Vegan
Beer/Wine
Cambodian, Khmer
Restaurant serving Cambodian Khmer cuisine. Sample menu items include coconut mushroom dip with baguette, sweet potato and tomato soup with coconut milk and cardamom, stir fried eggplant with loofah and basil, fresh fruit drinks, and organic wine. Reported fully vegan Dec 2019. Reported closed November 2020.
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Last update on 02 Dec 2020 by VeganFoodQuest
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Added by nikeu on 18 Jul 2008
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154 Reviews
First Review by tumbleweedy
Janine123
Points +23
Tasty food and friendly staff - Edit
We loved this place. The food is very tasty and we tried several dishes on the menu. Friendly staff and prices are okay for good quality food.
Read moreGuest
JazzyCow
Points +435
Pleasant Atmosphere, Yummy Cambodian Food - Edit
I had a great experience at Chamkar while in Cambodia. Although the restaurant is pretty hard to find (it's in between two streets in an alley way), it was worth finding it! The inside of the restaurant is pleasant, not too fancy, and open to the outside, although fans keep the restaurant cooler than outdoors. The food sure brings some heat out of you though! I came around 4:00, so of course, it was pretty quiet inside. Still, the waiter I had was very friendly and attentive. They warn you on the menu that could be time to wait before being served for proper food preparation (which is totally understandable; everything is made fresh). That being said, the drink and I appetizer I ordered came out within 10 minutes of ordering! The menu has plenty of choices, with vegan options specified, and your waiter can confirm this as well. I ordered iced tamarind juice, wedding day dip, Cambodian curry secrets, and the last sweetness (dessert). The iced tamarind juice was very nice and interesting; tart and full of flavour, refreshing, and tangy. I loved the wedding day dip appetizer. It's extremely flavourful and coconut-y. It actually reminds me a lot of an Indian dish I used to have. The only thing is the portion is a bit large (lots of baguette slices to go with the dip), especially if you're dining alone like I was! The curry was one of my favourites, and an added bonus is it was served with brown rice. It was a fair bit heavy in the stomach (probably from the coconut milk), but still delicious; a mix of sweet and savory, with the interesting combination of cardamom and coconut milk. The only downside to the experience was the dessert I was hoping to try (traditional Cambodian cake), which I was told was vegan (to my excitement), wasn't available on that day. That being said, it's nothing really to complain about. I ordered another dessert which was sweet and rich, but still light at the same time. It was a banana in coconut milk with tapioca soup type of dessert. Quite a large portion. Overall, the meal was extremely flavourful and filling, and the experience was peaceful and lovely overall :)
Read morePros: Delicious Food, Plenty of Vegan Options, Friendly Staff
Cons: Hard to Find, Large Portions (Hard if You Dine Alone)
Guest
geminibec17
Points +198
Wonderful!! - Edit
Take a tuk tuk as this place isn't easy to locate but once you get there, worth every penny! The restaurant is basically all vegan except a couple of vegetarian options which can also be made vegan :) try the Wedding Day Dip! It's to die for! Creamy Peanut Sauce mixed with Coconut Milk and fresh loaves of bread to dip! Omg! Also the desserts are very yummy! And the curries! Basically everything!
Read moreGuest
yahalom
Points +27
not the best - Edit
We did not enjoy our food here. The service was terrible and we needed to ask again and again for extra rice. The whole rice finished just after one portion. Dishes were ok but not amazing. Not enough variety to choose from. Small place with very few nice seating option. There are better alternatives.
Read moreGuest
Jacobo
Points +53
Delicious refined fusion - Edit
My girlfriend and I ate at Chamkar three times during our visit to Siem Reap. We sampled a good portion of their menu and enjoyed everything. Some of our favorites included the wedding dip, amok puffs, mad eggplant lovers, and the mushroom pot. Everything is prepared fresh and the ingredients are top notch (we took a short cooking class with them and loved it!).
Read moreTo respond to another reviewers complaint that the food was lacking garlic or chili I would say they are correct. This restaurant does not use as much as standard Thai or Khymer recipes so it's flavor is not as overpowering. I find that they balance ingredients very well to create unique vegetarian fusion dishes that you cannot find anywhere else. The dishes are all very refined and the French owner's influence is apparent.
