11 Best Restaurants in Cambodia

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.

There's a sophisticated yet casual vibe at this airy, white and brick restaurant that, along with its sister branch in Phnom Penh, serves probably the best Greek food in the country. You'll find all the classics here, including tzatziki, hummus, gyros, calamari, and moussaka; it's all just great.

Created to raise awareness and generate work opportunities for deaf and disabled people, many of whom it now employs, Epic Arts Cafe serves a selection of tasty breakfast and lunch dishes, as well as desserts, fresh-fruit smoothies, and coffee brewed from local beans. There's a shop upstairs, too, selling local goods.

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.

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.

A great way to combine seaside eating and fun, especially for families, the Knai Bang Chatt hotel's Sailing Club welcomes all for seafood barbecues, a popular Sunday brunch, and light meals as well as beach volleyball, sailing, Hobie Cat rentals, and kayaking. Linger on until the evening to sip a cocktail and take in the stunning sunset views from this beautifully restored wooden fisherman's cottage. After dinner, the wine and cocktail bar The Lounge, just a few short steps away, is a good spot to while away the night in style.

Operated by the Tree Alliance charity, this is a vocational training restaurant that demonstrates just how good the training is—the service is attentive and the food exceptional. New and inventive Cambodian dishes are constantly being added, the specials change regularly, and the cocktails are pretty decent, too.

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.

Even superstar chef Gordon Ramsay swears by this Siem Reap institution, whose new location, set in a beautiful and breezy wooden sala, doesn't betray owner Khetana's colorful enthusiasm for the traditional Khmer cuisine she learned from her mother and grandmother. You can order à la carte or opt for one of the sampler platters ($15), which offer house signature specialties like crispy shrimp cakes with black-pepper sauce or pomelo salad with chicken.