Art Café Hopping Day 1

It’s May, one of the hottest months in Cambodia, and I’m on the lookout for new cafés that have cropped up over the past few years. Many cities in Cambodia lack true third spaces (e.g., parks where locals can sit and hang out), especially in a bustling city like Phnom Penh. As a result, a wave of cafés has emerged, places where locals gather to hang out, work remotely, and cool off from the city heat.

What interests me is that some of these cafés operate within an arts-and-culture framework, often dedicating part of their space to Khmer-related artworks. It offers a gentle introduction to Khmer arts and culture while keeping things light and accessible throughout the day.

After my Day 1 of café hopping, here are three cafés that perfectly fit that vibe:

Veranda Pottery Café

I absolutely love this place. Tucked away in an alley near Bassac Lane (Phnom Penh’s pub street), Veranda is a villa set within a lush garden. The café is a family-owned business that works closely with villagers in Andong Russey, helping preserve a pottery tradition that is slowly fading.

Their pottery collection is simple but beautiful: jugs and vases, trinkets, and cups. They also offer pottery workshops where you can sit down and make your own Cambodian ceramics.

What makes the place special is its commitment to handmade and homemade, from the pottery to the cakes and coffee, and the fact that proceeds are shared with the villagers, supporting the preservation of an often- overlooked aspect of Khmer culture.

Outdoor area where you can make your own pottery

Address: #13A Street 312, Phnom Penh

246 Art Café

Across from Wat Botum Park, on the quaint and narrow Street 246, sits a small, cozy art café serving a variety of drinks and surprisingly good food. I actually came here because of its highly reviewed bai cha (fried rice) on Google Maps.

The owner has put together a makeshift gallery of framed Cambodian artworks. The range is quite something, from classic countryside oil paintings featuring cows and rice fields (the kind you’d find at Central Market) to playful, almost caricatural works by locally known painter Stef Delaprée, alongside reprinted and framed colonial posters. 

Art poster area

Address: #14AE0 Street 246, Phnom Penh

Lumière

A gorgeous café adorned with classical Khmer sculptures and statues. It sits near Wat Phnom, the hill tied to the founding myth of the capital. Its concept blends café and cinema, featuring a screening room dedicated to promoting film culture, especially Cambodian films. They house a selection of films and documentaries, such as Elvis of Cambodia, a documentary about Sinn Sisamouth, the “Golden Voice of Cambodia,” who disappeared during the Khmer Rouge, as well as stories about Angkor.

If you're unsure which angle to take when exploring Cambodia, visual storytelling can offer real food for thought. The space is ornate yet bright, with both an open-air area and a closed, air-conditioned section. The atmosphere leans toward the chic, I was even welcomed with a cold towel and tea upon arrival.

I ordered a cup of “Classical Khmer Coffee” and took time to explore their mini gallery and screening space. It’s definitely a must-visit if you want to discover Cambodia through its contemporary cinema scene. 

Their humble classical art gallery

Address: 165 Preah Ang Duong St. (110), Phnom Penh