Vegan Guide to Phnom Penh
Updated October 2024
Phnom Penh is the busy and vibrant capital city of Cambodia and has some great vegan food options. Make sure not to just pass through this exciting city on your next Cambodia vegan travel adventure, stay for a few days and check out everything that Phnom Penh has to offer. From culture and community, to vegan fine dining and vegan street food, we are sure you will not be disappointed. We would love to hear from you with any obvious omissions, as this vegan guide to Phnom Penh will be regularly updated. Read on for some of our favourite locations for vegan food in Phnom Penh.
Cambodia Vegan Tour
We partnered with the award winning Vegan Travel Asia to create a series of immersive 14 day Cambodia Vegan Tours which launched in December 2022. Exploring the country and learning about the people, the traditions, the culture and the food that makes Cambodia such an enchanting destination. The itinerary for these small group tours will include spending time in Phnom Penh, Battambang and Siem Reap. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to join our Cambodia vegan tours!
Vegan Restaurants in Phnom Penh
Bong Bonlai
Bong Bonlai
13A Street 830
Phnom Penh
Opening Times: 7.30am-8.30pm every day
Bong Bonlai serve a “fusion of Mediterranean and Asian flavours” in a courtyard setting next to a small pool, they also offer rooms as part of YK Arthouse making it the perfect vegan friendly option! We love the relaxed and informal setting and really enjoyed our avocado and black beans on toast. The team behind Bong Bonlai and YK Arthouse are passionate to advocate for veganism which we love, this is a business with a big heart, that’s for sure!
Sacred Lotus – Vegan Cafe x Hostel
Sacred Lotus – Vegan Cafe x Hostel
127 Street 440
Phnom Penh 12411
Opening Times: 7pm-9pm every day
Sacred Lotus Cafe is one of our favourite vegan restaurants in Phnom Penh and should most certainly be on your list. Owned and managed by the lovely Krishnan and Neth, this vegan cafe / co-working space / homestay / yoga & meditation studio is well worth a visit. Delicious plant based food with both Western and Khmer dishes available will certainly keep you coming back for more. Don’t miss out on their $1 plant based coffees every Tuesday, and if you’re looking for a hostel room, look no further.
Sundays – Boutique Cafe & Vegan Hotel
Sundays – Boutique Cafe & Vegan Hotel
#7C St 464 Toul Tompoung (Between 135 &155)
Phnom Penh
Opening Times: 8am-8.30pm every day, closed Monday
Did somebody say vegan waffles? Indeed they did and oh boy are they good. The team at Sundays have vegan waffles and much more available from their 100% vegan eatery in Phnom Penh, meaning they should most certainly be on your vegan radar the next time you’re in town. We’ve eaten here but never stayed, but from what we hear the rooms are very nice too. This is an excellent addition to the vibrant vegan scene in Phnom Penh.
Vegetarian Restaurants in Phnom Penh
GoGreen Vegetarian Restaurant
GoGreen Vegetarian Restaurant
#3AB Street 420
Phnom Penh
Opening Times: 7am-2pm and 3pm-9pm every day
These guys have recently moved to a new location which has lovely garden setting. We love their food including the vegan fish is excellent and one of our favourite dishes in Phnom Penh. The menu is nearly all vegan and the owner speaks perfect English, and fully understands what vegan means so you will have no issues eating here. She is considering changing the menu so that is 100% vegan which would be amazing, watch this space or check out their social media for any updates…
JC Vegetarian
JC Vegetarian
HCN Mall & Residence
Street 516
Toul Kok
Phnom Penh
Opening Times: 7am-9pm every day
JC Vegetarian is a favourite of ours but we haven’t visited their new location yet, we have no doubt the food will still be just as good! Extensive veg menu with multiple vegan options and a staff team who are happy to help. Excellent, mock meats, mock fish and our favourite vegan sweet and sour in Phnom Penh. JC Vegetarian is open all day, unlike other local veg restaurants that tend to close between lunch and dinner, handy if you’re wanting to eat in the afternoon!
