Where to eat vegan in Cambodia’s capital

With regional travel restrictions dissolving almost by the hour, you’re probably itching to cross some borders. As well you should. While Cambodia’s capital is renowned for its rich cultural and (sometimes unsettling) historical sites, it’s less widely celebrated as a destination for epicurean-minded travellers. Given the landscape it offers the vegan palette, that assessment is probably in dire need of revision.

Here are six arguments for Phnom Penh as a must-visit destination for plant-based travellers:

1/6 Sacred Lotus

A stone’s throw from the Russian Market, this cafe and guesthouse is home to an all-vegan menu spanning local and international dishes alike. Plus a multilingual community vibe and a Burmese cat playing games on an iPad—the ambient touch you didn’t know you needed until just now.

#127C E0, Street 440
Open daily 7am–9pm (closes 5pm Mondays)
fb.com/sacredlotuscafe

2/6 Masala Dosa Street Kitchen

Head west off the Sisowath Quay riverfront at the Royal Palace, and you’ll find yourself dangerously close to an all vegan dosa joint. One that goes above and beyond the vegan standards you’ve come to expect from a South Indian menu. Generous portions, remarkably well-executed. Zero misses.

31E0 Samdach Sothearos Blvd (3)
Open Tuesday-Sunday 11am–2:30pm, 5:30–9:30pm
masaladosastreetkitchen.com

3/6 Bong Bonlai

Further south, in the expat quarter of Boeung Keng Kang 1, sits Bong Bonlai. Another space combining a vegan kitchen and guesthouse accommodations, it also boasts an impressive, evolving library—making for a quieter, more subdued feel. The menu leans local, including amok and Khmer curries, but holds space for cosmopolitan touches as well. 

13A, Street 830
Open daily 7:30am–8:30pm (closes 10:30pm Mondays)
ykarthouse.com

4/6 Vitking

With multiple locations throughout the city, Vitking sort of figures as an upgraded, vegetarian take on the classic kopi tiam format popular throughout Southeast Asia. Given its price point, it’s no surprise that it’s incredibly popular with locals. Not entirely vegan, so attention has to be paid to whether a dish might include egg, but the overall experience is well worth that bit of effort.

#370, Street 163
Open daily 8am–8pm
fb.com/vitkinghouseofficial

5/6 Backyard

Another spot with multiple locations, Backyard’s Russian Market-adjacent outpost was previously the all-vegan Vibe restaurant. These days the menu has expanded to accommodate the omnivore palette, but held onto all the prior vegan offerings. It favours the sort of whole-grain, less indulgent end of the spectrum, without compromising on sensory experience. With rooftop seating facing north and west, it’s an outstanding spot to catch the sunset over dinner conversation.

House 26, Street 446
Open daily 9am–8pm
backyardeats.com

6/6 Element

This is special-occasion, date-night content. You will take a car, you will be offered a selection of wines by someone in a pressed white dress shirt, and you will put things in your mouth that you will remember for the rest of your life. From jackfruit fish and chips to chocolate cake à la mode slathered in fudge sauce, all but a tiny handful of items are fully vegan. If you’re lacking a significant life event or occasion to come here, you’d do well to invent one. It is utterly worth the fib. 

#51A, Street 306
Open Monday–Saturday 11:30am–1:30pm, 6–9:30pm
fb.com/elementvegetarian