Updated August 2022, with the help of Evi-Elli from Taste Siem Reap. We will always be grateful for the sustainable and ethical cafes that didn’t make it through the economic hardships of the pandemic. Thank you for everything you did for the community.
One of the best things about Siem Reap would have to be the food. For a town that is not so big, there are a surprising number of restaurants that serve different cuisines from all around the world. Just walk down Pub Street and you’ll be able to choose from Khmer, Mexican, Italian and American. Take a turn through one of the alleys off Pub Street and you’ll be able to choose from Indian, Japanese, English and French. The city is certainly not short of amazing cuisine.
Several restaurants provide not only a delicious meal but the chance to give something back to the community. Working with some of the local NGOs in Siem Reap, the following restaurants help you dine for a cause in the gateway to Angkor Wat.
Haven
One of the most famous restaurants in Siem Reap, Haven is a training restaurant for vulnerable young adults who have left challenging circumstances and are looking for a stable, steady opportunity in the workplace. Serving a mix of Cambodian and International foods, the famous restaurant is well worth a visit when you are in Siem Reap.
Address: Chocolate Rd, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia. Get directions.
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 am – 10:00 pm | Closed Mondays.
The Little Red Fox
The Little Red Fox Espresso is the dream of long-term mates Adam Rodwell & David Stirling who wanted to bring their passion for Australian cafe culture to Siem Reap. The socially-conscious cafe, which opened in 2014, continues to support many community projects in Siem Reap. The team also focuses on up-skilling, educating and training those who otherwise would not normally get the opportunity to learn management skills.
Address: 593 Hap Guan Street, Kandal Village, Svay Dunkum, Mondul 1. Get directions.
Hours: Thursday – Tuesday 07:00 am – 5:00 pm.
SPOONS Café
SPOONS Café & Restaurant is the social enterprise of the Spoons Cambodia organisation. All profits from the café and restaurant go directly towards the organisation’s hospitality programs that support disadvantaged young adults in Cambodia. In 2016, Spoons Café opened its bamboo gates, marking the next chapter for EGBOK. By providing an additional learning space, the café allowed EGBOK to expand its program’s culinary curriculum, offer invaluable hands-on service training for the students, and increase the number of students they could admit each year.
Address: 0142, Group 5, Pave Road, Wat Damnak Village Salakomreouk Commune. Get directions.
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 11:00 am to 10:00 pm.
Sister Srey Café
Sister Srey Café aims to support young Khmer students by providing them with training skills in hospitality, English language, personal development, health, hygiene and banking. The café is very famous in Siem Reap and each morning you’ll see the tables packed full of people wanting a piece of their delicious, healthy menu options.
Address: 200 Pokambor St Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia. Get directions.
Hours: Daily 7:00 am – 6:00 pm.
Related Reading: A Sustainable Shopping Guide to Phnom Penh
Banlle
Banlle is a favourite for vegans and vegetarians in Siem Reap. The restaurant prepares vegetarian cuisine to support vegetarianism and promote environmental awareness, as well as conservation. Their delicately-prepared vegetarian meals are loved amongst the community, with the restaurant offering the option of indoor or outdoor dining.
Address: Street 26, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia. Get directions.
Hours: Wednesday – Monday, 7:00 am – 9:15pm.
Tevy’s Place
Tevy’s Place is a local restaurant offering high-quality Khmer and Western food. Tevy, a local Khmer woman business owner, has turned the tragedy of family loss during the Pol Pot regime into a positive life of entrepreneurship in culinary arts. Community and the environment are at the heart of her business mission. Tevy’s Place was one of the first local restaurants to introduce bamboo straws and eco-takeaway boxes and is also heavily involved in local community projects such as clean-ups and educational initiatives.
Address: Street 26, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia. Get directions.
Hours: Monday – Sunday, 7:30 am – 9:00 pm.
Common Grounds Café
Common Grounds is not only a café but a working space as well. They have reserved their upstairs space with tables and charging points where you can use the area to catch up on work or have meetings with others. The café is owned and run by the NGO People for Care and Learning (PCL), an organisation that provides vocational training opportunities, and English and computer skills to people in the community. Common Grounds also supports many other NGOs by selling their crafts in the café and provides a space for people to leave brochures and information about what’s going on in the community. If you’re travelling and working at the same time this is the place for you.
