Best Restaurants In Luang Prabang: Cafes, Cheap Eats & Lao Food

Wondering where to eat in Luang Prabang? I’ve visited the city three times and eaten at every place on this list, covering everything from cheap Lao food and riverside restaurants to coffee, pizza, and a nicer dinner.

One of the best ways to discover a new destination is through its food. Even better is when there is a wide variety to try. However, with so little time and so many options, where do you start?

I’ve spent a good few weeks in Luang Prabang across three separate trips to Laos, and I genuinely fell in love with the food scene here. For such a small city, you’ll find a surprising mix of French-inspired bakeries, riverside coffee spots, local Lao restaurants, and even some seriously good Italian food.

However, with so many options, deciding where to eat can get a little overwhelming, especially if you only have a few days. Nothing is worse than wasting one of your limited meals somewhere average!

In this guide, I’ve included my favorite spots for breakfast, cheap eats, local Lao food, pizza, and a nicer meal out. I’ve personally visited and eaten at every place listed, and I’ll also share what each one is best for and the dishes worth ordering.

Quick Answer: Best Places At A Glance

Best Cafes And Breakfast Spots

Luang Prabang has no shortage of good cafes, whether you’re after a proper breakfast, a fresh pastry, or simply a decent coffee before heading out for the day.

I tried quite a few across my visits, and these are the spots I’d definitely recommend.

Formula B

⭐️ Rating: 4.7 out of 5 Stars | 📍 Location: Sisavangvong Road, Luang Prabang | Price Range: 💲💲| Best For: Creative Drinks & Sweet Treats

Formula B is one of my favourite cafes in Luang Prabang. It’s known for its baked goods, brunch dishes, coffee, and a seriously impressive drinks menu.

After trying a few hit-and-miss breakfast spots, I visited Formula B and finally had an amazing meal. I ordered one of their strawberry marble drinks alongside a brownie, and this quickly became one of my favourite cafe stops in the city.

They also serve cakes, croissants, and plenty of savoury options if you want something more filling.

I will say it’s a little more expensive than similar cafes in Luang Prabang, but the strong air conditioning also makes it a pretty good place to hide from the heat.

Must Try: Brownie

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Joma Bakery Cafe

⭐️ Rating: 4.2 out of 5 Stars | 📍 Location: Chao Fa Ngum Road, Luang Prabang | Price Range: 💲💲| Best For: A Decent Set Breakfast & Wi-Fi

Joma Bakery Cafe is an iconic eatery and a popular spot with travellers and expats. With a relaxed coffee shop vibe and good Wi-Fi, it’s common to see people here for a couple of hours grabbing a few drinks or working on their laptops.

No doubt this is one of the most reliable bakeries in Luang Prabang and is well worth checking out during your visit. I ordered an almond croissant, coconut cake, and a Lao iced coffee.

Though I will say, this place is certainly on the pricier side compared with some of the local cafes around Luang Prabang. However, you know you’ll get a decent meal, and there are plenty of sandwiches, cakes, and baked goods to choose from.

I also have to give a shout-out to Joma Bakery Cafe for its efforts to be more environmentally friendly. During my visit, they used eco-friendly takeaway packaging, which was nice to see.

Must Try: Lao Iced Coffee

Le Banneton Cafe

⭐️ Rating: 4.4 out of 5 Stars | 📍 Location: Sakkaline Road, Luang Prabang | Price Range: 💲💲| Best For: French Breakfast & Pastries

Le Banneton Cafe is the perfect chill breakfast spot when you’re after a good Western meal.

They have great food and coffee, so what more could you want? I ordered one of their crepes and found this to be a good, reasonably priced breakfast option. You can also try one of their baguettes or choose something from the cabinet of freshly baked pastries.

This cafe is located inside a beautiful old colonial building, which fits in perfectly with the UNESCO World Heritage architecture found around the city.

It’s also right beside several temples, making it an easy breakfast or lunch stop while temple-hopping around Luang Prabang.

Must Try: The Cabinet Pasteries

Saffron Coffee

⭐️ Rating: 4.6 out of 5 Stars | 📍 Location: Khem Khong Road, Luang Prabang | Price Range: 💲💲| Best For: Cakes & Coffees

Saffron Coffee has awesome chill vibes and seriously strong coffee. The staff here are lovely, and it makes an easy place to slow down for a while during a busy day of exploring.

It’s located directly opposite the Mekong River, with plenty of shade and comfortable tables where you can relax and enjoy the view.

