Northern Laos
Fairy-lit Vita sits three-quarters of the way down the main drag on the left-hand side as you walk south, and dishes up decent láhp, sandwiches and…
Must-see restaurants in Laos
Central Laos
Head to this busy place alongside the river if you fancy tasty Lao favourites such as pîng kai (grilled chicken) and sticky rice for next to no money…
Central Laos
With dining in the garden or indoors, this is a popular local place serving a mix of Thai, Thai-Chinese and Lao dishes, but be warned that karaoke is also…
Savannakhet
This nightly food market brings 20 or more stalls to the Savannakhet Plaza area in the heart of the old town. This means barbecued skewers, steaming…
Vientiane
Colourful walls, alt tunes and good service complement a menu spanning stews, Luang Prabang sausage, láhp variations, stir-fried morning glory (water…
Northern Laos
The Mekong terrace here offers a great vantage point from which to watch the boats shuttling to and from Thailand. The menu has a wide range of Thai and…
Bolaven Plateau Region
The restaurant at the Tad Fane Resort may look deserted when you visit but it is open to visitors as well as the resort's guests. Dishes cover the usual…
Vientiane
In a remodelled colonial-era villa near Nam Phu, Khop Chai Deu has been a travellers' favourite for years because of its range of approachable Lao, Thai,…
Vang Vieng
Topped with sausage, goat cheese, bacon and many more ingredients, the OK wood-fired pizzas here are decked in sauces made from locally grown vegetables…
Vientiane
A longstanding, lively hole-in-the-wall, with slatted chairs on a plant-filled verandah, cosy Osaka tempts you inside with its lipstick-red booths. Oodles…
Pakse
It's the location as much as the masala that keeps this old-timer bulging with happy customers. The menu mixes both Indian and Malay food and there are…
Nong Khiaw
At the end of the bridge, this place has the best view in town. CT has a Western-friendly menu of pasta, pancakes, breakfasts, sandwiches and tasty staple…
Vientiane
Right near the Thai consulate, this little gem has original artwork on the mustard-coloured walls, whirring fans, various delicious panini and perhaps the…
Souksabaiy (Samile) Restaurant
Central Laos
This riverside spot is atmospheric with lanterns hung from the walls, and decked verandahs under the shade of trees where you can coolly work your way…
Vientiane
Sticky Fingers has the atmosphere of a Sydney cafe and serves tasty cuisine that could be described as 'modern international'. Generous happy-hour drink…
Northern Laos
Festooned with lanterns and Che Guevara graffiti, this hole-in-the-wall is a 10-minute walk from the main drag. It's worth a visit for the fresh spring…
Northern Laos
Located behind the market, this clean, new Chinese restaurant packs them in with rice dishes, kung pao chicken and some interesting options such as 'smell…
Vientiane
Vegetarians beware: Samba does an all-you-can-eat, Brazilian-style meat buffet; servers come to your table with a selection of eight grilled meats and a…
Riverside Snack & Drink Vendors
Savannakhet
The riverside snack and drink vendors are a great place for sundowners, serving cheap big bottles of Beerlao (10,000K) and sìn daat (Lao hotpot barbecue)…
Vientiane
Scandy feels a bit claustrophobic and the service some days can be downright risible. But this bakery is still a reliable spot to cop a fika, a Swedish…
Pakse
Though small and everything is sold as takeaway, this is the closest thing Pakse has to a Thai-style night market. It's a great place to sample Lao food…
Central Laos
There's a strip of outdoor grilled-meat restaurants named after their cooks (Ms Noy, Ms Kay etc.), all specialising in duck. Find them on the waterfront…
Luang Prabang
A variety of well-filled French-bread sandwiches are available at makeshift baguette stalls facing the tourist office. Lao pâté is a delight. Fresh fruit…
Vientiane
This ice-cool Italian haunt pipes classical music across its tangerine interior hung with Lao tapestries, and serves a range of soups, pasta, risotto,…
Don Det & Don Khon
The Paradise Resort's restaurant has a bright and breezy location right on the river and is a great spot for a meal or a drink (the usual happy shakes and…
Vang Vieng
This simple open-air restaurant serves seen dàat, do-it-yourself Korean-style barbecue and a Lao interpretation of hotpot, and is busy with a local crowd…
Vang Vieng
It's veggie heaven at this simple hole-in-the-wall delight. Think colourful tables, Lao life murals, and a wealth of salads, soups, spring rolls,…
Northern Laos
Passable Lao grub from pork láhp to stir-fried food. The best thing is the river view, so park yourself with a sundowner and watch the light turn a burnt…
Bolaven Plateau Region
The Dúc Lôc Hotel's restaurant serves some of the best Vietnamese food in town. Various fish dishes and soups, plus fried rice and fĕr (rice noodles)…
Vientiane
A long-running Lao restaurant, it can be easily missed amid the stellar culinary openings of recent years, but the Lao food here is tasty and home-cooked…
Vang Vieng
'The Table' is run by a father-and-son team. The menu includes a selection of mediocre pasta, gnocchi and risotto dishes, though most diners opt for the…
Don Det & Don Khon
The friendly family here has been serving good food, including spring rolls, papaya salads and veggie options, from in front of their tumbledown home for…
Pakse
This new place just next to Dok Champa massage is a handy stop for a quick snack and a change of cuisine, with Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavours…
Savannakhet
This cheap-as-chips hole-in-the-wall near the Catholic church dishes up Thai-leaning Lao dishes, including noodles, fried rice, salads and crispy fried…
Vientiane
One of the smarter Indian restaurants in town, with a menu that includes chicken, mutton and seafood classics, plus a generous selection of vegetarian…
Luang Prabang
A colourful street market in Ban Pakam that's at its liveliest in the early morning when locals stock up on leafy greens, eggs, dried shrimp and live…
Pakse
This bright coffee-shop-cum-bakery is infused with sunlight and puts a calorific sugar-coated spring in your step with its fresh cakes, pastries and…
Pakse
Located under the Lankham Hotel, this is a popular place for fĕr noodle soups, though a bit heavy on the flavour enhancers on our last visit.
Vientiane
A contemporary burger joint featuring beef burgers with Swiss cheese, bacon, eggplant and many other additions and sauces. Salads and milkshakes, too.
Northern Laos
This night market near the central roundabout has food stalls for noodle soup, Lao grills, fresh fruits and khànǒm (traditional sweets).
