Kampot Food Guide - Best Places to Eat

For a small place, Kampot has a surprising amount of variety when it comes to food. Noodles, crepes, ribs, tapas, or curries – you name it, Kampot probably has it. Where to go really depends on your budget and what sort of cuisine you are in the mood for.

Budget digs

For those of you on a tight budget, local food from street stalls is very cheap and can be delicious. One of the best places for street food is at the night market by the Durian Roundabout. There are lots of stalls here selling barbeque and hotpots, plus you may even be treated to some karaoke performances!

Food carts can also be found dotted around the city, but just make sure to check their cleanliness, as food poisoning is common in Cambodia.

Riverside restaurants

The majority of restaurants can be found along the riverside, along with a good selection of lively bars. This area is aimed predominantly at tourists, so some of the restaurants may be overpriced. By far the most popular restaurant here is the Rusty Keyhole (Riverside Road), famous for selling the most delicious ribs in Cambodia.

Nearby, you can find a noodle shop, Ecran Movie House (Old market St, near river), where you can enjoy some fantastic dumplings and also rent a movie to watch in one of their screening rooms.

Other restaurants along the riverside that are worth mentioning include Kampot Curry House (Riverside Road), where you can buy a curry and naan for under USD5, and Bokor Mountain Lodge (Riverside Road), which is a good spot for breakfast.

Western food

Over the last few years, there has been a huge increase in the quality and quantity of European restaurants in Kampot. For some classic French fare, head to Chez Alline (East Street), and gorge yourself on beef bourgignon, cheese and French wine; or choose from a range of savory and sweet crepes at the Honeymoon Creperie (#56, 726 Street).

For fans of Italian food, you are completely spoiled for choice. Apparently, Ciao (722 Street) serves the best pizza in town, but there’s competition from both Mea Culpa (44 Sovansakor) and L’Osteria (724 Street). There’s also DiVino Italian (Old Market Street), whose bruschetta is apparently so good, it’s worth writing home about!

Further adding to Kampot’s reputation as an up-and-coming culinary haven, recent additions include both a tapas and a Portuguese restaurant. bARACA (#7, 726 Street) serves tapas influenced heavily by local flavors and produce, and the reviews are excellent. Meanwhile, Kampot Tertulia (Tk Chou Road) serves authentic Portugese food, and is the perfect choice for seafood lovers.

Coffeehouses and cafés

Kampot also has a healthy number of good quality cafés and coffeehouses. You can’t go to Kampot without visiting Café Espresso (#17, 717 Street), where you’ll apparently find the best coffee in Cambodia. Even if you’re not really a coffee nerd, they have an aero press which is supposedly a big deal! They also serve fantastic food at breakfast and lunch.

Other cafés worth mentioning include the Epic Art’s Café (#67, 724 Street, near Old Market), which is also an NGO, and Ellie’s Café (#42/44, 726 Street), a cute little place to hang out with lots of outdoor seating.

Kampot pepper

Finally, Kampot is famous for its pepper, so make sure you try it or buy a bag as a souvenir. You can even organize a day trip to the pepper plantation or to Kep, where you can sample Kampot pepper crab. Just remember, both are organized entirely for tourists, so prices will be reflective of this.