What to eat in Vientiane?

Hey all,

Looking to go to Vientiane late Jan/early Feb next year, and would greatly appreciate recommendations for places to eat of any and all cuisines as long as it%26#39;s quality.

Thanks!

What to eat in Vientiane?

Cicatriz, I%26#39;m sure others are better informed than I am so I can only give you a couple of suggestions.

Around the fountain in town you will find a cluster of restaurants - everything from the Scandanavian Bakery (good for breakfast if you need a bread fix or coffee) to Italian, French, International etc etc etc.

Along the riverfront there are any number of casual restaurants. Pick one for the ambiance.

I also really like hanging out at the Spirit House which is next door to the Beau Rivage hotel (which I also enjoy). It has Lao and international food, an outdoor eating area right on the river. And free wifi :-) Good cocktail bar inside too. It%26#39;s not a truly local place, but by any measure the ambiance and food are good (from breakfast through dinner).

I also like the Sunset Bar for a drink at, well, sunset. Its along the same road (its a dirt road) beside the Mekong, about another 200m or so. Its of a curious construction but I think it is the best place to relax over a beer, some good Lao snacks and watch life on the river.

I have a few photos from a Vientiane trip at noexpectations.com.au/galleries/laos-decembe… (the first 6 or seven shots are from Vientiane).

Cheers, --Kip

What to eat in Vientiane?

Expensive - Le Silapa

Good value, not cheap but excellent french food - Le Central.

Very good lao food - Kua Laos

My local - good country style french food at reasonable prices, 3.00 corkage - Le Central

heavily overpriced but good Italian food - La Gondola

Restaurants by the Mekong are ok, but nothing special.

Good Korean style bbq - Poysian Bulgogi

Sorry the above Italian should read La Opera. La Gondola is quite a lot cheaper, not as good though.

I second the Le Opera for Italian ,they always treat me good there but 10 or 12 bucks per person, you can get a decent steak at the french place next to scandanavian bakery. SB has good coffee and breakfast, so does Joma bakery, Sticky Fingers is run by aussies and has fish and chips etc, Mekong Deck is new and kinda nice, PVO almost next door has good Vietnamese soup, the street venders on the mekong is hit and miss, had some good food there and some not so good, Sunset bar is a cool place but hard to get to if you don%26#39;t have a motorbike, You can rent a bike at PVO, they are good people there, treated me good, Khop Chai Duo Bar is the most popular place for falangs the BBQ is pretty good and the lunch buffet is pretty good, callao

';10 or 12 bucks per person, you can get a decent steak at the french place next to scandanavian bakery.';

That place is called Le Provencal. Good steaks and pizza and they don%26#39;t charge corckage.

Thanks guys for all the great suggestions!

I%26#39;ve also heard of a Laos Food Festival which ran in Vientiane early this year, but I can%26#39;t find any more info about it - does anyone know anything about it?

Last year, not this year. It is not an annual event.

In Feb. last year we had delicious food at Makphet restaurant, which is part of the ';Stay Another Day'; project. The food was really excellent and so is the cause. here%26#39;s a link: stayanotherday.org/project/…introduction

Definitely check out Makphet restaurant - its great food - the best I had on my last visit in July. Near the Wat Inpeng - its small though and gets full quickly. Great because its a training restaurant too.

I also like Le Provencal on Namphpu and last time ate at Le Vendome - okay but not brilliant as I%26#39;d been told.

Coffee - Jomas is the usual and is good. Also good coffee from a tiny place with only about 3 tables - run by a Japanese lady - they roast their own coffee. Sorry the name is gone but its in road with the Samentha hotel opposite the Lao Women%26#39;s union.

Also by the time you get there Lao Mountain coffee should have their new premises up and running - they plan to do tasting sessions and have a small cafe. Its up near That Luang not far from the Japanese embassy. They do great coffee.

Mak Phet is too Westernised for my tastes. Though the cause is great, the food is ok, but not great.

Joma is overpriced. Try the Swedish bakery instead or the small coffee shop in Talat Sao Mall for cheaper and just as good if not better coffee.