Dining & Drinking

Battambang’s dining and drinking scene is modest but interesting and varied, with good inexpensive local dining at places like White Rose and Chinese Noodle Dumpling, several places serving proper international fare such as Green Mango, Riverside Balcony and Eden, and some more unique offerings, especially in the Walking District area, such as Choco l’Art, Bar Libations and Vintage.

The picturesque Walking District is of special note. The area of just a few square blocks harbors more than a dozen cafes and bars as well as a few shops and galleries in classic colonial era buildings, especially between Street 121 (‘Pub Street’) and the market along Streets 1.5, 2 and 2.5.

The ‘Night Market’ on the riverfront in front of Phsar Nath is a great place to try local foods. The stands and cafes are geared for the locals but are foreigner friendly, and very inexpensive. Noodle dishes, soups, pate sandwiches, fried meats, Cambodian fruit shakes and more. There is a similar evening cluster of food stands near the Provincial Museum.

Come early evening, there is a pretty good choice of places for sundowners. Riverside Balcony, Bar Libations, Lotus Gallery and Bar, Madison Corner and Here There Be Dragons are all good places to begin. Battambang shuts down fairly early, with Madison Corner often the last bar in the Walking District to shut its doors at night.