Responsible Dining
Looking for restaurant recommendations?
Don't worry — Siem Reap is a foodie's paradise!
Over the past 18 years, our little corner of Cambodia has grown into one of Southeast Asia's most exciting dining destinations.
The variety of international and local cuisine available is truly impressive — and what makes Siem Reap special is how many of its best restaurants also happen to be doing something good for the community.
At Babel, we believe that where you spend your money can change lives. Every restaurant on this list is there for a reason — whether they are training disadvantaged youth, supporting local women, or committing to zero-waste and sustainable practices.
Eat at any of them and you are choosing more than just a meal. You are guaranteed great service, warm smiles, and delicious food — and you will leave knowing your money stayed in the right hands.
A New Era for Cambodian Cuisine
There is an exciting buzz surrounding Southeast Asian food right now. Not only is our street food scene famous, but ancient recipes and traditions that were once lost are finally making a comeback.
For years, Cambodian food was less famous than the food in Thailand or Vietnam. Today, our country’s top chefs are changing that, showing the world how special and unique Khmer Cuisine really is.
What makes Cambodian food different?
Famous chef Luu Meng explains that while we share some ideas with our neighbors, Cambodian food has its own distinct personality:
Less Spice & Sugar: It is not as hot or as sweet as Thai food. Our dishes are usually only mildly spicy.
Balanced Flavors: We use less fish sauce than they do in Vietnam, creating a different kind of balance.
Fresh Spices: Unlike Indian cooking which uses many powders, we prefer our spices fresh. In Khmer cooking, freshness is the most important ingredient.
Dine with us at Babel
We would love to start by inviting you to our own garden restaurant! We offer a wide variety of choices to make sure everyone in the family is happy:
Vegan & Vegetarian Friendly: A huge selection of plant-based meals.
Traditional Khmer Dishes: Including fresh chicken and local fish.
The "Must-Try" Dish: Many people say you haven't truly visited Cambodia until you've tried our national dish: Fish Amok. It is a creamy, mild, and fragrant curry steamed in a banana leaf.
Opening Hours: 7:00 AM – 9:30 PM
Check out our Menu at the Guesthouse here, and the Boutique here
Here's where everything is:
All the restaurants below are marked on the map. Click any pin for a description and opening hours — use the filter buttons to browse by category.
When you have a meal at Sala Bai Restaurant you´ll be actively participating in the vocational training of young disadvantages Cambodians by allowing them to practice their newly acquired skills in real conditions while financing their training.
The fusion cuisine of Sala Bai prepares students for international standards of hospitality and offers a selection of varied dishes (international and Khmer) taking you on an unforgettable culinary journey.
Sala Bai training Restaurant is situated inside Sala Bai Hotel School, a bit outside the city center of Siem Reap, next to the river on the way to Lake Tonle Sap.
The restaurant is open for lunch from 12.00 pm to 2.00 pm every weekday (Monday to Friday. Closed on public holidays).
Spoons restaurant is part of EGBOK mission, a program that originally provided supplemental classes, housing, job and financial support to young disadvantaged Cambodians studying at other hospitality schools in Siem Reap, like Sala Bai Hotel School. Now EGBOK has grown into their own training and internship program formally recognized by the Cambodian Government.
Spoons provides hands-on service training for their students and they serve a delicious array of Cambodian cuisine, from street food favorites to classic home-style dishes. The restaurants profits are channeled directly back to support EGBOK, helping them to achieve greater financial stability and sustainability.
Spoons is a very charming bamboo restaurant, situated near Wat Damnak, not so far from the city center of Siem Reap.
Open Monday to Saturday, 11.30 am to 10 pm.
HAVEN is exactly what it means: an oasis for their guests and a safe place for their “family”, their trainees and staff.
While enjoying a dish from their special selection of flavorful Asian and Western food – including many fresh vegetarian dishes – you are supporting their training program and thereby helping disadvantage young adults to achieve a secure and independent future.
