I’ve just arrived in Singapore where I finally have high speed internet again! While i get settled in and start writing about the Philippines, Milda is going to take over today with an article that will help me in the future.
If you love tucking into tasty Asian cuisine then you must visit Siem Reap. It is the ideal place for foodies to sample a wide range of different dishes and experience the fresh local street food. Located in the Northwest of Cambodia, Siem Reap is famous for the Angor ruins, which is a World Heritage site that attracts many tourists.
CC Photo via Flickr user Dave_B_
Siem Reap has a sea of fascinating restaurants, all catering to different budgets and tastes. There has recently been an influx of tourism and huge growth in the number of different restaurants. If you are travelling on a budget then you can pick up some fantastic food for excellent prices. There are also a few more up market restaurants serving succulent dishes and gourmet food. There are some busy tourist spots and also some wonderful hidden gems tucked away on the side streets. If you want to experience more than just the local food then you can enjoy the local nightlife, historic sites and lively bars.
CC image via Flickr user ePi.Longo
You will find lots of different types of food in Siem Reap, including Khmer dishes, BBQ, Western and a wide range of Asian food. There are so many restaurants it is very difficult to list all of the local favourites. If you are about to head out to Siem Reap for the first time and don’t know where to eat, here are some particularly interesting places to get you started.
Butterflies
This is a well established restaurant set in beautiful scenery. You can sit back, relax and enjoy your food while hundreds of butterflies float around the room. They have 1500 Angkorean butterflies and 500 trees and plants. This truly is a unique dining experience with a twist of nature. They have free wifi and an accompanying gift shop where you can buy some local products and souvenirs. Siem Reap can be a very busy place so Butterflies is a great place to get away from it all.
Red Piano
This is a very popular local restaurant that offers Asian dishes and Western delights. The restaurant transforms into a bar at 10pm so you can have a few more drinks after your meal. The food is very high quality and you want be disappointed by the range of dishes on the menu. The Red Piano is known for having a great atmosphere and friendly service. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner so you can grab a bite to eat at any of these times.
CC image via Flickr user mckaysavage
Blue Pumpkin
The Blue Pumpkin is more of a café than a restaurant, although is does serve a few more hearty dishes such as burgers and sandwiches. If you are going to visit the temples they will happily doing a pack lunch for you to take away with you. If you need to escape the heat they have air conditioning upstairs and some comfy sofas to unwind on. The Blue Pumpkin is a reliable place in Siem Reap to get a decent cup of coffee if you need a caffeine fix. They also serve amazing ice cream in some unusual flavours. The prices are a little more expensive than some of the other cafes but it’s certainly worth the money.
Haven
If you want to get a little more from your meal than just the tasty food then head to Haven. This restaurant was set up to help a good cause. They train young people as cooks here, so you will be contributing to their training and development by eating here. They also work with the young people to find shared housing, get medical care and help them to learn English. The quality of the food does not suffer because it is being prepared by trainees, in fact, the food is excellent. The restaurant has received rave reviews and is the second best restaurant in Siem Reap according to Trip Advisor reviews.
CC photo via Flickr user louis.foecy
Street Food
You can’t go to Siem Reap without trying some of the wonderful street food. Don’t let the low budget food put you off, some of the dishes the locals serve here are the freshest in the area. You will really get a taste of the true Siem Reap if you brave the street food. As you walk by the stalls you will probably get asked by street food sellers to come and eat at their stall. After a while you will get used to this and be able to competently find the best places to eat and the tastiest local dishes.
About the author: Milda is the Community Manager @ AsiaRooms. Born in Lithuania (love it!), studied in the UK, travelled around Asia and USA, taught in Africa and now residing in Singapore where, equipped with a strong cup of coffee and surrounded by an amazing team I’m blogging about travels, cultures, events and hotels in Asia.
Gonna have to bookmark these for when I get to Cambodia. Yum!!
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Heading back to Siem Reap in May. Love blue pumpkin, but I haven’t had it in Siem Reap, only in PP. Definitely will be trying the Red Piano and Butterflies!
I haven’t been to Cambodia yet, but it’s one of my next destinations. I’m really looking forward to the street food.
I think I’ll have to add “Haven” to my list of places to visit. Sounds like a really good cause.
The food at Haven is amazing! Butterflies is great, as well, and their pancakes are to die for. I’d also add New Leaf Cafe to that list for anyone looking for a relaxed place to read and escape the heat. There’s just too much good food in Siem Reap.
I know! I wanted to stay longer in Siem Reap just to eat and hang out. A really fun, cool smaller city.