There’s no doubt about it, Phnom Penh is the place to be when it comes to finding Cambodia’s best bars, breweries, and spirit makers. The post-pandemic vibe here is hopping, and some might say it created a booze renaissance, of sorts, as more people flocked to the capital city to find jobs and better opportunities. From local taprooms hidden down small alleys to exclusive access to the city’s best distiller, here are some of our favorite places to spend an evening (or few)…
While you’ll find a couple of our favorite breweries further down the list, Embargo is a great place to try a few of them at the same time. Here, you can find 8 taps with beers from Cambodia’s best craft breweries like Riel, Cerevisia, and Himawari…plus some brews from neighboring countries like Vietnam’s Fuzzy Logic. They also have a rotating bottle selection where you can choose from even more. Perhaps our favorite part? It’s hidden down a small alley in Phnom Penh’s BKK district, has sweet The Simpon’s artwork, and offers free board and video games upstairs. Taps rotate regularly so check out their social media channels for an updated tap list.
Google Map: Click Here
Cerevisia Craft Brewery is one of the city’s best, and their lush outdoor oasis surrounded by greenery (and taps) keeps us coming back. They offer a great beer selection ranging from stouts, to IPAs, to sours or a hard seltzer, and for those who can’t decide they offer flights of beers of your choice. Their mantra of transforming high-quality ingredients into full-bodied beers will keep the beer lovers happy, but their selection of wine and cocktails makes it a great place for everyone. A full, all-day food menu and live music on weekends (check their social media channel for details) don’t hurt either.
Web: https://www.cerevisiacraftbrewery.com
Google Map: Click Here
Think two chill guys hauling a bunch of equipment into their living room and brewing some of the best beer in the country. Though they’re pretty laid back, ask them anything about their beer and you’ll just scratch the surface of their knowledge and interest in the craft. They’re quick to pull up their monitors, show you a beer at different stages of production, and pull out the raw ingredients to compare. Full-on brew-nerds here reside.
The “underground” beer spread by word of mouth to the point where said living room is now being converted into a Macgyver-style taproom! Literally. Tanks in the garage, taps drilled through the wall, a bedroom converted into a walk-in freezer- it’s a micro-brewery at it’s most authentic form. Their hours vary, but you can visit – and meet the guys – on our Phnom Penh Hidden Bar Tour. If you’re into beer, you don’t want to miss this place.
By far the most popular place in town to grab a German-inspired beer, Hops Craft Beer Garden’s sprawling property offers three distinct beer halls plus a large outdoor beer garden. They do not deviate from the German purity laws, so they only use water, barley, hops, and yeast to create their lager, wheat beer, IPA, and red stout. Top it all off with German sausages and some live music and you’ve got yourself a fun night.
This is also the only air-conditioned venue, which also has nice pool tables and darts inside.
Web: http://hops-brewery.com/
Google Map: Click Here
The Box Office doesn’t brew their own beer, but they do offer one of the city’s largest selections of locally brewed beers and ciders. This cozy bar also hosts regular open mic nights, comedy nights and quiz nights. Their Sunday roast dinners are also something to write home about.
Web: https://www.facebook.com/Theboxofficephnompenh/
Google Map: Click Here
Cambodia’s rainy season, which spans from May to October, often raises concerns among travelers who worry about constant downpours disrupting their plans. But reality is quite different! Known as the “green season,” this period transforms Cambodia’s landscapes into lush, vibrant scenes that are truly breathtaking.
We love the cafe vibe in Cambodia, and throughout Phnom Penh’s bustling concrete jungle it’s quite easy to find a place to chill at one of the city’s coffee shops or cafes. Coffee has become a way of life for Cambodians, and it took us a long time to narrow down our list of favorites. The cafes here focus on espresso drinks, which leaves our coffee-snob Portland team sometimes wanting more, but make up for it with great vibes and endless menus full of fresh fruit smoothies and brunch.
The small yet rapidly growing micro-brew scene in Cambodia’s capital is what everyone in the West reminisces about. Passionate brewers setting up shop in their garage (or as close to a garage as you can have in Phnom Penh,) tinkering with local ingredients and brewing batches big enough to share at one or two bars. The result is some of the best beer you can find in Asia…and drinking it in some of the most intimate hidden gems that you’ll find anywhere.
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