Siem Reap is all about prepping you to see the Angkor Wat temple complex. In this way it is the Cusco of Cambodia. While you are preparing you will inevitably need a good latte to keep you going. Among the bars, restaurants with less than stellar coffee, and chains like the Blue Pumpkin can be found a shining coffee star- the Angkor Bodhi Tree Riverside Café.
Situated along the river at an unassuming corner, the Angkor Bodhi Tree Café is a welcoming place staffed by a mix of local students and westerners with Aussie accents. Aside from the fact that the coffee was fantastic, the café’s philosophy made the experience even better. Since i don’t think I can articulate it better than they already have, here is their mission statement:
Our vision at Bohdi Tree Café is to support young Khmer students who struggle to keep a balance between study and supporting their family. We believe that by giving these beautiful people a flexible roster, fair pay and continuous training, we are little by little helping build a brighter future for these young people. Our team at the café are like our family to us and each have their own story and beautiful personality.
We serve “Three Corners” coffee roast, which is a social enterprise in Cambodia. They help the local community while they make a delicious roast at the same time.
Upstairs there is a huge communal bookshelf based on the “good karma” system – that is to say enjoy the book(s) but return them when done or replace them with other books.
One of my favorite aspects of the café [besides the coffee and the mission statement] was that they sandwiched the drink menus in old hardcover “Little Golden Books.” Mine was “Mickey’s Christmas Carol.”
If you are looking for a latte in Siem Reap look no further – the Angkor Bodhi Tree Riverside Café is there waiting for you.
