Sandwiches are an essential part of happy expat living. While there are plenty of really high-end sandwiches served all over this city, this article focuses on sustenance from the perspective of a lone-wolf expat living in Phnom Penh who wants to eat a quality sandwich.
None of the sandwiches on this list will blow your mind (except for Fatboy Subs). All the rest will fill your belly like a proper western sandwich is supposed to.
Takeout friendly
The key is that all are takeout-friendly. That means you can pull up to any of these places, order easily, get your food fast and then scurry home to devour quality sandwich num-nums while watching Netflix.
Phnom Penh sandwich map
Phnom Penh is a small town with but there is enough quality in the city to satisfy sandwich lovers. You’ll find deli-quality hoagies up north by the Riverside, a Carl’s Junior (and Burger King) central, and the widest choice of great sandwiches down south in Tuol Tompong, aka the Russian Market.
Fatboy subs Phnom Penh
This is absolutely the best submarine sandwich in Phnom Pen, without question. Fatboy’s had the perfect formula:
- Perfect bread
- All imaginable sub toppings and sauces
- Quality meats piled high
PP Expat has tried every sub on the menu – they are all great, exactly as advertised. After trying them all we found our favorite and have no need to order anything else when we want a rock-solid submarine sandwich that really sticks to your ribs.[/vc_column_text]
There’s probably around 800 calories in there – do light breakfast and lunch, have this as your as your main meal of the day and you should only get slightly fatter. What ties the whole sandwich together is the bread: perfect flavor and just firm enough that you can eat it with one hand – it will hold until the last delicious bite.
Fatboy Subs review
Item | Rating | Comment |
---|---|---|
Bread | The best submarine sandwich bread in town: firm, hearty, delicious | |
Fillings | They have everything you could want | |
Price | $6 will get you a loaded 6-inch sub | |
Satisfaction | Meaty pleasure that will stick to your ribs and put you down for a nap |
Directions: Fatboy Subs Google map & user reviews
Brooklyn Pizza
Street 123 is one of the most understated tourist streets in Phnom Penh. Lined with cafes, bars and eateries, it’s a pleasant strip with an international, touristy flavor. Towards the northern end of the street is a serious contender for best sandwich in Phnom Penh. Brooklyn Pizza is an Aussie-owned restaurant offering western quality service, atmosphere and food.
They serve massive pizzas, substantial burgers, heaving pastas and a superb selection of sandwiches. All come with a salad or fries and are priced very reasonably, given the quality and size – this is a heavy feed! Our favorites:
- Cuban: pulled pork, ham and swiss on ciabatta ($6.50)
- Parmesan hero: breaded chicken or eggplant, meatballs, mozzarella and tomato sauce ($6.25)
- Cheesesteak: grilled steak or chicken breast with peppers, onions, mozzarella ($6.50)
Brooklyn offers dine-in- delivery and pick up service. The sandwiches take around 15 minutes to prepare – slightly longer than generic fast food – but the wait is worth it.
Brooklyn Pizza review
Item | Rating | Comment |
---|---|---|
Bread | All sandwiches come with proper western bread | |
Fillings | Excellent quality and generous portions | |
Price | Slightly more expensive than other options, but worth it | |
Satisfaction | Their delicious sandwiches will leave you feeling satisfied for hours |
Directions: Brooklyn Pizza Google map & user reviews
Joma Bakery Cafe
Joma is a slickly-produced (Canadian-owned) cafe run to impeccable standards. Fight your way past coconut vendors and tuk-tuk drivers and enter a completely different world. It feels like a classy airport lounge, with air-con set at the perfect temperature. Staff are bright, attentive and super-friendly.
They sell a number of made-to-order sandwiches including a cheesteak ($5.70), a create-your-own-sandwich option for $4.20 and wraps. Our favorite is the chicken pesto sandwich: roast chicken with pesto, tomato, olives and feta cheese on a toasted baguette.
The sandwich is served fast. The bread is perfect. The quality fillings are substantial. The experience of walking into the blissful chill cafe is worth it on its own. The sandwiches are a bonus – definitely among the best takeout sandwiches Phnom Penh has to offer.
Joma Bakery review
Directions: Joma Google map & user reviews
Mollyda’s Sandwich Shop
Molly is a Cambodian fireplug with a fascinating history touring war-torn countries around the world. Upon returning to Cambodia she worked at a few sandwich shops before launching a sub-shop that rivals Fatboy’s.
