Luang Prabang has one of the best food scenes in Laos — a combination of traditional Lao cooking and French colonial influence that produces a cuisine unlike anywhere else in Southeast Asia. The morning market on Chao Fa Ngum Road is the best place to see and try local food at its most authentic; the street food scene along the back streets behind the night market is cheap and excellent.
Look for khao niaw (sticky rice, the Lao staple), laap (minced meat salad with herbs and toasted rice powder), or tam mak houng (spicy green papaya salad). Mak kham (tamarind) shows up in sauces and desserts. The French legacy means baguettes are baked fresh every morning — a Lao baguette filled with pâté and pickled vegetables is an excellent cheap breakfast.