Food and Dining in Vientiane

Vientiane restaurants are mostly found down by the river. A host of open-air joints overlooking the Mekong River serve traditional Lao, Thai and Southeast Asian dishes. These restaurants are mounted on stilts or perched on the riverbank, each offering a different experience of the Lao capital.

There’s also a distinct European charm when dining out in Vientiane. You’ll find fine-dining venues occupying colonial buildings, as well as cafés offering strong coffee and freshly baked pastries. Most of these restaurants in Vientiane are ideal for watching the locals and tourists go about their business – an experience sometimes lost in the more hectic cities of Southeast Asia.