Evergreen Vegetarian House
Evergreen Vegetarian House
13F Street 118
Phnom Penh
Opening Times: 7.30am-2pm and 3.30pm-8pm every day
This was the first vegetarian restaurant we visited in Phnom Penh back in 2014 and we loved their original location. They’ve since moved which isn’t as convenient but the menu is the same. The all veg menu is extensive with plenty of veggie or vegan versions of Cambodian cuisine and a variety of mock meat dishes. It’s a clean and simple establishment where the staff are friendly and many of the menu items cost around $2 which offers great value. The noodle soups, cheap and cheerful fried rice and anything with their homemade seitan mock meat are well worth ordering.
Mercy House
Mercy House
Street 251 (junction with Street 222)
Phnom Penh
Opening Times: 7am-6pm every day, closed Saturday
Mercy House serves Chinese style vegetarian food with many dishes containing egg so order with caution. It’s a sort of semi indoors / outdoors set up with simple seating and tables. Staff were friendly but spoke little English so our limited Khmer came in helpful to ensure there was no egg in our special fried rice (served with soup and pickles) or our sweet and sour fried tofu. Both were tasty and reasonably priced but possibly contained a little too much MSG? If we were in the area again we would go back, but there are other options in Phnom Penh that we prefer.
Vitking House
Vitking House Vegetarian Restaurant
370 Street 163
Phnom Penh
Opening Times: 8am-8pm every day
We ate here and also at their Siem Reap locations many times over the years and were big fans of this local veg restaurant. Sadly, it transpires that many of their dishes contain ‘hidden egg’, we’re not talking a fried egg on top which can easily be removed at the time of ordering, but egg stirred through sauces and egg powder used in marinades. The staff are often unable to understand and explain exactly which dishes are vegan, and a meeting the the owners in an effort to update their menu was fruitless. This means that Vitking is best avoided if you are vegan but ok if you are vegetarian.
Vegan Friendly Restaurants in Phnom Penh
Farm to Table
Farm to Table
16 Street 360
Phnom Penh
Opening Times: 8am-9pm every day
The leafy, green and rustic setting, complete with vegetable garden is the perfect location for Farm to Table. They work hard in the community to promote healthy eating and the use of organic and local ingredients is at the core of what they create. Whilst not a vegetarian restaurant, the super talented chef serves up a selection of veg and vegan options which are clearly marked on the menu. The vegan food at Farm to Table has always tasted as good as it’s looked including this vibrant and tasty trio of bruschetta below.
Garage Sale
Garage Sale
22 Street 51
Phnom Penh
Opening Hours: 5pm-midnight every day, opens at midday on Saturday and Sunday
It’s taken us a while to finally eat here and we were suitably impressed. We’ve had drinks and met friends before, but never ordered their food. The vegan burger with vegan cheese was very good and the vegan mac and cheese was outstanding. Huge portions and very tasty, we will be back for sure!
Planta
Planta
82 Street 244
Phnom Penh
Opening Hours: 7am-11pm every day
Offering a “vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian” menu they quite simply offer everything at Planta, so you can rest assured there is something for everyone. The menu is clearly labelled and you can’t go wrong with their vegan smoothies and vegan desserts as they are delicious.
Elia Greek Kitchen Bassac Lane
Elia Greek Kitchen Bassac Lane
12B Street 308
Phnom Penh
Opening Hours: 9am-11pm every day
Elia Greek Kitchen was always one of our ‘go to’ vegan friendly eateries in Siem Reap, so with a couple of locations in Phnom Penh they are always on our radar when we are in town. The vegan gyros is great, and the vine leaves make for a good snack on a hot day too. But it is the vegan rizogalo that draws us back time after time. This vegan version of Greek rice pudding is made with coconut milk and is divine. Our non vegan friends have even said that the extra creaminess of the coconut milk version is better that the regular one. Don’t miss out on one of our favourite vegan desserts in Cambodia.