They have two locations in Siem Reap both of which are excellent. The smaller location downtown is very convenient but has a slightly smaller menu. The larger restaurant has a beautiful decor and atmosphere but is slightly further out of town.
Finally word is that this is one of my top vegetarian restaurant experiences in SE Asia. Unique dishes, great decor (larger location), and friendly staff make Chamkar a must visit for your next trip to Siem Reap.
Pros: Unique fusion dishes, Decor, Friendly staff
Cons: Slightly out of town (large location), A little more expensive
Guest
jre8995
Points +403
Very boring - Edit
We went with high expecations, and dragged two flesh eaters along with us
Read moreWhile the starters were good (spring rolls, wedding dip), the mains were really boring and totally lacking in any depth of flavour - all that we tried could have done with some garlic or chilli or some herbs
Pros: Great starters, Lovely staff
Cons: Boring food
Guest
OnDine
Points +200
Best veggie restaurant in town - Edit
We went there two weeks ago and had a curry and a tofu salad (around $3 each). Both were great, amazing food quality. You can see in the menu, this place is to be trusted about getting a salad! Prices are modest, although beer could be cheaper ($1 more than places around), very friendly, English speaking staff and comforting atmosphere. As a vegan I felt most comfortable in this place. Most go if u are in Siem Reap/Angkor Wat.
Read morePros: food quality, vegan options, atmosphere, English s
Cons: overpriced beer
Guest
beancurdled
Points +1635
decadence - Edit
I ate here 3 times during 10 days in Siem
Read moreReap and after the first visit, I was ready to pronounce Chamkar my favourite restaurant in the WORLD! Unfortunately the second two dining experiences weren't quite as memorable but Chamkar still right up there.
It's a small place and, having sat inside, upstairs, and on the street, I'd say with certainty that the little table for two on the upstairs balcony is the one you want to secure, even if you have to book.
On our first visit we ordered the Wedding Day Dip, Rediscovering Tofu, and a rich, coconut based curry with sweet potato and cherry tomatoes. The dip is a rich, thick curry sauce, based on coconut, peanut, and mushrooms, served with slices of fresh, white baguette. It's heavy, delicately spiced yet warm and pungent. Totally decadent. Their standout dish by far. The tofu was nice too. Stuffed with I can't remember what and slightly tangy, sweet, and spicy. The curry was a winner as well. Again, expertly spiced with warm, woody flavours. I need to learn how to cook like that!
At lunchtime the next day I came alone and ordered the Monsoon Salad which I'd been hanging out for since the night before when I'd eyed it on the menu. It was a great, fresh balanced dish. Perfect for lunchtime on a hot day but wasn't nearly as impressive as our meal the night before.
We were excited to come again for dinner on my birthday. Sadly, I don't remember much about our meal that evening. I think it was fine but obviously not outstanding. We tried another, lighter curry dish which didn't really live up to our expectations.
The take home message: their rich, coconutty dishes are their strong suit. Don't miss them!
Pros: Wedding Day Dip, coconut curries , polite staff, pleasant atmosphere
Cons: menu not full of all stars
Guest
WNCVeggie
Points +531
Really great food - Edit
This restaurant was a pleasant surprise! We ate here twice while in Siem Reap and each meal included creatively prepared vegetarian food that seemed very fresh and delicious. The eggplant entree was my favorite thing we tried although everything was great. Thought it was a good value compared to the other restaurants in the area. Located on a quaint alley that is a little quieter than the chaos of Pub Street around the corner. Highly recommend!
Read morePros: Great food, Good size portions, Good location
Cons: Small / not a ton of seating
Guest
beckettthedog
Points +272
Wedding Day Dip is a MUST - Edit
I went to Chamkar twice (only to the one by the Old Market) I had the "Mad Eggplant lovers" which consisted of grilled eggplant with loofah, coconut milk and basil, accompanied by rice. It was good; however, the weeding day dip (coconut, mushrooms and peanuts) was by far the best food I had there.
Read moreI didn't care much for the spring rolls.
