Figuring out where to eat in Battambang was half the fun of my weekend there. In two and a half days, my friend and I hit seven cafes and restaurants: two great coffee spots, a social enterprise cafe with the best breakfast of the trip, a breakfast that took 90 minutes, and a vegetarian garden restaurant I’d go back to Battambang for. Coffee ran about $1.50 to $2 a cup. Here’s every place we tried, in order, with what we ordered and what I’d do differently.
Quick Picks: Where to Eat in Battambang
- Best meal: Monorom Garden, especially if you’re vegetarian
- Best coffee: Ktrey-Ktrok, with Coffee Space Rd2.5 close behind
- Best breakfast: The Lonely Tree Cafe
- Best place to wait for your bus: Lab Coffee
- Best-looking bar we couldn’t get into: K’trok Bar
Friday Night: Miss Wong Battambang
We rolled into town at about 8:30 on Friday night and went straight out for a drink at Miss Wong Battambang. We’d had drinks at Miss Wong in Siem Reap a few times, so we wanted to see the Battambang version.
The space is beautiful, well designed inside, with the same moody look as the Siem Reap bar. The prices were higher than we expected, though, at $6 a cocktail. We had one each as a welcome drink: a mojito for me and a mango Mai Tai for her. Both were good. That was the only round of cocktails we had all weekend.
After that we walked down to the river and found a small stall for her dinner. I wasn’t hungry yet. Riverside food stalls are an easy, cheap option for a late bite if the restaurants are closing up.
Saturday Coffee: Ktrey-Ktrok
On Saturday morning we walked down the dusty streets to Ktrey-Ktrok, one of two cafes we’d heard good things about. It’s a really unusual-looking place, and my friend took a lot of photos for her social media.
We sat outside. She ordered a matcha and I had a hot latte, and both were excellent. We had a good laugh and took our time. If you only have one morning and you’re wondering where to eat in Battambang, this is where I’d get your coffee.
Saturday Breakfast: Kinyei Cafe
Right next door is Kinyei Cafe, so we went there for breakfast. Kinyei is a social enterprise. According to Grassroots Volunteering, it employs young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and puts its profits into supporting youth-led projects.
I ordered an omelet and my friend ordered soup. Then we waited. Her soup came out. About 15 minutes later they brought me a bowl of soup too, which I hadn’t ordered. They apologized and took it back, and the omelet arrived about 10 minutes after that. All in, we were there about an hour and a half for a soup and an omelet.
To be fair, there was a big table in front of us, and something clearly went wrong in the kitchen that day. The food was good when it arrived. I didn’t try their coffee, which is what they’re known for, and I should have. Bottom line: go to Kinyei for coffee, or go for breakfast when you’re in no hurry.
Saturday Dinner: Monorom Garden
This was the best meal of the trip. I’ve been vegetarian for about 10 years (I’ll admit I cheat with sushi now and then), and I’d tracked down Monorom Garden (សួន មនោរម្យ) as a good vegetarian option.
I ordered the dishes they recommended: vegetarian sushi, vegetarian dumplings and a tea with honey. My friend got a dish she loved too. I’d had nothing all day but that omelet and some oatmeal cookies, so I ate far too much. No regrets.
If you take one tip on where to eat in Battambang, make it this one. If you’re vegetarian, go. If you’re not, go anyway. It’s that good. Honestly, this one meal raised my whole opinion of Battambang.
The Bar We Couldn’t Get Into: K’trok Bar
After dinner we tried K’trok Bar, which we’d spotted that morning. There were bikes parked everywhere outside. You climb a narrow metal staircase to get in, and at about 9 PM the place was already packed.
We went up to the second floor, up an even narrower spiral metal staircase that felt properly sketchy. It was packed too. It looked really cool inside, though, so it’s on my list for next time. Pro tip: get there early, and don’t go if narrow stairs bother you.
Sunday Coffee: Coffee Space Rd2.5
On Sunday morning, I woke up feeling sick, and we went slow. Coffee was at Coffee Space Rd2.5, a place we’d spotted the day before.
The place is full of stuffed capybara toys. My friend thought it was hilarious and took a lot of photos with them. I left the capybaras alone, but the coffee was great and it was a good spot to sit and edit my videos from the trip. While we were there, my friend ran into people she knew. That’s what happens when you travel with a local.
There weren’t many breakfast options, so after coffee we went looking for food.
Sunday Breakfast: The Lonely Tree Cafe
The Lonely Tree Cafe sits on the second floor above a shop selling local crafts. My friend wanted something local, so she went across the street for soup while I headed upstairs.
I had an avocado sandwich with egg and a mango juice, and it was the best breakfast of the trip. I got there right as it opened at 10 AM, so I had the whole place to myself, with the breeze coming through. It’s a great-looking space.
It’s also a social enterprise. Grassroots Volunteering reports that the cafe supports people with physical disabilities in Battambang, mainly landmine survivors and people affected by polio, by selling the goods they make. That’s the shop you walk through on the ground floor.
Waiting for the Bus: Lab Coffee
On Sunday afternoon we had about two hours before our 5:30 van back to Siem Reap, so we parked ourselves at Lab Coffee Battambang.
I sank into a big, comfortable chair under the fans with a matcha latte and some fried rice. My friend had a lemon drink and noodles. I’d packed a clean shirt, so I did a quick wash-up in the bathroom before the three-hour ride, then did absolutely nothing for two hours. After two days of dust, that felt like luxury.
If you’re catching an evening van and need to know where to eat in Battambang before you leave, Lab Coffee is a good place to wait it out. Comfortable seats, fans, food, and nobody rushing you out.
Final Word on Where to Eat in Battambang
When people ask me where to eat in Battambang, I’ll give the same short answer every time: coffee at Ktrey-Ktrok, breakfast at The Lonely Tree, dinner at Monorom Garden. Add Lab Coffee if you have time to kill, and get to K’trok Bar early if you want a seat.
For the full trip, including costs and whether Battambang is worth the ride, see my Battambang weekend trip breakdown. Getting there is easy with the $7 electric van from Siem Reap to Battambang. And if you’re vegetarian and heading back to Siem Reap afterward, my list of things to do in Siem Reap has more ideas.
Where do you eat in Battambang? Did I miss your favorite spot? Tell me on Facebook or Instagram.