ARTillery Phnom Penh
ARTillery Phnom Penh
Delivery only
via ARTillery Facebook Page or Nham24
Opening Times: 8am-8.30pm every day
Artillery has operated in Phnom Penh since 2013 and as well as serving lots of veggie, vegan and raw food they hosted events including art projects and wellness workshops. Sadly, they had to close their doors for dine in during COVID but their full menu is still available for delivery online. Dishes feature organic and local ingredients wherever possible with many nutritious and plant based options including the delicious ‘BBQ Jackfruit Tacos’ with flour tortillas, avocado and cashew cheese and the decadent yet healthy ‘Original Raw Cheesecake’ made with cashew cream, an almond coconut crust and topped with fresh passion fruit.
Enso Cafe
Enso Cafe
#50B Oknha Chhun
Street 240
Phnom Penh 12207
Opening Times: 7am-8pm every day
Enso Cafe is a kind of modern, stylish cafe and ‘healing space’ with yoga and other classes available. The menu has many vegetarian options, some which are vegan and others that can be adapted. We really were spoiled for choice but decided on the Eggplant Lasagna and Beetroot Walnut Bread Sandwich. Both were excellent and the lasagna was outstanding. But, maybe we wouldn’t have called it a lasagna as there was no pasta or creamy sauce? Instead it was more of a melanzane parmigiana (without the parmigiana bit of course) and it was absolutely delicious; we would order it again for sure. The sandwich was great too but was outshone by the ‘lasagna’.
Sundown Social Club
Sundown Social Club
#86 Street 440
Phnom Penh 12310
Opening Times: 12am-12pm every day
There are vegan burgers, vegan hot dogs and vegan taco options on the menu at this breezy rooftop bar opposite Toul Tompuong Market. It’s got a cool and laid back vibe, a perfect spot for sunset cocktails we’re sure. We were there at lunch and ordered the BBQ falafel hot dog with caramelised onions, tomato relish and chives, also the beer battered lemon tofu tacos. Both were decent with our favourite being the hotdog which was close to perfect. The tacos would have been good with extra salsa and chips as the portion size was a little small so keep this in mind and order big. The quality of the food was very good though and we would return for sure.
Juniper Gin Bar
Juniper Gin Bar
12th Floor
Point Boutique Hotel
St 130
Phnom Penh
Opening Times: 4pm-12am every day, closed Monday
This is a killer rooftop bar with 360 degree views of the river and stunning sunsets. With the same owners as Sundown Social Club and the same chilled vibe it’s well worth a visit. Not just for the sunset views and creative gin based cocktails but they have a vegan pizza that was pretty decent too. The pizza has a garlic and artichoke base, topped with jalapeños, olives, spinach, caramelised onion, olive and fresh basil, it was perfect after a few cocktails. We resisted the temptation to order paprika French fries with garlic mayo but they sounded good too!
Malis
Malis
136 Norodom Blvd
Phnom Penh
Opening Times: 6am-10.30pm every day
We’ve dined at Malis in Siem Reap and it’s certainly the place to go for a special evening, the introduction of the all veg menu made this an even better option. The menu available in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh includes the dishes shown below, pineapple fried rice and the Malis vegetable red curry which was delcious and packed with flavour.
Hummus House
Hummus House
95 Street 1
Preah Sisowath Quay
Phnom Penh
Opening Times: 10.30am-10.30pm every day
If you’re craving falafel, flatbread, hummus and salad whilst in Phnom Penh this is without a doubt the place to head. Located near the river front area and adjacent to many of the bus departure points this is often our ‘go to’ takeaway option when about to hit the road and we tend to visit at least once each time we’re in Phnom Penh. After all, who doesn’t like falafels?!
Sumatra Restaurant
Sumatra Restaurant
67 Street 123
Phnom Penh
Opening Times: 11am-9pm every day (closed Tuesday)
Tempe or tempeh is a food from the gods and we just can’t get enough of it. We still don’t understand why this delicious and versatile soy bean product is predominantly only available in Indonesia (where it is absolutely everywhere) and the rest of Asia (and the world) have not caught on to just how good it is! Well, for a little slice of Indonesia and plenty of tasty tempe head down to Sumatra Restaurant where the friendly and helpful owner will help to make sure all of your food is vegan as well as delicious.
