37 Best Restaurants in Cambodia

The Phnom Penh elite, expat foodies, and culinary travelers frequent this upscale, traditional Cambodian restaurant set around a peaceful garden. Celebrity chef Luu Meng travels the country seeking out rare dishes and little-known ingredients, so a meal here is a chance to sample regional specialties you won't see at other Cambodian restaurants. The long menu features a variety of fresh fish and seafood, soups, and rich curries. The prices are a little high by Cambodian standards, but very affordable for the outstanding quality and service.

Set in a traditional-style Khmer wooden house with French colonial tiles, floor-to-ceiling windows looking onto a garden with herb boxes, and smooth jazz music in the background, Lum Orng (which means “pollen” in Khmer) is renowned for its innovative contemporary Cambodian cuisine. This casually elegant fine diner, in a village on the edge of town, is owned and helmed by one of Cambodia’s most creative chefs, Sothea Seng, who can be found most nights cooking at his intimate Chef’s Table upstairs. The dishes reinterpret Cambodian specialties, both preserving and reinventing them, using the freshest of organic local produce grown in the gardens around the restaurant and at the chef’s farm out near Banteay Srei.

Cuisine Wat Damnak offers a unique journey for the taste buds with its five- or six-course set menus (changing every fortnight). Beyond the sophisticated indoor sala and romantic garden, the concept here is Cambodian food remodeled into creative modern dishes by French chef Joannes Riviere, whose knowledge of the area allows him to source rare ingredients such as shellfish unique to the Mekong and Tonle Sap lake, fresh lotus seeds, wild lily stems, and edible flowers.

If you're interested in learning more about Riviere's culinary philosophy and techniques, you can buy a copy of his cookbook here.

A social enterprise providing disability-inclusive employment, Epic Arts Cafe serves a selection of delicious breakfast and lunch dishes, including many vegan and vegetarian options, as well as desserts, cakes, fresh-fruit smoothies, and coffee brewed from Cambodian beans. There's a shop upstairs selling locally crafted products, sales from which support their programs.

Knai Bang Chatt Resort's Sailing Club restaurant has some of the freshest seafood you'll find on the coast and offers sailing lessons, kite surfing, paddle-boarding, jet-skiing, and more. Arrive in the late afternoon and linger until the evening, sipping cocktails, taking in the stunning sea views, and grooving to DJ beats on weekends.

The name translates as "food," and if you're after a Cambodian menu that appeals to the Western palate but is not without an adventurous element, this is an excellent choice. Try deep-fried frogs' legs coated with crispy rice flakes, or wok-fried local beef with tree red ants served with rice. If that's too much of a challenge, there's the duo amok soufflé of lemongrass and coconut paste with chicken and river fish, or the fun option of cooking fish or meat exactly to your liking on hot stones.

This top-notch open-air garden restaurant, out-of-the-way from the noisier part of the city, reflects the forward-thinking new generation of postdisaster Cambodia, represented here by the visionary young owner, Siv Pola. Everything is prepared with sensitivity, creativity, and great skill: try the Tonle Sap Fish, a carpaccio of snakehead fish fillet, marinated in fresh picked herbs, with a tempura poached egg.

Operated by M'Lop Talang, a non-government organization established to support disadvantaged children and their families, this vocational training restaurant demonstrates just how good the training is—the service is friendly and attentive and the food delicious. The menu ranges from Cambodian specialties such as amok trei, a steamed fish curry, to international dishes such as burgers, pizzas, and fish and chips.

The first proper restaurant to open in the post–Khmer Rouge period remains the city’s best destination for delicious traditional home-style Cambodian cooking in a beautiful wooden building. Owner-chef Kethana Dunnet was the country’s first celebrity chef, introducing some of the world’s best chefs to Cambodian food, including Gordon Ramsay, Rick Stein, and Luke Nguyen. Expect the best iterations of Cambodian cooking—everything on the menu is delicious.

Built in 1903, Chinese House (home to Tepui) is among the few colonial houses in Phnom Penh that remains in its original state. An impressive painting of a Chinese girl with ruby-red lips is the centerpiece in this sophisticated restaurant serving South American and Asian-fusion dishes, with specialties such as corn empanadas filled with beef picadillo and goat cheese cream, or red tuna tartare with wasabi emulsion. There is a lively bar on the ground floor.

Formerly Vibe, now a branch of the Backyard Cafe chain of plant-driven eateries, this lovely cafe with bamboo furniture and hanging ferns specializes in breakfast bowls, baked goods, big salads, loaded sandwiches, and healthy sweets prepared with organic local produce. There are many options to cater for all sorts of dietary needs and allergies, as well as fantastic cold-pressed juices and smoothies made with Cambodian tropical fruits. It's also a great spot to meet young expats.

Located in the heart of the hip Wat Bo neighborhood, Banlle—which means "vegetables" in Khmer—is Siem Reap’s only urban farm-to-table restaurant. Dine at one of the terrace tables and you’ll be able to see the organic vegetable garden, which wraps around the restaurant's remodeled traditional timber house. The options include Cambodian, pan-Asian, and international fare, all of great value.

Also called Cloud Tea & Coffee, this sleek cafe with colorful furniture opposite the riverside is hugely popular with Cambodians. They have a long menu of coffees, teas, shakes, smoothies, juices, and bubble teas.