On my first visit I ordered a slice of carrot cake alongside a coffee. Now, the coffee here is definitely strong, perhaps even a little too strong for me, but if that’s how you like it, you’ll probably love this place.

Second time round it was a full breakfast meal to power me for a visit to Kuang Si Falls.

For me, Saffron Coffee is worth visiting mainly for the coffee, relaxed atmosphere, and riverside setting. They also serve larger breakfasts, pancakes, and other sweet treats if you want something more filling.

Must Try: Carrot Cake

Best Cheap Eats In Luang Prabang

Although some cafes and restaurants around Luang Prabang’s city centre can be a little pricey, you can still eat well without blowing your budget.

These are my favourite spots for a filling meal when you want something cheap, casual, and easy.

If you’re trying to plan your full budget, I’ve broken down exactly how much it costs to travel Laos.

Bouang

⭐️ Rating: 4.6 out of 5 Stars | 📍 Location: Sisavangvong Road, Luang Prabang | Price Range: 💲| Best For: A Cheap Casual Meal

If you are on a budget and looking for a colorful, delicious, fresh meal, you cannot go wrong with Bouang.

This has got to be one of the better cheap eats in Luang Prabang, making it a great choice for backpackers trying to keep their food costs down. I ordered the veggie burger, and it was so good!

The colourful and unique decor immediately puts you in a good mood. It also works perfectly with the bright and fresh ingredients used throughout the menu.

As well as burgers, you’ll find local bites, salads, desserts, and several vegetarian and vegan options. It’s an easy choice when you want a good casual meal without paying the prices found at some of the fancier restaurants around town.

Must Try: The Veggie Burger & Cocktails

Luang Prabang Night Market

⭐️ Rating: 4.4 out of 5 Stars | 📍 Location: Sisavangvong Road, Luang Prabang | Price Range: 💲 | Best For: Cheap Street Food

The Luang Prabang Night Market is easily one of the cheapest places to eat in the city. As well as the main market stalls, you’ll find little food lanes selling buffet-style meals, baguettes, pancakes, smoothies, and plenty of snacks.

I’ve eaten a bit of everything here, including the vegetarian buffet food, baguettes, pancakes, and smoothies. There are plenty of meat-free choices, making this one of the easiest places to find a cheap vegetarian dinner in Luang Prabang.

Check out my full guide on visiting the Luang Prabang Night Market

Just be aware that it gets very crowded and there aren’t always many places to sit. Some of the buffet food also wasn’t particularly hot, so I’d have a good look around before loading up your plate.

My personal baguette order was tofu, avocado, cheese, and tomato. Honestly, it was cheap, filling, and so good that I sometimes found myself eating at these little stalls more than once a day.

Must Try: A Freshly Made Baguette

Best Restaurants For Lunch And Dinner

If you’re after a proper sit-down meal, Luang Prabang has plenty of good options for both lunch and dinner.

You’ll find everything from easy cafe meals and international favourites to restaurants overlooking the river.

Indigo Cafe

⭐️ Rating: 4.4 out of 5 Stars | 📍 Location: Sisavangvong Road, Luang Prabang | Price Range: 💲 | Best For: Lunch & Baked Treats

Indigo Cafe is one of the best-known places to eat in central Luang Prabang. Whether you visit for lunch or dinner, it’s often busy with travellers stopping for a meal.

They have a good mix of Western and Lao dishes, including several vegan and vegetarian choices. I found it to be a great lunch option, with prices sitting around average compared with similar restaurants in the city.

Indigo House also has its own downstairs bakery. I ordered a cinnamon bun and caramel croissant, though you’ll also find plenty of cakes, pastries, and other sweet treats displayed out front near the night market.

Must Try: Cinnamon buns

Yuni Yupoun

⭐️ Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars | 📍 Location: Sisavangvong Road, Luang Prabang | Price Range: 💲💲 | Best For: Vegetarian Food

Yuni Yupoun is located right in the city centre and was easily my best vegetarian pick in Luang Prabang.

They serve a wide range of Lao and international dishes, including fried eggplant with pork or tofu, pasta, burgers, Indian butter chicken or tofu, and mezze platters.

Basically, if you’re travelling with people who all want something different, this is a pretty safe choice.

I ordered the stir-fried cashew tofu for 125,000 LAK. The price felt about average compared with similar restaurants around Luang Prabang, and there were plenty of other vegetarian choices on the menu.

