Restaurants in Phnom Penh

Hagar

Lunchtime all you eat buffets don’t get much better than this – and it’s not just down to the food. Hagar employs disadvantaged women, allowing them to learn a skill and support their families, so every time you go back for a fresh salad or spicy soup (and you will), you’re doing good too. Dinner is just as decent, with hearty portions served daily.

Topaz

One of Phnom Penh's finest restaurants serves a mixture of French and Thai cuisine and boasts an excellent wine cellar. Topaz is contemporary and elegant with stylish, wooden floors, pastel colours and crisp white tablecloths, and is decorated with local artworks. Sample the red tuna tartare in the smart dining room or on the open-air terrace which is shaded by a luxurious garden.

La Residence

Taking its cue from Cambodia’s French colonial past, La Residence is Phnom Penh’s swankiest restaurant right now. The dining room is stunning and the food matches up to expectations, with impressive fusion of Cambodian ingredients and French style.

Malis

Treat yourself at this fine Cambodian restaurant, which has served some of the world's high fliers. Connoisseurs will enjoy the beautifully presented traditional Cambodian dishes, served with a twist. The food uses the freshest ingredients, sourced locally, such as Kampot crab with green pepper. Savour the food in an elegant setting on the terrace, by the water garden or in the air-conditioned restaurant.

Bopha

Perched on the banks of the Mekong, Bopha (also known as Titanic) is where adventurous eaters looking for unique Khmer dishes should head (water buffalo, anyone?). The dining room is chock full of Cambodian art, with traditional apsara dancing in the evenings while you eat. A Western menu is also available.

Comme a la Maison

Set in lush gardens with a deli attached, Comme a la Maison reflects Cambodia’s French colonial past. The dishes here are first rate, especially the seafood carpaccio and the avocado and pineapple tartare. Open all day for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the homely atmosphere makes this a great place for a leisurely meal.

Pyongyang

If you are looking for somewhere rather quirky to spend the evening, you can’t do any better than Pyongyang, a North Korean-owned restaurant. Not the most atmospheric of places as the large dining room is brightly lit, but you will be entertained by the waitresses dancing and singing to rousing, patriotic songs as you sample cold noodles and kimchi (a traditional Korean dish) served with rice.

Friends

You will be surprised at the high standard of food served here and the excellent service at this restaurant, which trains street children in order to give them jobs skills. The food served is a selection of Asian and Western-style tapas. This is a great place to eat and to give something back as the income earned here goes to the restaurant’s own charity, making them less dependent on donors.

Frizz

In an easy-to-find location, just behind the Royal Palace, this long-term favourite serves much-loved Cambodian dishes and some western cuisine for breakfast and lunch. Make sure you try the Cambodian national dish, amok (steamed coconut fish with turmeric sauce and spices). Frizz is also the venue for a cookery school, so diners can learn how to cook what they have just eaten.