Where to eat in Sihanoukville: beaches, seafood and the downtown scene

Sihanoukville is Cambodia's main beach city, and it has changed a lot with the casino boom of recent years. The good news for a visitor is that the eating that matters is still where it always was: on the coast, over grilled seafood and a sunset drink, or at one of the quieter beach strips south of town. This guide splits the scene by area. Everything is on the Sihanoukville directory, with photos and a map for each place.

Serendipity and downtown

The Serendipity and downtown area, around the pier and 2 Thnou Street, is the busiest eating zone. Sandan is the standout: a training restaurant serving modern Cambodian food, and the most reviewed place in the city. Food Exchange and Aqua Bar & Grill both rate near the top for international menus and seafood. Bamboo Bar is the wine-bar option, Samurai covers Japanese, and 23 SKY Bar and La Luna are the rooftops for a drink. See the wider list on seafood in Sihanoukville and international restaurants in Sihanoukville.

Otres and the quieter beaches

Otres, a few kilometres south, keeps the old barefoot-bar feel. Papa Pippo is the long-standing Italian on the sand, good for wood-fired pizza and pasta with your feet in the sand. Fat Goose does a well-regarded European menu, and Angkasa is a highly rated newer spot along Marina Road.

The beach clubs and Ochheuteal

The Ochheuteal and Sokha Beach stretch is the hotel-and-beach-club front. Khin's Shack is the reliable beachfront seafood grill. Prince Beach Club is the smarter option for a day on the sand with a proper kitchen. Over on the north-west side near the port, Victory Beach is an older backpacker pocket where ONAMI is a surprisingly good Japanese restaurant.

How to plan it

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