Phnom Penh Restaurant Vancouver

Phnom Penh: Chinatown's Cambodian and Vietnamese Institution

Phnom Penh is a family-run Cambodian and Vietnamese restaurant at 244 East Georgia Street in Vancouver's Chinatown. The Huynh family arrived in Vancouver as refugees from Cambodia and opened the restaurant in the mid-1980s, inspired by the restaurant the family had run back in Phnom Penh. The third generation now runs it.

The Michelin Guide awarded Phnom Penh a Bib Gourmand in 2024 and 2025, which marks good cooking at a fair price. Here's what to know before you go.

About Phnom Penh

The restaurant opened in the Expo 86 era as a place where newly arrived Cambodian refugees could feel at home, and locals soon found it too. Decades later it is still one of the busiest rooms in Chinatown, and lines at peak times are normal.

The family sources many of its ingredients within Chinatown to support the neighbourhood. They also close the restaurant for a stretch each year to travel in Asia for recipe research.

The menu mixes Cambodian and Vietnamese home cooking, from noodle soups and rice plates to the house specialties that made it famous.

The Menu

How It Works

Most tables order the same three dishes, and first-timers should too.

What to Order

• Deep-fried chicken wings: the restaurant's best-known dish: crisp wings with a lemon-pepper dipping sauce.
• Butter beef: thinly sliced, barely cooked marinated beef, dressed and topped with cilantro and fried garlic.
• Beef luc lac: tender cubes of stir-fried, marinated beef.
• Phnom Penh rice noodles: the house noodle soup named after the restaurant.
• Hand-rolled spring rolls: made in house by the family.

Dietary Needs

Cambodian dishes often use fish sauce, prahok (fermented fish paste), shrimp paste, peanuts and lime. Tell staff about any allergies.

Atmosphere and Dining Experience

Casual, busy and loud, with a long-standing family-restaurant feel.

• Best for: wings, butter beef and a casual group meal
• Price: affordable to moderate ($$)
• Format: sit-down and takeout
• Good to know: expect a line at peak times

Location: Chinatown, Vancouver

Phnom Penh is at 244 East Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC, in Chinatown near Main Street.

Hours of Operation

Phnom Penh serves lunch and dinner. Hours change, so check before you go.

Reservations

• Expect to queue at busy times. Arriving early in the evening or later at night helps.

Price Range

Phnom Penh is affordable to moderate, listed at $$ by the Michelin Guide.

Awards and Recognition

• Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand, 2024 and 2025

Contact Information

• Address: 244 E Georgia St, Vancouver, BC V6A 1Z7
• Phone: 604-682-5777
• Neighbourhood: Chinatown, Vancouver
• Cuisine: Cambodian

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Phnom Penh Cambodian or Vietnamese?

Both. The menu mixes Cambodian and Vietnamese home cooking.

What is Phnom Penh famous for?

Its deep-fried chicken wings and butter beef.

Is Phnom Penh Michelin recognised?

Yes, it received a Bib Gourmand in 2024 and 2025.

Where is Phnom Penh?

244 East Georgia Street in Chinatown.

Who runs Phnom Penh?

The Huynh family, now in its third generation.

Will I have to wait?

Often. Lines are common at peak meal times.