Laos Restaurant Tips by SirRichard Top 5 Page for this destination

Terraces by the Mekong (Vientiane)

In Vientiane, by the banks of the Mekong River, I found these terraces with restaurants where you can have a drink or even a whole meal. They serve local food at very reasonable prices in a superb scenario.
I had a papaya juice in the evening, while watching the sunset over the Mekong...

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: Just follow the river banks

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Local

The Scandinavian Bakery (Luang Phabang)

This north european bakery & cafeteria is located in the main street. It sounded rather weird to find an Scandinavian Bakery in the middle of the jungle, by the banks of the Mekong River, but they have delicious bakery and is a perfect place for breakfasts. They even serve sandwiches and snacks for a quick lunch...

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: At the main street.

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 3

Theme: Bakery

Restaurants in Luang Phabang

In Luang Phabang's main street there are several restaurants for tourists, with simple but nice terraces from where you can see people pass by. They are cheap, but you can get cheaper ones as you get far from the main street.

Favorite Dish: I met a monk in Luang Phabang and wanted to invite him for lunch but he told me ha had NEVER been in a restaurant. He had some free time now and then out of the monastery, but had always eaten there or at home, and refused my invitation, saying that he was "too shy" to enter a restaurant!

Comparison: least expensive

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 3

Theme: Local

Liquors

I found these liquors "shop" in one of the visits along the Mekong River, on the way to the buddhist caves near Luang Phabang. If you hire a boat to do that tour, they will stop in several touristic villages.
This one was called "the liquor producers village" and they offered varied liquors bottled in glass with lizards, snakes... inside. Didn't try it, but some people bought bottles, it must be strong as hell!!

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 2

Theme: Local

Laap

I tried this typical laos dish in a terrace in Vientiane. It is made of chopped meat, chicken or duck finely chopped, with spices and broth. It normally comes with a plate of plain rice.

Favorite Dish: But be careful! This dish is REAL FIRE!! I never tried such a spicy hot dish... and I like hot curries!!

Comparison: least expensive

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 3

Theme: Local

Churros

Yes, believe it or not, I found CHURROS in Laos!! I couldn't believe it at first, thought they would be something else, but then I tried them and wow, they tasted like real churros, and they are served for breakfast too, so...
You can find them in any breakfast place, they are on a a tray on the table, you just take as many as you want and afterwards tell it to the cashier. I took a few for the bus too, so happy I was to have found them!!!

Comparison: least expensive

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 5

Theme: Breakfast

Breakfast by the Mekong (Luang Phabang)

One of the best eating experinces I had in Laos was having breakfast by the Mekong shore in Luang Phabang. There they have some nice quiet terraces where you can have a good breakfast (coffee with milk, croissant, fruit, bread, juices...) for a bit more than 1 USD.
If you go early in the morning you will be alone, in silence, accompanied only by the monks that go out of their monasteries to ask for charity at the streets.
From your table you can see the rushing of the local boats in the morning and how they cross the mighty river, full of streams and whirlpools.

Comparison: least expensive

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 5

Theme: Breakfast