15 Must-Try Lao Dishes to Eat in Luang Prabang

You know, it truly is the most difficult and most important question to ask when you go somewhere new. “What the hell do I eat here?” Even as a Thai person, growing up literally next to Laos, with a cuisine that screams “siblings” with Lao food, I still had questions when I landed in Luang Prabang.

Because no, just a Larb and a Papaya Salad won’t cut it. We’re gonna have to go a little deeper than that to really understand the food scene in Luang Prabang. It was once its own kingdom, after all, probably with its own cuisine and traditions.

I spent a week there, asking the locals tons of questions and avoiding any criminally westernized bars owned by foreigners. And here I am with a very local list of dishes to eat in Luang Prabang, to help you kickstart your own cultural trip.

Yes, Larb and Papaya Salad are on it, but also Leun Som the pink stew (scratching your head now?), Or Lam, Kanom Moh Tod, and more! Don’t read this after 10 PM, though. That’s the best advice I can give ya!

Traditional Lao Dishes to Try in Luang Prabang

Are the Lao dishes in Luang Prabang the same as the Lao dishes in Vientiane? Not all of them! Larb, as a national dish of Laos, exists in the same form, but even Luang Prabang’s Papaya Salad is different from the standard one.

I added each dish’s name in Lao as well so that you can go to the most local hole-in-the-wall places and still have no trouble finding them on the menu.

But also, I added them because yes, I can read Lao. And yes, that means I can talk to the locals as if we were from the same country, which means yes, if there is one person you trust on this, it’s me! 🤣

1. Khaonom Khuu + Traditional Coffee (ເຂົ້າໜົມຄູ່ ກັບ ກາແຟ)

Let’s start with a breakfast food! Well, snack, actually. If you’ve been anywhere else in Southeast Asia before, you’ve probably seen these twin fried doughs before.

They’re called Youtiao in Singapore and Pa Tong Go in Thailand. Here, they’re called Khaonom Khuu, which means “Paired snack.”

I grew up eating these in Thailand, where we dip them in sweetened condensed milk. They seem to like their food a little less sweet in Laos, so instead, you dip it in the traditional coffee, which is equally yum!

Speaking of coffee, it’s almost a crime to order Khaonom Khuu without ordering traditional Lao coffee. They’re super aromatic black coffee roasted with other grains like corn, tamarind seeds, sesame, and more, served with sweetened condensed milk. Stir well before drinking!

If I’m being honest, though, some places make these doughs way too greesy. So I highly recommend trying it at Pasaniyom, my go-to breakfast spot. They make it perfectly!

2. Khao Soi (ເຂົ້າຊອຍ)

If you’re not into greesy breakfast snacks, then this spicy noodle soup might hit the spot!

I first tried Khao Soi on the walking food tour I took. Knowing only the Northern Thai version of Khao Soi before, I couldn’t be more confused when I saw the bowl in front of me.

No coconut milk? No crispy noodles on top? In fact, it looked just like another bowl of Guay Tiew, topped with chilis.

Don’t underestimate it like I did. Yes, it’s a bowl of rice noodles, but that spicy pork mixture they put on top makes all the difference. It’s so deliciously well balanced and adds such a special flavor to the dish.

For an extra kick, squeeze in the lime before you mix it all together. I like my noodles extra sour so I always ask for more limes. You can, too!

Where to try it: Maliwan Noodles

3. Khao Piak Khao (ເຂົ້າປຽກເຂົ້າ)

This is basically good old congee, most delicious with a soft-boiled egg and a bit of black soy sauce. Khao Piak means “wet rice,” and Khao means, well, rice. This essentially means that it’s a soup with rice that remains somewhat like cooked rice.

Another variation of this comforting breakfast food is “Khao Piak Sen,” which means “wet rice noodles,” but I prefer Khao soi over that one, so I’m leaving it off the list.

I grew up eating this dish for breakfast, so the dish alone doesn’t excite me so much. One thing they do differently in Laos is the seasoning.

You’ll find these “cubes of fried pork lard” soaked in chili paste at your table in most breakfast places. Dunk them in (start with one or two) and enjoy!

Where to try it: Pasaniyom

4. Jaew Khaiphaen (ແຈ່ວໄຄແຜ່ນ)

First off, jaew is the Lao word for “dipping sauce.” This is one of the myriads of dipping sauces you must try, usually with a small bit of sticky rice for the best taste of the sauce.

This sauce, in particular, is made of river weeds, and isn’t spicy at all! If anything, it tastes a bit like wheatgrass, but less like grass and more aromatic. I explained that super terribly, I know. I’m gonna trust that you’ll try some. It’s not even spicy so you have no excuse!

Okay, this thing is not meant to be eaten on its own like a whole dish… but I bought a jar of it home with me and downed it as if it were salad. So yeah, I love it, and I highly recommend you try!

