Phnom Penh’s Riverside is a hotbed of action for tourists and if you’re after a daytime boost in the form of a caffeine fix, then look no further than Sisowath Quay and the surrounding area. Here are the 10 best coffee shops on Riverside.
If you enjoy fine French pastries and breads with your coffee, then French bakery Eric Kayser is the place to be. Boasting a range of French-inspired breads, pastries, baked goods and bistro snacks – all baked fresh each day – to eat in or take away, Eric Kayser also serves a range of coffees, teas and fruit juices. Its prime location means it fills up quickly at lunch time.
As a stalwart on the Riverside scene, Kwest Restaurant has been serving the city since 2002. Sitting on the ground floor of Amanjaya Pancam hotel, the stylish and spacious restaurant serves a range of Asian and Western dishes. And during the day, it fills up with a mix of tourists, locals and expats taking a quick coffee break while overlooking the Tonle Sap River.
Another Riverside old-timer, La Croisette, which opened in 1997, has been providing the capital with quality Western and Asian food, drinks and entertainment. With plenty of outdoor seating, La Croisette is popular during the day, thanks to it being the perfect place to grab a seat, order a coffee and watch life on Riverside pass by.
This stylish, cosmopolitan restaurant and bar offers great views, friendly staff, delicious food and a pretty relaxed place to hang out and people watch. With indoor and outdoor space, Metro is popular throughout the day and night, serving a range of coffees, teas, soft drinks, cocktails and spirits.
Since opening its doors in 2013, Feel Good has been setting caffeine standards across the capital. It uses the highest quality chemical-free, fair trade organic coffee beans, sourced from Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. Roasting their own darn good coffee means the cafe, which is a few blocks from Riverside, is always busy. However, they also provide their beans to several other coffee shops across Cambodia so keep a look out.
Blue Pumpkin outlets are dotted across Phnom Penh, with its Riverside offering usually a busy affair. As well as serving freshly baked pastries and cakes to eat in or take away, meals and snacks are served, with a good cup of coffee to boot. The home-made ice cream is definitely worth a try.
Thai coffee chain Amazon is taking over Phnom Penh, with branches cropping up across the city. Serving a selection of coffees, teas, smoothies and fresh fruit juices, the Riverside cafe has plenty of space, with a large counter also serving a range of pastries and treats. The interior boasts brick effects, wooden floors and low lighting. Try the range of iced coffees.
As the brainchild of four Cambodian cousins, Brown is a homegrown success story. Since opening its inaugural store in 2009, the ever-expanding chain has helped fuel the capital’s coffee shop culture among the younger generation and now boasts more than 14 outlets, a baking facility and training centre. Offering bright, breezy, air-conditioned interiors, expect all outlets to be packed from dawn until dusk.
If you want some home-baked cupcakes and other sweet treats to accompany your coffee while on a Riverside jaunt, then stop off at The Cupcake Cafe. It’s worth it just to browse the display of delicately decorated cakes of all shapes, sizes, designs and flavours.
Park Cafe is another name found peppered throughout Phnom Penh, with a branch close to Phsar Kandal (Kandal Market) a few blocks behind Riverside. Serving a range of Cambodian and other Asian dishes, a selection of hot and iced coffees are served, along with fruit juices, smoothies and shakes.