Food · Siem Reap · Cambodia
What to eat in Siem Reap
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Siem Reap, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Willuconquer, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Fish amok, Lok lak and Khmer noodles. Many restaurants and hotels run half-day classes that start with a walk through Psar Chas to buy ingredients and finish with you cooking amok, lok lak and a dessert. Khmer food is milder than Thai; chillies and chilli sauce are served on the side for you to add.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Fish amok
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 3
- Tipping
- Tipping is not traditional but has become common in tourism.
- Food experiences
- 4
10 foods to try
Dish
1.Fish amok (Amok trey)
Cambodia's signature dish: freshwater fish steamed with kroeung (a lemongrass, galangal and turmeric paste), coconut milk and egg until it sets into a soft, fragrant custard, served in a banana-leaf cup with rice.
Where: Khmer restaurants around the Old Market and Wat Bo; most cooking classes in town teach it.
Dish
2.Lok lak
Stir-fried cubes of beef in a savoury sauce, served on lettuce and tomato with rice and a dipping sauce of lime juice, salt and black pepper; it often comes topped with a fried egg.
Where: Almost every Khmer restaurant menu in town, from Pub Street to local canteens.
Breakfast
3.Khmer noodles (Num banh chok)
Fresh rice noodles topped with a light green fish curry made with lemongrass and turmeric, and heaped with raw banana flower, cucumber, herbs and beans. It is the classic Cambodian breakfast.
Where: Morning stalls in Psar Chas and Phsar Leu, and the row of noodle stalls at Preah Dak village on the road to Banteay Srei.
Breakfast
4.Pork and rice (Bai sach chrouk)
Thin slices of pork marinated in coconut milk and garlic, grilled slowly over charcoal and served on broken rice with pickled vegetables and a small bowl of clear soup.
Where: Roadside grills that set up early in the morning across town; look for the smoke.
Dish
5.Khmer red curry (Samlor kari)
A mild coconut curry with chicken, sweet potato, long beans and aubergine, served with rice or a baguette for dipping. It is a festive dish made for weddings and holidays.
Where: Khmer restaurants in the centre; some serve a vegetable version.
Dish
6.Stirring soup (Samlor korko)
A thick, earthy soup of green papaya, pumpkin, green banana, toasted ground rice and kroeung, flavoured with prahok fermented fish paste. It is often described as Cambodia's national soup.
Where: Family-run Khmer restaurants and canteens around Wat Bo and the Old Market.
Dish
7.Prahok ktis
Fermented fish paste simmered with minced pork, coconut milk and kroeung into a rich dip, eaten with raw vegetables such as cucumber, aubergine and long beans.
Where: Traditional Khmer restaurants; ask for it if it is not on the tourist menu.
Snack · Vegetarian
8.Bamboo sticky rice (Kralan)
Sticky rice mixed with coconut milk, black beans and a little sugar, packed into bamboo tubes and roasted over coals. You peel back the bamboo to eat it.
Where: Roadside stalls in the countryside around Siem Reap, including the roads out towards Banteay Srei and the Tonle Sap.
Dessert · Vegetarian
9.Palm sugar sweets
Sap from sugar palms is boiled down into fudge-like palm sugar, used in Khmer desserts and sold in small woven-leaf packets that make an easy snack or gift.
Where: Family stalls along the road to Banteay Srei, where you can see the sap being boiled.
Drink · Vegetarian
10.Cambodian iced coffee (Kafe toek doh koh toek kok)
Strong, dark-roasted coffee poured over ice with sweetened condensed milk, often drunk with breakfast noodles or as a midday pick-me-up between temples.
Where: Market stalls, roadside coffee carts and cafés everywhere; temple food stalls sell it too.
Food experiences
Khmer cooking class
Many restaurants and hotels run half-day classes that start with a walk through Psar Chas to buy ingredients and finish with you cooking amok, lok lak and a dessert.
Street-food evening by tuk-tuk
Guided tuk-tuk food tours take you to night stalls and local markets for grilled skewers, noodle soups, fruit and sweets that are hard to find on your own.
Breakfast at Phsar Leu
Siem Reap's main local market, on National Road 6 east of the centre, is where residents eat num banh chok and noodle soups before work; it gives a real picture of daily life.
Picnic at the West Baray
Hammock huts on the southern shore of the reservoir serve grilled fish, chicken and fresh fruit, a local way to spend a weekend afternoon.
Quick bites and street food
- Khmer noodles — Morning stalls in Psar Chas and Phsar Leu, and the row of noodle stalls at Preah Dak village on the road to Banteay Srei.
- Pork and rice — Roadside grills that set up early in the morning across town; look for the smoke.
- Bamboo sticky rice — Roadside stalls in the countryside around Siem Reap, including the roads out towards Banteay Srei and the Tonle Sap.
Vegetarian options
Of the 10 foods in this guide, 3 are usually vegetarian: Bamboo sticky rice, Palm sugar sweets and Cambodian iced coffee. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Khmer food is milder than Thai; chillies and chilli sauce are served on the side for you to add.
- Breakfast is the noodle meal of the day, and the best stalls sell out by mid-morning.
- Ice in restaurants is usually factory-made and fine; avoid tap water itself.
- Prices on Pub Street are noticeably higher than one or two streets away, for the same dishes.
- Restaurant prices are usually in US dollars; small change may come back in riel.
Tipping
Tipping is not traditional but has become common in tourism. A dollar or two for good restaurant service is appreciated; tuk-tuk drivers and guides who spend a full day with you are usually tipped a few dollars more.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Chom reap suor | Hello (polite) |
| Aw kun | Thank you |
| Tlai ponmaan? | How much? |
| Ot te, aw kun | No, thank you |
| Chhnganh | Delicious |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Siem Reap famous for?
Fish amok, Lok lak, Khmer noodles and Pork and rice. Cambodia's signature dish: freshwater fish steamed with kroeung (a lemongrass, galangal and turmeric paste), coconut milk and egg until it sets into a soft, fragrant custard, served in a banana-leaf cup with rice.
+Is Siem Reap good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Bamboo sticky rice, Palm sugar sweets and Cambodian iced coffee.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Siem Reap?
Tipping is not traditional but has become common in tourism. A dollar or two for good restaurant service is appreciated; tuk-tuk drivers and guides who spend a full day with you are usually tipped a few dollars more.