Where to try it: Morning Market

5. Khaiphaen + Jaew Bong (ໄຄແຜ່ນ ກັບ ແຈ່ວບອງ)

Guess who planned to order her favorite Sai Oua (sausages) as an appetizer for every meal, but ended up ordering Khaiphaen instead? This person. Me. I got completely converted by these fried river weeds and I’m not ashamed of it at all!

Khaiphaen is usually served with Jaew Bong, a smoky, spicy dip with chewy pieces of buffalo skin in it. You don’t have to eat them together. I actually decided I’m not a fan of Jaew Bong and chewed on Khaiphaen alone. Still delicious

You’ll find this pair on the menu of almost every restaurant you visit in Luang Prabang. Not all restaurants are created equal, though, so I’ll recommend Le Calao and T56.

Don’t be fooled by the many packs of Khaiphaen sold all over the Morning Market. Those are not for snacking on the go. They’re raw, and you’ll need to fry them in oil before they become edible.

6. Lhern Som (ເຫຼີນສົ້ມ)

Here’s a dish you can only get in Luang Prabang! This alarmingly pink curry with a base of fermented fish roe might be a hit-or-miss for some, but I’m obligated to include it for its background.

Historically served in the royal cuisine of Luang Prabang Kingdom, you can find it in only two higher-end restaurants today, Le Calao and T56. I first had it at Le Calao and found the one at T56 to be slightly thicker and a bit more intense. They’re both delicious, though.

7. Luang Prabang Papaya Salad (ຕໍາຫຼວງພະບາງ)

Ah, papaya salad in Lao isn’t called Som Tum, by the way. It’s Tum Mak Houng, which translates to “pounded papaya.” For the Luang Prabang version, say “Tum Luang Prabang.”

By default, Lao Papaya Salad is more intense than the Thai version with the addition of the fermented fish sauce. That’s what it is, if you’re wondering why they look much darker.

The Luang Prabang version takes the Lao Papaya Salad base and adds its own twist with much wider papaya strips. Having gone there right after my trip to Italy, they reminded me a lot of Pappardelle pasta. Don’t laugh at me. My brain is just like this 🤣

Where to try it: Tum Wan

8. Or Lam (ເອາະຫຼາມ)

I’m not a huge fan of Or Lam, but any Luang Prabang local will tell you to try this dish first if you’re looking for local cuisine.

It’s basically a thick herbal stew with a variety of vegetables, usually mushrooms, eggplants, and chilis. But Sakhaan (a type of peppery chili wood) and fermented fish sauce are the dominant flavors.

Don’t let my weird love-hate relationship with stewy textures stop you from trying this one. Just have it once so you’ll know if you like it or if you’re joining my club.

Where to try Or Lam: Phan Boun

9. Nam Lueang (ແນມເຫຼືອງ)

This is another regional dish specifically from Luang Prabang. At first, I totally thought it was just a generic Lao dish, but hey, we love regional stuff!

You can think of it as an egg pancake, mixed with green onions, with bean sprouts and ground pork (sometimes other meat or veggies) as fillings. It’s honestly a bit like a hybrid between standard Thai omelets and Sukhothai omelets, but this one gets the trophy with some spicy sauce on it.

I could and would die for Nam Lueang any day, especially the ones at Mr. Lair’s. He calls it Lao omelet, and I think that makes sense, too! And yes, squeeze the lime on, followed by the sauce!

10. Nam Khao (ແໜມເຂົ້າ)

Oh lawd, this dish is so fun! It’s also a shared menu between Laos and Thailand. I literally couldn’t spot any differences between the ones I had at home and the one I tried here in Luang Prabang.

You mix cooked jasmine rice with chili paste, and sometimes a bit of egg, shape into a ball and deep fry it for a crispy texture. Then mix those balls with fermented pork sausage, peanuts, shallots, a lot of lime juice, fish sauce, and herbs. Imagine the tanginess and the texture!

I actually don’t eat cilantro at all (ironic, considering it’s everywhere in Thai cuisine 💀) but I always would happily sit there for 15 minutes fishing all of them out of Nam Khao just to have it. As for what you see in this photo, I asked the lady to leave herbs out completely for fear of cilantro 🤣

Where to try it: Nam Khao Nang Noey (Takeaway only)

11. Sai Oua (ໄສ້ອົ່ວ)

At this point it’s becoming a little ridiculous how many dishes are shared between Thailand and Laos. I love how closely related we are, but it feels a bit strange having to explain why we both have something 😂

Sai Oua, essentially, is grilled spiced sausage. The meat itself is mixed with chili paste, chilis, and herbs. Once grilled until crispy outside, it’s served with fresh vegetables and usually eaten with sticky rice.

Yes, you can also have this in Northern Thailand. I couldn’t spot any big difference, but why skip something so delicious even if you’ve had it elsewhere before, right? The more Sai Oua, the merrier!

Where to try Sai Oua: Tum Wan

12. Larb (ລາບ)

Listing this as the last savory dish because you can literally eat it anywhere else in Laos. Larb is the Lao national dish, and is also considered to be the ultimate slow food by the locals. It’s usually only eaten at important celebrations, where there are a lot of people helping in the kitchen.

