10 Best Cambodian Street Food to Try 2024

For expats, street food Khmer is one of the least appreciated aspects of Cambodian cuisine, but to the tourists, these dishes are the best option to enjoy with friends. Spending your time trying Khmer street food on the street, at the market, or in small local restaurants must be a worth-to-try experience when visiting Cambodia.

Being said to have something in common with the cuisine of the surrounding countries, the street food Khmer still has its own culture and specialties. For example, people may find Cambodian and Thai cuisine are similar, yet the Cambodian version is usually less sweet and chili.

Prahok and Kroeung are two of the seven popular sauces that appear in most local dishes. Prahok is the pungent fermented fish paste, while Kroeung is a spice paste mainly made from lemongrass and galangal. People use them as the base or add flavor to food.

In general, street food in Cambodia is cheap and available, so feel free to take your chances to try the authentic street food of Cambodia. Though the hygiene of the food makes foreigners concerned, the thing is, the safest street food is what is cooked right in front of your eyes.

Here are the 10 best Cambodian street food that you must know.

1. Kang Kep Baob (Stuffed Frog)

The first amazing Cambodian street food that deserves to be on our list is Kang Kep Baob, or stuffed frog. As its name means, the frog is filled with a blend of ingredients.

The mixture of stuff includes chopped frog meat with pork, coconut, peanuts, saffron, and citronella. These are stuffed inside the frog skin, making it fat and funny.

The food needs to be dried under the sun for 15 minutes and then grilled or fried. The hot stuffed frog is served with a delicious smell and tender texture.

Kang Kep Baob as the Stuffed Frog

Where to eat:

1. Bora Cuisine Restaurant

• Address: Street 27 Sangkat SalaKamreuk, Krong, Siem Reap
• Working hours: 11:00 - 23:00  
• Average price: US $10

2. Original Khmer BBQ

• Address: 2 Road, Mondul Mondol Village Krong Siem Reap
• Working hours: 17:00 - 23:00
• Average price: US $5-10

 

2. A-Ping (Deep-fried Tarantula)

You'll be surprised to see the local fried insects on the streets, yet it's part of their street food. A-Ping, the deep-fried spider, is a typical example. Other versions of this dish are silkworms, cockroaches, crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, etc.   

These insects became edible due to the terrible famine that Cambodians experienced in the 1970s. They were so starving that insects were their only source of food.

Even though it's an uncommon dish, it received more positive feedback than you may have thought. The crispy exterior contrasts with the soft center said to be "rather like a cross between chicken and cod", offering an unforgettable experience. 

A-Ping as the Street Food Khmer

Where to eat:

1. Mobile carts in the markets or on the streets.

2. Blue Lime

• Address: 19 No. 42, Street 19z (Off Street 19, Near National Museum, Phnom Penh)
• Working hours: 6:00 - 22:00
• Average price: US $10 - 15

3. Romdeng

• Address: 74 Street 174, Phnom Penh
• Working hours: 10:00 - 22:00
• Average price: US $5 

 

3. Num Pang (Cambodian Sandwich)

Talking about the street food Khmer, we can't skip Num Pang, also known as the Cambodian sandwich. Its carts are almost everywhere, such as outside the market or next to office buildings. You can spot it by the baguette, a bread style that originated in France during the French colonial period, with trays of ingredients.

This type of street bread contains nutrition, including starch, protein, and fiber from vegetables. The meat can be ham or pate, and the veggies are various such as cucumbers, carrots, onions, and chives.

Cambodian street food Sandwich: Num Pang

Where to eat:

1. Nompang, Phnom Penh

• Address: No. 17, Street 310, Phnom Penh
• Working hours: 7:00- 21:00 
• Average price: US $2

2. Pho Langka Market

• Address: vendors along Siem Reap river in the north of the town
• Working hours: lunchtime
• Average price: US $1

 

4. Ang Dtray Meuk (Grilled Squid)

If you are looking for impressive-sized delicious seafood, the grilled squid (the name in Cambodian is Ang Dtray Meuk) is for you. The fresh giant squid is marinated, perfectly barbecued, and served with chili sauce. The seafood's sweetness and the sauce's spiciness delight your taste buds.  

It's not difficult to find street food barbeque in Cambodia. Vendors with mobile carts usually appear on busy streets and markets.

Ang Dtray Meuk as the Grilled Squid

Where to eat: 

1. On the street or around markets

2. Khmer Grill Restaurant

• Address: Watdomnak Road, Siem Reap
• Working hours: 10:00 - 22:00
• Average price: US $10

3. Magic Crab Restaurant

• Address: 33A, Krong Kaeb
• Working hours: 8:00 - 22:00
• Average price: US $10

 

5. Nom Ka Chai (Chive Cakes)

Like all Cambodian street food, you can find Nom Ka Chai or Chive cakes on mobile carts or in small street vendors. This Chinese-inspired cake is made only from glutinous rice flour.

