The Balthazar

If you want drinks in Phnom Penh, The Balthazar is an easy recommendation. It has settled into its spot over the years, and the room fills with a mix of first-timers working through a guide and locals on their usual table.

On the menu

You will find french here. It sits at the upmarket end of the scale, so it works best for a treat or a special evening. It gets going in the evening and holds a crowd late, with the food menu there to keep you going rather than to be the main event.

Around here

Phnom Penh is compact enough that you can pair this with a museum, a market or the riverfront in the same afternoon.

Getting there

Getting here is straightforward by tuk-tuk or a ride-hailing app; give the driver the name and the area rather than a street number, which is how most people navigate in Cambodia. Fares for a ride like this are low by most standards, and agreeing the price or using the app rate up front avoids the usual haggle at tourist-heavy spots.

Before you go

It opens on Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun. Lunchtime and early evening are the safe windows; later in the night some places wind the kitchen down before the listed closing time. One to keep on the list for your next trip across town.