At this Australian-run cafe located in a colonial-era building, you are guaranteed to find outstanding artisanal coffee roasted in-house from regionally-sourced beans. The food options include smashed avocado on sourdough with dukkah, mushrooms on toast, and chicken parmigiana.

You can fish your own dinner right out of the Gulf of Siam on a trip arranged by this restaurant, then take a class to learn how to prepare it—or just choose whether to have it grilled or made into a tartare, sushi, nigiri, or tempura. By far the most authentic Japanese food in Sihanoukville, the menu is heavily reliant on the Japanese owner's whim and the fish caught that day. Bento boxes, okonomiyaki, and other delights are also on offer.

Dine on the edge of Victory Beach, next to the crashing waves, at this lovely indoor-outdoor Cambodian restaurant. All manner of fresh fish and seafood, from stir-fries to clay pots to barbecues and curries, is available. Locals eat at this little offbeat gem—which is always a good sign. As it is usually only frequented by locals, English is not really spoken, so go with the flow.

The focus here is on delicately spiced Khmer-inspired vegan dishes. Try the rich, creamy sweet potato, pumpkin, and coconut curry, or a clean, crisp green mango, carrot, and herb salad with smoked tofu. A limited number of Thai curry-style meat and fish dishes is also available.

This alfresco beachfront restaurant at the Sokha Beach Resort offers some of Sihanoukville's most breathtaking sea views. The menu focuses on seafood-driven tapas, such as croquetas, shrimp cocktails, salpicon, ceviche, and fish tacos. Book a beachside table and order some cocktails to savor the sunset before dinner.

If it's meat you're after, this restaurant, cafe, butcher shop, and deli—all rolled into one—is the place for you. The locally sourced animal products are all certified (a rarity in Cambodia) and the gourmet sausages and cold cuts are prepared, cured, and smoked on the premises.

Focusing on a mostly Western menu packed with organic, locally sourced ingredients, this restaurant does what the name says, featuring fresh, seasonal produce from farmers across Cambodia. There is indoor seating, but the best place to be is in the lovely leafy garden, which also hosts regular farmers' markets, live music, and workshops.

You don't have to be a foreign correspondent to join the lively international crowd that gathers every day at this atmospheric French-colonial building. The beer is always cold, the cocktails icy, and you can grab a reliable burger or wood-fired pizza and enjoy the open river views if you're in need of a change from Khmer fare (having said that, the beef Lok Lak is one of the best in town).

In the center of sleepy Ban Lung, this breezy restaurant serves an extensive menu of Cambodian, Asian, and Western dishes. Expect everything from Cambodian soups, noodles, and curries to salads, sandwiches, burgers, pastas, and pizza, with vegan and vegetarian options. It's popular with locals, expats, and travelers alike.

The name means "rice bowl" in Khmer and this social enterprise of the Cambodian Children Trust (CCT) is easily Battambang's best restaurant, dishing up outstanding renditions of Cambodian and pan-Asian favorites in a stylish contemporary space. Rotating exhibits by local artists hang from the walls, and it's often packed with a mix of young Cambodian creatives, expats, and foodie travelers in the evenings. Jaan Bai provides skills development and employment for young Cambodians and a share of the profits goes towards CCT's community development work.

This small laidback cafe is popular with expats, locals, and visitors from Phnom Penh, and it's the perfect spot to stop before catching a boat to Koh Tonsay (Rabbit Island). The handwritten chalk menu features quesadillas, burgers, and grilled sandwiches, served in large portions.

There are three branches of Khéma in the city, but this one, with its French colonial stylings, heritage building, and location in the heart of the old French quarter, is the one to go to. Expect classic French and European cuisine served at all times of the day, but weekend brunch is popular with Cambodians and expats.

A cool little coffee shop in the historical center, Kinyei Cafe is managed by knowledgeable and award-winning local baristas who serve outstanding coffee made with beans roasted in Phnom Penh and sourced ethically from Cambodia and other Southeast Asian growers. The lunch options, like the veggie rolls, are perfect for a quick bite. Kinyei Cafe is a social enterprise started by the Feel Good Coffee Company, which formed a partnership with the Cambodian Children Trust (CCT) to also run the nearby restaurant Jaan Bai.

Located on Siem Reap's quiet Kandal Village shopping street, this cool Australian-run cafe provides more than just great coffee: there's a menu of healthy breakfasts and lunches like the tofu scramble or the Tri Grain Bowl, a combination of red rice, chia seeds, and couscous, topped with kale and beetroot hummus. There is a shaded seating area out front and a relaxing light-filled space upstairs.

This pleasant Japanese-style café by the river serves good snacks, small plates, desserts, and drinks. Try a cashew-nut shake—you'll probably want a second. You can also try the sauna upstairs.

In the elegant dining rooms of this beautifully restored 1880s Indochina Bank Building, next to the historic main post office, you can dine on classical French cuisine. Service is endearingly old-fashioned, and there are courtyard tables which are very pleasant on a cool breezy evening.

This breezy, traditional-style terrace restaurant and bar are located on the second-floor of a colonial-era rice barn. The all-day menu features Cambodian specialties—the richly spiced Saraman beef curry with peanuts is a must—along with international dishes. The ingredients used are seasonal and locally sourced, including the daily fish and seafood bought directly from local fishermen.