The decor is beautiful, the food is presented nicely, and the central location makes it an easy lunch or dinner stop. They also regularly run set-menu and happy-hour promos.

Must Try: The Veggie Options

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Where To Try Local Lao Food

Of course, you can’t visit Laos without trying some of the local food.

From Lao-style hotpot and sticky rice to crispy river weed and creative vege dishes, these are the restaurants I’d recommend when you want something beyond the usual Western favs.

Dyen Sabai Restaurant

⭐️ Rating: 4.3 out of 5 Stars | 📍 Location: Ban Phan Louang, Luang Prabang | Price Range: 💲💲 | Best For: Local Lao Food

Dyen Sabai Restaurant is my top pick for trying local Lao food in Luang Prabang. It’s set across the Nam Khan River, with bamboo huts and relaxed seating overlooking the water.

During the dry season, you can reach the restaurant by crossing the bridge. It once used to be a cute bamboo bridge but now is an iron red one, at least it won’t get washed away in the wet season.

I ordered the Lao barbecue, also known as sindad. You cook the ingredients yourself on a grill at the table, with broth and vegetables around the outside. There’s even a vegetarian tofu option!

Honestly, the food and riverside setting made this one of my most memorable meals in Luang Prabang.

Must Try: Lao Barbecue / Sindad

Khaiphaen

⭐️ Rating: 4.7 out of 5 Stars | 📍 Location: 59 Xatikhoumman Road, Luang Prabang | Price Range: 💲💲 | Best For: Lao Food With A Good Cause

Khaiphaen serves creative Lao food, shakes, and cocktails in a relaxed setting. It’s a social enterprise and training restaurant that helps young people build skills for working in hospitality.

They’re known for their modern take on Lao food, with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free choices available. I ordered the green curry followed by the banana fritter for dessert, and found it to be really good value.

The restaurant is named after khaiphaen, a crispy Mekong river weed commonly eaten as a snack in Laos. You’ll find it featured throughout the menu, alongside curries, salads, tofu dishes, and other Lao-inspired meals.

Must Try: The Banana Fritter

Best Pizza In Luang Prabang

Sometimes you just need a break from rice and noodles, and luckily Luang Prabang has some seriously good pizza.

Whether you’re happy to plan around Secret Pizza’s limited opening nights or want somewhere more central, these are the two spots I recommend.

Secret Pizza

⭐️ Rating: 4.3 out of 5 Stars | 📍 Location: Ban Nasamphanh, Street 3, Luang Prabang | Price Range: 💲💲 | Best For: Wood-Fired Pizza

Pizza lovers rejoice because Luang Prabang is home to some seriously good wood-fired pizza. Secret Pizza is a little out of the centre and hidden down a residential street, so we took a tuk-tuk there.

I ordered the mozzarella pizza, which cost 170,000 LAK when I visited. The base was thin and crispy, and the restaurant had a great relaxed atmosphere.

Honestly if you aren’t a crispy pizza fan maybe this spot isn’t the one for you. Plus even though it’s “secret” it gets super damn busy, the earlier you get there the better.

The catch is that Secret Pizza is only open on Tuesdays and Fridays from 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm. It gets busy pretty quickly, so I’d arrive close to opening. Honestly, it’s worth planning your evening around those limited opening nights.

Must Try: The Crispy Pizzas

Popolo

⭐️ Rating: 4.6 out of 5 Stars | 📍 Location: 102, 3 Kounxoau Road, Luang Prabang | Price Range: 💲💲💲 | Best For: Wood-Fired Pizza

Another great choice for Italian food is Popolo. It’s the ideal spot if you’re craving a change from the typical Asian food and want somewhere with a great atmosphere.

It’s also a great alternative if you want pizza but Secret Pizza isn’t open. I ordered the Margherita, which is cooked in their wood-fired oven.

Popolo is a little more expensive than some other restaurants in Luang Prabang, but honestly, I thought it was worth paying extra for.

They also have plenty of wines and cocktails, as well as a bunch of smaller dishes to share. There are quite a few seating areas too, including indoors, out on the patio, and at the bar, so it’s an easy place to settle in for dinner and a few drinks.

Must Try: Raclette & Wood Fired Pizza

The Best Spot For A Nicer Night Out

Not every meal needs to be a bargain, and sometimes it’s nice to swap the night market for somewhere a little fancier.

These are the spots I’d recommend for a date night, a special dinner, or simply when you feel like treating yourself.

