34 Best Restaurants in Phnom Penh (2026 Selection)
Looking for the best restaurants in Phnom Penh? The Cambodian capital has quietly become one of Southeast Asia's most exciting food cities. From traditional Khmer kitchens and Vietnamese family-run noodle shops to French bistros and creative modern tables, eating out in Phnom Penh means discovering a city with a remarkably diverse culinary scene — at prices that are hard to beat.
This is my personal selection of restaurants in Phnom Penh, updated for 2026. Every place listed has been visited and chosen for its food quality, character, or value.
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My best restaurants in Phnom Penh, whatever you're craving
Only a few days in town and no time to read every review? I get it. These are the places I send my friends to when they message me the night before they land.
- For real, everyday Khmer food: Houb Houb, where I go at least once a week for the best value for money, and Romdeng, the canteen where families and locals spend their lunch break.
- For a more refined Khmer meal: Sombok, my favourite restaurant, which I save for dinners with the people I love most, or Kravanh, which I adore for its setting and service.
- For Phnom Penh noodle soup (kuy teav): Hour Yin Noodle House, the most authentic, and Thmor Da, for comfort.
- For a French restaurant: Khéma for the steak de Paris served on a candle warmer, the Institut Français bistro for its weekly changing menu, and La Coupole by Sofitel for French-style elegance.
- For a pizza that hits the spot: Dough Boy (lunch deal from $5) and Hybrid Kitchen.
- For Asian food beyond Khmer: Roka and Hanoi Corner for Vietnamese, Duck Kingdom and Nainai Eating House for Chinese, Mama Thai for Thai.
- For groups and families: Houb Houb and its large air-conditioned room upstairs, Khéma, very kid-friendly with big, well-spaced tables, or Duck Kingdom, perfect for sharing.
Restaurants near you: where to eat in Phnom Penh by neighbourhood
In Phnom Penh, the heat and the crowded sidewalks mean you often end up eating close to your hotel. You might as well know what's around you. Here are my addresses, grouped by neighbourhood.
Riverside (Sisowath Quay) and the Royal Palace
Along Sisowath Quay, facing the Mekong, is where you go for dinner at sunset. It's also the most touristy area, with endless menus and touts at every corner. My safe bets for eating well on the riverside:
- Sombok (1 Street 154): fine Cambodian cuisine and one of the most beautiful tables in the city. Its plated desserts are unforgettable.
- Bai Sor (97 Sisowath Quay): the trendy Khmer spot.
- Soklang Lort Cha (Street 178): cheap Khmer street food, right next to the National Museum.
BKK1 and Langka Lane
This is my neighbourhood, where I stay every time I'm in Cambodia, and the one with the most good addresses. In the little Langka Lane alley you'll find Houb Houb, Dough Boy and Mauu! While you're there, pop into the shop for affordable Korean cosmetics. Nearby: Roka, Kungfu Kitchen, The Grounds, Mama Thai, and on Street 294, Hanoi Corner and Ya Kun Kaya Toast.
Wat Phnom, Central Market and Street 240
The historic centre, ideal for combining sightseeing and lunch. Hour Yin for Phnom Penh noodle soup, Ané Ptes Bay for a Khmer lunch near the Central Market, Nom Pang Sat Wat Phnom for a Khmer sandwich on the go, and Lumiere Coffee Cinema, a stone's throw from the Sosoro Museum. On Street 240, Romdeng and Koki Kitchen. Just around the corner on Street 55, Nainai Eating House and its Chinese roast meats, my latest favourite. A little further, the Institut Français bistro, tucked away at the end of its tropical garden.
Toul Tom Poung (Russian Market) and Boeung Trabek
More local and more authentic. I love doing my shopping at Boeng Trabaek Market, and the area is full of small, cheap restaurants: The Phnom Penh 90's and its Battambang specialities, Sreyneang for banh chheav and nom krouk, the second Romdeng on Street 430, and the homemade dim sum at Guangzhou Rice Rolls.
French restaurants in Phnom Penh: my three picks
There's no shortage of French restaurants in Phnom Penh, and I often crave a dish that reminds me of Paris. My three favourites, which I cover in detail in my guide to French restaurants in Phnom Penh:
- Le Bistrot IFC: $12.90 lunch menu, changed every week. The cheapest of the three, and a good excuse to visit the Institut Français.