Molly’s is located on the tourist drag of Street 172, so she pulls in tons of holidaying punters. In addition she does smashing business delivering sandwiches to international school English teachers around the city.
She bakes her own bread, roasts her own beef and the ingredients are all top quality. Molly loves to chat. Catch her when not busy and she will regale you with tales of the drunken shenanigans that keeps Street 172 lively.
Molly Subs review
Item | Rating | Comment |
---|---|---|
Bread | Very good, but a notch down from Fatboy's perfection | |
Fillings | They have everything you could want | |
Price | $6 will get you a loaded 6-inch sub | |
Satisfaction | An excellent sandwich that will always satisfy |
Directions: Mollyda’s Sandwich Shop Google map & user reviews
Aussie Gourmet Bakery
The owners of the Aussie Cafe also own AGB Bakery, which supplies most western supermarkets in Phnom Penh with their breads. While Asian breads are sweet and soft, AGB makes it just like back home. They offer multigrain and white sandwich bread, burger rolls, ciabatta, panini and more.
In the cafe, you can order sandwiches off the menu, and customise however you want.
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Aussie Bakery review
Item | Rating | Comment |
---|---|---|
Bread | Their western-style bread is sold all over town | |
Fillings | Quality ingredients, but limited options | |
Price | $5 will get you a great sandwich and garden salad | |
Satisfaction | Portions are smallish - works well as a light lunch |
Directions: Aussie Bakery Google map & user reviews
Banh Mi & Bros
French-Vietnamese operation Banh Mi & Bros uses the best baguettes in town (from here) and stuffs them with a number of banh mi variations, including unconventional ‘fusion’ options like pineapple pork, curried shrimp and chicken satay.
Their flagship product is their Saigon-styled Special Brothers banh mi ($3.80). It’s very good – stuffed with thick slabs of (imported Vietnamese) pork tenderloin and ham, pâté, pickled vegetables, salad and coriander. You can taste the quality of the meat, while the chicken liver pâté spread really ties the whole thing together.
However, our favorite sandwich from Banh Mi & Bros is their Banh Fish ($4.50), which is like a super premium version of a Filet-O-Fish. It’s a thick battered fish filet on a sesame seed roll with cheddar, salad and very good tartar sauce.
In our experience, these take around 15-20 minutes to prepare, so if you want for takeaway, order ahead of time.
Banh Mi & Bros review
Item | Rating | Comment |
---|---|---|
Bread | The baguettes they use are the best in town | |
Fillings | High quality ingredients all around | |
Price | Most sandwiches are less than $4; the premium ones $4.50 | |
Satisfaction | Sandwiches come with small side salads and work well as a light meal |
Directions: Banh Mi & Bros Google map & user reviews
Meatball King
If you happen by the corner of Streets 155 and 464 (right near Ankor Mart) you will find the most curious thing: a typical Khmer sandwich cart, selling delightful grilled meatball sandwiches of a quality you’d find in the finest Philadelphia hoagie shack.
A half roll stuffed with three meatballs comes with bag of pickled vegetables and a side of sweet sauce that has beef chunks in it. We have no idea what the deal is, but these sandwiches are excellent. Order two, add cheese and tomato sauce and you’ve got a deli-quality hoagie – on the streets of Phnom Penh!
Meatball King review
Item | Rating | Comment |
---|---|---|
Bread | Crusty Khmer-style baguettes | |
Fillings | The grilled meatballs are delicious | |
Price | $1 for a half-roll is great value | |
Satisfaction | Order 2 for $2 and make a meal out of it. Adding your own toppings (cheese, mayo etc) works great |
Carl’s Jr. American burgers
McDonald’s doesn’t exist in Phnom Penh, so Burger King held the fort reasonably well until the arrival of Carl’s Jr. in 2016. It tastes just like it does back home. However, the lack of fast food (and processed food) in Cambodia has an effect. We ate Carl’s twice in a week once and broke into hives – it was just too rich for our Cambodian style diet. Even so, it’s a great option when you really want a taste of home.
In the cafe, you can order sandwiches off the menu, and customise however you want.
Carl’s Jr. Phnom Penh review
Item | Rating | Comment |
---|---|---|
Bread | Processed American burger buns | |
Fillings | Just like back home | |
Price | $7.50 will get you two large sandwiches | |
Satisfaction | Fantastic taste, but rough on the digestive system |
Directions: Carl’s Jr. Google map & user reviews