Best Vegan Restaurants in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

If you want a meal that feels like a deep exhale after Phnom Penh’s bustle, start here. Bong Bonlai is a 100% vegan restaurant connected to YK Art House, and it’s intentionally designed to be calm, cozy, and community-minded.

But getting there was anything but calm! My first taste of traffic in Phnom Penh, was making my way here. According to Google it was a very straight shot, well that is until it wasn’t. I zig zagged through one-way alleys, often peeking around corners to see if anyone was coming. At one point I thought, I really should’ve taken a Grab car (lesson learned for the way home), but it was worth it! This charming spot is a peaceful oasis in a chaotic city. The menu offers a mix of veganized Khmer dishes (try the amok!), Western dishes, smoothies, and more.

You can also feel extra good about spending your money here. The restaurant is owned by Cemetery Children’s Village, a charity school in Tonle Bati that provides education to children regardless of income. Profits from the restaurant directly support the school’s operations and programs.

It’s also attached to a small guesthouse, which would be an ideal place to stay where you can find amazing breakfast options!

I’m not kidding when I say the menu is big. I think the server came back twice to see if I was ready! Magnolia Veggie is a strong pick when you’re craving something familiar and comforting — especially if you love Vietnamese flavors. HappyCow describes it as Vietnamese-focused with an extensive food and drinks menu, and their listed hours make it a reliable option for early or late meals.

After much indecision I settled for a comforting bowl of Pho complete with chunks of corn and tofu. After I finished, they came out with a complimentary dessert, which was a surprise. I asked if it contained dairy, which got lost in translation so I used Google Translate and very quickly the server shared they’d be right back! They returned with what I would call a corn pudding — a hot mix of sweet chunks of corn in a pudding like broth. It was pretty tasty, but I’m not sure I’d order it on my own!

When I found this cafe on Google, I thought, there’s no way that there’s a plant-based coffee shop here! And if I hadn’t found it on Google, I would’ve never found it. The tiny take-out window is tucked into a lovely bookshop (a good place to enjoy your beverage).

Cuffeine is a welcome beacon for all of us who don’t want to suffer with black coffee! The very vegan-friendly coffee shop has loads of specialty coffee and tea drinks with dairy-free milk options (soy and oat). You can have a classic latte or something you can’t get at home like a sweet Khmer coffee or Pandan latte!

They do have dairy options, so make sure to specific “non-dairy” when ordering.

If you’re looking for a slightly more elevated meal, Element is a go-to. The modern restaurant seeks to delight visitor’s taste buds and eyes with their beautiful plating and extensive choices. You’ll find everything from crispy fish n’ chips to fresh spring rolls! What really caught my attention were the number of reviews sharing this was one of the best vegetarian spots they’ve eaten at in a long time —that’s pretty high praise if you ask me!

In addition, to creative and delicious lunch and dinner options, they also mark which of their wines are vegan!

I though Bong Bonlai was a rare find as a vegan restaurant and guesthouse in Phrom Pehn and then I stumble upon Sacred Lotus. Could there seriously be two fabulous vegan spots where you can stay in the city!? Giant, cities that have been considered the most vegan-friendly in the world don’t even have that — way to go Phnom Penh.

Sadly, I didn’t get a chance to check out the hostel, but from the photos it looks quite lovely and they have private rooms, as well as shared ones.

Anyway, back to food! Sacred Lotus is one of those places you pop into for a smoothie or lunch… and then accidentally stay for an hour because it’s so chill and the food is delicious. You’ll find plant-based Cambodian options plus Western dishes, alongside smoothies and coffee. What more could you ask for?