The Best Of Vegetarian Food In Siem Reap, Cambodia

Vegetarian food can easily be found in Northern Cambodia’s ‘temple town’, Siem Reap. On every corner, tucked away on side streets, at stalls within the night markets and hidden in places you may not have expected – Simply put, vegetarian food in Siem Reap is not difficult to find.

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I spent just shy of 3 days in Cambodia, so admittedly didn’t explore the food scene to it’s full potential out there. However, I noticed that the most common vegetarian dishes on the menu, as with most parts of South-East Asia are vegetable fried rice and stir-fried noodles with veggies. 

This vegetarian food in Siem Reap guide serves as a resource based on my personal experiences, so read on to eat your way through the Gateway to Angkor..

Where to find the best vegetarian food in Siem Reap

Locating a vegan or vegetarian take on local cuisine is always at the top of my list in any country I visit, and I managed to hit the jackpot on day one..

Banlle vegetarian restaurant 

Excited about the prospect of trying vegetarian Cambodian cuisine for the first time, I knew this had to be our first stop for this very reason.

Banlle needs to be on your vegetarian food in Siem Reap list, located in a tranquil garden setting, down an unassuming side street, the restaurant has cosy decor and a great ambiance. They offer indoor seating with air conditioning as well as open air seating on the terrace outside. 

The menu offers both traditional Khmer and Western cuisine, and though the offerings are all vegetarian, most are actually vegan dishes and labelled accordingly too.

I had seen people online raving about how great their vegan fish and chips are, but naturally, I skipped ahead in the menu to the local dishes. Not to mention I had literally just eaten an identical meal a few days earlier at a vegan restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City.

We ordered a selection of dishes to share; Khmer curry, Amok and Moringa soup – which are all eaten with rice, including the soup.

Khmer curry was my favourite dish; lovely and lightly spiced. Possibly a tad sweet for my liking, so it did need some chilli for a bit of a kick – but that’s just a personal preference. 

I must admit I found the other two dishes were too bland, so they weren’t for me. Nevertheless, I always appreciate trying a local cuisine for the first time – even more so when it’s a vegetarian place!

THE DETAILS

• Where: Street 26, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia I Tel. +855 85 330 160 I Map Location
• More Information: Banlle Vegetarian Restaurant in Siem Reap
• Opening hours: Monday – Sunday, 11.00 – 14.00 and 17.00 – 21.15
• Price Range: $$

Khmer Kitchen

What I ordered at Khmer Kitchen was not traditional cuisine by any stretch of the imagination. Having spent a couple of weeks eating my way around Vietnam, I was becoming fed up of having rice with most of my meals. Desperate for an alternate carb, I couldn’t not order a portion of fries.. with a stir fry, of course. 

Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

The Fried Spicy Paste was calling my name. Honestly, label something as spicy on a menu, and I am sold. 

This stir fry was absolutely stunning – tofu, green beans and carrot in a chilli sauce.. it lived up to it’s claim of being spicy and was insanely delicious.

With an extensive menu of Thai and local Cambodian dishes on offer, this is a great spot for those with a variety of dietary preferences too. 

My top tip would be to grab a table outside – it makes for a great spot for people-watching at the crossroads.

THE DETAILS

• Where: Street 2 Thnou the corner of street 9, Old market Siem reap, 17255, Cambodia I Tel. +85512763468 I Map Location
• More Information: Khmer Kitchen
• Opening hours: Monday – Sunday 9.00 – 23.00
• Price Range: $

BAO kandal

Set at the heart of the trendy Kandal Village, this Taiwanese cafe has a outstanding food and a vibe to boot. The eclectic menu features an array of cuisines fused with Taiwanese food – miso e pepe noodles (their take on my favourite pasta dish in Rome) and gazpacho.

I ordered the curry daikon bao, which contained a sweet potato and pumpkin patty with Taiwanese curry sauce, in the largest bao bun I have ever eaten. There was also some spicy sauce (I am obsessed, can you tell?) in there too.

Honestly, it was so delicious, I instantly regretted not ordering two!

There was no way I wouldn’t be ordering an iced coffee, given that they had vegan milk offerings on the menu. The owner had run out of soya milk and rushed out of the cafe on his moped as soon as we placed our order and came back minutes later, armed with a carton of soya milk. Such a lovely, unexpected gesture, I was delighted.

The bao are all hand made, so it took a while for our food to arrive – a clear sign of freshly made food to order.

BAO was our last stop in Cambodia, before we headed to the airport to fly to Luang Prabang, but I do wish we’d had more time to explore Kandal Village during our time in Siem Reap. This quiet village has lots of independent shops and market stalls selling sustainable goods made by locals trying to get out of poverty. You can tell this is a more affluent area of the city – the prices are higher in comparison to the rest of Siem Reap, but for good reason. We did manage to pop into a fab vintage store across the street from the cafe though – highly recommend a mooch if you’re nearby.

THE DETAILS

• Where: 626, Hup, 628 Hap Guan St, Krong Siem Reap 171202, Cambodia I Tel. +85593320603 I Map Location
• More Information: BAO Kandal 
• Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 9.00 – 21:30, closed on Sunday.
• Price Range: $

Vegan ice cream rolls on Pub Street

Not strictly a vegetarian restaurant in Siem Reap, but ice cream rolls are very popular on both the infamous Pub Street and All Cheers Street. There are plenty of stalls lining the streets in the evening, serving up a variety of flavours and toppings. I came across one that had vegan ice cream rolls – made from coconut milk instead of dairy, so naturally had to give it a go.

Watching the oddly satisfying way the ice cream rolls are crafted meticulously, with every scrape and spread is always a fun experience. We sat on the street enjoying (large) pots of oreo and peanut butter flavours. A refreshing delight in the heat, and great way to end the evening.

What are Cambodia’s national dishes?

The two most popular national dishes in Cambodia are Amok and Khmer curry.

Amok is a steamed coconut fish curry. Traditionally containing fish, coconut milk, eggs and a strong lemongrass taste throughout, the curry is steamed in banana leaves and served with rice.

Khmer curry is similar to a Thai red curry, but much milder and lightly spiced in comparison. Made with coconut milk, chicken, aubergine, green beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and spices including turmeric, galangal and lemongrass.

Often, you’ll come across vegan friendly versions of both of these dishes, either with tofu or just vegetables instead of the meat or fish.

Is it expensive to eat out in Siem Reap?

Eating out in Siem Reap can be as expensive or as value for money as you would like it to be. There are a ton of street food stalls all over the city, full of cheap eats and equally there are nicer restaurants to dine in too.

Cambodia is generally more expensive in comparison to other Southeast Asian countries, due to their preference of predominantly using the US Dollar currency.

We found some cheap options for vegetarian food in Siem Reap, above and almost everything we ate was well worth the price we paid too.

Foodie Tours in Siem Reap

If you are a foodie, you may want to book a local street food tour of Siem Reap – there are a number of options to choose from.

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If you’re planning to travel throughout Cambodia, don’t miss these posts:

• Ultimate 2 Week Vietnam And Cambodia Itinerary
• How To Spend 3 Days In Siem Reap, Cambodia
• Angkor Wat Guide – All You Need To Know Before Visiting Angkor Wat