16 Best Restaurants in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

This popular nonprofit eatery just a short walk from the National Museum serves a huge range of tapas, fruit juices, salads, and international dishes. You can admire the colorful artwork, then visit the Friends Futures Factory (F3) next door, an open-air creative space with regular markets, exhibitions, and concerts.

ST 63 Bassak is run by a young Cambodian couple who aim to make international cuisine accessible and affordable for a local crowd, and at the same time showcase the best of Cambodian cuisine for foreign crowds. The result is a mix of local favorites like beef loc lac (stir-fried beef with fried egg and lime pepper sauce), alongside French-inspired dishes such as slow-cooked oxtail with a red wine jus.

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.

If it's meat you're after, this restaurant, coffee shop, 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.

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).

There are two branches of Khéma in the city, but this one, with its French colonial stylings, heritage building, and location in the heart of the old quarter, is the one to go to. Expect modern French cuisine served at all times of the day, but weekend brunch is probably the most popular meal.

The Phnom Penh elite frequent this upscale, traditional Khmer restaurant in a peaceful garden, as its chef Luu Meng is a Cambodian celebrity who has worked on TV with the likes of Gordon Ramsay. The long menu features a variety of fresh fish and seafood, soups, curries, and grilled meats. The prices are a little high by Cambodian standards, but it makes for an enjoyable change if you're looking for something out of the ordinary, and you certainly get what you pay for.

In the elegant setting of the beautifully restored 1880s Indochina Bank Building, next to the historical main post office, you can dine on exquisite French cuisine. The roof terrace above the restaurant has a swanky cocktail bar-lounge.

Some of the country's tastiest provincial Khmer dishes are served at this gorgeously redesigned house in a residential area. Romdeng (which means "galangal" in Khmer) offers plenty of piquant soups, curries, salads, and meat dishes. The adventurous can try the three flavors of prahok, Cambodia's signature fermented fish paste, or, if you're even braver, the fried spiders.

Follow the aroma of pungent spices into this restaurant and prepare for a hearty curry and all the essential sides at one of the capital's best Indian restaurants. The accommodating staff and exotically spiced fare more than compensate for the modest appearance. Complimentary poppadoms, dips, and chutney satiate the hunger pangs as you mull over the menu, including vegetarian options that are packed full of flavor.

Succulent samosas, vegetable pakoras (fritters), spicy lamb masala, butter chicken, and prawn biryani (with rice and vegetables) are among the favorites served at this small Indian restaurant. In the pleasant dining room a statue of the elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesha stands by the door, and reproductions of Mogul art line the walls. There are also usually a few tables on the sidewalk.

The Mediterranean comes east at this popular three-story bar-restaurant in the heart of artsy Street 240. The menu extends from North African couscous and Spanish tapas, to Asian-fusion bites, served in a warm, jovial atmosphere. The comprehensive wine list includes labels from around the world and the cocktails are well made. Opt to sit on the rooftop for great city views.

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.

The first-class French specialties at this fine restaurant make it a longtime Phnom Penh favorite. Imported cuts of beef from Cape Grim in Tasmania and other highest-quality ingredients cooked to perfection mean that Topaz remains one of the most feted places to dine in the city, a great choice for an intimate meal.

This small spot is probably the best vegan restaurant in Phnom Penh, possibly in the whole country. The menu is packed with vegetable, plant, and grain dishes, with options for all dietary needs (nut, dairy, gluten), and delivers on flavor. Wash it all down with one of their fantastic cold-pressed juices.