Really nice, friendly staff and good prices.
Conveniently located next to the Old Market and Pub Street.
Guest
aspara-gus
Points +184
not recommended - Edit
This place was a bit hard to find although it is close to Pub Street. The waiter was a bit cold and seemed to know what vegan meant. The food was ok but expensive for the region and portion size a bit small. We much preferred Piece Cafe during our stay in Siem Reap
Read morePros: understanding of veganism, central location
Cons: expensive, small portion size, not friendly
Guest
CyberAlice
Points +37
Wonderful food and vegan safe - Edit
This place was amazing. Great food and friendly staff. They have a good understanding of veganism so its a place vegans can go and not worry. Highly recommended!
Read morePros: all vegan, friendly staff
Cons: not many seats
Guest
Wyatt
Points +124
Go for the Wedding Day Dip - Edit
My wife and I ate almost everyday we were in Siem Reap. The standout dish is the Wedding Day Dip appetizer. We ordered it on every visit and I can't recommend it highly enough.
Read moreThere are actually two locations for Chamkar in Siem Reap now. There is "Chamkar" in the passage (location given above) and "Chamkar House" a 5-10 minute tuk tuk ride away. (I don't have the exact location for "Chamkar House", but they advertise it in their passage location.)
Some of the dishes mentioned in other reviews are only available at Chamkar House, including Rediscovering Tofu. All of the mains were very good at both locations, with the Amoks and Rediscovering Tofu as standouts.
All of the other dishes we tried were very good, but not as exceptional as the wedding day dip.
Guest
Beko
Points +29
Very Impressed! - Edit
Great service, large portions and super tasty. The dishes are all really creative, spoilt for choice. A bit more expensive than other restaurants in Cambodia but the quality is worth it. It's a nice location too.
Read moreWe had the wedding day dip so good, monsoon noodle salad and a pumpkin and pineapple curry all great!
Guest
Rob - Bath
Points +126
Good, but not THAT good - Edit
Given the enthusiastic reviews from various people we were really looking forward to going here. It was good - but not THAT astounding. Nice range of foods, including several gluten free options, nice atmosphere if you sit out in the passageway - and certainly a place to go to when you're in Siem Reap, but don't expect too much.
Read moreGuest
nielsgeybels
Points +61
Excellent vegetarian food in Siem Reap - Edit
One of the only places in the centre of Siem Reap that exclusively serves vegetarian/vegan food. A must if you're in town after a long day exploring the Angkor temples. The menu has soups, curry's, noodles - combining Asian, Indian, traditional Khmer cuisine. Recommended!
Read morePros: Excellent food, Creative dishes, Friendly and helpful
Guest
aner1kind17
Points +1289
Top 5 restaurant I've eaten at - Edit
I can't even begin to explain how delicious this food was. It was all new and all incredible. The pumpkin dish and stuffed dumplings were the best Asian dishes I have ever eaten. Let's just say Cambodian food uses a lot of my two favorite ingredients: garlic and ginger. What a treat! A must in Siem Reap.
Read morePros: Food, Presentation, Location
Guest
lotustummy
Points +1194
fantastic - went back two nights in a row! - Edit
Really delicious vegan food. We enjoyed every bite :). The veggie rolls are Great and we had several different soups we loved - I especially enjoyed the pumpkin curry. Fun to sit outside and people watch. Can't recommend it enough
Read morePros: vegan, good variety of dishes , good location
Cons: a little pricey , can get really busy
Guest
bkkguy
Points +69
Excellent Food & Service - Edit
We had food here twice while in Siem Reap, and both the food and service were excellent. We had the green curry, red curry and sour grilled papaya soup. They serve brown rice as well. Small, cozy restaurant that gets full early evening. Quite a few people were turned away while we were there because they were full.
Read morePros: High-quality food, Brown rice, Great staff
Guest
globetrotterk8
Points +83
Really nice place - Edit
good food, had lovely dip with warm bread for starter, then stuffed tofu for main, it was so nice, totally recommend here. And staff were very nice too :)
Read moreGuest
Nikki1801
Points +963
A nice evening meal - Edit
Visited July 2012. Pleasant little place with friendly staff. We ordered from their specials menu as we were on a budget and enjoyed the food and drink, would go here again if we return.
