements of Taboo’s identity, with selected popular dishes expected to remain on the menu. At the same time, it will introduce the core Daddy Deli offering, including pizzas, burgers and imported meats, alongside a range of comfort food.

Peter said the focus remains on keeping things simple and consistent. “We just want to serve really good food that people come back for. It doesn’t need to be complicated, just done properly,” he said.

The pizza offering will also be adjusted for the new venue, with a slightly different style compared to existing Daddy Deli branches, including woodfired pizzas.

Adam Clark, director at Daddy Deli, said the group intends to respect what came before while adapting the venue into a format that fits its wider portfolio.

He credited the previous owners of Taboo for establishing a well-regarded restaurant and said the new gastro pub would aim to build on that success. The concept is intended to be an everyday venue, similar to a British-style local pub, where residents and visitors can return regularly and which serves as a social hub for the community.

As part of the redevelopment, the venue will also include a full bar, an outdoor bar area, parking for up to 10 cars, a stage for live music and televisions for large sporting events.

On the expansion of the Daddy Deli brand, Adam said each location is developed with its own identity, rather than repeating the same concept across multiple sites.

The original Hin Lek Fai branch has become known for its combination of steaks, pizzas and Thai dishes, while Daddy Deli Beach House in Khao Tao offers a more relaxed, beachside setting with a focus on seafood. The group also operates Harvest Cafe, Eatery & Shop at Hua Hin Health Park, further expanding its range with a focus on lighter, health-conscious options.

“We’ve got the mountain location with Daddy Deli in Hin Lek Fai. The Beach House has its own identity with more seafood, but still carries the same DNA,” Adam said. “Each location complements the others. The idea was never to create copy-and-paste restaurants.” That approach, he said, has helped shape how each new location is developed.

Meanwhile, Peter said the response to the Daddy Deli Beach House, which opened in March, has been really positive and continues to improve. “People really like it. It’s getting better every day. Even small changes, like the entrance, make a difference,” he said.
The group’s growth has also allowed it to benefit from increased purchasing volumes, helping to maintain consistent quality while keeping prices competitive for customers.

Looking ahead, the team confirmed that a new Daddy Deli branch in Pattaya is scheduled to open in July, signalling further expansion beyond Hua Hin.

The addition of Taboo by Daddy Deli is expected to strengthen the brand’s presence locally, offering a more casual alternative within its existing range of dining experiences.

Residents and visitors will be able to visit the new gastro pub when it opens in May.

Find Taboo by Daddy Deli, on Google Maps