Tangor

⭐️ Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars | 📍 Location: Sisavangvong Road, Luang Prabang | Price Range: 💲💲💲 | Best For: Dinner And Drinks

Tangor is another great choice when you fancy a nicer dinner, and it always seems to be busy. It’s right on the main street, with a fun atmosphere and plenty of 60s and 70s music playing in the background.

The menu has a mix of French and international food, and I went for the garden burger. It was really good, though I do wish there had been a few more vegetarian options to choose from.

Tangor is a little expensive compared with many restaurants in Luang Prabang, but I’d still recommend it for a nice dinner and a few drinks. The food is good, the cocktails are popular, and it’s a pretty easy place to settle in for the evening.

Must Try: Cocktails & Ceviche

Tips For Eating Out In Luang Prabang

Eating out in Luang Prabang is pretty straightforward, though there are a few things worth knowing so you don’t turn up hungry with no cash or end up with a sad, pretty average dinner.

• Carry cash and smaller notes: I paid with cash pretty much everywhere, though some of the nicer restaurants accepted cards. Having smaller notes makes paying at cafes, markets, and street-food stalls much easier. Just keep an eye out for money exchange scams in Laos!
• Be clear if you’re vegetarian: I found vegetarian food easiest at cafes and Western restaurants. At some local spots, I needed to explain exactly what I couldn’t eat rather than simply asking for a vege meal. Rural Laos this will be more of an issue, but you should be all sweet in Luang Prabang.
• Arrive early at popular restaurants: Places such as Secret Pizza can fill up quickly, while the best riverside tables are naturally the first to go. If there’s somewhere you really want to eat, don’t leave it until you’re already starving.
• Choose freshly cooked night-market food: Some of the buffet food I came across wasn’t very hot, and I’d question if flies had been at it. All I’m saying is to have a good look before piling up your plate. I’d stick with busy stalls where the food is being cooked fresh or replaced regularly.
• Double-check the opening days: Luang Prabang has a few restaurants with unusual schedules, with Secret Pizza only opening on Tuesdays and Fridays. Hours can change too, so it’s worth checking before walking across town.

For more help with transport, costs, and planning your stay, check out my complete backpacking Luang Prabang guide.

Where To Stay In Luang Prabang?

On my latest visit, I stayed on a quiet side street just a few minutes from the centre and directly across from the Mekong River.

Honestly, I loved this area as I could easily walk to the night market, cafes, and restaurants without staying right on the busy main street.

Luang Prabang has everything from cheap hostels and locally owned guesthouses to riverfront boutique hotels and luxury resorts. Check out my full guide on where to stay in Luang Prabang, or have a look at the best hostels in Luang Prabang if you’re travelling on a budget.

La Casa Hostel A chill hostel with friendly staff. Dorms start from $6.50 per night including breakfast. BOOK NOW	Barn Laos Luangprabang Hostel More of a luxe hostel with great facilities. Dorms start from $10.00 per night including breakfast. BOOK NOW
Villa Vieng Sa Vanh Hotel A great location and with rooms starting from $45.00 per night including breakfast.	Villa Pumalin A walk from the city attractions, starting from $26.00 per night with breakfast.

More Things To Do While In Luang Prabang

Of course, you can’t spend your entire trip eating, although I definitely gave it a good go!

I recommend spending at least three days in Luang Prabang, giving you enough time to visit Kuang Si Falls (one of Laos’s best waterfalls), hike Mount Phousi, explore the temples, and wander through the night market without rushing.

If you’re planning your visit, my full Luang Prabang itinerary explains how to fit everything in. I also have a separate guide to the Luang Prabang Night Market if you want to know what else there is beyond the food.

If Luang Prabang is just one stop on a bigger trip, my two-week Laos itinerary covers how to fit it into the rest of the country.

FAQs About Eating In Luang Prabang

Wrap Up: My Favorite Places To Eat In Luang Prabang

After three trips to Luang Prabang, I can confidently say the food is one of my favorite things about the city.

I’d happily return to every spot on this list, but my standouts are Saffron for breakfast, Dyen Sabai for local Lao food, and Yuni Yupoun for vege food.

I also love that eating here can be as cheap or as fancy as you want.

You can grab one of the cheapest dinners at the night market and then treat yourself to a date night beside the Mekong. Honestly, just make sure you try at least one proper Lao meal before leaving!

Heading to Vang Vieng next? Here’s how to travel from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng, plus my guide on where to eat in Vang Vieng once you arrive.