Bakeries of Battambang

Buy Bread Alone

There are plenty of options for bread around town, you'll find something to fulfil your carb cravings. The Battambang baguette is what you'll mostly be served up. It's not a bad little loaf, airy and with a decent snap to the crust, it makes good sandwiches. There's a fairly good range of bread around Battambang.

This isn't a list in order of preference, it's a geographical guide to bread in Battambang. You can follow the breadcrumb trails from one bakery to another ... or just find your closest loaf. All bakeries are marked on the map at the bottom of this post

San Long aka International Bakery: National Highway 5, near to the Vishnu Roundabout and owner of the best bread advertisement in town with their cutout CarbMan dominating the small frontage of the store. Their bread is less sweet than most of the local bakeries and has a good texture, they also do a range of bread rolls which would make excellent burger buns. Go, if only to take a selfie with CarbMan,

Phnom Penh Bakery: National Highway 5, next door to Lucky Supermarket. Their baguettes are heavier and sweeter than Lux Troung but they do toast up nicely. They have a tendency to unroll but if it's your nearest bakers or you're shopping in Lucky anyway, their products do the job, they have a range of sizes and some come with fruit inside or seeds on top. Identify your choices from the large wooden bins in the middle of the store, an assistant will bag them for you, pay at the counter.

Tous Les Jours: National Highway 5, just to the east side of the bridge. This Korean chain of bakers is loaded with creamy cakes and flakey pastries all cooked on-site you can also get a coffee and sample their wares in-house. Their baguettes are big and airy and closer to a European product than anything sold elsewhere. They do a range of other bread including fruit and multigrain. You'll pay more than at local bakeries but expect things to be a touch sweeter than you'd expect in Europe.

Piphop Nom Bakery: Soft, squidgy loaves in white or brown. A little sweet but very absorbent so great for soups and wetter fillings. Also sold in Heng Chhay Lee supermarket for a few cents more.

Lux Trong: A big yellow sign identifies this bakery on Road 3, next door to Mini So and opposite Chhaya Hotel. There are a couple of tables on the pavement in front where you can enjoy a coffee and watch the comings and goings. They sell the best Battambang baguettes, a little sweet as is the way with SE Asian bread, but not overwhelmingly so. They're airy, hold their shape well and crisp up nicely in a toaster oven. They also offer a range of luridly coloured cakes and very nice egg tarts. Watch out for the older woman who might try and charge you tourist prices otherwise 500 Reil per loaf.

The Garage: An eclectic mix of motorcycle repair, cafe and bakery on Road 2.5, nearly opposite Pomme. I buy my bread here, large, tasty multigrain or sesame seeded white loaves and a range of rolls.

The bread is fresh and tasty, slices and freezes well, holds its shape and isn't as sweet as is sold elsewhere. Orders can be taken in advance, open nearly every day of the year.

Green Mango: Your bakery on the west side of the river, next door to Here Be Dragons. An airy cafe serving American style food and offering a range of cakes, fruitbreads and pastries. They do a big, square, white loaf that calls out for peanut butter and jelly, conveniently, they happen to sell very good homemade peanut butter at a very reasonable price. Green Mango is also the place to go for tortillas, they make them to order and sell them by the dozen, place your order and enjoy a coffee or fruit juice while you wait.

Here's a map of the bakeries, starting at San Long at the top and ending at Green Mango.