Siem Reap

There is no shortage of restaurants in Siem Reap. They have been opening steadily over the past couple of years. Siem Reap offers an excellent variety of restaurants. Shinta Mani and Hotel Grand D'Angkor lead the fine dining category though there are several places offering excellent cuisine in a stylish, refined atmosphere. There are also plenty of moderately priced Cambodian and international restaurants. Almost every restaurant offers Cambodian food. For the budget minded, check out the inexpensive Chinese places at the south end of Sivatha Blvd. or the local food stalls and noodle cookshops next to Phsar Char (Old Market).

Attending a traditional dance performance is a must when visiting Cambodia. Several restaurants offer dinner performances. Nightly performances: Grand Hotel D’Angkor, Apsara Theater, Kulen II, Angkor Mondial, Chao Pra Ya, Tonle Mekong, and Tonle Sap. Some restaurants, such as the Dead Fish Tower, offer traditional music during the dinner hour. Shadow puppetry can be seen at Bayon 1 and La Noria Hotel.

A traditional dance performance at one of the dinner theatres is a perfect place to begin the evening. If you’re looking for something a bit more conventional, there are a variety of places from which to choose. The piano bar at Grand D’Angkor, and the live traditional music at Dead Fish Tower make for pleasant venues to begin the evening. Buddha Lounge, Ivy Bar, The Red Piano, Temple Bar, Linga Bar, Molly Malone’s, Angkor What and not to forget the bars of the ‘Pub Street’ where you can find popular early evening pubs, drawing tourists and expats alike, and getting more crowded as the evening progresses. ‘Pub Street’ in the Old Market area is the happening place to be in the evening these days offering several bars and restaurants, not only on ‘Pub Street’, but on nearby streets and allies. Things get going in the late afternoon and some places stay open quite late.