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Cambodian cuisine has been influenced by its geography, different ethnic groups, and foreign countries. Rice and fish are important staples to this diet, as well as many types of fruit and vegetables. Unfortunately, many traditional Cambodian recipes were lost when the Khmer Rouge took over in the 1970’s and caused one of the worst famines in modern history. Out of desperation, many Cambodians started eating things that were not traditionally eaten prior to the famine. Many of these foods are still eaten today.
All of these factors have contributed to the wide array of street food options that can be found in Cambodia. Here are the top 10 most unique street foods that I tried there!
Table of Contents
1. Fried Tarantulas
Rating: 9/10
Cambodia is one of the few places in the world where tarantulas are eaten. Today, it is treated as a snack or a delicacy, but it most likely became a part of the Cambodian diet out of desperation. When the Khmer Rouge took control of the country, they outlawed the private cultivation of crops, foraging, cooking in one’s home, and even owning pots or other types of cookware. People resorted to eating whatever they could find, which is how tarantulas became a part of Cambodian cuisine.
There was a pretty big mental barrier to overcome when eating one of these. I did not know which side of the tarantula to eat first, so I chose to nibble on one of its legs. The taste surprised me: the seasoning and crunchiness of the leg reminded me of Takis chips. I decided to eat the back of the spider first (I didn’t want to look in its eyes as I brought it close to my face) and was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. If the vendor wasn’t running low on supply, I would have bought another one.
2. Water Snake
Rating: 3/10
The same vendor with the tarantulas also had fried water snake on a stick. The presentation made it look promising and I was excited to try it. However, I was disappointed at the taste and how tough it was. Imagine trying to tear a piece of leather with your teeth and you will have a pretty good idea of how tough it was. I ate about half of it, then gave the rest to some kids nearby. Maybe it was just overcooked and it normally tastes good, so I will definitely give it another try in the future.
3. Grilled Pigeon
Rating: 9/10
When the vendor told me he was selling pigeon, I immediately thought about the millions of feral pigeons found in cities around the world. However, while it is possible that these were urban pigeons, they were most likely caught in the countryside. But it is also possible that they caught these pigeons right down the street. Either way, it tasted great! The taste resembled the dark meat on chicken. It was also much more filling than some of the other street foods I tried in Cambodia.
4. Lizards
Rating: 1/10
Lizards are another food source that the Cambodians began eating out of desperation. I tried these lizards shortly after eating the water snake, and I was surprised to find that these were even harder to eat! The reptilian skin was so tough and there was not much meat on them. It was like eating bones wrapped in leather. After I had eaten one of them, I offered the other two to some kids nearby, which they declined. It seems like this street food serves as more of a reminder of the harsh conditions that the Cambodians had to suffer through rather than something that is still widely eaten today.
5. Frogs
Rating: 10/10
These small frogs were my favorite street food. A tuk-tuk driver took me to the outskirts of Siem Reap to find this snack. A street vendor filled a small bag with these frogs for me. I had never eaten an entire frog before: I was used to seeing only the legs served as food. These frogs were deep-fried like many other street foods here. They were crunchy, salty, and seasoned with lime. The vendor gave me some hot sauce to dip them in as well. I ate the entire bag in about 10 minutes and almost went back for more.
6. Giant Water Bug
Rating: 5/10
I tried this one mostly so I could say that I’ve tried it. Giant water bugs resemble large cockroaches, so it honestly didn’t seem appealing at all. But I love trying new foods, so I ate it. While many bugs become crunchy after they are fried, this one was big enough to still have a juicy center. The consistency was not my favorite, but the taste was pretty good. The vendor did a good job seasoning it so it ended up being a decent snack.
7. Scorpions
Rating: 8/10
I had already eaten scorpions in Texas and Mexico, so I knew what I was getting into. The vendor pierced a large scorpion with a stick and handed it to me. For some reason, seeing a foreigner eat this food got the most attention from the locals. Everyone watched (and recorded) while I ate it off the stick. I’m not exactly sure why this food got me so much attention, but it tasted pretty good. It was crunchy and salty, and probably makes for a good snack at the bar.
8. Grubs
Rating: 8/10
I had eaten something similar to this in Mexico (Gusano de maguey) as well as Zambia and Zimbabwe (Mopane worms), so I knew that, while unappealing to look at, these grub were probably much more delicious than they appeared. These were thinner than I was used to, so there was not as much juice. I think that makes it more palatable for first-time bug eaters. The grubs tasted great, and I enjoyed them more than the giant water bug and scorpion that I had just eaten. I highly recommend this food for anyone traveling to Cambodia.
9. Deep-fried Bird
Rating: 6/10
I had first seen this delicacy on Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations when I was in middle school. I finally found it being sold outside the Royal Palace of Cambodia in Phnom Penh. I bought a couple of the birds to enjoy on my way to the airport. You eat the entire thing: the head, the beak, the feet. They don’t have much meat on them so they won’t fill you up. Once you get over the mental hurdle of eating them, they taste pretty good. They weren’t my favorite street food in Cambodia, but I will eat them again when I go back.
10. Grilled Squid
Rating: 9/10
A lot of seafood is eaten in Cambodia, so I took advantage of this when I found street vendors selling one of my favorite foods: squid. I had squid almost every day while in Cambodia; not just on the street, but also in restaurants. The squid sold here were much larger than what I was used to. They were filling enough to serve as a meal after a long day of exploring. If you like eating squid, Cambodia is a great place to enjoy it. If you never tried squid before, there are plenty of street vendors here to help you change that.
While these are my top 10 recommendations for street food, there are plenty of other unique dishes to try in Cambodia! Check out the general prices for street food and restaurants in Cambodia here.
