Where to eat in Kampot: a local guide
Riverfront cafes, Kampot pepper crab, sourdough and slow breakfasts. A practical guide to eating well in Cambodia's pepper town, with the places worth your time.
Updated 20 Oct 2026
Kampot is small, walkable and takes its food seriously for a town this size. Two things shape the scene: Kampot pepper, the green, red and black peppercorns with a protected origin that turn up in everything from crab to cocktails, and a run of cafes and bistros in restored shophouses that would not look out of place in a much bigger city. This guide covers where to actually eat, laid out by the part of town you are likely to be standing in. The full list, with photos, opening hours and a map for each place, is on the Kampot directory.
Along the river
The riverside road, running beside the Praek Tuek Chhu, is where most of the eating and drinking happens, and you can walk it end to end in twenty minutes. Rikitikitavi is the fixture: a first-floor terrace over the water, a menu that does Khmer classics and Western comfort food equally well, and by far the most reviews in town. A few doors along, Epic Arts Cafe is a social enterprise run by and employing deaf and disabled Cambodians, with good breakfasts, cakes and coffee, and a genuinely warm room.
For dinner on the river, Aroma House does Lebanese and Middle Eastern food, mezze and grills, and rates as highly as anywhere in Kampot. Ecran Noodle & Dumplings is the spot for hand-pulled noodles and dumplings, cheap and quick. Sabay Beach, a little further out along the riverbank, pairs a swimming spot with a full kitchen and sundowners. See the wider list on European restaurants in Kampot and Asian restaurants in Kampot.
The Old Market quarter
The Old Market is a tight block of French-era shophouses and holds the densest run of small places. Simple Things does wood-fired pizza and a short, well-executed menu in a courtyard setting. Burgershack is exactly what it says, and one of the highest-rated places in town for a straightforward burger and fries. Old Market Bar & Skybar is the rooftop option for a drink with a view over the tiled roofs.
The town centre and everyday Khmer food
Back from the water, around Kampong Kandal and the 2000 roundabout, you get the family kitchens and the cafes built for a work session. Cafe Espresso is the long-running specialty coffee roaster, with proper espresso and a full breakfast menu. Twenty Three and Tertulia both do a well-regarded international menu at fair prices. For Indian, Simon's Tandoor is the pick. Kampot Cafe is a small, highly rated spot for a quiet coffee and a light plate.
Kampot pepper crab
The dish the region is known for is crab stir-fried with fresh green Kampot pepper. The definitive version is eaten at the crab market in Kep, half an hour east, but you will find it on menus across Kampot too, and Kampot Seafood & Pepper also runs a cooking class if you want to learn it. Order it once, with rice and a cold drink, and do not overthink the rest of the meal.
How to plan your eating
Do a market breakfast or a cafe morning, keep the middle of the day light because of the heat, and save the river terraces for sunset and dinner. Budget roughly US$3 to US$6 for a local meal, US$6 to US$10 at a Western-facing restaurant, a little more for pepper crab. Most kitchens keep sensible hours; a quick call ahead is worth it on weekends. Use the directory to see what is closest to where you are staying, and the neighbourhood pages for Riverside, the Old Market and the town centre to plan a walk.