Where to have local lunch in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Cambodian cuisine attracts many tourists with its unique taste. If you want to try a great local lunch, here is a list of amazing lunch spots for you.

Friends The Restaurant

Running as one of two training schools for NGO Friends International’s hospitality and chef students, Friends the Restaurant cooks up a range of creative tapas dishes, all centred around contemporary Cambodian cuisine. Dishes include palm sugar and cinnamon braised duck leg with cranberry orange relish, prawn and glass noodle salad with fresh herbs and chilli lime dressing, and sun-dried tomato hummus with crispy wontons.

54 Langeach Sros

Definitely one of Phnom Penh’s culinary bright spots, 54 Langeach Sros is a local Khmer-style barbeque and beer garden that serves a mean plate of ribs, tangy with a hint of sweetness and slightly spicy. Do not bother ordering just one plate. The ribs can take a half-hour to arrive, but they are always worth it. Goat with black ants, “fried fish on the fire lake” and crab with young green pepper are all excellent and remarkably affordable.

Mok Mony Restaurannt

Specialising in authentic Khmer and Asian cuisine, diners can enjoy their food in the tropical garden or air-conditioned glass section. The menu takes in a range of delights, including grilled betel leaf with marinated beef, Khmer red chicken curry, blue Mekong prawns and Kampot pepper squid. It also serves daily and weekly specials.

Tummy Filler Cafe and Pub

If you cannot decide whether you are in the mood for traditional Khmer or Western food, Tummy Filler Cafe in Toul Tom Pong offers the best of both worlds. Their menu boasts Asian soups, fried rice, noodles, and Khmer classics like lok lak and amok. But it also serves up Western salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes and fish and chips. Tummy Filler opens early every day with a range of breakfast foods and specialty coffee drinks. Their bar menu includes wine, beer, and mixed drinks with a selection of unique fruity and frozen cocktails.

Phka Slaa Restaurant

Putting a modern spin on Cambodian comfort food, Phka Slaa presents a range of delicious dishes that are served in style. Offering a range of breakfast options, the cool contemporary setting is a great place to indulge in a leisurely lunch and sits right around the corner from the Royal Palace and National Museum, making it the perfect spot to take a break from sightseeing.

Khmer Surin Restaurant

Spread across three floors, each offering its own atmosphere, Khmer Surin serves authentic Khmer food in sumptuous surroundings. The ground level is a great spot to enjoy breakfast, and people-watch from among the tropical foliage. Traditional Cambodian food can be enjoyed throughout lunch, taking in salads, steamed dishes, curries, soups and fried options.

Read more: 7 reasons why you should visit Cambodia at least one time

Source Internet