ExploFood · Asia
What to eat in Cambodia
Five dishes to try in Cambodia, the most typical first.
Five dishes to try in Cambodia
Fish amok អាម៉ុក
Fish steamed in coconut milk and kroeung spice paste inside a banana-leaf cup.
How to have it: Restaurants serve it with steamed rice; the traditional version is set like a soft mousse.
Bai sach chrouk បាយសាច់ជ្រូក
Thin slices of grilled pork over broken rice with pickled vegetables.
How to have it: A breakfast from street stalls, sold until mid-morning with a cup of clear broth.
Kuy teav គុយទាវ
Rice noodle soup in pork broth with meat, herbs and fried garlic.
How to have it: A morning soup at markets; season it yourself with lime, chilli and sugar at the table.
Num banh chok នំបញ្ចុក
Fresh rice noodles under a green fish curry with raw herbs and vegetables.
How to have it: Sold by women carrying baskets or at market stalls in the morning.
Samlor korko សម្លកកូរ
Stirred soup of green papaya, pumpkin, greens, kroeung paste and fish or pork.
How to have it: A home-style dish, considered a national soup; eat it with rice at family restaurants.
What to eat next door
Plan the trip
Questions
What food is Cambodia famous for?
Fish amok (fish steamed in coconut milk and kroeung spice paste inside a banana-leaf cup) comes first on our list, followed by Bai sach chrouk, Kuy teav, Num banh chok and Samlor korko.
What is the national dish of Cambodia?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Cambodia is Fish amok: fish steamed in coconut milk and kroeung spice paste inside a banana-leaf cup. Restaurants serve it with steamed rice; the traditional version is set like a soft mousse.
Which dishes in Cambodia are vegetarian?
None of the five dishes on this page is vegetarian as usually made. Ask locally: many places have meat-free versions.
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
Keep exploring
Practical · 3 min readEat your way through a country: how to find the national dishesFood is the fastest way into a place. How to find a country's signature dishes, order them well, eat safely and keep a record of what you have tried.
Planning · 4 min readHow to choose the best time to visit anywhereWeather is only one part of it. Learn how to weigh seasons, crowds, prices and events, with real examples of the best months for popular destinations.
Planning · 4 min readHow to build a travel bucket list you'll actually useTurn a long wish list into a short plan: sort places by ease, season and effort, pick your next three, and keep the list alive after every trip.- Country guidesCountry guidesBest months, weather, holidays and plugs for every country.
- Free toolWhere can I go?Every country your passport opens, sorted by how easy it is.
Tick off every dish you try in Cambodia
Explo is a free app: light up the countries you have visited, keep the dishes you have tried, and check visa rules, weather and holidays before you go.
Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.