Siem Reap is full of amazingly good restaurants, serving cuisines from all over the world. There are far more good restaurants than one could reasonably try in a typical stay. The list below is the result of my own visits as well as the recommendations of a few trusted sources. However, note that restaurants in places like Siem Reap frequently change hands, or even go out of business. Be sure to ask some locals for current advice when you visit. Also see my personal travel journal for reviews of Siem Reap restaurants.
Many streets around Siem Reap don't have names, or at least not ones that are commonly known. Most of the good restaurants are around the old market, so you'll just have to walk around to find them.
- Blue Pumpkin
- Café - Has an extensive food menu of pasta, salads, sandwiches and burgers, but all reports are the food is nothing great. What recommends Blue Pumpkin are their excellent baked items and home made gelato. Great for a late night snack or light breakfast. Has several locations. Main branch is near the old market. They run the restaurant near Angkor Wat and at the airport.
- Bopha Angkor
- Khmer - This hotel restaurant has a good reputation for quality and value. It's quite popular in the evening, even for non-guests. On East River Road.
- Khmer Kitchen
- Khmer - Good inexpensive local food. Crowded for dinner, but much less so for lunch. Main dishes are US$ 4 or less. Faces the back of the old market.
- Les Orientalistes
- French, Mediterranean & Khmer - Absolutely marvelous food in a pleasant environment. With the colorful walls, eclectic oriental knickknacks, slightly Persian touches and a fabric wall on one side, the decor stops just slightly short of Hassan's rumpus room. I went with selections from the French menu, and wasn't disappointed. This definitely isn't "nouvelle" cuisine - portions are generous. I was quite stuffed by the time I finished off my Il Flotante dessert. Expect to pay around US$ 25 per person excluding alcohol. It's expensive by Siem Reap standards, but probably less than a quarter what you'd pay for such a meal in the west. Address: #631 Wat Bo Street.
- Red Piano
- Asian & western - Highly popular thanks to favorable comments from Ms. Jolie, but many say it's well deserved. Open from breakfast through to late night. On Pub Street.
- Soup Dragon
- Khmer, Vietnamese & Western - Another good place for inexpensive food. Has a second floor to get you up away from the street, but with a good view of what's going on. Located on "Pub Street" a block up from the old market.
- Viva!
- Mexican - Passable Mexican food, although the Margaritas and Mojitos are good enough you won't really care about the food. Most tables are right on the street, which means the minor annoyance of the kids selling guidebooks, postcards and the like. Across from the old market.