The Complete Cambodia Vegan Travel Guide | 2026

Is It Easy To Eat As Vegan In Cambodia?

First things first, how easy it is to be vegan in Cambodia?

It is not difficult to eat vegan in Cambodia, but it is more challenging than in neighboring countries like Thailand or Vietnam.

While Cambodia is famous for serving fried insects at night markets, you won’t see any bugs on restaurant menus. 

Cambodian cuisine is plant-based at its core, but Cambodians add meat or fish to nearly every dish.

Since meat is usually added alongside the vegetables, and most dishes are freshly prepared for each customer, you can ask to skip the meat when preparing your dish. 

Cambodia is a Buddhist country, and vegetarian food in Cambodia is quite common. 

Vegan Travel Tips

If something is vegetarian, you should check if there’s an egg in it – usually, there is.

On the positive side, you don’t have to worry about hidden dairy in your food, as Cambodians rarely add milk, butter, or cheese to their dishes.

One thing that you might have to accept is cross-contamination, especially if you’re eating street food. 

Pans and utensils are barely washed between orders, so theoretically, there could be traces of meat, eggs, and seafood in your dish when eating street food. 

If you find that unacceptable, your best bet is to avoid night markets and eat in vegetarian and vegan restaurants. 

Finally, Cambodia is a tropical country, and fruits and veggies are 100% vegan. Take advantage of all the fresh, juicy fruits you can find on the markets and stock up on your vitamins!

Do Cambodians Understand Vegan

Unless you’re in a vegan restaurant, most locals won’t know what vegan is. Even vegetarian restaurants can be a hit or miss! 

That’s why I suggest you always ask about specific ingredients being part of the dish, instead of just asking if the dish is vegan.

In most places I visited, Cambodian locals spoke fluent English.

I traveled in Cambodia solo, and I prefer to go to places that are on the Happycow App because I’m scared of people not understanding what vegan means – I’ve been served non-vegan food more times than I can count. 

If you stay in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Kampot, and the islands, which are the most popular stops on a Cambodian itinerary, you’ll probably be fine with English.

However, if you’re venturing off the beaten tourist path, you might struggle to find someone who speaks English. 

In that case, there are vegan phrases in the Khmer language that you can print out or screenshot to show to the staff.

Accidentally Vegan Food In Cambodia

So, since most traditional Cambodian dishes are not vegan, what can you eat?

Trying Cambodian cuisine is one of the top reasons to visit Cambodia, so you’ll be happy to know that many places also offer vegan versions of traditional dishes. 

Furthermore, you can eat vegan in nearly every Cambodian restaurant. Many Cambodian dishes can easily be made vegan, even if the restaurant has no vegan options on the menu.

Noodles are always an easy option! You can simply ask for vegetarian noodles without an egg. 

Fried rice is also very easy to veganize. Ask for vegetarian fried rice without an egg. 

Stir-fried vegetables or morning glory are tasty with plain rice, just make sure they don’t add fish or oyster sauce while making it.

Tofu is popular throughout Southeast Asia, and most restaurants will have at least one tofu dish on their menu.

Cambodian Vegan Recipes

There aren’t many Vegan Cambodian recipes, so the best way to enjoy vegan Cambodian cuisine is to adapt them and cook them yourself!

I spent 3 days on a yoga retreat in Cambodia, and we had a Khmer cook who prepared vegan Khmer dishes for us every day! 

Cambodian cooking classes are a fantastic way to learn more about the local cooking practice, popular ingredients, and the 

I did this cooking class in Siem Reap, and I got to prepare 4 vegan traditional dishes.

Some of the dishes you can make are vegetable curry, pineapple fried rice, mango salad, stir-fried tofu, and more.

I also learned about Cambodian food that is accidentally vegan – like caramelized bananas, caramelized sweet potatoes, and bananas in coconut milk.

Vegan Street Food In Cambodia

I didn’t have much luck with vegan street food in Cambodia. However, there are several dishes that you can find on night markets that are accidentally vegan!

Some of the dishes you should look out for are:

• Chive cakes: rice flour, coconut milk, and chive fried dough balls
• Caramelized bananas or sweet potatoes
• Sticky rice in bamboo
• Fruit juices and smoothies – but make sure they don’t add condensed milk!

You can also get vegetarian noodles without eggs if you’re traveling to Cambodia on a budget, but I don’t think you can live just off of them long-term. 

Vegan Food In Cambodian Supermarkets

I also didn’t have much luck with the Cambodian 7-Eleven or other corner stores. 

Most food in Cambodian supermarkets is imported, and you’ll see brands like Almond Breeze, Cliff bars, and Oreo.

I found the largest variety of vegan snacks in the Siem Reap market across from the Lub D hostel. Still, it was nothing extraordinary. 

I got a couple of oat bars, Oreos, and Lays that turned out not to be vegan. Since when do they add milk to regular potato chips?

Vegan Around Cambodia

As a vegan in Cambodia, you’ll be glad to know that more and more vegan-friendly restaurants are opening throughout the country. 

Even regular restaurants are starting to add more vegan options and labeling them as vegan!

VEGAN PHNOM PENH GUIDE

You don’t have to worry about vegan food in Phnom Penh! The capital of Cambodia is home to many vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurants.

While there are only a couple of fully vegan restaurants, over 50 different restaurants have vegan options.

If you’re visiting Phnom Penh night market, I don’t think it is worth it for vegan food. I had vegetarian noodles that were cheap but underwhelming. 

Instead, opt for one of many restaurants throughout the city!

