POST UPDATED December 2022
One of my favorite things to do in Luang Prabang is eat. Luang Prabang was once under French rule which has left some impact on the food – especially the bread. There are 7 places to eat in Luang Prabang that really stood out to us and had us coming back again and again. We found a great mix of western indulgences and delicious local fare. Here are our top 7 places to eat in Luang Prabang.
JOMA
JOMA describes themselves as a “slice of North American cafe culture in Southeast Asia” and they’re absolutely spot on with that. In addition to their coffee scene they have amazing sweets like their cinnamon buns + amazing strawberry milkshakes. Plus, their food is absolutely delicious as well. Matt and I loved every sandwich we had there. Also, their hummus platter was super delicious and makes for a perfect snack. Another thing we love about JOMA is their passion for sustainability and giving back to local communities. You can find JOMA in Vientiane, Hanoi and Phnom Penh as well.
BAMBOO GARDEN
We happened to stumble upon this awesome little restaurant because we happened to be staying down the road at a guesthouse. They have the best chicken fried rice and veggie fried rice that I’ve ever had. It’s owned by a local family and we quickly became regulars here during our three-week stay. Their portions are huge and two people could easily split one plate.
SAFFRON COFFEE
Saffron is my preference for all things coffee. Although JOMA’s coffee is good, I think that Saffron’s is great. Like JOMA, they also have food and sweets as well. This was my favorite place to get a beautiful + delicious breakfast. Matt always got their breakfast bagel, but I was all about their Gingerbread pancakes with ice-cream, bananas and chocolate syrup. Sounds like a strange combo, but it totally works. It’s super indulgent and absolutely wonderful. Plus, the atmosphere is pretty wonderful.
Want to learn more about their coffee? Check out my post on their coffee tour here.
NIGHT MARKET VEGETARIAN BUFFET
I’ve heard mixed reviews of this place, but I have to say that I’m obsessed with it! The night market is filled with lots of different food options, but my favorite is the vegetarian buffet. It’s full of awesome vegetarian dishes including several noodle options! We came back here a couple of times to stuff our faces for less than $2. That’s right, you get to fill a bowl as full as you can for less than $2 – it’s perfect to split with someone if you can.
AMIGOS – Temporarily Closed
Amigos was a godsend for my Mexican-food-loving husband and my ques0-loving-self. Although, it isn’t exactly Mexican food like you’d get in Mexico or even southern California or Texas, it’s still delicious. You are, after all, in Laos. This restaurant is owned by the sweetest Laos + Canadian couple who were both very personable and passionate about helping people experience Laos. There are two locations: this one and one in Vang Vieng and both are awesome. Our favorites here were the pork enchilada and the queso. Oh, and the sweet tea is unreal if you have sweet tea cravings the way I do.
As of Dec. 2022, Amigos is temporarily closed. I’ve sent a Facebook message asking if/when they plan to reopen and will update this when I get a response.
UTOPIA – Temporarily Closed
Utopia is a favorite hangout for backpackers. They have one of the coolest locations, including a bamboo deck that overlooks the Nam Kahn. With a motto of ‘Zen by day, Groovy by night‘ you can’t go wrong. They have local dishes, western dishes, drinks, smoothies and even pizza! You can come by for everything from sand volleyball in the morning to candlelit dinner + drinks on cushions to great music.
As of Dec. 2022, Utopia is temporarily closed. I’ve sent a Facebook message asking if/when they plan to reopen and will update this when I get a response.
NHAMKONG CAFE – Permanently Closed
This was recommended by our sweet friend, Mira, who we met up with for breakfast one day. It’s quaint, totally delicious and has a local cafe feel for sure. It sits very near the Mekong river and the walls are open, so it’s a great location. It is a much more humble location, but their food is fantastic. They had the super-sweet iced coffee that Southeast Asia is known for and their bagel breakfast sandwich was superb.
Unfortunately, this restaurant was a casualty to 2020.
This is just 7 places to eat in Luang Prabang, there are even more options! We had so much fun finding local favorites. Have you been to Luang Prabang? Which eateries + cafes were your favorites?
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20 Comments
The Thrifty Campers
February 1, 2018 at 11:02 amthe bamboo garden intrigues me.