Read moreIt feels quite pricey considering where you are, but it does feel like a little gourmet restaurant which is nice if you're backpacking Asia getting used to hawkers!
Pros: Lovely staff, good ambience
Guest
SonjaCPA
Points +5270
delicious Khmer cuisine - Edit
Chamkar is located on a lovely pedestrian alley in the Old Market. The decor is nice, clean and simple. English is spoken as well as on the menu. It's almost entirely vegan except for a couple of items. All the food was delicious, fresh and very flavorful. We were so pleased the first night that we came back the second night.
Read moreOver the course of the two nights, we ordered the wedding day dip, Cambodian mango salad, monsoon salad, pumpkin curry, green curry, rediscovering tofu (stuffed and deep fried), mad eggplant lover, and banana and tapioca dessert with coconut milk. To drink, we got mango juice, tamarind juice, iced coffee and beer. Everything was excellent, especially the dip, tofu and eggplant. Also, the curries were served with brown rice instead of white rice which was greatly appreciated by us.
If you are ever in Siem Reap, you must go here. I love having vegan versions of traditional local dishes.
Pros: delicious and fresh, vegan Khmer, English
Guest
freeprincebandar
Points +305
Jewel of Siem Reap - Edit
Where to begin. French owner, Cambodian staff, with acceptable service (for the first time while here). Best place in Cambodia. Wedding dip, 'tofu revisited', some dish that starts with an 's' and is a Cham specialty were all great items. Restaurant setting is very nice. Beautiful single table on balcony on romantic street (Pub Alley).
Read morePros: great location, some dishes are exceptional
Cons: A/C doesn't work, very hot in restaurant
Guest
crappuccinos
Points +22
Simple restaurant, Great food - Edit
Easy to find, small & simple restaurant. May dine on the 1st floor if privacy required. Budget travelers may go for the-US$4.00-daily special. Very healthy dishes as most includes local herbs & medicinal leaves. Try their spring roll, come with an awesome peanut sauce!
Read morePros: Location, Price, Staff
Guest
westcornersville
Points +659
Real Khmer Food in Vegetarian Form! - Edit
This is a great place to eat traditional Khmer/Cambodian food but without the meat or fish sauce. They have a really good amok--it tastes like there's pumpkin and/or yam inside the leaf. Prices are high for Cambodian stands (around $10 for an appetizer, main course and drink) but worth it. Note that it's actually on Pub Street Alley--keep your eyes open as it's easy to walk past (I did that twice before I finally found it!) as there are a lot of restaurants close together along the walkway.
Read morePros: good food, Khmer vegetarian, nice ambiance
Cons: a bit expensive for Cambodia, can be a bit hard to find
Guest
iamere
Points +155
Good fly-by - Edit
We ate here a number of times during our stay in Seam Reap.
Read moreThe food was very nice and the prices were average for the area. The staff were OK in that they didn't really smile much, but delivered the food as part of their job. They are located on a bit of a tourist rat run, so it's hardly surprising really.
There are not really enough seats to go around. We were asked to come back in 45 mins once and was pleased that they held us to it. Lots of people don't get a seat when they first want it, and instead have to wait. But once inside, the ambiance is nice if you can ignore the multitude of passing tourists.
We ate a main for around 12,000Riel (US$3/4). There was a number of vegan option to pick from and we soon learned that the best value for money was the daily special, which also happened to be the largest portion too. Bargain!
This is the only veggie restaurant around in the very centre, but I would advise looking further afield.
Pros: very nice food, nice seating inside and upstairs
Cons: pretty noisy on the street
Guest
Cathy P.
Points +53
Truly Special - Edit
This is a lovely little gourmet restaurant without pretense. It's located in the passage or alley as most like to call it surrounded by lots of other restaurants. In the evenings a lot of folks walking by are great entertainment. There is also an upstairs dining area if you want a quieter space. We ate here several times and never tired of it. Cambodian food is not as rich as Thai can be, simple but interesting and flavorful, we were especially fond of the pumpkin dishes.
Read moreGuest
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