Bong Bonlai at YK Art House

Bong Bonlai is the best-rated vegan restaurant in Phnom Penh. 

They serve Asian-Mediterranean fusion cuisine, with a brunch on Sundays. The food is delicious, and you can get anything from burgers to sushi and moussaka. 

The prices are slightly high for Cambodia, with main dishes costing  $5-6 USD.

Surn Yi Mei Shi Guan

This vegetarian restaurant has an extensive menu with noodle and rice dishes, mock meats, and veggie burgers. 

I liked the dish that I got, noodles with vegan chicken and vegan gyoza. It is also very cheap!

Sacred Lotus Cafe

Sacred Lotus is another fully vegan restaurant in Phnom Penh. It is also a guesthouse, so it can be a fun place to stay, as you’ll always be close to some delicious food. 

Masala Dosa Street Kitchen

Masala Dosa is a vegetarian Indian restaurant and one of the most popular in Phnom Penh. If you like Indian food, you shouldn’t skip it!

Mama Wong’s Dumpling And Noodle House

I walked into Mama Wong’s in the popular Bassac Lane, not expecting much, and decided to try their noodle soup. 

The vegetable noodle soup is completely vegan, and the noodles are homemade without eggs. It’s a great option if you’re in the area!

Cuffeine: Plant-Based Coffee

I got a delicious vegan matcha latte in Cuffeine, making it my favorite cafe in Phnom Penh. 

They also make soy and oat milk lattes, so it is a perfect spot for your daily coffee.

I spent 3 days in Phnom Penh, so I couldn’t try more places, but you can see all vegan-friendly restaurants on the Happy Cow App!

VEGAN SIEM REAP GUIDE

In my opinion, Siem Reap is the best place in Cambodia for vegans. 

This popular backpacker hot spot is home to many trendy cafes and restaurants, including several fantastic vegan places.

I spent 4 days in Siem Reap, and I never got bored of food as there was always something new to try.

If you traveled as a vegan before, you know how frustrating it can be to eat the same dish for days. You won’t have that problem in Siem Reap!

Here are some of the best vegan restaurants in Siem Reap:

HeyBong – The Healthy Secrets

HeyBong is the best vegan restaurant Siem Reap has to offer. It is a bit outside the main tourist area, but realistically, it’s just a short walk from the main strip.

I had such a hard time deciding what to try, as everything on the menu looked delicious! In the end, I went for pandan pancakes and a gyro wrap. They were both delicious!

Banlle Vegetarian Restaurant

Banlle is one of the most popular vegan places in Siem Reap. It is almost a fine-dining vegetarian restaurant, with tranquil garden seating. 

The food is authentic Cambodian food, including mushroom lok lak, fermented tofu, and curry dishes.

Sambo Restaurant

Sambo was my favorite restaurant in Siem Reap, and I went there for dinner two days in a row.

It is not fully vegan, but they have a vegan menu. They veganize all traditional Khmer dishes, like Amok, curry, and lok lak.

I loved everything I tried, and so did my friends. The food is simple, delicious, and cheap!

The Muffin Man

Cambodian desserts are not my thing; I prefer a nice hearty cake, and the cakes in Muffin Man were beyond delicious! 

I went to The Muffin Man every day of my trip. Their Matcha latte with almond milk was also fantastic!

Footprint Cafe

This small cafe is a fantastic spot for lunch. They have several marked vegan options, including pancakes, burgers, and pasta.

I tried their pesto pasta. It was a good lunch option, with sun-dried tomatoes and olives!

VEGAN KAMPOT GUIDE

I wasn’t expecting to find many vegan options in Kampot, but I was pleasantly surprised by the vegan restaurants in Kampot. 

If you’re spending 2-3 days in Kampot, you can eat in different restaurants every day. Although I loved one of the restaurants and came back multiple times.

Here are some of the best vegan restaurants in Kampot:

Simple Things

Simple Things had some of the best vegan food I had on this trip. Their crispy tofu wrap was so good that I even took one to have when I took a bus back to Phnom Penh.

They have a large menu of mostly Western food, like wraps, pasta, and pizzas. It is the place to go when you want a break from local cuisine. 

Deva Cafe

Deva Cafe is a fully vegan restaurant and one of the most popular vegan spots in Kampot. They serve breakfast food like smoothie bowls and vegan Khmer food for lunch and dinner. 

It is a great place to try vegan versions of local dishes like Khmer pad thai, vegan amok, and curry.

CV Cafe

You’ll find CV Cafe just a few houses away from Deva Cafe. This vegetarian restaurant has quite a similar menu but with more Western options. 

I had a breakfast smoothie here, and it was great!

Cambodhi

Cambodhi is a recently opened, fully vegan restaurant in Kampot. It is a bit outside of the city center, but it is easy to get around Cambodia with Grab.

It is also a guesthouse, so it can be a great option if you want to stay somewhere with great food. They serve all-day breakfast and vegan versions of local fishes like Amok.

CAMBODIAN ISLANDS VEGAN GUIDE

You might be disappointed with vegan options on Cambodian Island, as there is not a single vegan or vegetarian restaurant available.

Be prepared that the food is more expensive than in mainland Cambodia, and you’ll have more luck in some parts of the islands than others. 

Also, backpacker hostel chains in Cambodia, like Mad Monkey and Onederz, have English-speaking staff that can prepare something vegan for you. 

Some of the top-rated vegan-friendly restaurants are:

• Bongs, Koh Rong
• Bamboo Jam