Address: Old French Quarter, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia. Get directions.
Hours: Monday – Saturday, 07:00 am – 08:00 pm.
Related Reading: Travel Plastic-free with SATU
Wild
Wild is a finger food restaurant and a cocktail bar that specialises in spring rolls and protecting the planet. As well as their famous spring rolls, the restaurant serves filtrated water for free, offers reusable or compostable straws and gives their market providers reusable bags so they can reduce their consumption of plastic. They also give their used frying oil to Naga Earth, who turn it into Bio Diesel and Soap. When it comes to walking the walk, Wild is leading by example.
Address: Wat Damnak, Krong Siem Reap 17000, Cambodia. Get directions.
Hours: Daily 11:00 am – 10:30 pm.
Sala Bai
Sala Baï Hotel & Restaurant School supports young Cambodians from underprivileged families by providing training opportunities in the hospitality industry. Since being founded in 2002 more than 1000 young Cambodians, mostly women, have been trained and have moved on to find work in the industry. The hospitality industry is rife in Siem Reap so providing youths with these kinds of work opportunities will help to break the cycle of poverty here in the country.
Address: Wat Svay – Tonle Sap Road, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia. Get directions.
Hours: Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 9:00 am | 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm.
Heartprint hub
Heartprint hub is a part of the Heartprint Community Centre. Their café opened in Siem Reap in 2020 to provide training and employment opportunities to our local community especially those with learning difficulties and intellectual disabilities. Alongside the cafe, there is a fair trade store where you can purchase handmade items made by local community members.
Address: Heartprint Lane, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia. Get directions.
Hours: Monday – Saturday, 07:30 am – 3:30 pm
Bayon Pastries
Bayon Pastry School Coffee Shop is a not-for-profit, free vocational training centre for underprivileged women in Cambodia. The girls come here for an 11-month training schedule, which includes a 4-month internship, to learn the art of Pastry making. They are also taught valuable English and computer skills to help them in the workplace. The French NGO Bayon School runs the café, and you can visit the shop throughout the day and taste the delicious Pastries made with love by the women who work here.
Address: Taphul Village, Siem Reap, Siemreab-Otdar Meanchey, Cambodia. Get directions.
Hours: Daily 8:00 am – 5:30 pm.
New Leaf Book Café
The New Leaf Book Café is a restaurant, bookshop and event space with a lovely, calming atmosphere. You can spend your time here dining on their enjoyable, healthy food options, reading one of the many books that line the café walls or, if you’re in town on a Monday night, attend the weekly movie screening and relax with some popcorn and Angkor Beer. The hundreds of books in the shop have been donated by people from all over the world and the café gives the profits from any books sold to local NGOs. They also run book drives to donate English books to local schools in need. The New Leaf Book Café is the perfect place for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Address: 306 Street 9, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia. Get directions.
Hours: Daily 8:00 am – 9:30 pm.
Footprint Café
The Footprint Cafe Siem Reap is a social enterprise helping local communities to help themselves, one cafe at a time. The cafe offers a range of vegetarian and vegan-friendly menus and their social impact dedication means that 100% of net profits are given as grants for educational projects in the community. Footprint’s big dream is to become the first global chain of cafes linking tourism to local community empowerment. Check out their vegan barbeque every Tuesday night or just dine in and enjoy the extra fast wi-fi.
Address: Street 26, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia. Get directions.
Hours: Daily 6:30 am – 10:00 pm.
Brother Bong Café
Brother Bong was founded by a young Cambodian couple with a passion for coffee. They have travelled the world learning what goes into the perfect cup of coffee. Bunthoeun is a Cambodian award-winning barista who has been behind the machine for over 5 years. Leang Heng, his wife, was inspired by Bunthoeun’s love for coffee, now the two own and operate this coffee shop in the heart of Siem Reap, a favourite for all the coffee lovers that come through this town.
Address: Street 20, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia. Get directions.
Hours: Daily 7:00am – 9:00pm.
Have you been to these ethical eateries or know of any others? Comment in the section below and let me know about your experience or get in contact with me here. I’d love to hear from you.
