Vegan in Siem Reap

Siem Reap was my stop first on a 2 month trip through Southeast Asia. It was my first time ever to Cambodia, and it far exceeded my expectations. I have SO many great things to say about Siem Reap and Cambodia as a country which I would be more than happy to share with you. However, for this post, I’m going to stick to what this blog is all about…delicious vegan food and where to find it when traveling abroad!

Anyways, about Siem Reap’s vegan scene. In short, it rocks. There were a lot of vegan restaurants to choose from as well as non-vegan restaurants with plenty of vegan options on the menu! I never once was in a situation where I was hungry and couldn’t find or didn’t have access to something I could eat. What made things even easier was that Cambodia and especially Siem Reap is VERY English friendly. This made certain tasks such as asking a server about ingredients or hunting down vegan snacks in the supermarket a lot less stressful.

Restaurants

New Leaf Eatery
Kratie Monk, Krong Siem Reap 17252, Cambodia

This restaurant was super cute and conveniently located near the Old Market so you can go shopping after your meal! What’s even better is that they donate a percentage of their profit to different local charities that support education. New Leaf Eatery is not a fully vegan restaurant but has plenty of (labeled) vegan options on the menu to choose from. I ordered the Big Vegan Fry-up and an Iced Soy Latte.

Gelato Lab
House # 11, Mondol 1 Village Siem Reap, 17252, Cambodia

Vegan gelato…need I say more? The menu is full of both vegan and non-vegan flavors. Some of the vegan flavors included: Mango, Mandarin, Strawberry, Dragonfruit, Passionfruit, and Chocolate. I went for the dragonfruit (mostly because I loved the vibrant pink color of it, haha) and it ended up being the perfect treat in the hot Southeast Asia weather!

Soul Kitchen (Permanently Closed?)
Corner of Sok San Road and Night Market Street Old Market Area, Siem Reap 17000 Cambodia

My friend and I stopped here for cocktails and ended up ordering some hummus, pita, and veggies to go with it. I also noticed some other menu items that appeared to be vegan such as falafel, samosa, vegetable coconut curry, and there’s even talk of Wednesday night “roasts” which includes a vegetarian nut roast on the menu. I did NOT confirm that these other vegetarian options are vegan. I only confirmed that the hummus and pita is vegan as that’s what I ordered. So, if you end up going to Soul Kitchen and want to order something different, I suggest double checking whether they are 100 percent vegan or not.

Chamkar Vegetarian Restaurant
Street Alley W, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia

This was the restaurant in Siem Reap that I was most excited to try. I wanted to try some traditional Khmer cuisine that was vegan friendly, and this did not disappoint. Actually, it ended up being my friend’s favorite meal in all of Siem Reap, and she’s not even vegan. The food is just that good. We got the Biting Amok and Stirring Curry. Both dishes were very flavorful and gave me so much satisfaction knowing I could finally try some local flavors!

Mahob Buos
Wat Svay Rd, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia

I had little to no expectations for this place. Why? No idea! It simply did not “stick out” to me on my list of vegan restaurants in the city. However, it was located really close to our hotel so we ended up going there for lunch one day. To say it exceeded my expectations is an understatement, it ended up being my favorite meal during our time in Siem Reap. The restaurant itself was so cute, the staff friendly and attentive, and the food was outstanding. The menu was quite large so choosing what to eat was difficult, but we settled on the Famous Amok and Chicken-Rice. I’m a sucker for “mock meats” so the Chicken-Rice was a winner for me, and as for the Famous Amok…well, I can see why they call it “famous”. Not only was it delicious, but it was also beautifully presented in a banana leaf.

Bang Bang Bakery
Taphul Road, Krong Siem Reap 17254, Cambodia

This bakery is very close to Mahob Buos so we ended up coming here for dessert after lunch. My friend and I shared a piece of chocolate cake (vegan, of course). To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of chocolate cake, but this one had more of a brownie texture which I really enjoyed. There were plenty of other vegan offerings on the menu as well including other cakes, tarts, cookies, bread, bagels with (vegan) cream cheese, and even a Caprese Sandwich with vegan mozzarella. My only regret is that I don’t have 5 stomachs to try it all.

Miss Wong’s
House No. 2 Road, Mondol 1 Village, 17252, Cambodia

This is a really well-known spot in the city for cocktails, but I was happy to find that they also offered some vegan food on their menu, too. I ordered two dishes: Dry-fried Mushroom Potstickers and Tea Smoked Tofu Pockets with Mushroom Stuffing. The potstickers were really tasty and an excellent snack to have with my cocktail. As for the Tofu Pockets…they were a bit too “smokey” for my taste (You can’t like everything you try I guess!).

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Vibe
715 Street 14 Mondul 1 Village សៀមរាប, 17252, Cambodia

Vibe is a very well known vegan establishment in Cambodia and has branches in both Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. After eating there, it’s easy to see why it’s so popular. It had a nice, relaxed vibe and an exciting, creative menu. My friend and I split the Amazonian Acai Bowl and the Mexicana Tacos. My friend also ordered the Spirulina Latte to drink. It’s hard to choose a favorite between these two dishes because the Acai Bowl was just GORGEOUS (although I wish it was served a bit colder) and the tacos were so flavorful and unique (the ‘chorizo’ is made with sunflower and carrot). I think this restaurant is definitely worth your time while visiting Siem Reap or Phnom Penh.

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The Hive
House 631 Central Market St, Krong Siem Reap 17252, Cambodia

This cafe is right around the corner from Vibe. I discovered it while looking for a cafe to work in. It served it’s purpose perfectly as it had AC, good wifi, lots of outlets, and vegan menu options. Since I had just eaten, I didn’t order any food although I noticed a few vegan options on the menu such as toast, salads, and sandwiches. I just wanted something to sip on while doing my work , so I ordered a Soy Turmeric Latte. It was a good comfort drink and I enjoyed it’s warmth and spiciness even with the weather being so hot outside.

Morninga (Permanently Closed?)
Sivatha Road, Steung Thmei, 17252, Cambodia

Two words: Kombucha. Flight. Need I say more? Morninga is a beautiful restaurant tucked away off the main streets in Siem Reap. It has outdoor seating surrounded by greenery which offered a kind of oasis from the busy, city streets. The drink menu was huge and had so many different options ranging from vegan beer, wine, and cocktails to coffee, tea, and kombucha flights. I specifically sought out this restaurant for the kombucha flight and it definitely was worth my hype. The flavors we had were Lemongrass & Ginger, Raspberry & Lime, Mango Passion Tumeric, and a sugarcane lime juice (not kombucha).

Finally…the food. I stuck with appetizers this time. I got the Buffalo Cauliflower and Tofu Nuggets. For the Nuggets, you get to choose between four different sauces, and naturally, I went for the Korean Gochujang. Our dishes were tasty and I was blown away by the vegan food options in general. They had so many delicious sounding vegan options on their menu! I was honestly sad I couldn’t come back to try more!

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La Pasta
2 Thnou St, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia

Fresh, authentic, homemade pasta in the center of Siem Reap? Yes please! As a general rule, for my last meal in any city, I like to eat something local. However, I simply couldn’t resist the idea of some homemade vegan Italian cuisine. I ordered the vegan carbonara, but other vegan menu items included lasagna, ravioli, meatballs, pizza, and more. I actually have never had carbonara before becoming vegan so I have nothing to compare it with, but this was SO good. I’m not lying when I say this dish was the best pasta I’ve ever eaten in my life. Add some vegan garlic bread on the side, and you’ve got yourself a fine meal!

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