Matt
February 1, 2018 at 3:54 pmBamboo Garden was my favorite!
Agness of Fit Travelling
February 3, 2018 at 9:58 amThese all seem like exceptional place for eating out when in Laos, Paige. Thanks for the awesome suggestions! I fell in love with that night market!
Tamara Elliott
February 3, 2018 at 10:44 amI love the sound of those gingerbread pancakes at Saffron Coffee- kind of sounds like a treat for Christmas morning!
Danik
February 3, 2018 at 2:42 pmFantastic list of places with variety on this post. Loving the looks of the desert..I do have a sweet tooth.
Kavita Favelle
February 4, 2018 at 3:53 amReally really want to go to Laos and one of the key reasons is to eat all the great food! It’s always good to have some reliable cafes and restaurants but that night market would be calling to me!
Linda At LDHTravelAtWill
February 4, 2018 at 11:06 amI will keep this post in case we visit. We loved the night markets when travelling in SE Asia. Great selection of fresh seafood always drew us in. We always check out local coffee spots. But Saffron Coffee will definitely be on the list for gingerbread pancakes covered in bananas and chocolate.
Marissa
February 4, 2018 at 3:36 pmSo many good options! I love the vegetarian buffet and Saffron. I always search for good coffee when I travel, and the gingerbread pancakes are right up my alley.
Anuradha Goyal
February 5, 2018 at 8:04 pmGreat pictures and I can see some vegetarian options like salads and Pizza. Looks like you were on a food Safari in Laos 🙂
Indrani
February 5, 2018 at 10:52 pmGood list, saving it up for my visit to Laos. This will definitely save time needed to hunt down good places to eat. I hate experimenting with food in a foreign land.
Sneha
February 6, 2018 at 5:26 amUtopia looks to be quite chilled out with the bamboo deck and all. And that pizza looks sooo scrumptious! I am visiting Laos later this year and your post only makes me feel I should go sooner!
Alli Blair
February 6, 2018 at 1:41 pmJoma certainly brings back memories of my time in Luang Prabang! And so does the night market there – the food was delicious! I just loved my time in Laos, but in particular Luang Prabang. Can’t wait to go back!
steph and zach dorworth
February 10, 2018 at 4:54 pmPaige, sounds like you really enjoyed it there! Saffron coffee sounds intriguing and chicken fried rice never gets old. Getting hungry seeing all this. Thanks for the recommendations!
Tanvi
February 10, 2018 at 8:55 pmLaos is like so near to my country even then I still have to go there! I would definitely try any of these especially the bamboo garden.. I hope i can encounter them whenever I go there!
Rachael
February 11, 2018 at 2:49 pmSo many delicious looking foods here! The bagel sandwich and that pizza look amazing!
SkyeClass
February 12, 2018 at 7:33 amThis is so not far!!!! I really struggled with finding good places to eat at in Luang Prabang, although I absolutely loved Joma (your first pick it seems). I really wish I had this to read last year when I visited. I definitely plan to go back in a couple years, take the boat again, visit Vang Veng and hike the far trail at the top of the Kuang Xi Waterfalls, and I’ll be sure to keep this in mind when I go. That pizza looks delicious!
Lindsay | Carpe Diem OUR Way
February 12, 2018 at 7:44 pmGingerbread pancakes??? Sounds like my kind of breakfast! And the Night Market, I would love to try out the vegetarian buffet! While I am a meal lover, I love me some good veggies too (when someone else makes it!)
Adelina
February 13, 2018 at 8:23 pmYum! All these places look and sound tasty. If I had to pick one it would have to be utopia. Can’t say no to that amazing looking deck. The pizza looks pretty tasty too.
alison abbott
February 13, 2018 at 9:47 pmWhat a surprise as I was reading your post to come across the bagel photo. I guess they are universally comfort food! The vegetarian buffet at the Night Market in Luang Prabang is right up my alley. Yum!
100cobbledroads
February 14, 2018 at 9:19 pmAll the places that you mention here seem great and the dishes look so yummy! I would love to try the night market buffet and Mexican food is my favorite, so I would never miss the chance for a delicious Mexican meal.