After leaving his post at Meric restaurant, in the former Hotel de la Paix, French chef Johannes Rivière opened what quickly became this town’s top eatery. It's housed in an airy, two-story Khmer bungalow adjacent to a Buddhist wat on the east side of the Siem Reap River. (Most tuk-tuk drivers know the way, but look for the blue sign with the cartoonish cooking pot.) Rivière’s multi-course, French-influenced Khmer menu changes nightly but may include grilled river fish with star fruit salsa, Tonle Sap Lake croacker fish served with stir-fried green jackfruit or frog braised with winter melon. Those with special dietary concerns should be clear about these when booking to confirm that these restrictions can be accommodated.

When nothing but a sizzling pizza will appease your appetite, these authentic paper-thin pies come straight out of the imported Italian oven. Fresh salads and homemade pastas are served too at this casual eatery with good English speaking service in the alley between Siem Reap’s two pedestrian shopping walkways.

For a heartwarming lunch after a morning among the ancient stones, reserve a table in this courtyard café, where cooking and pastry students of the Paul du Brule School have prepared every dish. Sit on the tropical, flower-filled grounds of this hospitality training institute and sample the daily menu, which may start off with a Khmer banana flower salad and be followed by such Western fare as grilled beef tenderloin or poached fish in white wine. Certainly the chocolate soufflé made by these hard-working young students tastes all the sweeter.

Happy hour in the upstairs river facing bar at La Residence d’Angkor is one of the most pleasant places to meet for cocktails in Siem Reap. As ceiling fans whir overhead, you can enjoy the river views and lovely colonial ambiance. The bar features an array of tropical fruit cocktails.

Khmer for ‘school of rice,’ Sala Bai annually trains approximately 100 disadvantaged Khmer youths from around the country for jobs in this burgeoning sector of the Cambodian economy. Sala Bai students are selected through a painstaking admissions process by four social workers to confirm their potential as well as their extreme circumstances. The food stands on its own, especially the rice-paper rolls, which are Siem Reap’s tastiest. Open for breakfast and lunch between October and July only, the homey eatery is a favorite of the local Francophone community.

Brunch has not made its mark on Siem Reap but that may change with this riverside café run by Australian sisters Cassie and Lauren Gravett. The two-story eatery takes full advantage of Lauren’s background as a Melbourne barista. Sip her artfully topped lattes before digging into the juicy lentil burger, best enjoyed with a side of sweet potato fries. Linger over a cooling watermelon shake while listening with amusement to gap-year diners discussing the cheapest bus fares to Phnom Penh at the adjacent table.