Khmer food is quieter than its Thai and Vietnamese neighbors — less chili heat, more subtle aromatic complexity — and it doesn't get nearly the attention it deserves. Rice and freshwater fish are the foundations of the diet, shaped by the Mekong and the enormous Tonle Sap lake.
Fish amok is the dish most travelers encounter first and for good reason: fish steamed in coconut milk with lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves, often served in a banana leaf cup. It's mild and fragrant rather than hot. Samlor machu is a sour soup with fish and tamarind that turns up in various forms across the country. Bai sach chrouk — grilled pork over rice, typically eaten for breakfast — is a Phnom Penh staple: cheap, satisfying, eaten at plastic tables by the roadside at 7am.
Street food markets are the best way to eat. Markets in every town have stalls selling noodle soups (kuy teav), grilled skewers, fresh fruit, and iced drinks for next to nothing. In Phnom Penh, the Russian Market area and the waterfront both have good street food concentrations. Siem Reap's night market has decent food stalls alongside the tourist restaurants.
Cambodian fruit is excellent. Mangoes, rambutans, and mangosteens are in season at different points through the year. The "milk fruit" — a soft, sweet oval fruit with a creamy interior — is worth trying when you find it.
International food is readily available in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap — French, Italian, Indian, and various Asian cuisines. The legacy of French colonialism means good bakeries and decent coffee in the cities.
Kep is the place to eat crab. The town's famous crab market sells fresh crabs cooked with Kampot pepper, which is Cambodia's finest culinary export and worth bringing home.