Miss Wong

Miss Wong is one of Siem Reap's best-loved bars and a good place to begin or end an evening. It is an intimate cocktail lounge near the Siem Reap River, styled in the spirit of a 1920s speakeasy with the look of 1930s Shanghai, and it takes its name from a painting by the artist Vladimir Tretchikoff. The bar was founded by Dean Williams, a New Zealander and award-winning radio journalist, and its success in Siem Reap led to a second Miss Wong in Battambang.

The idea is simple: a quiet, refined place to talk over a well-made drink, without loud music. The cocktail list leans towards the classics. There is a Classic Martini, a Singapore Sling made to the original Raffles Hotel recipe and the house Indochine Martini, which mixes vodka with a ginger-infused cognac liqueur and a splash of pineapple juice. Previous visitors have also praised a rose and lemongrass martini, so ask what the bartenders recommend on the night.

Miss Wong is more than a drinking spot. The kitchen serves home-style Chinese cooking, with dishes such as duck pancakes, honey and soy pork belly noodles and braised chicken thigh, which make it easy to stay for a light dinner. The bar also holds events regularly, so check its social media pages for what is on during your stay.

The bar suits couples, small groups of friends and solo travellers who prefer conversation to a party atmosphere. It is small, so it can fill up later in the evening, especially in the high season; arriving early gives you the best choice of seats. Dress is relaxed, but the setting rewards making a little effort after a day at the temples.

Miss Wong is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 5pm until midnight, and closed on Mondays. It is on Street 26 in the Wat Bo neighbourhood, a short walk or tuk-tuk ride from the Old Market across the river. Several other bars and restaurants are within walking distance, so it is easy to combine with dinner nearby or a later drink elsewhere. The Sugar Palm and Pages Cafe are both in the same Wat Bo area.