Phnom Penh guide · Where to eat
Places to eat in Phnom Penh, with what to order and how comfortable each is for families and older travellers.
Updated
Khmer food is not vegetarian by default. Fish sauce, prahok (fermented fish paste), shrimp paste and meat stock are common in dishes that look plain, and street stalls often share woks. Strict Indian vegetarians and Jains should not rely on saying 'no meat' alone. The most dependable options are dedicated vegan and vegetarian restaurants, many of them run in a Buddhist or health-food style, and Indian restaurants, which exist in the city but are fewer and smaller than in Bangkok.
This guide lists the venues we could verify on a published vegan and vegetarian directory: Masala Dosa Street Kitchen for Indian vegetarian food, and the vegan cafes Sacred Lotus Cafe, Sundays and Bong Bonlai at YK Art House. The directory also lists several mock-meat vegetarian restaurants such as Surn Yi, Maitreya and Magnolia; we could not open their pages, so we have not tagged them. We did not find a restaurant that states a fully Jain kitchen, so Jain travellers should phone ahead and ask about onion, garlic and root vegetables. Opening hours and addresses change, so confirm before you go, drink bottled or filtered water, and avoid raw salads and ice from unknown sources.
Menus and kitchens change. If you follow a strict diet or have an allergy, confirm with the restaurant before you order.
Alley off Street 240, near Street 19, close to the Royal Palace
A health-food cafe in an alley off Street 240, near Street 19, listed for vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and raw dishes, plus cold-pressed juices, smoothies, coffee and mango pancakes.
74-76 Street 126, just west of Central Market
A vegetarian and vegan Indian restaurant on Street 126, just west of Central Market, which a Phnom Penh vegetarian guide lists as open from early morning with breakfast as well as curries.
No. 31, Street 281, Phnom Penh
An inexpensive vegetarian restaurant on Street 281 that HappyCow describes as fully vegan with egg available as an add-on.
Phnom Penh; confirm the exact address on the map
A vegan restaurant at a guesthouse, serving Asian-Mediterranean fusion dishes and a Sunday brunch, according to a vegan restaurant directory.
22DEo Street 278, BKK area
A vegetarian cafe on Street 278 in the BKK area, listed for Khmer and American-style dishes, many of them vegan, with most dishes at two to four US dollars.
21E Street 71, BKK area
An Indian restaurant on Street 71 whose name says vegetarian but whose menu, according to a Phnom Penh vegetarian guide, still includes some meat dishes; most options are listed under five US dollars.
No. 54A, Street 454, Phnom Penh
A restaurant on Street 454 serving mostly Indian food with some Nepali dishes, where a vegan directory says the vegan items are clearly marked on the menu.
Street 313, corner of Street 528, Toul Kork, Phnom Penh
The Toul Kork branch of Curry Pot cooks Indian and Nepalese dishes and, per the Spinach guide, marks five to ten vegan dishes on its menu, including chana masala and veg momo.
5E Pasteur Street (Street 51), BKK area
A small Indian restaurant on Pasteur Street (Street 51) that a Phnom Penh vegetarian guide lists for south Indian dosas, biryanis and curries, with many vegetarian and vegan choices.
Olympia Mall, Street 182, Phnom Penh
A modern vegetarian restaurant inside Olympia Mall on Street 182, listed by HappyCow as open Tuesday to Sunday and available on delivery apps.
St 118, Toul Kork, Phnom Penh
A vegetarian restaurant in Toul Kork that HappyCow lists for rice, noodles, mock meats and set meals, with a mid-afternoon break between lunch and dinner service.
215 Street 13, near the riverside
A social-enterprise training restaurant at 215 Street 13, serving vegetarian-friendly Western and Asian tapas and full courses, in a setting where former street children are trained for hospitality jobs.
5A Street 420, near the Russian Market, Phnom Penh
A vegetarian restaurant on Street 420 listed by HappyCow for Khmer, Thai and Vietnamese dishes, cooking classes and reservations, closed on Sundays.
