Local restaurants

The streets of downtown Phnom Penh are packed with local eateries. It would be a little silly for us to mark out some favourites as we've only tried a handful and there are literally hundreds. Instead, here are some locations that are convenient to the main tourist areas where you can sit down with locals and enjoy a meal and a cold beer.

Some have English language menus and English speaking staff. Some don't. No harm in looking at what the other clientele are eating and pointing and picking. It can be a great way to discover new dishes. We've had mainly positive experiences in these places but one place hit us up for a bill that was out of order - them's the risks of such little adventures. No real harm done.

Hygiene standards might be lower than you're accustomed to at home.

St 13 Phnom Penh

North past Friends restaurant behind Wat Ounalum there's a line of tasty, friendly local eateries. These will place you close by the riverfront bars for a post-dinner refreshment.

St 21 Phnom Penh

There's a small strip of local eateries here, not far from the Willow Hotel. This is close by the Independence Monument and the strip of bars on St 178 so you can have a quiet local meal here before hitting the bars.