Must-see restaurants in Cambodia

  • Noodle House

    Phnom Penh

    Set in a lovingly restored French-era gem of a building, this place looks more expensive than it actually is. The menu offers a global noodle tour with…

  • Ponika’s Palace

    Eastern Cambodia

    Need a break from laab salad after Laos? Burgers, pizza and English breakfasts grace the menu, along with Indian food and wonderful Khmer curries. Affable…

  • Destiny Cafe

    Poipet

    A fine place to hang out if you have some time to kill, with tasty Khmer and Western eats, good coffee and friendly staff. It supports an array of…

  • Reak Smey Angkor Restaurant

    Northwestern Cambodia

    Hugely popular with Khmer tour groups, this family-run restaurant dishes up an extensive menu of local favourites, with plenty of noodle soups and fried…

  • Lone Star

    Phnom Penh

    Missing the US of A? You won't be after a morning in here watching American football via satellite and digging into the heaped plates of meatloaf and Baja…

  • O’Calm Gourmet

    Phnom Penh

    This attractive open-air restaurant under a thatched Balinese-style roof has an extensive menu of provincial French fare, plus pizza, pasta and enticing…

  • Shanti Shanti

    Koh Rong

    This tiny Indian-run cafe up the hill from town is big on home-spun flavours from the motherland, with Indian burritos being the speciality. More than…

  • Pteas Bay Khmer

    Eastern Cambodia

    Ratanakiri Boutique Hotel's wooden restaurant has an imposing setting above the shores of Boeng Kansaign, making it a good stop by day or night. The menu…

  • Cafe Semo

    Eastern Cambodia

    This sleek, wood-panelled and air-conditioned Korean restaurant serves up ramen for breakfast, kimchi fried rice for lunch and burgers (veggie or beef)…

  • Common Grounds

    Siem Reap

    This sophisticated international cafe, akin to Starbucks, has great coffee, homemade cakes, light bites, a kids' menu and free wi-fi. It also offers free…

  • Olive & Olive

    Sihanoukville

    Just about the last Western restaurant standing around the Golden Lions Monument, and it's a good one. A pinch of Greek cuisine, a touch of Turkish…

  • Da Matti

    Koh Rong

    Italian food and reggae music prove to be a winning combination at Da Matti on Koh Tuch's southernmost pier. Come early for cocktails and music and stay…

  • Mike's Burger House

    Sihanoukville

    Sihanoukville's blink-and-you'll miss it edition of this legendary Phnom Penh burger barn is still going, firing up the South Coast's best patties along…

  • La Pizza

    Battambang

    Pizzas come in every shape and size at this popular east-bank restaurant, including by the slice (US$1.75), half size, full size and extra large. La Pizza…

  • JoMa Bakery Cafe

    Phnom Penh

    Originating in Laos, JoMa Bakery Cafe has used a winning formula to expand rapidly in the Cambodian capital. Salads and sandwiches in various combinations…

  • Sesame Noodle Bar

    Phnom Penh

    A Japanese-American duo is behind one of the Russian Market's longest-running little diners. Cold noodles arrive in vegetarian or egg varieties and come…

  • Wat Damnak BBQs

    Siem Reap

    Located opposite the venerable Wat Dam Nak, these local barbecue restaurants are popular for barbecued beef, other local meats and lake fish. They also…

  • Sushi Bar

    Phnom Penh

    Purists may scoff at the low sushi prices, but it's always packed and is definitely one of the better places in town for quick-and-easy raw fish. Sit…

  • Crep'Italy

    Siem Reap

    This elegant Franco-Italian restaurant offers wood-fired pizzas, homemade pastas and imported Italian cuts, plus Breton crêpes, which helps explain the…

  • Spice Cafe

    Phnom Penh

    The house speciality is the zesty Singapore laksa, but you'll also find a host of appropriately spicy Indonesian and Malaysian specialities on the menu,…

  • Mama Wong's

    Phnom Penh

    This red-lit hang-out brings a contemporary touch to the city's Chinese dining scene, serving up inventive dumplings, noodle bowls and Asian tapas such as…

  • Monorom Restaurant

    Northwestern Cambodia

    Attached to the hotel of the same name, Monorom dishes up a small but tasty selection of typical fried vegetable and meat dishes and breakfast noodle…

  • MCOOK

    Siem Reap

    There are other things on the menu, but the main draw is the all-you-can-eat dinner set – unlimited volcano egg pot soup, sides, and pork-belly strips…

  • Ecran Noodles

    Kampot

    This riverfront hole-in-the-wall specialises in hand-pulled noodles and dumplings, including shrimp and seafood varieties, plus Peking duck. It's cheap…

  • Pop Café

    Phnom Penh

    Owner Giorgio welcomes diners as if they were coming to his own home for dinner, making this a popular spot for authentic Italian cooking. Thin-crust…

  • Mercy House Restaurant

    Phnom Penh

    This outdoor vegetarian eatery serves Japanese dishes with a Cambodian twist. Go for the teppanyaki hot plates – sizzling fake meat topped with an egg and…

  • Blue River

    Eastern Cambodia

    This floating restaurant – lit by lanterns and adorned with gnarled driftwood – is the perfect place to toss back an Angkor beer and watch the sun plunge…

  • Angkor Cafe

    Angkor Wat

    A handy branch of Blue Pumpkin just outside Angkor Wat turns out sandwiches, salads and ice creams, as well as divine fruit shakes, all to take away if…

  • Lemongrass

    Phnom Penh

    A higher-class Thai restaurant with a fair selection of Khmer classics. The prices are pretty reasonable given the look of the place. Splurge for the choo…

  • Buffalo Sister

    Phnom Penh

    The extensive sandwich list is ever growing at this self-described carvery. Dig into a roast pork with apple sauce sandwich or go healthy with a grilled…

  • Grand River

    Phnom Penh

    One of the more lively riverfront restaurants, this is a great spot for watching the world go by. The menu includes moderately priced Cambodian and…

  • Kravanh

    Phnom Penh

    A stylish Khmer restaurant under the stewardship of a Franco-Khmer, the chic decor sets this place apart from its neighbours. The menu includes…

  • Le Jardin des Délices

    Siem Reap

    Enjoy high-end standards at an affordable price with a three-course lunch of Asian and Western food prepared by students training in the culinary arts. It…

  • Chinese Noodle

    Phnom Penh

    Chinese Noodle is all about – what else – noodles, with anything from duck to pig stomach. You can also chow down on some fabulous dumplings. A bargain…

  • Curry Walla

    Siem Reap

    For good-value Indian food, this place is hard to beat. The thalis (set meals) are a bargain, and the owner, long-time resident Ranjit, knows his share of…

  • Thai Huot

    Phnom Penh

    This is the place for French travellers who are missing home, as it stocks many French products, including Bonne Maman jam and the city's best cheese…

  • Bamboo Cafe

    Sen Monorom

    This jungly, bamboo-shaded cafe has a lengthy menu running the gamut from pasta noodles to Khmer noodles and amok (a baked fish dish). Vegetarian options…

  • Trattoria Bello

    Phnom Penh

    Hidden away near the Russian Market, Bello turns out some of the most delicious pizzas in town at good prices. The Japanese owner also offers pasta,…

  • Battambang BBQ & Buffet

    Battambang

    Offering an all-inclusive tabletop barbecue and serve-yourself buffet, this place is unbelievably popular with local Khmers and domestic tourists…

  • No Style

    Phnom Penh

    This hole-in-the-wall 12-seat 'skewer counter' ticks all the right boxes. Beyond the US$1 skewers, you'll also find US$3 rice and noodle tapas, cheap…

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