It has been a long time since a restaurant was so good that I felt I had to do a TikTok and write about it right away, but with Kilimandjaro Restaurant I feel the need to do just that. Often touted as a French restaurant, in fact it is much more than that, being not just one of the hottest higher end restaurants currently in town, but also billing itself as a “culinary safari”.
And what might you ask is a culinary safari, or as it says on the sign “French Travel Cuisine”. Well it turns out the extremely interesting owner, who is French, has also lived, visited and worked in much of former colonial France. In fact he was even born in Chad for context he is whiter than Coldplay. And this is how he picks his food, global cuisine predominantly from the former French Empire, but with a French twist. And the results are amazing…
Click to read about street food in Siem Reap.
Table of Contents
What the Kilimandjaro Restaurant?
Kilimandjaro Restaurant is a relatively new addition to the Siem Reap dining scene, but it has very quickly made a name for itself among those in the know. Run by a French owner with serious travel credentials across Africa and beyond, the place reflects both his personality and his journey.
It is not some corporate backed venue or cookie cutter concept, but rather a passion project that has grown organically into one of the more interesting higher end dining options in town. In a city dominated by Khmer food, backpacker joints and generic Western fare, Kilimandjaro fills a very particular niche by offering something genuinely different, and doing it well.
The Menu At Kilimandjaro
OK, so this is where the place just excels! There is a tiny menu of five starters and five main courses plus a special that are on a chalkboard. And you do not just read them, but the owner lovingly explains the virtue of them and where they are from. On our trip there were dishes from Mozambique, Morocco, French Polynesia and more. All super good stuff and varied enough to make a small menu seem huge.
So no, this is not your average French restaurant, with perhaps only the beef carpaccio feeling truly French cuisine. The whole vibe though is very French, as is the service and presentation. And were this not enough a few dishes get changed every week, thus making it worth a visit when you are in town.
Not impressed enough yet? I’m gonna advise on great foods from my travels as myself and Monsieur Kilimandjaro are now the best of TikTok buddies!
See below the photo I took of the most recent menu for an idea of range and prices.
The Food at Kilimandjaro
In our group we had three starters, three main courses and two desserts throughout the sitting. Up first was the hummus, which was OK, but not something I get excited about. The Polynesian ceviche though almost resembled a Marshallese poke and was really enjoyable. The same quality held for the carpaccio, which was of the French rather than Italian vibe.
For the mains we had mussels on a bed of salt, which was somewhat unique, as well as his take on a Moroccan tagine. This came with prunes and was fairly mild in comparison with what you would get in North Africa and of a decent size without being too big or too small. I also of course had a steak, blue, which as a French restaurant they got perfectly right.
For dessert we were suggested the Grand Marnier chocolate mousse espresso concoction, alongside a pretty strong vodka sorbet. Both of immense quality and a true compliment to the meal as a whole.
The only negative perhaps is the drinks menu is far from eclectic, but again in fairness what the restaurant does they do well, so if you are up for wine they have you covered. Beer a bit less so.
The overall Kilimandjaro Vibe
The staff here are lovely, as is the ambience, decor and location. It is though the owner who sets the place apart. He designs the menu, I assume cooks a bit too, but it is as master of ceremonies that he truly keeps the guests happy. I mean the dude even explains the menu to you.
The only potential negative I can see here is the restaurant might not be the same were he to be off, but that is a minor criticism as everyone else here just works. The best fusion restaurant, or French influenced restaurant in Siem Reap? Well, yep they get my vote.
Kilimandjaro Restaurant Location
For people in Siem Reap it is considered down a back street and in the boonies, but in reality it is five minutes walk from Pub Street. In this instance it reminds me a bit of Great Leap Brewery from back in the day.
This means that people need to make an effort to come here, which means it probably filters out the riff raff like drunk Englishmen. Of course with the exception of my good self.
Address: Sok San Road, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia (on Google Maps and Grab)
Phone: +855 96 999 0278
Particular big up to their TikTok channel
Click to see our Cambodia Tours with YPT.