This is Part II of my Complete Guide to Luang Prabang covering my favorite restaurants. You can find my recommendations for what to do and where to stay in Part I here, and my shopping recommendations in Part III here.
EAT.
Restaurant offerings in Luang Prabang are a mix of French and Lao cuisine. I really didn't expect to find perfect croissants in the jungles of Laos but wow does Le Banneton Cafe know how to get them just right! Here is a list of our six favorite restaurants in Luang Prabang. We returned to each restaurant multiple times throughout our stay and all six were consistently delightful and delicious!
3 Nagas - We enjoyed an elegant dinner here on our first night and loved sampling a variety of Lao dishes. There are surprisingly few Lao restaurants in town so one meal at 3 Nagas is a must! Perhaps the only thing more delicious than their dinners were their breakfasts, which included local dishes like congee and bahn cuon alongside western classics. In the afternoon, pop by their ice cream shop for a scoop of their homemade ice cream!
Tangor - We LOVED Tangor! I lost track of how many times we ate here, but it got to the point where the two wicker chairs on the front porch practically had our names on them. The fish ceviche and bo bun are both musts!
Dexter - Lao and Western fare, they make very good expresso - perfect for afternoon pick-me ups and I loved their design-y black and white decor.
Bouang - A fresh and healthy option in the center of town with the best fries and beautiful burgers served on pink beet-juice buns.
Viewpoint Cafe - Get the lime basil smoothie! We liked it so much we ordered two in our first sitting and came back the next day for more. Their terrace overlooking the Mekong is a calm and relaxing place to watch the monks travel back and forth across the bamboo bridge.
Le Banneton Cafe - Simple breakfast dishes, good coffee and excellent croissants with lots of bistro tables all open to a quiet stretch of the main road.
CONTINUE TO: PART III - Where to shop in Luang Prabang
xx, SF
All photos by David and Stacie Flinner for stacieflinner.com