It looks simple enough, just minced meat (usually pork or chicken, sometimes fish) mixed with finely-chopped herbs and grinded toasted rice. But it takes a village (or one person and several hours) to prep those ingredients. I’ve done it in a cooking class and it was quite a mission.

How does it taste? AMAZING! The toasted rice is the hero of this dish. So distinctly aromatic. Without it, this would just be another spicy salad.

You can also find this dish in Thailand, since it’s part of our Northeastern cuisine. But it’s not our national dish so I’ll say if you have to try it in one country, do it in Laos. So much better there!

Where to try the best Larb: Tum Wan

13. Kanom Moh Tod (ເຂົ້າໜົມຫມ້ໍທອດ)

Gahhhh these banana balls! I’m so obsessed I can’t even. I’m smelling them in my mind as I’m writing this. I love them so much! Plus, they’re regional to Luang Prabang, so brownie points for that, too.

This was one of the few things I’d never heard of before coming to Luang Prabang. They’re balls of shredded coconut and sticky rice, mixed with banana and deep fried until slightly crispy on the outside and still chewy on the inside.

The aroma as you chew it is absolute heaven, a bit of toasted coconut, a bit of banana, and the subtle sweetness of sticky rice. I first tried one on the food tour that I took, then I kept buying a box of 15 everyday and finishing all of them.

They’re probably responsible for half the weight I gained there.

Where to find them: Morning Market, Night Market (Go into the food alley next to Indigo House)

14. Namwan Mak Buab (ນ້ຳຫວານໝາກບວບ)

I love this one, too. Cooked gourd in warm coconut milk. Slightly sweet, super aromatic and comforting. So we have a ton of warm dessert in coconut milk in Thailand, with pumpkin and whatnot, but never one with gourd. When I first read the menu, I was like… With what now?

Putting a green veggie in coconut milk is honestly pretty genius. It gives the comfort dessert feels I get from pumpkin coconut milk back home, but much less sweet because gourd is just not that sweet.

I found this gem at T56, where I ordered two bowls in one night (whoops). The server told me it originated in rural cuisine, where poor families had to use leftover vegetables parts to do something instead of discarding them.

15. Ba Bin (ບ້າບິ່ນພ້າວອ່ອນ)

Closing off the list with another sweet treat! While this name, Ba Bin, is shared between Thailand and Laos, referring to fresh coconut pancakes, I can confidently say that the Lao version is way superior. Sorry, homeland.

First off, the Lao Ba Bins have minimal sugar in them, if any. Every time I tried it, I couldn’t detect any sugary taste at all, just pure coconut and whatever natural sweetness it’ possesses’s got. The Thai version is so sweet and sometimes too greasy. These are pleasantly dry.

Where to try it: Morning Market, Night Market (Go into the food alley next to Indigo House)

Only Got a Day or Two to Eat Everything?

I wanted to try as many things as I could while in Luang Prabang, so I took this food tour the first morning I got there, and it was fantastic! Our guide was very knowledgeable about the regional menus, and we got to try half this list in one morning.

If you’re a foodie with a limited time, I highly recommend joining the tour, so you can maximize the rest of your time for other activities (or other dishes… there are a ton, after all)

A Small Note on People (and Things) from Laos

You may have noticed that across all my guides, I’ve always addressed the people and dishes as “Lao” and not the widely-used “Laotian.” Let’s unpack this real quick before I let you go.

In our Southeast Asian languages, both Thai and Lao, the people and things from Laos are “Lao.” So, how did the English-speaking world get Laotian? From the French. Laotien. Laotienne. Get the picture? Is your jaw dropping?

If you’re here and you’ve read this far, we must believe in the same principles to a certain degree. So let’s start showing respect to the locals by decolonizing how they’re called. We got this! 🙌

Final Tips for My Fellow Foodies

How did I manage to hunt down all these menus within less than 10 days?

Well, I first get a list (a mix of intel from Google and the locals), then I’d go down the list every time I go to a restaurant. If they have something I want to try, I order. The next thing you know, you’ll already have tried everything!

Bookmark my Laos Cultural Travel page before you go, or start browsing with my guide to the stunning Kuang Si Waterfalls!

Still looking for a place to stay in Luang Prabang? Read about my favorite neighborhoods for exploring on foot, so you don’t end up staying a little too far to walk somewhere. That’s the most annoying thing!

Plan the Rest of Your Trip to Laos

Below are resources to help you get ready for your trip. Don’t forget to check visa requirements.

• Make sure you have travel insurance. I always use SafetyWing or Heymondo.
• Stay connected in Laos (and Asia) with this eSIM
• Must-have Apps: LOCA, Google Maps, WhatsApp

Grab My Trip-Planner Template

To help streamline your planning process, I’ve decided to share the template I’ve created and have personally used to plan my own trips. You can grab a copy of it for free below!

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