Siem Reap has an abundant choice of breakfast cafes offering great brunch options. I was pleased to discover that so many of them are established as a social enterprise offering training and employment to the local people to aid in their development and wellbeing.
Charities are supporting these ventures and creating some great places for the traveller to eat whilst giving back to the community. Avocado toast and smoothie bowls cater for the Western demands whilst local Kymer choices are there if you are after something traditional.
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Footprint Cafe Breakfast
This was my favourite cafe and is located on Street 26 and not far from Siem Reap’s river.
I loved the concept of a restaurant within a bookstore where travellers can enjoy a meal and then leave with a book. The Footprint Cafe is supported by a charity and managed by local staff who have made it into a viable self-sustained business. Donated books can be bought with sales helping to generate grants for local communities. The motto “People, Planet, Profit” certainly explains their ethos.
What’s on the menu?
The menu offers mouth-watering dishes such as peanut butter & dark chocolate porridge combo, vegan pumpkin pancakes with sautéed green apples, bananas and a ginger glaze or for those with a more savoury palate, Sunni’s savoury fry up. Fresh smoothies and great coffee compliment the dishes.
I was so impressed with my Siem Reap breakfast and the friendly staff that I returned in the evening for dinner. The Cambodian chicken curry was sensational and was washed down with a delicious cocktail.
The Missing Socks Laundry Cafe Breakfast
A laundromat and a cafe located not far from Pub Street and the Night Market.
Whoever came up with this idea is on to a winner. Travellers can use the 24/7 self-service laundry machines whilst they sit down to enjoy breakfast or a coffee.
What’s on the menu?
The menu features some awesome waffle choices from scrambled eggs on waffles to seasonal fruits and ice cream or a matcha waffle offering a change from the norm. Did I mention that Cambodia’s 2016 barista champion also works here, so expect your flat whites and your chai lattes to be outstanding! They have a great motto which is “The Missing Socks Laundry Cafe came from a desire to serve the ones bitten by wanderlust” and that just about sums the place up.
Vibe Cafe Breakfast
Head to this cafe offering health-conscious vegan and plant-based choices located on 715 Street not far from the Children’s Hospital.
Working with poor, rural communities in Cambodia, the Vibe cafe’s foundation aims to provide 10,000 school children with healthy vegan food in Cambodia. They work directly with farmers who are producing their products without chemicals and pesticides. This allows them to source the highest quality fresh ingredients for the food.
Whether vegan or not head over to the Vibe Cafe for their vibrant vegan, gluten-free and raw breakfast options. The foodies amongst us who care for our health and that of the environment will enjoy its creative diversity. A great Siem Reap breakfast cafe.
What’s on the menu?
The menu offers raw and gluten-free açai bowls alongside quinoa porridge with honey. Coffee, sourced locally, is served with cashew milk. Please don’t leave until you have tasted the Spanish bomb coffee; it is a real treat. Healing and botanical teas are available alongside smoothies and elixirs, all sugar-free and freshly produced.
Photo Credit @VibeCafe
Brother Bong Cafe Breakfast
A cafe started up by a young Cambodian couple with a passion for coffee located by the Night Market.
An award-winning barista can be found behind the coffee machine serving up artisan beverages for his customers. Having travelled the world and learnt how to make the perfect cup, the couple opened the cafe. Brother Bong supports its community by only employing local people.
What’s on the menu?
The menu offers a vast selection of coffee, as you would expect, iced drinks, smoothies, milkshakes and fresh juices. Fresh avocado on toast or chocolate smoothie bowls sits alongside Kymer favourites like breakfast soup and fried pork and rice. The brunch menu is varied and delicious; all served up with a smile from the owner and his wife.
Sister Srey Breakfast
A cafe opened by two sisters and located near Pub Street and the Old Market area.
This cafe donates a percentage of its profits to a landmine clearance organisation to aid in the efforts to make Cambodia a safer place for all. Educational support is given to staff members to bridge the gap between work and home life. Their ethos is that Sister Srey is a cafe with a heart, a cafe with the desire to see change and with the ability to do so.
What’s on the menu?
Fresh organic produce is vegan and gluten-free and sourced only from suppliers who are also supportive of the local community. Breakfast choices range from green eggs and ham, stuffed toast and dragonfruit smoothie bowls with a wide selection of beverages.
If you have a favourite community cafe in Siem Reap that is not listed, then please let me know!