Lot 369 Cafe and Bar
Lot 369 Cafe and Bar
13 Street 454
Phnom Penh
Opening Times: 7.30am-9pm every day
Lot 369 has an amazing vegan breakfast which is perfect for a Sunday morning after a late night out in one of the city’s fabulous cocktail bars, (trust us as we know this from experience). It really hit the spot, served in a bowl with tempe, homemade hash browns, spinach, tomatoes and baked beans; perfect breakfast food.
Backyard Cafe
Backyard Cafe
11B Street 246
Phnom Penh
Opening Times: 7am-8pm every day
As ‘The home of healthy food in Cambodia, with vegetarian, vegan, and raw options’ you can rest assured that there will be plenty of plant based goodness for you to choose from at Backyard Cafe. As well as popular and healthy dishes including the Rainbow Bowl and the Poke Inspired Beet Bowl they also offer juice cleanses, a lunch delivery service and various wholefoods which are made fresh daily for you to take home.
Vibe Cafe
Vibe Cafe
currently closed
Opening Times: let’s wait and see eh?
Vibe in Siem Reap closed right at the start of COVID and their Phnom Penh outlet has closed now too, for sometime their menu was available from Backyard, but that has also now stopped. Not sure if they have plans to re open, but we will leave the listing here for a while in the hope that they re surface somewhere soon…we would love to once again eat the BBQ Buffalo Cauliflower Bites below which are made with gluten free flour and served with BBQ sauce and vegan ranch dressing, we also like the sandwiches including the homemade vegan feta with beetroot shown below which was delicious.
Vegan Shopping in Phnom Penh
Super Duper Supermarket
Super Duper Supermarket
3 Samdach Sothearos Boulevard
Phnom Penh
Opening Times: 24 hours
We miss vegan sausages and vegan butter so were very excited to find that Super Duper Supermarket had started to stock a number of export products including Earth Balance butter and Tofurky sausages. Be warned, their stock levels are erratic and sometimes there is nothing available, in fact we have been told that this is particularly true currently. But if you’re in Phnom Penh and looking for vegan butter, vegan sausages or any other imported products this is certainly the place to look. Warning: satisfying those cravings for food from home can get pricey; you’ve been warned!
Uguisa Sabou
Uguisa Sabou
Based in Kampot
Cambodia
These guys have been making plant based food and ingredients in Kampot since 2017 and their products are available from various locations in Cambodia. Do everything you can to get your hands on the ‘Cashewgurt’ yoghurt, and the ‘Cashewburt’ cheese as both are absolutely delicious.
Fresh Orange Juice
Corner of st 130 and st 19
Phnom Penh
Opening Times: Every morning until they sell out
This is the coolest fresh orange juice stall we’ve ever seen and it’s in the heart of Phnom Penh. In fact, it’s our ‘go to’ spot when we leave one of our favourite restaurants, Evergreen Vegetarian House. Pay your bill, leave the restaurant, turn left and it’s 100m on the junction of street 19, on your left. 7000 riel for a freshly squeezed orange juice that certainly hits the spot! Take your own cup to avoid the plastic.
Vegan Friendly Luxury Hotels and Resorts in Phnom Penh
Check out these ‘tried and tested’ vegan friendly luxury hotels and resorts in Phnom Penh that one of our team has stayed at. Each of them understood our request for plant based food and ensured that our experience as vegan guests was very enjoyable. We would always recommend contacting your hotel or resort in advance to advise them of your dietary choice, and then to follow this up upon check in by asking to speak with either the restaurant manager or member of the F&B team.
HappyCow in Phnom Penh
Of course, no vegan travel adventure would be complete without using the excellent HappyCow website or app, their Vegan Phnom Penh page currently lists 3 all vegan and 23 all vegetarian restaurants for you to choose from. HappyCow enlists ambassadors in each location to keep their information up to date and we are thrilled to fulfil that role in our current HQ of Siem Reap, Cambodia. There is currently no HappyCow Ambassador for Phnom Penh so if anyone fancies helping please get in touch!
