Best Restaurants in Phnom Penh — Restaurants for Kings

Q: What is the best restaurant in Phnom Penh?

For 2026, our editorial pick is Cuts. Editorial runners-up: Restaurant Le Royal, Brasserie Louis, Topaz, Malis.

Best for First Date in Phnom Penh

Rosewood's all-day French brasserie. The most versatile serious dining room in Phnom Penh.

The first-date pick in Phnom Penh is Brasserie Louis — Modern French Brasserie, $$$, set in BKK1 / Vattanac Capital Tower. Brasserie Louis is the Phnom Penh first date for anyone who wants the Rosewood's altitude and service infrastructure without the deal-closing weight of Cuts next door. The brasserie format is inherently first-date friendly: the menu is long, the portions are shareable if wanted, the cocktail programme runs to 40 option

Best for Business Dinner in Phnom Penh

For closing a deal or hosting serious clients, Cuts is the default. Cuts is the Phnom Penh deal-closing dinner by default. The altitude, the view, the cabinet, the wine list, and the Rosewood service infrastructure combine to produce an evening whose implicit signals align with any serious negotiation. The private dining room, available on the same floor, provides the discretion that a

The Top 10 in Phnom Penh

Our editorial ranking. 5 restaurants, three scores (Food, Ambience, Value), one occasion assignment.

Cuts

The Rosewood Phnom Penh's sky-level steakhouse. The city's undisputed power-dinner table. — Steakhouse, $$$$. Best for Close a Deal.

Restaurant Le Royal

The capital's grande dame. Raffles Le Royal's principal dining room preserves 1929 colonial elegance at contemporary standards. — Classical French and Royal Khmer, $$$$. Best for Proposal.

Brasserie Louis

Rosewood's all-day French brasserie. The most versatile serious dining room in Phnom Penh. — Modern French Brasserie, $$$. Best for First Date.

Topaz

Phnom Penh's longest-running serious French restaurant. The independent table the international community has defaulted to for two decades. — Modern French, $$$. Best for Close a Deal.

Malis

Cambodia's most celebrated contemporary Khmer kitchen. Chef Luu Meng's royal-palace cuisine, precisely rendered. — Royal Khmer, $$$. Best for Impress Clients.

Dining in Phnom Penh: A Guide

Phnom Penh's serious dining map was, until roughly 2015, almost entirely hotel-based — Raffles, Sofitel, and the InterContinental were the default. The intervening decade has changed that completely. The arrival of Rosewood Phnom Penh in 2018, occupying the top 14 floors of the Vattanac Capital Tower, added a fine-dining stack (Cuts, Brasserie Louis, Sora) that raised the city's ceiling. A parallel movement of Khmer cuisine's formal presentation — led by Malis in the capital and Sombok in the emerging fine-Khmer cohort — has produced restaurants where French-trained Cambodian chefs are working contemporary versions of royal palace cuisine.

The best tables cluster in BKK1 — the central business district — and along the riverfront that fronts the Royal Palace. Rosewood's tower is the anchor for business dining; Raffles Le Royal is the anchor for heritage dining; and the independent restaurants along Street 240 and Street 51 are the cohort driving the new Khmer map. Dress is smart casual; tropical rain defines the June–October logistics; and reservations at the top tables should be made 48 hours ahead in high season.

Tipping is appreciated but not expected — 10% is generous. The USD is widely accepted alongside the riel, and prices at the top tables are typically quoted in USD. Alcohol is widely available; Cambodia has a developing wine market and a robust local beer culture. The humidity pushes most serious dining into air-conditioned indoor rooms; the riverfront terraces work best in the November–February cool season. The value of dining in Phnom Penh, relative to Singapore or Bangkok, is genuinely remarkable — a Rosewood steak dinner at Cuts will typically run USD 80 per person versus USD 200 at its Singapore equivalents.

For further reading, our First Date occasion guide, Proposal guide, and Close a Deal guide cover the global tables that sit alongside Phnom Penh's map. The Methodology page explains how we score.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best restaurant in Phnom Penh?

For 2026, our editorial pick is Cuts. Editorial runners-up: Restaurant Le Royal, Brasserie Louis, Topaz, Malis.

Where should I eat in Phnom Penh tonight?

For a same-night booking, the casual and mid-tier picks above are reachable. Malis typically takes walk-ins; Topaz accepts day-of reservations. The splurge picks (Cuts, Restaurant Le Royal) need 3–5 weeks notice.

How much does dinner cost in Phnom Penh?

At the splurge picks (Cuts, Restaurant Le Royal), expect $200–$400 per person without wine — full tasting menus. Mid-tier rooms run $80–$140. Casual but excellent neighborhood spots in Phnom Penh sit at $40–$70.

What is the most expensive restaurant in Phnom Penh?

Cuts sits at the top of the Phnom Penh dining list — full tasting menu with wine pairings runs $400+ per person. Other splurge-tier rooms (Restaurant Le Royal, Brasserie Louis) cluster at $250–$350.

Which Phnom Penh restaurants have Michelin stars?

The top of our Phnom Penh list is anchored by Michelin-starred and globally-recognized rooms. Cuts, Restaurant Le Royal and Brasserie Louis are the rooms most frequently cited in international guides.

Do I need a reservation for restaurants in Phnom Penh?

For the splurge and mid-tier picks: yes, always. Splurge tier needs 3–6 weeks notice; mid-tier 1–2 weeks. Casual rooms in Phnom Penh take walk-ins early evening (5:30–6:30pm) and last-minute cancellations open up regularly through the booking apps.

What's the best neighborhood for restaurants in Phnom Penh?

Phnom Penh's strongest dining clusters around the central business district and the high-end residential quarters — that's where the splurge picks (Cuts, Restaurant Le Royal) sit. Casual options spread further; bookmark this guide and use the city map view above.

Where do locals eat in Phnom Penh?

The casual and mid-tier picks above are local-frequented — fewer tourists, better pricing, and the rooms where Phnom Penh-based diners have weekly tables. The splurge picks attract a mix of locals (anniversary, business) and international visitors.

The Finest Restaurants in Phnom Penh

The Phnom Penh Grid

The Phnom Penh edit, delivered monthly

Best for First Date in Phnom Penh