Best restaurants in Sihanoukville

Sihanoukville is Cambodia’s main beach city and its food follows the coast. Think grilled fish and squid straight off the boat, crab and prawns by the kilo, plus the Khmer staples you find inland such as amok, lok lak and kuy teav. Otres and the quieter southern beaches keep the old backpacker feel, with barefoot bars doing wood-fired pizza, fresh juices and sunset cocktails. Downtown and the port area lean toward bigger Chinese, Japanese and Indonesian kitchens that opened with the casino boom.

Come for seafood first. A plate of butter-pepper crab or a whole grilled snapper with rice and morning-glory runs a fraction of what you would pay back home, and most beach spots will cook your pick to order. Expect roughly 6 to 12 USD a head at a beach restaurant, less at a market stall, more at the hotel rooftops. The rainy months from June to October are cheaper and quieter. December to February is peak, so book a table at the popular sunset places on weekends.