Restaurant
Cuisine Wat Damnak
Chef Joannes Riviere's dinner-only restaurant in a traditional wooden house, serving regularly changing eight-course tasting menus of seasonal Cambodian produce.
SPOONS Cafe and Restaurant
A non-profit café and restaurant serving Cambodian food from breakfast to dinner, where every profit supports hospitality training for underprivileged young adults.
At a glance
- Type
- Cambodian training restaurant
- Area
- Wat Damnak, Siem Reap, Cambodia
- Price
- $ · Budget
- Opening
- Open daily · 07:00–22:00
- Official site
- spoonscambodia.org
Good to know
- Open daily
- Social enterprise
- Breakfast to dinner
Why we recommend it
SPOONS Cafe and Restaurant is a full-service Cambodian restaurant that doubles as a training ground for young people starting careers in hospitality. It is run by SPOONS Cambodia Organization, a non-profit that provides education, training and employment support to underprivileged Cambodian young adults, and it says it has helped more than 600 of them so far. The organisation grew out of EGBOK Mission, established in 2009 as a US-registered non-profit, and is now run entirely by Cambodians. All of the restaurant's profits support the organisation and its students.
The menu focuses on Cambodian cuisine, which makes SPOONS a good place to try local dishes at a modest price. Because it is open all day, you can come for breakfast before the temples, a long lunch in the heat of the day or a relaxed dinner. Ask the staff for their recommendations if you are unsure what to order.
The atmosphere is friendly and informal, and the restaurant suits solo travellers, families and anyone who likes the idea that their meal is doing some good. Service is part of the students' training, so it is attentive but may move at its own pace on busy evenings. Groups can make reservations in advance, which helps the kitchen to plan.
SPOONS is open every day from 7am to 10pm. Reservations and enquiries go to the restaurant's own phone number and email address. The organisation also accepts donations if you would like to support the training programme beyond your meal, and the team can tell you more about how students progress into jobs.
The restaurant is in Wat Damnak Village, east of the river, in a quieter part of town that is home to several other well-known restaurants. Its website gives driving directions in Khmer that you can show to a tuk-tuk driver: the route crosses the river from the Old Market and follows 7 Makara Street and Wat Bo Road. Combine a meal here with a visit to the Wat Bo area or an evening show in town. Breakfast is the quietest time to visit, while evenings are livelier, and it is wise to book ahead if you are coming with a group.
SPOONS Cafe and Restaurant FAQs
What is SPOONS?
A non-profit café and restaurant that trains underprivileged Cambodian young adults for hospitality careers.
When is it open?
Every day from 7am to 10pm.
What kind of food does it serve?
Cambodian cuisine, from breakfast through to dinner.
Where do the profits go?
All of the restaurant's profits support the organisation and its students.
How do I find it?
It is in Wat Damnak Village; the website gives Khmer directions you can show your tuk-tuk driver.
Can I make a reservation?
Yes, by phone or through the restaurant's reservations email.
Is it good value?
Yes, it is one of the more affordable sit-down restaurants in town.
How many students has it helped?
The organisation says it has supported more than 600 young adults.