In the capital, there are many dining options. Your selection is by no means limited to Laotian food. At least if you go to restaurants. On the street, you’ll usually find mainly local food, but there are also some stalls with western fast food or even specialities from certain countries. Food is available in pretty much all price ranges. Even high-priced and luxurious restaurants are no rarity. Only Michelin-starred restaurants don’t exist yet. That will probably change in the future. What we can definitely tell you is that there is a lot of delicious food in the capital. You should definitely give the food culture in Vientiane a chance.
Asian food
You’ll find mainly Asian food in Vientiane. Since you’re in South East Asia, that’s no surprise. Especially with Laotian and Thai food you have a huge selection. Not only on the street, but also in restaurants of all classes. There are also many Korean restaurants. That’s probably because many Koreans are living in Vientiane. The number of Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants is pretty high too, although you won’t find as many as Korean ones. Indian restaurants are not that common, but they exist.
Western food
There is one thing to say about Western food. Most of what you’ll find is fast food. At least if you don’t go to restaurants, but buy your food on the street. An exception are the baguettes. The baguettes are really tasty and usually topped with vegetables, meat and pate. Since Laos was once a French colony, that’s not surprising. For the same reason, there are also some French restaurants, including some really good ones. You should, however, be prepared that most of them are priced above average. Even french cafes and bakeries are nothing unusual in Vientiane. The French influence is still clearly visible.
French Food
As a former colony, Laos has retained some French influence, and as the capital Vientiane has many French restaurants. Most French restaurants are catered towards foreigners. You usually won’t see many Laotians there, except the staff or high-class citizens. The food at the French restaurants is pretty decent, but you’ll have to pay more than at most other places. Some popular French dishes in Vientiane are escargots, steak frites and ratatouille.
Italian food
It’s no surprise that you’ll find Italian food in Vientiane, since it’s one of the most popular cuisines of the world. At least famous dishes like pizza are absolutely everywhere. That being said, there are also some nice Italian restaurants. They’re usually higher priced than your alternatives, but offer a great variety of pasta and some other popular dishes.
Fast food
Well, fast food is everywhere in the world and Vientiane is no exception. You’ll find fast food from all possible countries here. Even Vientiane can’t compete with the fast food culture in Vang Vieng, there are still some good choices. Of course, there are also some fast food chains like KFC or Pizza Company. Most recommendable are the baguettes. You can really find baguettes everywhere in Vientiane and you can usually assume that they are really delicious and significantly cheaper than most other food in Vientiane.
Vegetarian and vegan food
Surprisingly, there are really many vegetarian and even some vegan restaurants in Vientiane. Some places offer buffets and gluten-free dishes. You can’t only look forward to a large selection, but also to relatively cheap prices. However, you should like to eat Asian food. Most of these restaurants offer Laotian and Thai dishes, but there are also vegetarian foods from Vietnam, Korea, China and Japan. To our knowledge Western vegetarian or even vegan restaurants don’t exist here. However, there are a few places that at least offer a vegan breakfast.
Middle Eastern food
When it comes to Middle Eastern food, Vientiane isn’t the best place. There are almost no Middle Eastern restaurants here. With a little luck you’ll find one or two specialities on the market or in a higher class hotel, but you shouldn’t rely on that. If you really want to enjoy Middle Eastern food, you probably should visit one of the few restaurants available. You can count them on one hand. One recommendation is Taste of Middle East.
Food prices in Vientiane
How much you’ll have to pay for food, totally depends where you eat. Like with many other places in Southeast Asia the street food you’ll find at almost every corner is your cheapest option. You can get a meal like noodles, rice or soup for as little as a dollar. With restaurants, especially the foreign ones, it’s a bit different. In many places with around 10 USD you’re more than good, but at others you’ll have to pay significantly more. The most expensive places are usually the few fancier french or italian restaurants. Here you might have to pay 20 to 30 USD for a dish.