- Khéma: the restaurant I always take visiting family and friends to. Lunch buffet at $17.90.
- La Coupole by Sofitel: the setting of a luxury hotel, without the stuffiness. Lunch set from $18.
Khmer dishes to try, and where to eat them
If I could only eat one cuisine in Phnom Penh, it would be Khmer food. And in a restaurant, I'm looking for the same taste as at home, not a version toned down for tourists. Here's where I go when I'm craving it.
- Kuy teav (Phnom Penh noodle soup): the local breakfast. Hour Yin and Thmor Da.
- Nom banh chok: rice noodles with fish curry, the national dish. At Sophath, a unanimous favourite with locals, or at Romdeng with its Siem Reap-style peanut and tamarind sauce.
- Lort cha: short stir-fried noodles with a fried egg and bean sprouts. At Soklang.
- Banh chheav and nom krouk: the crispy Khmer pancake and little grilled rice cakes. At Sreyneang, my favourite spot.
- Num pang: the Khmer sandwich, cousin of the banh mi. At Nom Pang Sat Wat Phnom.
- For the adventurous: balut (fertilised duck eggs) at A Mey Balut Stall, and prahok (fermented fish paste) at Romdeng.
- Hot doughnuts: with pandan custard, at Mony CharKvai.
How much does a restaurant meal cost in Phnom Penh?
Prices are still very affordable, and that's one of the great pleasures of the city:
- Street food and Khmer canteens: $1 to $4. Around $3 a dish at Romdeng, $3.50 at lunch at Houb Houb.
- Sit-down Khmer or Asian restaurant: $3 to $8 per person.
- Western restaurant: around $15 per person.
- Fine dining: from $35 per person.
My practical tips before you book
- Eat early. Local restaurants usually close around 9–10 pm, Western places around midnight.
- Book at weekends, especially if you're a group or want a riverside table at sunset.
- Paying: US dollars are accepted everywhere, riel is used for small change, and most restaurants take cards. Everything is explained in my article on payments in Cambodia.
- Getting around: Grab and PassApp will take you anywhere for a few dollars. My Phnom Penh transport guide has all the details.
- Delivery: many of my addresses are on Grab and Foodpanda, with links on each page. That's actually how I discovered Dough Boy.
- During Khmer New Year, many local restaurants close for a few days. I explain it all in my article on Khmer New Year in Phnom Penh.
Why trust me?
I've been coming to Cambodia since the early 2000s, and for more than five years now I've been living between Paris and Phnom Penh, in the BKK neighbourhood.
This guide isn't a roundup of reviews collected online. I've tried every restaurant on this page myself, in the everyday life of a resident: a Tuesday lunch, a Sunday with family, in different seasons. The photos are mine. When a place slips in quality or closes, I remove it. When I find a new one worth the detour, I add it. That's why the list changes every year.
Want to know more? Read my story with Phnom Penh, or follow my finds day by day on Instagram.
Your questions about restaurants in Phnom Penh
What is the best restaurant in Phnom Penh?
It depends on what you're after. For authentic, affordable Khmer food, Houb Houb and Romdeng. For fine Khmer dining, Sombok or Kravanh. For French food, Khéma.
Where to eat by the Mekong, on the riverside?
Sombok and Bai Sor are my two favourite tables along Sisowath Quay. For a simpler meal, Soklang Lort Cha is two streets away, near the National Museum.
Which French restaurant should I choose in Phnom Penh?
Khéma for the balance between a relaxed atmosphere and refinement, the Institut Français bistro for the best value ($12.90 lunch menu), and La Coupole by Sofitel for a treat in an elegant setting.
How much does a meal cost in Phnom Penh?
Between $3 and $8 in a Khmer restaurant, around $15 in a Western restaurant, and from $35 per person for fine dining.
Where to eat Phnom Penh noodle soup?
At Hour Yin Noodle House, on the corner of Streets 136 and 15, or at Thmor Da on Kampuchea Krom Boulevard. Go in the morning, like the locals.
Do I need to book a restaurant in Phnom Penh?
Rarely for Khmer canteens. For fine dining, riverside tables at sunset and any restaurant at weekends, yes, especially for groups.
And after your meal? Carry on with my best coffee shops in Phnom Penh, or go shopping.