At HAVEN they are extremely passionate about taking care of the environment. They have a very long list of environmental initiatives they have implemented.
“Because offering a better future also involves reducing our environmental footprint and help sustain a healthy planet”.
Bayon Pastry School is part of l´ecole du Bayon, a French association working to provide education to 400 underprivileged children and youth living in the Angkor temples area and the nearby village.
Bayon Pastry School is an 11 months program for underprivileged women. During this time they receive pastry courses, both theory and practice at the coffee shop/bakery. They also receive English classes, business-, mathematic-, computer science-, accounting- and personal development classes.
This very charming coffee shop/bakery is located in a peaceful garden not far from the city center of Siem Reap. Here you can enjoy tasty pastries freshly baked by the students, as well as delicious hot and cold coffees, teas and fresh drinks. The cozy garden makes this a great place for a family treat or brunch.
New Leaf eatery is a social enterprise café/restaurant in the heart of Siem Reap. New Leaf has implemented numerous environmentally friendly initiatives and adopted fair employment practices; including a living wage, profit share, regular training and providing career development opportunities.
20% of profits are donated to chosen local educational charities (such as PEPY Empowering Youth and SeeBeyondBorders).
15% of profits are shared directly among their Cambodian staff.
Located in the heart of Siem Reap, just minutes away from pub street, New Leaf eatery is the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle and enjoy excellent Khmer and international cuisine.
Open every day from 7.30 am – 9.30 pm.
Sister Srey Cafés vision is to support young Khmer students who struggle to keep balance between study and supporting their family. Each staff member is trained in hospitality, English language skills, personal development, health and Hygiene and banking. Sister Srey is a stepping stone to a brighter future and a means for them to have skills and knowledge to approach the world empowered and confident.
Sister Srey donates a percentage of their profits to APOPO, a humanitarian landmine clearance project in Cambodia. They also have various incentives and activities in which support the local and rural community. They are also extremely passionate about environmental sustainability and have implemented an impressive long list of environmental initiatives.
Everything in Sister Srey is prepared fresh daily. Their produce is as organic and chemical free as possible and they are gluten free, vegan, vegetarian and food intolerant friendly.
Sister Srey café is situated by the river right in the heart of Siem Reap, and is open every day from 7.00 am – 6 pm.
Footprint Café provides excellent employment conditions for their local team and investing in their future through training and skills development allowing them to follow their dreams. They source ethically and locally whenever they can as well as doing all they can to reduce, reuse and recycle. 100% of their net profits is giver as grants back to the local community as education and entrepreneurial grants decided by a local committee.
Footprints Café is located one street 26, not so far from Babel Guesthouse, only a small walk from Siem Reap´s beautiful meandering river. A modersn, stylish, book lined interior is complimented with a small green outdoor seating area. Customers can choose from an array of meals and snacks both local and international as well as freshly made smoothies, juices and of course coffee, cocktails and teas.
The vision at The Little Red Fox Espresso is one that always looks into the future for their team. Training and support in their workplace is of integral importance. They endeavor to guide their team members in many aspects of life. Hospitality skills, English skills, general world knowledge, health and hygiene, savings plans, personal development and environmental improvement.
The Little Red Fox Espresso was one of the first cafes in Siem Reap to take noticeable action towards lowering its daily carbon footprint and sharing the knowledge on how to go green and clean with their team and the community.
With a large variety of brewing techniques complemented by a delicious foxy menu and a devoted and powerful ethos; its no wonder The Little Red Fox Espresso has quickly become one of the favorite spots in town for both locals and expats.
The little Red Fox is situated in Kandal Village.
Open Thursday – Tuesday 7:00 am – 5:00 pm. Wednesdays closed.
Tevy’s Place
Tevy’s Place is a humble restaurant located on the vibrant Street 26, offering outstanding food made with love. Founded by Tevy, a local woman dedicated to helping Cambodian women build better lives, the restaurant provides jobs, training, and a supportive environment. Tevy’s remarkable story is one of hardship, resilience, and inspirational courage, and her food reflects her life experiences.
