Beyond the Temples: A Food Lover's Guide to Siem Reap's 20 Best Restaurants

Most visitors come to Siem Reap for Angkor Wat and treat dinner as an afterthought. That used to make sense. It does not anymore. In a decade the food has gone from street stalls and guesthouse banana pancakes to kitchens reviving palace-era Khmer recipes and chefs who will put red tree ants in a beef soup on purpose.

The 20 restaurants here cover that range. Some are fine-dining rooms working through old royal recipes. Some are training restaurants that put their profit into local kids' education, and the cooking is good enough that you would eat there regardless. A few are foreign kitchens that do one thing and do it well. Each entry says what to order and roughly what it costs.

The Vanguard of Modern Khmer Cuisine

These restaurants are at the forefront of a culinary renaissance, taking traditional Cambodian flavors and elevating them with modern techniques and artful presentation.

Malis Restaurant

Often cited as one of the best restaurants in all of Cambodia, Malis presents a masterclass in modern Khmer cuisine within a grand, temple-inspired space. With impeccable service and a menu that elevates traditional recipes, it offers a fine-dining experience that feels both royal and contemporary. Malis is also a popular spot for a high-quality traditional Khmer breakfast.

Cuisine Wat Damnak

As the first Cambodian restaurant to be named one of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants, Cuisine Wat Damnak is an icon of the country's gastronomic scene. French-trained chef Joannès Rivière crafts exquisite tasting menus that change fortnightly, highlighting the freshest seasonal and local produce, from Tonle Sap river fish to foraged greens.

Chanrey Tree

Tucked away in a beautifully restored Khmer-style wooden house on the riverside, Chanrey Tree offers a sophisticated take on home-style Cambodian cooking. The elegant yet welcoming ambiance is the perfect setting for signature dishes like the slow-braised local beef and a sharp, flavorful banana-blossom salad.

Embassy Restaurant

This fine-dining Khmer restaurant is distinguished by its all-female team of chefs, who create a new, inventive set menu each month. The dishes are inspired by Cambodia's seasons and utilise ingredients from nearby provinces, resulting in beautifully presented and thoughtfully crafted meals.

Jomno Modern Khmer Cuisine

A highly-rated restaurant that impresses with its creative and modern interpretations of classic dishes. With a menu that features artfully plated creations like Battambang-style sausage with banana-blossom salad, Jomno offers a fresh and exciting perspective on the future of Khmer food.

The Heart of Tradition

For an authentic taste of Cambodia, these establishments serve time-honoured recipes and local favorites in a more casual, accessible setting.

The Sugar Palm

A longtime favorite of the late Anthony Bourdain, The Sugar Palm is a beloved institution serving home-style Khmer food in a traditional wooden villa. The airy upstairs dining room is the place to order their fish amok, steamed in banana leaves, with a sharp green-mango salad on the side.

Mahob Khmer Cuisine

Located on the outskirts of town in a beautiful wooden house with a large garden, Mahob offers traditional Cambodian cooking with a modern twist. The freshness of the ingredients is evident in every bite, with dishes like the surf & turf featuring juicy tenderloin and snakehead fish on pumpkin mash.

Pou Restaurant and Bar

Chef Mengly Mork's takes on Khmer cooking have made Pou one of the city's most talked-about kitchens. The menu runs to beef soup with red tree ants and a strong version of num banh chok (fermented rice noodles).

Khmer Grill

For simple, authentic, and affordable Khmer food just a few minutes from Pub Street, Khmer Grill is a top recommendation. It's a no-frills spot that consistently delivers on flavor, making it a favorite for anyone wanting to try authentic local dishes without the fine-dining price tag.

Tevy's Place

This family-run restaurant is celebrated for its home-style Khmer dishes and incredibly welcoming atmosphere. It's a place where you can enjoy affordable, quality food like fish amok and beef cha kroeung (a stir-fry with lemongrass paste) that tastes like it was cooked with love.

International Havens

When you need a break from local flavors, Siem Reap offers an impressive range of high-quality international restaurants.

Elia Greek Kitchen

Widely praised for its authentic and flavorful Greek dishes, Elia has become a fan favorite for both locals and tourists. Located just off Pub Street, it's the perfect place to satisfy cravings for gyros, souvlaki, and fresh feta that some say is better than what they've had in Greece.

Il Forno

For classy and fresh Italian food, Il Forno is a standout choice. Situated in an alley just a block from Pub Street, it offers a cozy ambiance and excellent wood-fired pizzas and fresh pasta.

Jungle Burger Sports Bar & Bistro

If you're craving an amazing, juicy burger, this spot on Sok San Road is the place to go. It's a popular sports bar that serves some of the best Western-style burgers in town, alongside ice-cold beers.

Dining with a Purpose

Siem Reap is home to a remarkable number of social enterprises, where your meal directly contributes to training and empowering disadvantaged local youth.

HAVEN

This celebrated training restaurant offers a beautiful garden setting and a delightful mix of Cambodian and international dishes. Dining at HAVEN is a socially conscious choice that supports the development and life skills of its young adult trainees, making the delicious food taste even better.

Spoons Café

Another excellent social enterprise, Spoons serves delicious Cambodian cuisine in a casual, relaxed setting. The facility trains underprivileged young adults in cooking and hospitality, and every meal helps support their mission.

Marum

Part of the TREE Alliance of training restaurants, Marum offers creative, tapas-style Cambodian dishes in a beautiful wooden house with a large garden. It's a wonderful place to share plates like pumpkin and jackfruit croquettes while supporting a great cause.

The Outliers

For those with an adventurous palate or a taste for the unconventional, these restaurants offer an experience you won't find anywhere else.

WILD. Creative Bar & Eatery

This trendy spot has built its reputation on one thing: gourmet spring rolls. Hidden in a shaded garden, WILD offers an amazing array of both fresh and fried spring rolls with inventive fillings, including dessert versions with caramelised pineapple and cinnamon.

Bugs Café

For the truly adventurous eater, Bugs Café offers a menu centerd on edible insects. Here, you can try everything from ant-egg muffins to tarantula tempura and scorpion salads, all presented in a gourmet style that challenges perceptions and delights the curious.

Banlle Vegetarian Restaurant

A haven for vegetarians and vegans, Banlle is set in a restored Khmer wooden house with a beautiful garden that supplies many of the kitchen's ingredients. Chef Pola Siv creates inventive Khmer and Western dishes, including a playful and delicious vegan take on fish and chips made from banana flower.

Genevieve's Restaurant

This Australian-owned restaurant is known for its welcoming atmosphere, huge portions, and great value. Serving a mix of Khmer and Western dishes like Lok Lak and pizza, it's a casual dining spot made memorable by its friendly service and even a singing waiter.