Best Restaurants & Cafes in Kampot
Where should I eat in Kampot?
Kampot's food scene is intimate and exceptional. The town's famous pepper elevates every dish, the riverside provides the perfect dining backdrop, and a community of passionate restaurateurs has created a food scene that rivals cities ten times its size. Kampot pepper — considered the world's finest — features on virtually every menu.
- Everything tastes better with Kampot pepper — ask for green pepper sauce on any Khmer dish
- Sunset dinners on the riverside are unmissable — book Rikitikitavi's terrace in advance
- The food scene is small — you can eat at every good restaurant in 3-4 days
- Buy Kampot pepper directly from farms ($8-12/bag) — it's the perfect souvenir
Overview
Kampot's food scene is intimate and exceptional. The town's famous pepper elevates every dish, the riverside provides the perfect dining backdrop, and a community of passionate restaurateurs has created a food scene that rivals cities ten times its size. Kampot pepper — considered the world's finest — features on virtually every menu.
The food scene is driven by passionate expat chefs and local cooks who've turned this tiny town into a culinary destination. The riverside restaurants offer sunset dining that's among the most atmospheric in Southeast Asia. The coffee scene is smaller but growing, with a few excellent specialty spots.
🍽️ Best Restaurants
Rikitikitavi
Kampot's most famous restaurant with a stunning riverside terrace. Excellent Western and Khmer cuisine with cocktails.
Must try: Kampot pepper steak
Ellie's
Creative Mediterranean-influenced dishes using local ingredients. Beautiful garden setting and excellent cocktails.
Must try: Grilled fish with pepper sauce
The Rusty Keyhole
Legendary BBQ restaurant with the best ribs in Cambodia. Live music some evenings. A Kampot institution.
Must try: BBQ ribs, Kampot pepper wings
Café Espresso
Cozy Italian-run cafe-restaurant with authentic pasta, great coffee, and a book exchange. Popular for breakfast and lunch.
Must try: Fresh pasta, Tiramisu
Epic Arts Cafe
Social enterprise cafe supporting deaf and disabled artists. Excellent pastries, salads, and a shop selling local art.
Must try: Pastries, Fresh juices
☕ Best Cafes
Espresso Kampot
Dedicated to Cambodian specialty coffee with beans sourced from Mondulkiri highlands. The passion project of a local roaster.
Oh Neil's
Riverside cafe-bar transitioning from coffee to cocktails as the sun sets. Perfect spot for Kampot's famous sunsets.
🥘 Street Food Hotspots
Kampot Central Market
Fresh fruit, num pang, noodle soups
Old Town center
Evening Riverside Stalls
Grilled corn, BBQ, fresh sugarcane juice
Riverside promenade
💡 Tips
- • Everything tastes better with Kampot pepper — ask for green pepper sauce on any Khmer dish
- • Sunset dinners on the riverside are unmissable — book Rikitikitavi's terrace in advance
- • The food scene is small — you can eat at every good restaurant in 3-4 days
- • Buy Kampot pepper directly from farms ($8-12/bag) — it's the perfect souvenir
- • Kampot is increasingly vegetarian/vegan friendly — most restaurants have plant-based options
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Explore more Cambodian food: Complete Food Guide →
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