In the morning (6am–10am): the markets

Breakfast in Cambodia is taken at the market or in a neighborhood eatery, never in a restaurant. The three morning options:

Num banh chok — cold rice noodles with green curry sauce and fresh toppings. Served only in the morning at the markets. Preparation starts at 4am. Price: 0.75-1 USD.

Bai sach chrouk — grilled pork over charcoal with rice and soup. Stalls open at 6am and close when the rice runs out, often before 9:30am. Price: 1-1.50 USD.

Kuy teav — noodle soup with pork or beef broth. Available in the morning and at noon, at markets and street canteens. Price: 1.50-2.50 USD.

At noon (11am–2pm): local canteens

Peak time for street food. The streets adjacent to the markets and commercial areas fill up with canteens (often just a few plastic tables on the sidewalk in front of a house). The menu is written on a board or announced out loud — in Khmer. Point to what your neighbor is eating.

Typical noon dishes: rice with stir-fried meat, grilled fish, curry, omelet. Budget: 1.50-3 USD per dish with rice.

In the evening (5pm–10pm): night markets and skewers

The night markets come alive at dusk. You can find skewers over charcoal (meat, seafood, vegetables), steaming woks, dessert stalls (sticky rice, caramelized bananas), and fresh fruit juices.

Siem Reap Psar Chas (morning), Night Market in Pub Street area (evening)
Phnom Penh Psar Thmei (morning/noon), Psar O'Russei, streets around BKK1 (evening)
Kampot Central market in the morning, riverside in the evening
Street food daily budget 5-8 USD for 3 full meals

Must-try street food

Beef skewers with green pepper (ang saach ko) — quick grill over charcoal, dipped in a lime-pepper sauce. The quintessential Cambodian evening snack. Price: 1-2 USD for 3-4 skewers.

Street lok lak — the same recipe as in restaurants, but cooked in front of you in a steaming wok. A favorite culinary memory for many travelers in Cambodia.

Banh mi khmer — the colonial baguette repurposed into a sandwich with local fillings (pâté, pickled vegetables, sauces). 0.50-1.50 USD. Available in the morning.

Grilled insects — tarantulas, crickets, silk worms. A specialty of Skuon (a stopover town between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap). Sold in bags at the markets. Just for the anecdote.

Food safety: Cambodian street food is generally safe if you follow a few basic rules: eat where the locals eat (quick preparation = freshness), avoid ice in fruit juices (except for industrial cylindrical ice made from purified water), wash your hands before eating. An unaccustomed stomach to spices and prahok may react in the first few days — start slowly.

Guided street food tours

In Phnom Penh in particular, street food tours by tuk-tuk or bicycle allow you to discover 6-8 stalls in one evening with a guide who explains each dish and orders for you. Useful in the first few days to get your bearings.

GetYourGuide — Street food tours in Phnom Penh & Siem Reap
Guided evening in the markets · 6-8 tastings included · Small group
On nous pose souvent ces questions

Questions fréquentes

Point to what someone else is eating, or use Google Translate in camera mode to decipher menus in Khmer. A smile and a gesture towards the steaming pot usually do the trick. Street food vendors are used to tourists — they understand "one" when you hold up a finger.

The "official" night market in Siem Reap (Angkor Night Market, Pub Street) is very touristy with inflated prices. For something more local, head to Psar Leu or the market behind the bus station — Cambodians eat there in the evening.