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
kveg10
Points +73
Veg haven - Edit
Excellent restaurant that offers a vegetarian or vegan taste of Cambodia cuisine.
Read moreStreet runs parallel (closer to the river) to Pub St. Worth seeking out.
Guest
L4Peace
Points +83
Yum! - Edit
Delicious food that lived up to the other rave reviews! We ate outside (street-level) - loved the vibe, and really appreciated the cold towels (it was hot!).
Read moreGuest
choogirl
Points +717
Amazing place. - Edit
I went here in Feb 2011. It was by far the best meal I had in Asia, and possibly my life. I had the wedding day dip (mushroooms) and the tofu stuffed with pumpkin. I did not eat all the dip and was able to take my leftovers to spread on bread the next day for my bus ride.
Read moreI wish I was there longer so could have gone back for another meal. Please go, You will not regret it.
Pros: Best food ever!
Cons: Nothing
Guest
Liam Wilson
Points +58
Amazing Flavors, Good Portions for the price. - Edit
Of all the Vegan-friendly Khmer Cuisine I tried in Cambodia, this was one of the few memorable. Starting with the impossible to overlook appetizers, the creativity of the overall menu grabbed our attention and left us with a bit of option paralysis. Both the presentation and portions of each item was noteworthy as well. 4 guests, veg and non-veg, were all blown away by everything, especially the mushrooms and Amok dishes.
Read morePros: Variety, Atmosphere, Location
Guest
m@earthville
Points +9488
Chamkar is exquisite! - Edit
How often does a meal at a new restaurant fill your head with thoughts of moving to a new country just to eat there more often? For me, Chamkar was that good. They have managed to strike a winning formula with creative gourmet renditions of traditional Khmer (Cambodian) cuisine. It seems that most of the menu is vegan as-is, and one item with cheese had a note advising vegans that they can order it without the cheese. Chamkar uses no egg or MSG.
Read moreEspecially recommended:
- Truly Rooty: Tasty cassava fritters with scrumptious dipping sauce.
- Biting Amok: Savory veggie goodness wrapped in amok leaves (a national dish) in a coconut milk curry sauce. Unique and delicious.
- Wedding day dip: A delectable mushroom-coconut sauce served with baguette for dipping.
On both of our visits, we had warm, good service that made the experience doubly sweet. At peak times it can slow down a bit, but you can walk back to the kitchen if you need attention.
Enjoy!
Pros: Creative and delicious Cambodian cuisine, Mostly vegan, Delightful servers
Guest
judas_77
Points +79
very nice - Edit
may they have changed there waitress or we had more luck than other ones :-)
Read moreThe service was fast and friendly, we had the small desk on the balcony (first floor) very nice view over the bar street.
I had a salad and the Amok with rice (typical Cambodian food), I don't remember what my wife had, but it was also very good.
I recommend this restaurant with 100% satisfaction
Guest
limegreen07
Points +156
Good to see it is still going! - Edit
This is a long overdue review, so I have to apologise. Nov 2009(!) but it remains as one of our happier finds in SE Asia from our Honeymoon. The staff were all very friendly, it is very centrally located and above all the food was excellent and served in huge portions. The wait is to be expected at busy times but you may wish to try the cookery lessons (assuming that they are still running them) and this may give you some appreciation of how they prepare such lovely dishes.
Read morePros: Excellent food, Friendly staff
Guest
VeganChu
Points +47
Consistenly Delicious - Edit
I'm in Siem Reap for a month and I eat here a lot!
Read moreMost of the dishes are vegan and all can be made vegan. The staff are really friendly and lovely as well. I took my partner, and my mother and many friends here (none of whom are even veggie) and they said it was some of the best food they'd tried!
I've tried and loved:
- Fresh spring rolls - the absolute best I've had. Not just carrot and lettuce - they have substance and a delicious coconut dipping sauce
- A delicious eggplant coconut dip with baguette and vegetable strips - very filling and yummy.
- Amok curry - really great and well flavoured.
- Green mango salad - great vegan version of a very popular dish - love it. Safe place to have salads which is so refreshing
- Monsoon salad - vermicelli, salad, veggies, coconut/peanut sauce. Amazing.
- Tofu stuffed with pumpkin and spices. I loved it - it's a very unique dish with some strong flavours.
So basically, it's a great place. Reasonably priced cosidering the quality of the food.
Highly recommended - don't miss it!
Updated from previous review on Monday August 16, 2010
Pros: DELICIOUS, Friendly, Healthy and delicately flavoured
Guest
sarahsvati
Points +295
Elegant, super fresh vegan food - Edit
My friend and I ate here twice while in Siem Reap, and really enjoyed it. The restaurant is tranquil and the food made fresh to order (which means it sometimes takes a little longer to arrive).
Read moreYes, the food is a bit more expensive than normal for Cambodia, but I definitely think it was worth it.
I can't remember the names of the dishes, but I highly recommend a pumpkin curry and the palm sugar/coconut milk dessert. I'm still dreaming about the latter!
Pros: Fresh, Elegant
Cons: A bit expensive
Guest
veggieyogini
Points +61
not spectacular - Edit
went there for dinner in february 2009. ambience is nice, service was good but food was a bit disappointing. our expectation was not met.
Read moreGuest
enRoute
Points +1412
wanted to like it, didn't hate it - Edit
I also REALLY wanted to like this place but was underwhelmed again and again. The dishes are titled creatively, but the "Resdiscovering Tofu" one should've been called "Munching on a Fistful of Raw Cardamom." once I picked the mound of them out it was fairly tasty, but not exactly a rediscovery.
