From Nasi Lemak to Rendang: Where to Find Malaysian Halal Food in Phnom Penh?

Buffet at Cafe Malaya

From Nasi Lemak to Rendang: Where to Find Malaysian Halal Food in Phnom Penh? Malaysian halal food establishments in Phnom Penh have come and gone throughout my time in Cambodia. This may be due to an insufficient customer base, flavors that don't quite match Malaysian or Singaporean preferences living here, and of course, COVID-19 forcing many eateries to close. Only a few have been able to embrace these changes and challenges. While not perfect, these restaurants offer the closest experience to authentic Malaysian halal food in Phnom Penh. So if you're visiting Phnom Penh and are unsure what to eat but want to explore these Malaysian food eateries, here are my three places i always dine .

Cafe Malaya

Cafe Malaya [Map]

I've lost count of how many times I've visited here for the lunch buffet since 2010-2011. What I do remember is that during the early years, the price was about $4.00, but in 2025, the "eat all you can" lunch buffet is $5.60. Cafe Malaya is located on Street 118, just a 5-minute walk from the iconic Central Market. It's open Monday to Saturday from 10:30am to 7:30pm and closed on Sundays.

The menu features beef rendang (slow-cooked beef with coconut and spices till dry), ayam masak lemak (chicken cooked in spicy turmeric coconut), fish curry, and not to forget the staple sambal belacan (chili with shrimp paste) for that extra kick for your meal. You can expect 5-7 rotating dishes including soup.

Dulang Cafe

Dulang Cafe [Map]

Dulang Cafe, formerly known as Kuali Panas (Hot Wok), has been in the Phnom Penh food scene since late December 2018 and is another excellent spot for Malaysian halal food. Located on Street 154, just 5-6 minutes' walk from the Royal Palace, it's open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 9pm.

They serve an extensive à la carte menu including nasi lemak, ayam penyet, and nasi kandar. If you're looking for a snack, curry puffs with Teh tarik are also available.

My Kampong Cafe

My Kampong Cafe [Map]

I discovered this café in late 2022, and it's probably the newest addition to Malaysian halal food options in Phnom Penh. Located on Beoung Trabek Street 105, it's a bit farther from the city center than the two restaurants mentioned above, but the area is well-known as a foodie destination.

My Kampong Café is closed every Friday and open from 7:30am to 7pm on other days. They also offer dishes such as nasi lemak, roti canai, roti jala, and nasi kandar, along with Malay desserts including onde-onde, ketayap, and curry puffs.

Uncle Foodie

Located in one of Phnom Penh's Muslim community areas and close to Al-Serkal Mosque (the largest mosque and Cambodia Islamic Center), Uncle Foodie offers roti john, nasi goreng kampung, tahu goreng, mee soto, curry puffs, halal snacks, cakes, and desserts. Open Monday to Saturday from 7am - 7pm (closed on Sunday).

In Phnom Penh, besides Malaysian halal food, you can find other types of cuisine including Chinese, Indonesian, Mediterranean, Indian, and Cambodian halal food. Perhaps that's for another blog post. If you want to know more about halal food places check out map below. A curated halal places for the years i spent in Cambodia.