At Tevy’s Place, you can enjoy delicious Cambodian cuisine made from fresh, local ingredients. Every meal you order contributes to empowering the women who work here, providing them with valuable skills and opportunities.
Open daily from 7:30 am- 9:30 pm
Marum is back — and it is one of our personal favourites. Operated by Friends International, Marum provides hospitality training to disadvantaged youth: young people who were former street children, scavengers, or in conflict with the law, given a genuine path to independence through a career in hospitality.
The restaurant is housed in a charming timber house surrounded by a leafy garden, perfect for families. The menu is a creative mix of Cambodian and international dishes served tapas-style — small sharing plates that are beautifully presented and full of flavour. Popular dishes include baked tilapia with spicy miso butter, prahok k'tis with crispy rice, and for the adventurous, red tree ant and beef stir-fry.
Also make sure to check out the Friends International NGO shop - well worth a browse while you wait for dessert.
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 5pm to 9:30pm. Closed Monday. Just a short walk from Babel Guesthouse.
More than just a café — Heartprint Hub is a community-driven space where every visit directly supports Heartprint, an Australian-registered charity working alongside Cambodian families to build safer, more secure futures. Behind it are Wendy and Garry O'Brien, an Australian couple who have spent over a decade in Siem Reap building houses, running community programmes, and watching the children they once supported grow into the adults who now work alongside them.
All profits from the café go towards funding projects at the Heartprint Community Centre. The food is freshly prepared, always generously portioned, and caters to all dietary requirements including many vegan and vegetarian options. The menu is full of home-cooked dishes — try the smoothie bowls, the Snickers Bowl in particular, and excellent coffee. There is also a fair-trade shop selling handmade gifts by local women.
Open Monday, Wednesday–Sunday. Located on the Angkor Night Market Street.
A beautiful vegetarian garden restaurant on Street 26, just a short walk from Babel Boutique Hotel. Banlle grows their own herbs and vegetables in the garden and the freshness shows on the plate. The menu is entirely plant-based, with indoor air-conditioned seating available alongside the shaded garden. A peaceful, honest, and delicious spot. Prices from $5 to $12.
Open Monday, Wednesday–Sunday. Closed Tuesday.
Tucked into a lush garden in the Wat Damnak area, Wild has built a devoted following for its extraordinary variety of fresh and fried spring rolls — creative flavour combinations you won't find anywhere else in town. Their cocktail menu is inventive, the mocktails are excellent, and the dessert rolls are not to be missed. A real local favourite, and outstanding value. Great for families as well.
Prices $3.50–$5. Open daily.
One of the finest dining experiences in all of Cambodia. Chef Joannès Rivière has built a reputation for menus that are deeply rooted in Khmer culinary tradition, elevated with classical French technique and an obsessive focus on local, seasonal ingredients — seafood from Koh Kong, vegetables from Mondulkiri, herbs from farms around Siem Reap.
The menu changes regularly and is served as a tasting set.
8 courses for 45.00 USD. Booking is essential, and we strongly recommend it for a special evening.
Please note: children under 12 are not admitted. Open Tuesday–Sunday from 6pm. Closed Monday.
The most authentic Italian restaurant in Siem Reap, and one of our personal favourites in the Old Market area. Wood-fired pizzas, fresh hand-cut pasta made from the owner's grandmother's traditional recipes, and a warm atmosphere that feels genuinely Italian.
Don't miss the upstairs balcony for people-watching over a glass of wine. Prices $6–$20.
Open daily.
Wonderful French food in a renovated traditional Khmer house with a beautiful garden setting — one of the most charming spots in Siem Reap. The menu is classic French done properly, the wine list is solid, and the atmosphere is relaxed and unhurried. There is a playroom and trampolines in the garden, making it a great choice for families with children. Cash only. Prices $8–$20.
Open Friday–Sunday for lunch and dinner; Wednesday–Thursday evenings only. Closed Monday–Tuesday.
