Since Luang Prabang is the cultural center of Laos, there’s of course a huge selection of Laotian food here. The cuisines of the country’s many minorities, like for example the Hmong, are also represented. In Luang Prabang you can find Laotian food that is adapted to the taste of tourists and really authentic Laotian food. What you choose is up to you. Both are fine as long as long as you eat in a good restaurant. The authentic food is usually cheaper (not always) and not difficult to find. You can also eat pad lao in Luang Prabang, a slight modification of the famous pad thai. The taste is in no way inferior to the original. You may even like it more.
Where to find Laotian food in Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang is one of the most important cities in Laos and as you can imagine, the selection of local food is wide. No matter where you go, you‘ll see mostly Laotian restaurants. You can’t only eat in typical restaurants where you sit down, but also in smaller restaurants with plastic chairs and of course stalls on the street. So you do well to try the local food, since it’ll offer you a great culinary experience. The Lao cuisine may not be as famous as the Thai cuisine, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some tasty dishes. You should definitely give it a try. There’s definitely some Lao dish you like.
Cost of Laotian food in Luang Prabang
It really depends where you eat. Actually the local food isn’t expensive, but you should remember that you’re in a famous tourist hotspot, therefore the prices in some restaurants are a bit higher. If you order several dishes when visiting a restaurant, it can add up to a quite high bill. In most cases, however, it won’t be too much and there are hardly any really expensive Lao restaurants in Luang Prabang. There are also smaller local restaurants that sell authentic Lao dishes at cheap prices. Another cheap option is the vegan buffet with a variety of local dishes. Just walk through the night market and sooner or later you’re going to see it. As far as we know, the buffet is only open in the evening.