Regardless of this fact, Nom Ka Chai is a great combination of crispy outside and soft and sticky inside, making it quite interesting to bite. Dipping it in the sweet and spicy fish sauce creates a mouth-watering taste.

Nom Ka Chai as a Cambodian street food cakes

Where to eat:

1. Sam Too Pochentong

• Address: No. H5-H6 Federal Russian Blvd., Sangkat Kakab, Khan Posenchey, Phnom Penh
• Working hours: 7:00 - 02:00

2. Family Rye Noodle And Chives Cake

• Address: #27, Wat Bo Village, Siem Reap 
• Working hours: 7:00 - 21:00 

 

6. Kralan (Sticky Rice In Bamboo)

Hunting for a snack or sweet dessert in Cambodia, you shouldn't miss the sticky rice cake in bamboo: Kralan. 

It's a mixture of sticky rice, black beans, grated coconuts, and coconut milk. People put it in bamboo sticks and slowly roast it over the charcoal fire. That's why you will find a hint of smoky flavor when trying this snack.

The filled-in rice is a special fragrant type brought from Battambang, Kratie Provinces, a famous rice terrace. This sweet and salty dessert will give you a soft, delicious taste and make you quite full.

Kralan, the Sticky Rice in Bamboo

Where to eat:

1. Ladies on bicycles around the Angkor Wat

• Average price: US $0.5 - 1, depending on the size of the rice stick

2. The Battambang Bike

• Address: 182 Street 2.5, Krong Battambang
• Working hours: 8:00 - 20:00

 

7. Balut (Fertilized Eggs)

You will find the street food Khmer exotic when trying a dish named Balut, which refers to fertilized eggs. A small warning is that the way the food looks may not really be "attractive". After the chicken or duck eggs are fertilized, people leave them until they reach a certain level suitable for boiling. 

In Cambodia, the dish is served without any bowl but eaten directly from the shell. Add some salt, pepper, and lemon juice, so your rich source of protein is ready. We bet you can't forget its taste for long.    

Balut, the Fertilized Egg

Where to eat:

1. Avocado Milkshake and Balut Duck Egg stand

• Address: St 111, Phnom Penh
• Working hours: 7:00 - 21:00 

2. Corner of St. 402 & St. 187 (Behind Vanda Institute of Accounting)

• Average price: $0.5 per egg

 

8. Scorpion On A Stick

Scorpion on a stick is another Cambodian street food that requires the courage to taste and swallow. This source of protein may look scary, but once you try it, its crunchy texture may change your mind. 

You can easily find this snack on the street, especially near the tourist site. If you don't mind challenging yourself, have a stick of scorpion on your next trip to Cambodia.

A typical Cambodian Street Food

Where to eat:

1. At street vendors around the tourist sites and on the streets.

• Average price: US $1  

2. Pub Street

• Address: Street 08, Siem Reap
• Working hours: 12:00 - 23:59

 

9. Twa Ko (Cambodian Sausage)

One of the typical images of the local market is the Twa Ko sausage hanging off food carts. It comes in skewers or small ball shapes. 

It's made of half pork and half fat, and its taste is quite sweet since locals add palm sugar to it. The red color outside, the sweetness inside, and the feeling of fat make the sausage attractive in its own way.

Twa Ko, the famous Cambodian sausages

Where to eat:

1. Local markets

• Average price: US $0.15

2. Malis Cambodian Restaurant

• Address: 136 Norodom Boulevard, Phnom Penh 
• Working hours: 6:30 - 22:30
• Average price: $1

 

10. Yaohon (Cambodian Hot Pot)

Yaohon, or Cambodian hot pot, is a special preparation for celebrations or family gatherings, but it's also a common food you can find on the streets. 

Its foundation is a soup pot used to cook meat, seafood, and vegetables right on your serving table. People use coconut milk as the base for the soup. Chhnang Plerng is another version of this hot pot with a butter base and herb sauce seasoning. 

It's a pleasure to have this delicious food with your friends on your Cambodia trip.

Cambodian Hot Pot: Yaohan

Where to eat:

1. Little Sheep Hot Pot Cambodia Samdach Pan

• Address: House 27 214, Phnom Penh
• Working hours: 11:00 - 22:00

2. Happy Lamb Hot Pot Restaurant

• Address: HW2P+3WH, Phnom Penh
• Working hours: 11:00 - 2:00

 

The diverse Cambodian street food will bring you from one surprise to another. While some dishes have a familiar delightful taste, others have unique looks and flavors that offer you an adventurous palate.

No matter what feeling you have, savor your adventure, and don't forget to contact BestPrice Travel for more amazing food tours. 

Thu Trang

(Image Source: Internet)