Other Vegan Guides to Phnom Penh
There are lots of useful posts and reviews for Phnom Penh online including Being Vegan in Cambodia from Places of Linda, and this vegan guide from She’s Abroad Again. On the Made in Cambodia website you will find this helpful guide called Phnom Penh’s best vegetarian and vegan restaurants and check out this post published on the Vegan Travel website by our good friends Cody and Giselle from Mindful Wanderlust.
A few to add:
-Café Soleil
-Idli Dosa
– Irrawaddi
All cheap, delicious, and with vegetarian and vegan options. They are often overlooked but have some of the best (and cheapest) vegetarian food in PP!
Thank you Emma! We rely on our readers commneting with their favourite places as we can of course not re visit every location we have a guide for as often as we would like. We will make sure to check them out next time we visit…
It’s an interesting, helpful guide. An amazing article filled with valuable information truly surprised me. At Shiva-Shakti, we’re also in the food industry! We serve a wide variety of vegetarian foods at our restaurant in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Visit our website to learn more about our catering services, menu, and event planning services. Visit our website to know more
NOVEMBER 2022 PLEASE NOTE: we have been told that not only does this ‘vegan’ restaurant no longer serve vegan food, but they appear to sell food that is labelled as veggie or vegan that is neither… PROCEED WITH CAUTION
Hi Paul!
We’ve got a new restaurant with a whole vegan menu in town (they do also have a non-vegan menu unfortunately). The menu includes a wide selection of breakfasts, burgers (some of them quite pricey, and I have not tried them, so I don’t know why), pastas, lasagna, pizzas, and a very nice dessert menu, including croissants, double chocolate chip cookies, ice-cream.
All ingredients seem to be well sourced and generously served (for example, sweet bread loaded with walnuts). They have a downstairs and a rooftop restaurant and allow pool use (one pool at each location) if you dine there. The setting is very pleasant, nice plating, good service.
They are also doing their soft opening and have 25% off everything on the menu, from prices that are already very reasonable (except for a few expensive dishes).
The restaurant is called Cabana Urbana and is inside Mettavery Hotel, close to Bassac Lane.
So happy read about a new vegan restaurant in Phnom Penh and can’t wait to check it out next time we’re in town. Thank you for taking the time to leave a detailed and informative review, very much appreciated….
Thanks so much for this rich resource! Please also check out Element Vegetarian when you’re next in town.
thank you for your comment Camilla, we are glad that our guide is helpful! we have been meaning to visit Element for some tome now as have heard good things. but being based in Siem Reap we are not in Phnom Penh too often…hopefully soon 🙂
I also vouch for Element Vegetarian! The vegan crème brûlée is absolutely incredible, and the staff are attentive and very friendly, especially their manager, Ren. I had the jack fruit fish and chips, which was very creative. Will definitely visit again!
thanks for the heads up we have heard lots of good things about Element!
Hi Paul,
Cabana Urbana and inside Mettavery Hotel is NOT vegetarian, not vegan. The meat is real, unfortunately… today confirmed by the chef personally and in Khmer (I am currently trying to reach the manager, because they call it Vegan Restaurant. This is wrong.)
Thank you Ben for this rather worrying update. We planned to visit on our next trip to Phnom Penh and check out what they had to offer. Please let us know if you hear back from the manager? We’ve seen your Happy Cow review also, well done for being so vigilant and trying to help others…
Good afternoon Vegan Food Quest team,
Is it possible to add an address in your guide ?
Element vegetarian restaurant in Phnom Penh is a vegetarian place with only one dish that is not vegan.
Please let me know if it possible to add it because it’s definitely the best vegan restaurant for me!
Thanks on advance,
I wish you a nice day,
Anne
Hi Anne
We will be sure to visit next time we’re in Phnom Penh, currently all of our inclusions have been ‘tried and tested’ by one of our team and we would like to keep it that way. We have heard good things about Element, though, so thank you for reaching out and your comment…
Hi team, as always thank you for all your content! Unfortunately the Vibe menu is no longer available through Backyard FYI.
thank you for this, we will remove the listing. it’s very helpful when people let us know about changes…