56E1 Sihanouk Boulevard, facing Independence Monument park
A cafe at 56E1 Sihanouk Boulevard facing Independence Monument park, listed for salads, sandwiches and a mushroom veggie burger, with dairy-free options on request.
13 Long Nget Street 258, south of the Royal Palace, corner of Sothearos Boulevard
A small Nepali and Indian restaurant at 13 Street 258, south of the Royal Palace, listed by Wikivoyage for dishes at roughly two to five US dollars, with vegetarian options and a Nepali thali.
Street 430 at Street 494, Toul Tom Poung, Phnom Penh
A vegetarian cafe on Street 430 near the Russian Market with Khmer and Western dishes, mock meats and a buffet priced by weight, closing early on Fridays.
Preah Ang Phanavong Street (Street 240), Phnom Penh
A low-priced vegetarian restaurant on Street 240 with a long Vietnamese-style menu of noodles, fried dishes and rice, and outdoor seating, per HappyCow.
136 Preah Norodom Boulevard, central Phnom Penh
A Cambodian restaurant on Preah Norodom Boulevard that several Phnom Penh eating guides name for Khmer food, with one describing it as a good introduction to the cuisine or a dressier evening out.
Phnom Penh; confirm the exact address on the map
A vegetarian Indian restaurant in Phnom Penh that serves dosas, meal sets and masala chai, with a fusion twist, according to a vegan and vegetarian directory.
Street 442, Toul Tom Poung, Phnom Penh
A Toul Tom Poung cafe serving an all-day vegetarian brunch, with many vegan options and vegan smoothies, which doubles as a rescue cat cafe, per HappyCow.
177 Street 63, corner of Street 294, Phnom Penh
An Indian restaurant on Street 63 whose menu, according to a vegan directory, runs to three pages of mostly vegan vegetarian dishes alongside other Indian food.
No. 53, Street 432, near the Russian Market
A vegetarian restaurant near the Russian Market on Street 432 with a weekday lunch buffet, popular with students according to HappyCow.
Street 320, Boeung Keng Kang, Phnom Penh
A vegetarian shop on Street 320 in Boeung Keng Kang that HappyCow lists for Cambodian-style soups and hotpots, mostly vegan, open daily from 09:00 to 21:00.
74 Street 174, central Phnom Penh
A Khmer restaurant at 74 Street 174 in a renovated French colonial house, which one guide describes as a hospitality training school restaurant and which serves provincial Khmer food, including some adventurous items.
Phnom Penh; confirm the exact address on the map
A plant-based cafe and guesthouse in a historic building, serving plant-based Cambodian and Western dishes, according to a vegan restaurant directory.
One2shop, No. 64, Street 265, Sangkat Tek Laork III
A vegetarian restaurant in Tek Laork III with Khmer food, some vegan dishes, a buffet and a salad bar, listed by HappyCow.
Phnom Penh; confirm the exact address on the map
A vegan cafe and small hotel with a Khmer twist, serving snacks, noodle salads and desserts, according to a vegan restaurant directory.
Street 184 (Samdach Preah Thoamak Lekhet Ouk), half a block east of Norodom Boulevard
A vegetarian restaurant near the Royal Palace with veggie burgers, noodles, soups and mock-meat dishes, listed by both HappyCow and Wikivoyage.
26 Street 269 (Preah Suramarit), alley at the north end of Independence Monument Park
A restaurant at 26 Street 269, reached by an alley at the north end of Independence Monument Park, listed for traditional Khmer dishes made meat-free, including vegetarian amok.
No. 05, Street 638, Phum Prek, Sangkat Chbar Ompoa 1
A vegetarian restaurant with an extensive local and fusion menu including mock pork and duck and hotpots, across the river in Chbar Ampov, per HappyCow.
370 Street 163, Phnom Penh
A vegetarian restaurant at 370 Street 163 serving Khmer food made with soy and other meat substitutes, with most dishes at two to four US dollars; a branch is also listed near Russian Market.
