🍺 Cambodian Drinks Guide 2026
From $0.50 draft beers served with ice to world-class Cambodian coffee and traditional rice wine — here's everything to drink in the Kingdom of Cambodia.
Overview
Cambodia's drink culture is diverse, affordable, and deeply social. Beer is the national social lubricant — always served cold with ice. Coffee is an art form, with the Cambodian iced coffee rivaling Vietnam's famous cà phê sữa đá. And in the countryside, traditional rice wine and palm wine connect visitors to centuries of Khmer tradition.
Beer Culture
Beer is king in Cambodia. The country consumes more beer per capita than most of its neighbors, and the social ritual of sharing beers with ice at outdoor "beer gardens" is central to Cambodian social life. "Chhoul muoy!" (Cheers!) is the phrase you'll hear most often.
Angkor Beer
ប៊ីអង្គរ
Cambodia's iconic national beer — a light, crisp lager brewed since 2003. The temple logo is instantly recognizable. The most popular beer in the country.
📍 Everywhere — from street stalls to upscale restaurants
Cambodia Beer
The other major domestic lager, slightly sweeter than Angkor. Often on draught at local bars for $0.50/glass.
📍 Bars, restaurants, convenience stores
Klang Beer
A stronger (6.5%) Cambodian beer for those wanting more kick. Popular with locals.
📍 Local bars, street stalls
Kingdom Pilsner
A newer Cambodian craft-style pilsner with more hop character. Growing in popularity among expats.
📍 Bars and restaurants in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap
Draft Beer (bia saot)
Fresh draught beer served in frosted glasses with ice — the quintessential Cambodian drinking experience. Often $0.50 per glass at "beer gardens."
📍 Beer gardens, riverside bars, BBQ restaurants
Rice Wine & Spirits
Traditional Cambodian rice wine (sra sor) has been brewed for centuries. It's the drink of ceremonies, celebrations, and rural life. Palm wine is tapped fresh daily from sugar palms — a living tradition you can witness in provinces like Kampong Speu.
Sra Sor (Rice Wine)
ស្រាស
Traditional Cambodian rice wine, often homemade in rural villages. Ranges from mildly sweet to potently strong. Some varieties infused with fruits, herbs, or even snakes/scorpions.
📍 Rural villages, local markets, some tourist bars
Palm Wine (Tuk Tnot)
ទឹកត្នោត
Fresh sap tapped from sugar palm trees, mildly alcoholic when fermented. Sweet, slightly fizzy, and refreshing. A true taste of rural Cambodia.
📍 Countryside markets, particularly Kampong Speu and Kampong Chhnang
Snake Wine
Rice wine infused with a preserved snake (or scorpion). More of a novelty/souvenir than a daily drink. Believed to have medicinal properties.
📍 Tourist markets, souvenir shops
Cambodian Coffee
Cambodian iced coffee is a revelation — thick, sweet, and intensely caffeinated. The traditional style uses dark-roasted Robusta beans brewed through a cloth filter, mixed with condensed milk and poured over ice. For more, see our Coffee Culture guide.
Iced Coffee (Cafe Tuk Kork)
កាហ្វេទឹកកក
Cambodia's signature drink — strong dark-roasted coffee with sweetened condensed milk over ice. Rich, sweet, and addictive. Every street corner has a vendor.
📍 Street vendors, cafes, restaurants
Hot Black Coffee (Cafe Khmau)
Strong black coffee, often brewed through a traditional cloth filter. Intense and slightly bitter.
📍 Street vendors, morning markets
Specialty Coffee
Cambodia grows excellent Robusta and increasingly Arabica (Mondulkiri, Ratanakiri). A growing specialty scene in PP and SR offers single-origin Cambodian pour-overs.
📍 Specialty cafes in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap
Smoothies & Juices
Fresh Fruit Smoothies
Blended tropical fruits (mango, passion fruit, dragon fruit, banana) with ice. Ubiquitous and incredible value.
📍 Everywhere — street vendors, restaurants, bars
Fresh Coconut Water
Young coconuts cracked open and served with a straw. Supremely refreshing in Cambodia's heat.
📍 Street vendors, beaches, markets
Sugarcane Juice (Tuk Ampov)
ទឹកអំពៅ
Freshly pressed sugarcane with lime and sometimes pandan leaves. Incredibly refreshing and available on every major street.
📍 Street cart vendors throughout Cambodia
Street Drinks
Some of Cambodia's best drinks come from street carts and morning market vendors. These are the everyday drinks that fuel Cambodian life.
Iced Tea (Tuk Tae)
Sweet iced tea in a plastic bag with a straw — the default free drink at many Khmer restaurants. Light, refreshing, and usually complimentary.
📍 Local restaurants, street stalls
Soy Milk (Tuk Sandek)
Fresh soy milk, often warm in the morning, cold in the afternoon. Popular breakfast drink.
📍 Morning markets, street vendors
Chrysanthemum Tea
Bottled or fresh chrysanthemum tea — sweet, floral, and popular with locals.
📍 Convenience stores, street vendors
Nom Banchok Broth
Not technically a drink, but the fish-based broth served with Cambodian noodles is often sipped as a soup-drink. Rich and savory.
📍 Morning market noodle stalls
Cocktail Scene
Cambodia's cocktail scene has exploded in recent years. Phnom Penh and Siem Reap now have world-class cocktail bars, while the islands and backpacker areas offer the classic "bucket" experience.
Bucket Cocktails
Shared buckets of spirits, mixer, and Red Bull — a backpacker party staple on Pub Street and the islands.
📍 Pub Street Siem Reap, Koh Rong, Otres Beach
Craft Cocktails
Cambodia's cocktail scene is booming. PP and SR have world-class cocktail bars using local ingredients like Kampot pepper, palm sugar, and tropical fruits.
📍 Eclipse Sky Bar, Juniper (PP), Miss Wong (SR)
Happy Pizza Drinks
Some bars in tourist areas offer "happy" versions of drinks. Be aware these may contain cannabis. Legal gray area — proceed with caution.
📍 Tourist areas (declining, as regulations tighten)
Tea & Herbal Drinks
Tea is less prominent than coffee in Cambodian culture, but it's growing. Chinese-style tea is common in Chinese-Cambodian households, and herbal infusions using local plants are traditional remedies. Many restaurants serve complimentary iced tea (tuk tae) — a light, sweet tea that's the default "water" at Khmer eateries.
Drinking Tips
- Ice is safe in cities and tourist areas — it's commercially produced in hygienic factories
- Never drink tap water — bottled water is $0.25–0.50 everywhere
- "Chhoul muoy!" (ជល់មួយ) means "Cheers!" — always toast before the first sip
- Beer with ice is the norm, not a tourist thing — embrace it
- Try iced coffee from a street vendor before a cafe — it's usually better and 1/4 the price
- Palm wine is seasonal — best during dry season (Nov–Apr) when sap flows most
- Bring your own cup to reduce plastic — street drinks come in plastic bags
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
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