The influx of tourists and a solid foreign community have given rise to restaurants catering to virtually every taste, from Korean BBQ to sauerkraut. The city's Western cuisine in particular is said to be the best in Southeast Asia.
Riverside food stalls
line the Mekong's bank from Nokeo Koummane Road to Khoun Boulom Road, with most offering Lao staples like
tam màk hung
(spicy papaya salad),
pîng kai
(grilled chicken) and fruit shakes from morning until nearly midnight. A
night market
sets up on Khoun Boulom Road near the intersection with Heng Boun Road in the early evening, and there's a more extensive version at Dong Palane Market on Ban Fai Road near Wat Ban Fai. Most of Vientiane's
restaurants
open for lunch and then again for dinner; no-frills eateries are usually open throughout the day, closing around 9pm. In most restaurants you'll pay on average $2 for a meal, and even in more upmarket Western restaurants you'll rarely spend more than $10.
Breakfast, bakeries and cafés
Healthy and Fresh
, Setthathilat Road, just west of Nam Phou Place. Does the best sandwiches in town, using freshly baked bread, as well as pretty good quiches and coffee.
Scandinavian Bakery
, Nam Phou Place. Bread of the day,...
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Lao
Bounmala
, Khou Viang Road, near Wat Phaxai. Classic, inexpensive Lao-beer-and-roast-chicken joint under a tin roof. Also worth sampling is the roast beef, served with
khào pun
(flour noodles in a sauce), star fruit and lettuce.
...
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Thai, Vietnamese and Indian
Ha-wai
, Heng Boun Road. An excellent French and Vietnamese menu, including recommended kebabs, served with beans smothered in a garlic sauce, and watercress soup.
Kaysone
, Chao Anou Road. A man and his wok serving
phat thai...
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Western
Le Bayou Bar Brasserie
, Setthathilat Road, opposite Wat Ong Teu. Reasonable prices with a menu offering pizzas, rôtisserie chicken, pasta, salads, good couscous, as well as terrific
flan au caramel
and mousse. The quality bar has Beer...
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Vegetarian
Ahan Pheua Sukhaphap
, Khoun Boulom Road, just north of Samsenthai Road. Strict health-food joint serving outstanding plates of mixed veggies over rice and inspired tofu-based satay. Yellow sign out front simply reads "Vegetarian Food."
...
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