Cafeography
Phnom Penh

Outdoor seating cafés in Phnom Penh

Terraces off Sisowath Quay, a patio on Street 240, garden tables out in Sen Sok.

Photo: So Phors, Pexels License

Sitting outside in Phnom Penh depends on the season. The southwest monsoon brings humid weather from May to November, and September is the wettest month, with 270.9 mm of rain on average; February, the driest, gets 6.6 mm.1 December and January have the coolest nights, and the heat builds to an average daily maximum of 35.3 °C in April.1

The riverfront is the city's long open-air strip. Sisowath Quay runs for five kilometers along the Tonlé Sap, lined with restaurants, bars and hotels.1 Since 1 February 2025, its section between Streets 94 and 240 has closed to motor traffic every weekend from 18:00 to 23:00 as Chaktomuk Walk Street, with food stalls, artisans and street performers.2

Local tip: From December to February, take an outdoor table early or after dark; on weekend evenings, walk from Planta on Street 244 to Sisowath Quay, which is car-free from 18:00 to 23:00 between Streets 94 and 240.

Where these cafés are: Daun Penh & Central Market (2), Riverside & Royal Palace (2), Chbar Ampov (1), Tonle Bassac & Boeng Trabek (1), Sen Sok (1), Toul Tom Poung (Russian Market) (1), Teuk Laak (1), 7 Makara & Olympic (1).

At a glance

10Cafés listed
8With opening hours
04:00Earliest opening
23:00Latest closing

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Near Chaktomuk Walk Street

The walking street began as a six-month trial; by the second quarter of 2025, City Hall had made it permanent, extended the pedestrian area and added security and a common signage system.2 A few blocks inland, Planta on Palace Lane (Street 244) has outdoor tables, vegan dishes and a smoke-free policy, and is open daily 07:00–23:00, as late as the walking street itself.

Enso Cafe on Oknha Chhun Street (240) also has outdoor seating and vegan food. On the same street, Lost Plate recommends Shop240's front patio for breezy mornings.3

Terraces in the center

Outdoor cafés are spread thinly across the city, with Daun Penh and the riverside slightly ahead. In Daun Penh, Kafe Drip at 144 Street 59 opens 06:30–19:00 and One &1 on Techo Dam Deus Street (154) 07:00–19:00, with takeaway. In Tonle Bassac, Nuk Café at 143 Norodom Boulevard (41) has both outdoor seats and an air-conditioned room, open 07:00–21:00.

Near the Russian Market, Sacred Lotus Cafe and GuestHouse at 127 Street 440 serves 08:00–21:00 with outdoor seating, air-conditioning and vegan dishes. In 7 Makara, 60s Veranda at 43E2 Street 179 has outdoor tables and opens at 08:30.

Upstairs seats count too. Lost Plate points to the balcony at Noir Coffee's BKK branch as the place to sit back, and to the extensive indoor and outdoor seating at Java Creative Cafe, whose Toul Kork branch is at 20A Street 337; it suggests the Lemongrass Chiller there for hot afternoons.3

Outdoor tables beyond the center

In Sen Sok, តយ កាហ្វេ (Toy Coffee) at 13 Street 1966 has outdoor and air-conditioned seating, open 06:30–17:00. In Chbar Ampov, Lumhor Coffee and Eatery on Hai Tech street serves 06:00–18:00 with outdoor tables. In Teuk Laak, the coffee shop on Oknha Tep Phan Street (182) seats customers outside from 04:00.

Smoking rules indoors and out

Under a sub-decree approved in March 2016, people smoking in restaurants and other public places must use clearly marked smoking areas; a smoker who breaks the rule faces a 20,000-riel fine and the owner 50,000 riel.4 Tobacco Control Laws reads the ban, Sub-Decree No. 43, as covering smoking in buildings, including indoor restaurants.5 If smoke at the next table bothers you, Planta's terrace is smoke-free.

Sources

  1. Phnom Penh, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
  2. Chaktomuk Walk Street: a symbol of Phnom Penh's urban renewal, Cambodge Mag (February 2, 2026), accessed October 2026
  3. Phnom Penh's Best Coffee Shops & Cafes, Lost Plate, accessed October 2026
  4. Health Ministry Will Levy Fines for Public Smoking Offenders, The Cambodia Daily (Phan Soumy, May 23, 2016), accessed October 2026
  5. Cambodia: Smoke Free Status of Indoor Public Places, Workplaces, and Public Transport, Tobacco Control Laws (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids), accessed October 2026
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By area: Riverside & Royal Palace Daun Penh & Central Market 7 Makara & Olympic Tonle Bassac & Boeng Trabek Toul Tom Poung (Russian Market)

FAQ

Outdoor seating in Phnom Penh: questions

When is the best season for sitting at outdoor cafés in Phnom Penh?

The southwest monsoon brings humid, rainy weather from May to November, and September is the wettest month, with about 270.9 mm of rain. February is the driest, with 6.6 mm, and December and January have the coolest nights. The heat peaks in April, with an average daily maximum of 35.3 °C.

When is Chaktomuk Walk Street on the Phnom Penh riverside closed to traffic?

Every weekend from 18:00 to 23:00, on the stretch of Sisowath Quay between Streets 94 and 240. It opened on 1 February 2025 as a six-month trial and was made permanent in 2025, with food stalls, artisans and street performers. Planta on Street 244, a few blocks inland, is open until 23:00.

What are the smoking rules for cafés and restaurants in Phnom Penh?

A sub-decree approved in March 2016 requires people smoking in restaurants and other public places to use clearly marked smoking areas, and it covers smoking inside buildings. A smoker who breaks the rule faces a 20,000-riel fine and the owner 50,000 riel. Planta on Street 244 has a smoke-free terrace.

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