Best restaurants and what to eat
Cambodia
Phnom Penh is Cambodia’s culinary crossroads, where royal Khmer traditions meet bustling street food culture and river-fresh ingredients. The city is especially known for fragrant soups, rice noodle dishes, grilled river fish, tropical sweets, and deeply seasoned pastes and condiments that balance sweet, sour, salty, and herbal notes.
Cambodia’s iconic fermented fish paste, pungent and savory with an almost cheese-like depth. In Phnom Penh it anchors sauces, dips, and cooked dishes, adding salty umami complexity that pairs well with rice, vegetables, and grilled meats.
Charcoal-grilled fish is a staple along the riverside, valued for its smoky skin and tender, clean-flavored flesh. Often served whole with herbs and dipping sauces, it showcases the freshness of the Tonlé Sap and Mekong watershed.
Khmer-style shrimp are prized for their sweetness and springy texture, usually prepared with garlic, Kampot pepper, or wok heat. Around Phnom Penh, freshwater shrimp and river prawns are especially popular in casual dishes and celebratory meals.
Cambodian crab, often cooked simply to preserve its delicate briny sweetness, is a prized river-and-coast ingredient in Phnom Penh markets. It is frequently paired with pepper, lime, and aromatic herbs for a clean, vivid finish.
Lemongrass is one of the defining aromatics of Khmer cooking, lending bright citrus perfume and a green, fibrous bite when bruised or minced. In Phnom Penh it appears in broths, pastes, grills, and salads, often alongside galangal and kaffir lime.
Garlic is used generously in Phnom Penh kitchens, where it is fried, pounded, or roasted to build savory depth. Its sweet-sharp aroma forms the backbone of stir-fries, marinades, and dipping sauces.
Fresh palm sugar drink made from Cambodian sugar palms, lightly caramel-sweet and cooling when served over ice. In Phnom Penh it is a beloved street refreshment, prized for its mellow sweetness and earthy aroma.
Sugarcane juice is pressed fresh and served cold, offering a grassy, clean sweetness with a lively finish. In Phnom Penh it is a classic hot-weather drink sold at roadside stalls and markets.
Young coconut water is served straight from the shell, naturally sweet, mineral, and refreshing. Around Phnom Penh it is cherished as a cooling drink, especially in the heat of the day.
Palm juice from sugar palms is a traditional rural-to-urban refreshment, sweet and slightly floral with a faint earthy note. In Phnom Penh it is often sold fresh in the morning and enjoyed chilled.
Cambodian green tea is typically light, gently tannic, and often enjoyed plain or with subtle sweetness. In the city it is served throughout the day as an easy accompaniment to snacks and meals.
Khmer coffee is usually strong, aromatic, and commonly served iced with sweetened condensed milk. In Phnom Penh it reflects the city’s French-era coffee culture adapted to local tastes.
The city’s beloved breakfast noodle dish, topped with a fragrant fish-based curry, fresh herbs, banana blossom, cucumbers, and greens. Its balance of herbal brightness and savory depth makes it one of Phnom Penh’s most recognizable dishes.
A silky fish curry steamed in banana leaves, with a mousse-like texture and aromatic kroeung paste. In Phnom Penh it is celebrated as a refined Khmer specialty, rich yet delicately perfumed.
A complex, rustic soup layered with vegetables, herbs, sometimes fish, and toasted rice powder for body. It tastes earthy, fragrant, and deeply satisfying, often considered one of the most soulful Khmer soups.
A sour Khmer soup that can feature fish, vegetables, or meat, brightened with tamarind or lime and often balanced with sweetness. Phnom Penh versions are known for their refreshing, layered tang.
A crisp turmeric rice pancake folded around herbs, bean sprouts, and sometimes pork or shrimp. It is street-food comfort at its best: crunchy, savory, aromatic, and ideal with lettuce and dipping sauce.
A comforting beef and rice plate, often served with pickles, fresh vegetables, and a savory sauce. In Phnom Penh it is a simple but satisfying meal that highlights the city’s everyday rice-centered dining culture.
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