Sihanoukville Food Guide - Best Places to Eat

After visiting Cambodian Siem Reap mostly for Angkor temple complex located nearby people think that they already know what real Cambodia is as if having explored it far and wide. In fact going to a country for a couple of days for a certain targeted goal doesn’t make you an expert at all. Knowing a country means getting to know its culture, people, their way of life, national peculiarities and, of course, food, which we do first-hand using our senses and receptors.

Going back to crowdy Siem Reap it’s worth mentioning the prices bite in comparison to coastal Sihanoukville favorable in this regard. Sihanoukville or Sihanouk as it is often called is a dream destination for both delicacy lovers and just foodies.

When thinking about Cambodian seashore a great diversity of seafood comes to our mind as the sea is close at hand. The finest and freshest squids, prawns, fish, crabs, and lobsters are served all over from fanciest and expensive hotel restaurants, beach shacks to downtown cafes, markets, eateries and street trucks. The only question left is the price.

Budget digs

Wondering around Sihanouk you will surely pass by so-called hawker stalls or street stalls with ready to go fried rice/noodles or soup with any topping whenever it’s chicken, seafood or simply eggs. The vendor will charge you only 1-2$. Sometimes there are plastic tables with chairs right nearby to get it while it’s hot. This is the most budget saving eatery ever.

For captious scrooges seeking for a more trustworthy place Nice Foods at Serendipity Beach Road (next to Led Zephyr) having both western fast food, such as pizza, burgers and french fries and a great deal of Khmer curry, soup and mama noodles. Fried rice with squid will cost about 3.50$ with a glass of well-known Cambodia beer for 50 cents.

A friendly reminder: rice goes practically with everything. Every time you get a soup or seafood bbq leave a place for a separate plate of rice on the table.

Another tip for budget savers – Serendipity/Ochheuteal Beaches are competitively cheaper than the rest.

Markets

Special attention shall be paid to the markets in such places as Sihanouk. Tons of seafood are here and of course, the smell is fascinating. For the record in the morning, the chances to get a nice piece fresh out of the sea are higher. A plus of these markets is the opportunity to choose everything which you think is more beautiful or fresher or closer to your heart and get it cooked (barbecued in most cases) right in front of you in this very place.

In Sihanouk there are two traditional town markets; Phsar Pinichicom a smaller one for locals and the main one called Phsar Leu or Upper Market impressive in the regard of area and range of products. Both are perfect choice for a pick-me-up while exploring the area.

Supermarkets

Supermarkets here are not the same as for example in tourist inhabited Thailand where 7-Elevens and Family Marts are sparkling in every corner but there are some stores with peculiar names as Orange Market or Samudera Supermarket and smaller Hi-Food Minimart selling all types of goods a westerner is used to.

What to eat

As in most other countries of South Asia rice and noodles are widely spread in Cambodia and these are the basic ingredients of the majority of its cuisine. Khmers share a lot of dishes with the neighboring Vietnam, Thailand, India and etc. They also do have the noodle soup, stir fried rice, spring rolls and curry but you will understand the difference after trying them here.

Cambodian food is about the contrasts. They do it somehow. It is a miracle, a mystery even. A single dish will have sweet and sour hints with a trace of slight bitterness. Khmers grasped the spice mixture magic. And this secret goes from mother to daughter from the ancient times. Ginger, clover, nutmeg, cinnamon, star anise, cardamom used absolutely stupefies the habitue not saying something about a newcomer.

Must-try menu includes ang dtray-meuk (grilled squid), fish amok (fish curry baked as soufflé on a banana leave), bai sach chrouk (rice and grilled pork), Khmer curry (coconut-milk-based curry topped with beef/ chicken/fish, vegetables and kroeung) and the last but not the least nom banh chok (rice noodles with a fish-based green curry gravy topping).

Khmer food

Needless to say that any noodles no matter of the kind will be remarkably special here. All of those specialties can be found in Nyams restaurant at 23 Tola Street, Ochheuteal, Sihanoukville, just in 5-minutes-walk from Golden Lions in the touristic center of the town. The check price for a meat/ fish dish (large portion - 4$) and a glass of beer (0.33ml. - 0.5$) will be no higher than 6$. A half-portion order is also available.

Another option for national Cambodian food is Sandan in 150 meters from the Golden Lions statue located at 2 Thnou St., Sihanoukville, offers traditional Khmer Muslim beef for 7$ or more trivial pork ribs and soda for 8.50$. Ordering snake, tarantula, turtle, frog, and even dog meat is a thrilling bonus for more tempting guests. As they say, when there’s a will there’s a way.

Western food

The latter can be also applied to western restaurants or café in Sihanouk. As well as the majority of colonial countries Cambodia has adopted international cuisine and they learned to cook it actually. Therefore there will be no problem to find European food here. Moreover, a lot of dining places are owned and run by foreigners so you can be sure the food you get is an authentic one.

Ochheuteal Street is dotted with numerous restaurants and cafes which lead down to the beach shacks. So it’s up to you whether to have a meal downtown observing all the rush or to enjoy it sipping a drink having a nice sea view.

Snooky’s Bar and Bistro at 87 Makara Street has nice feedbacks from local expats for its huge portions. Chicken tacos or fish and chips are highly recommended. Daily specials with a drink (a glass of beer/ wine) will be 5$ max. Cheap and cheerful.

Lovers of spaghetti and other Italian food are strongly advised to check Spaghetti House. Its pasta and pizza starting from 2$ are amazing. They don’t have beer but the espresso is stunning. To get it go further down Ekareach St. passing The Pizza House. It’s just next building to the left.

Coffeehouses & cafés

There’s another prominent place on this same street. The place is called Clans Café and they serve the most knockout iced coffee ever. The menu also sets out refreshing drinks, smoothies, fresh juice and lots of bakeries. But nothing can be compared to that coffee taste. The place itself is a dream with comfortable seats and quick WiFi. Iced coffee costs here 1.80$ which is almost twice more expensive than at the street vendor’s but here you have all the pleasures including the AC. The café is situated on Ekareach Street, next door to 168 Bus depot.

So based on the abovementioned it’s really hard to stay hungry in Sihanoukville, isn’t it? A great variety of places is ready to welcome tourists from all over the world and to show their best culinary almost at no cost.