Cambodians love coffee. The habit is said to date back to the days of French rule. From becoming a French “protectorate” in 1863 to independence in 1953, Cambodia’s modern history is inextricably linked to France. Nearly a hundred years have brought a lot of changes to Cambodians, and coffee is the most obvious trace.
Many Phnom Penh people have the habit of going to restaurants for breakfast. The most common breakfast is a bowl of kuey teow with a cup of coffee.
Iced coffee is the most popular.
Cambodia is hot all year round. Under the scorching sun, brew a bag of instant coffee, put half a cup of ice cubes, and pour a little condensed milk. The rich aroma and the icy taste are very attractive. Especially interesting are the people who ride motorcycles. Most of them put their coffee in a plastic bag, plug in a straw, hang it on the handlebar, and take a few sips at the red light.
Of course, in terms of mood and atmosphere, you have to go to all kinds of coffee shops with a sense of design all over the streets. Whether it is a traditional French style or a modern industrial style, whether it is an internationally renowned chain or a local niche brand, there is always one that suits you.
In 2015, international coffee giant Starbucks opened its first store at Phnom Penh International Airport, and the following year opened its first flagship store in the city center. The flagship store is a two-story building on a street corner with huge floor-to-ceiling glass and a wooden roof. The interior walls are also painted with the mermaid princesses that are widely spread in Southeast Asian countries, which is quite in line with Starbucks’ mermaid logo. Currently, Starbucks has opened 30 stores in Cambodia, of which 26 are in Phnom Penh.
When it comes to local coffee brands, Brown Coffee has to be mentioned. This is a new brand founded by a group of young Cambodians in 2009, and it currently has 22 branches in Phnom Penh, and its flagship store is not far from the Starbucks flagship store.
Zhang Wenliang, founder of Brown and Cambodian Chinese, said that he wanted to create a coffee culture that belongs to Cambodia. According to different scenarios, they have designed different sub-brands such as Brown Express, Brown Classic, and Brown Bakery, which can provide consumers with varied meals. Coffee is one of the most basic elements.
In addition, the coffee shop brand Aamzon from Thailand, Temple Coffee from Cambodia Temple Restaurant Group, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf from the United States, and Gloria Jean’s from Australia are also gathered here. Brands from all over the world are trying to conquer the taste of Phnom Penh people. There are also some brands that have been defeated in the latest round of competition, such as Costa in the United Kingdom and Le Diplomate in France.
These coffee shops with the blessing of the brand halo naturally have social attributes. Like other countries, young people meet friends, talk about business, take selfies here, and many students read books and do homework here. Cool air-conditioning, relaxing music and fragrant coffee are indeed a great place to relax.
In addition to these chain stores, Phnom Penh also has many distinctive style cafes. For example, Pleng Chan Cafe in Wanjinggang District in the city center is famous for its green plants. Various vines and ferns hang down from the heights. The transparent acrylic roof is high and translucent, so that people can absorb the natural “vigor” without leaving the city. “.
The museum cafe in the National Museum is also “green”. Although the indoor space is not large, the outdoor space is quite open. People can “hide” under the shade of trees, while avoiding the blazing sun, while recalling the ups and downs of history.
Next to the famous Unalong Temple, there is a coffee shop called Cafe Chiet. The store’s facade is also small, and it has been transformed into an open operation room. Once customers pass through the narrow aisles, they will find something special. It turned out that the caring shop owner moved the traditional Cambodian “high house” here. The buildings and furniture of pure solid wood are matched with traditional-style furnishings. Drinking coffee and eating Western food here has a great sense of shuttle between Khmer culture and modern life.
In the shared space Factory, which was transformed from a factory in the south of the city, there is also a coffee shop, Feel Good, which is rated as “the best drink in Phnom Penh” by many people. This is a coffee beans online business founded in 2013 by two experienced foreign practitioners. In addition to importing coffee beans from Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam, his family also selects some locally grown varieties. For example, Robusta. To ensure the purchase of authentic, organic Robusta coffee beans, Feel Good has been deeply involved from the planting stage. After the coffee beans arrive at the coffee beans online store, in addition to roasting for their own use, they are also sold directly to other coffee shops and consumers.
Today, with the growth of local coffee consumption capacity, more and more Cambodian coffee companies have begun to roast coffee beans with unique tastes by themselves. It is believed that in the near future, foreign consumers can also taste the authentic “Phnom Penh taste” in the mature market of coffee.
