Fine dining in Siem Reap has quietly come into its own. After a pre-dawn start at the temples, the evening is where this town now shows off, with six tables that treat Cambodian ingredients with real ambition. Here’s where to book, and what each kitchen does best.
A note on planning: the most sought-after rooms fill early, so reserve before you travel. If you’re building a longer stay around the temples, our guide to Angkor at an unhurried pace pairs nicely with these dinners.
- Cuisine Wat Damnak, for refined Khmer cooking with French technique
- Embassy, for a monthly-changing tasting menu
- Chi at Anantara Angkor Resort, for hotel dining with a progressive streak
- Mie Cafe, for inventive plates in a relaxed courtyard
- Malis, for classic Cambodian dishes on Pokambor Avenue
- Marum, for a meal that supports hospitality training
Cuisine Wat Damnak
On the quiet edge of town, in the village around Wat Damnak, French chef Johannes Rivière cooks a market-driven Cambodian menu with classical technique behind it. Expect a set menu that follows the season. Book well ahead. This is the table many visitors plan the whole trip around.
Embassy
Upstairs in a King’s Road Angkor Village complex, Embassy is led by an all-female team known as the Kimsan Twins. The six-course tasting menu has been described as changing monthly, and it leans on local ingredients such as rogneang leaf, paired with sorbets and wines. Curious cooks will enjoy it.
Chi at Anantara Angkor Resort
Inside the resort on National Road 6, Chi describes its cooking as progressive Cambodian. It’s a polished, air-conditioned alternative if you’ve spent the day among the stones, and the setting suits a celebratory evening. As of this writing the kitchen is led by a German chef, so menus may evolve; check ahead.
Mie Cafe
Chef-owner Pola Siv began with a noodle shop and grew into one of the town’s most inventive menus. Think oxtail stewed with espresso, or ratatouille served with local sausage. Seating is mostly outdoors, and there’s a thoughtful vegan menu too. Relaxed, creative, memorable.
Malis
Malis arrived in Siem Reap from its Phnom Penh original, led by chef Luu Meng, and it remains a graceful introduction to high-end Cambodian cooking. Order the fish amok if you haven’t tried it yet. Soups here are worth lingering over, and the riverside Pokambor Avenue address makes for an easy stroll afterward.
Marum
Run by the Tree Alliance, Marum is a training restaurant where young Cambodians learn hospitality skills, and the menu marks which dishes are truly Khmer. Tamarind fish soup and smoked eggplant dip are favorites. A lovely lunch stop, and a meal with purpose.
Planning a week of tables
Pair one tasting menu with one casual meal each day and you’ll eat well without tiring. Reserve the headline restaurants first, then fit temple hours around them. Dinner tends to start early, which suits a sunrise schedule perfectly. Menus, chefs and hours change, so confirm details directly with each restaurant when you book.
