Focus Cambodia shares our guide to the best places to eat when in Phnom Penh
Riverside
This stretch of Sisowath Quay, extending about nine streets from the Royal Palace to the Night Market, turns its best face to the broad promenade along the Tonlé Sap river. Food options range from hamburger and pizza joints to elegant dining. La Croisette, founded in 1997, offers three meals a day, from fresh seafood and European schnitzels to locally inspired Khmer dishes. Oskar Bistro is a stylish lounge well-known for its steaks and late-night music scene; Mexicano has excellent Latin food; selections at Kanazawa include sushi and tempura. North of the Night Market, Hummus House, a Lebanese eatery, offers shwarmas, kebabs and a variety of Middle Eastern vegetarian plates, of course including its namesake hummus.
Langka Lane
A dead-end backstreet of abandoned Chinese shophouses has become one of the most surprising culinary destinations in the city. More than 20 businesses cluster off Street 51 (Pasteur Street) near the corner of Street 288 in BKK1 (Boeng Keng Kang). Discerning renewal has given new life to such fine sister restaurants as Le Langka (French cuisine) and Boma (Mediterranean), along with the Patio Hotel and Elephant Sky Bar. Among the numerous Japanese restaurants are Katanashi (small bites), Kaki-O (oysters) and SaKaNa (seafood). Try Sak Pub for original craft beers or enjoy a cocktail at Battbong — quirky, stylish, and entered through a door in a Coca-Cola vending machine.
Villa 5
Serving up a tantalising blend of Khmer and Italian cuisine, Villa 5’s modern-colonial architecture makes for the perfect setting to enjoy culinary fusion. Black ink spaghetti with prawn tartare and home-made truffle tagliolini offer a taste of a ward-winning Chef Sopheak’s creative takes on familiar classics. Unique pizzas are also menu standouts — the Khmer-influenced char kdao pizza is a must-try. Pair your meal with a glass from the wine selection or choose the set menu to celebrate a special occasion. Whether enjoying the luxurious dining room or relaxing outside in the garden, expect quality and flavour at Villa 5.
Zhan Liang
Arguably the finest Chinese restaurant in a city peppered with more than its share is Zhan Liang, at the Rosewood Hotel in the Vattanac Capital Tower. An exquisite menu highlighting Cantonese, Sichuan and Mandarin cuisines is typified by its signature soup, “Monk Jumps Over the Wall,” featuring fish maw, abalone, sea cucumber, dried scallops and flower mushrooms; the potage is served on an enormous lazy susan in a private dining room. In Zhan Liang’s Tea Library, a tea sommelier stands by to make personal recommendations from among 60 international selections.
Bassac Street
No longer restricted to a single narrow alley, the three blocks of Street 308 east of Norodom Boulevard have spread into adjacent lanes and shed their former “Bassac Lane” label. A customer base ranging from backpackers to affluent expats supports the enclave of tiny bars and restaurants. The street has a United Nations of dining choices. Mama Wong’s is locally famed for its homemade noodles and dumplings. Namaste India is one of the city’s best for South Asian cuisine, and Elia Greek Kitchen is the place to go for souvlaki and baklava. Abode, Piccola Italia and the Thai Kitchen offer more choices on Street 308; cocktail lovers are drawn to Harry’s, Koh Bar, White Rabbit, Pixel, The Library and the Welsh Embassy, to name but a few.
Malevich
New in 2024, this stylish Russian-Ukrainian restaurant offers proof that fine food can bridge political chasms. With a full wall of windows on the bustling Sothearos Boulevard facing Wat Botum Park, Malevich has been greeted with praise from the expat set. You can start with a Nordic fish chowder or a classic beetroot soup (borscht), then dive into beef stroganoff or lamb dumplings. Or sip champagne at the bar with caviar as you listen to the chef and management banter in Russian. It’s open daily from noon to midnight.
Kinin
This isn’t so much one restaurant as it is a “collective” of several, sharing a renovated French colonial house and a leafy garden courtyard in the heart of the Toul Tom Poung district. Look to Nesat for Kep crab with Kampot peppers, Kumbhaka for meats slow-cooked in the traditional Khmer style, Yemaya for tropical cocktails. The menu ranges from delicate vegetarian to hearty Western fare. Service is always friendly and attentive.
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Pepe Bistro
Only a few steps from the National Museum is this moderately priced French treasure, opened in 2018 by Paris-born Aude Moulard. Gaulic visitors regularly praise its charming atmosphere, attentive service and high-quality cuisine, along with a value-conscious set lunch menu. Popular dishes include duck foie gras, sauteed squid with chorizo and cream, bone marrow pôt au feu, and crab ravioli with Malay laksa sauce.