Read morethe papaya soup was tasty... sort of. the "Truly Rooty" was edible but I just wasn't feeling it. their curries just didn't stand out for me.
there's other items I didn't try and I'm still going to give it one last shot but I'm not too hopeful. could've just been off days...!
Pros: cute, nice location, creative
Cons: not fantastic, a bit pricey
Guest
Willowa
Points +28
A real gem - Edit
An elegant little restaurant with delicately flavoured khmer cuisine, the best food we had in Cambodia.
Read morePros: Innovative local food, Well priced, Central location
Cons: next door to a Cambodian BBQ restaurant
Guest
sunnyday
Points +36
fresh food - Edit
I was there in February 2009. The clear soup with morning glory is excellent. BBQ dish is recommended.
Read moreYou have to be patient here, they prepare food individually, dish by dish.
Guest
kympatterson
Points +66
Absolutely delicious food & great service - Edit
The food at this resturant was fantastic and it was great to be able to try local dishes with a vege twist. I agree the skewers were a little disappointing but the vege curries and cold rolls were divine. Definitely recommended. The prices are good by western standards but higher than elsewhere in Cambodia (but most things in Siem Reap are a bit pricier). If you're looking to get away from the main tourist road, try and grab the solo table on the upstairs balcony - definitely the premium seat in the house.
Read morePros: Excellent food, Reasonable prices
Cons: Located on a main tourist alley
Guest
Petesternz
Points +1447
Disappointing.... - Edit
We SO wanted to love this place. After reading all the splendid reviews, we were extremely excited for our dinner at Chamkar. Perhaps the staff simply had an off night, but we were exceptionally disappointed and underwhelmed by the food. The dishes were certainly ambitious enough, but none of the three dishes we had was better than average. We started with a coconut-milk and mushroom dip that came with baguette. The flavour was OK, but it was exceptionally heavy and the coconut milk overwhelmed everything. Next came two mains. An eggplant curry style dish was good, if nothing special, but their signature dish, skewers of roasted vegetables, was almost inedible. The flavours were chalky as if the marinade had been poorly made. I should add that our experience here was hardly helped by the fact that our waitress was one of the worst we have ever had. Again, she may have been having an off day, but we arrived and the place was empty, and our waitress (unfortunately) joined us in the dining room and proceeded to mope around, looking like she wanted to be anywhere but there through our entire dinner. She was entirely miserable. Again, perhaps she had a personal crisis, but did it need to be on display? It took 45 minutes for the starters to arrive, in an empty restaurant, and the skewers came tepid, at best. This is hardly the worst restaurant we've ever been too, but for the price relative to other Cambodia offerings, and the great reviews, it was a huge disappointment. We ate much better food at the Khmer Kitchen, a non-vegan place that offered a few vegan dishes, just a few doors down. I hope others have better luck than we did at Chamkar.
Read moreCons: sulking waitress, heavy starters
Guest
vegan_simon
Points +2552
excellent food quality and service - Edit
I loved this place so much I dined there three times (each night of my stay). Intimate two-level place with very nice decor & table settings (including fabric napkins/serviettes). The food is simply delicious & portions are more than adequate: for example, mushroom & coconut dip with fresh baguette and raw chili on the side (entree); eggplant green curry with wild rice (main course); fresh watermelon or tamarind (yum), etc, juice (beverage). All for under 12 US dollars. The table service was friendly and prompt; interesting menu design. They had no problem with me being a single diner. Highly recommended. Only annoying thing is that people were smoking at the tables outside so I had to sit indoors, but that seems standard practice in Cambodia!
Read moreGuest
simpsonyellow
Points +199
Spectacular! - Edit
This is, without a doubt, the best vegetarian restaurant in Cambodia, and is an absolute must-visit for any veggie passing through Siem Reap.
Read moreAt around $4-$6 for a main, there are plenty of cheaper options in town, but the food is astounding, and worth every cent. The dishes all appear to be unique creations and, of the six that we tried (three entrees, three mains), all were delicious. In particular, the wedding dip (?) and vegetable skewers are highly recommended.
The only minor disappointment for me was the desserts. We tried two, and both were heavy going and starchy. Though nicely flavoured and beautifully presented, they were much too heavy to follow a meal.
Desserts notwithstanding, Chamkar will be my first port of call as soon as I'm back in town. Can't wait!
Pros: Superb food, Unique dishes, Relaxed ambience
Cons: Comparatively pricey, Sickly desserts
Guest
Andrew Clift
Points +24
Fine Dining Vegetarian in Siem Reap - Edit
The gods have obviously taken pity on us and delivered this gem to our back door. Chamkar is run by a French chef (!!!) and his Khmer counterpart, the former of whom is a recent emigre from the French Alps and the later a former employee of the wonderful Meric restaurant at Hotel De La Paix (Siem Reap). The menu and the facility itself are both understated, but the things Chamkar does with local ingredients and traditional flavours will astound you, and place this restaurant well and truly amongst the top three in town (overall, not just vegetarian). Ingredients are organic when possible as are some of the wines. A takeaway service is available for those not enticed by their hotel's menus. Extremely reasonably priced for the standard: a generous three courses with drinks will cost about $US30. We cannot recommend this restaurant highly enough. It is a mandatory dining point for all visitors, not just vegetarians, and proves that vegetarian food can be as fine as any other cuisine. 5+ happy cows / 5.
Read morePros: Fine French-Khmer Dining, Fresh,organic (when possible)ingredient, Incredible value for money
Guest
tumbleweedy
Points +86
Excellent - Edit
The perfect veggie restaurant. New and exciting dishes (the rice balls for desert are amazing!). Very posh surroundings, food is very well presented and tastes amazing.
Read moreGuest
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