Street Food in Laos: Feast Mode On

Laos is one of Southeast Asia’s hidden gems. Often skipped by backpackers who prioritize hotspots like Thailand and Vietnam, this beautiful country offers some of the best street food on the whole continent. 

Street food in Laos is a mix of uniquely Laotian dishes and foods inspired by one of its neighboring countries, like Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, and China. Just like many other Asian countries, food is at the epicenter of Laotian culture. It brings together locals and tourists to enjoy its rainbow of options. 

With similar strong flavors and family-style shared dishes, Laotian cuisine is best compared to Thai food. For anyone visiting this sprawling nation, trying Laos’ street food must be at the top of your to-do list. 

Traditional Laotian Dishes

There are too many incredible Laotian dishes to list them all, but here is your must-try Laos food list. Most can be found for $1 to $3 in street food markets. 

Sindad

Akin to Korean barbecuing at the table, sindad is a delicious, communal dining experience. It is essentially a hybrid of a hot pot and a barbecue at your table, which you cook yourself. 

The centerpiece of the meal is usually the meat or seafood of your choice and vegetables served with garlic, chilies, limes, and fermented soybean sauce. 

A bucket of coals sits on the table or in a hole cut into it, and a metal domed tray is set on top of it. The tray is full of holes to let the heat in and allow the drippings to drain out. 

First, you melt lard onto the tray to prevent sticking, and then you grill the meat or seafood on top. 

A small trough runs around the edge for stock. The channel catches all the drippings from the meat, adding more flavor to the broth, and then the vegetables are cooked in it to create a divine soup. 

While sindad is best eaten with chopsticks, do not be afraid to ask for a fork if you have not perfected the art of the chopstick yet. 

Pork Larb

The unofficial national dish of Laos, pork larb, is a simple meat salad that takes minutes to make and even less time to eat. 

Larb translates to fortune and good luck, making this dish a symbol of the wish for a peaceful and lucky life. 

The key ingredient of larb is ground meat, served raw or cooked. Most commonly, it’s pork, but it can also be made with lamb, chicken, or beef. For travelers new to street food, ask for the cooked version to limit your chances of food poisoning. 

Larb gets its robust flavors from the fresh herbs packed into the dish, like Thai basil or cilantro, lemongrass, fresh chilies, red onions, green onions, lime juice, and garlic. It is best served on a bed of roasted rice and unseasoned salad. 

Jeow Bong

While jeow is a broad term describing sauces and dipping pastes, jeow bong is the ultimate sauce for travelers to try. It is among the spiciest, though, so avoid this one if you have a sensitive tongue or stomach. 

This blood-red sauce is made using garlic, fish sauce, plus a mix of other spices. And, of course, lots of dried chili peppers. It is usually made with either shredded buffalo or pork meat that’s heavily salted to make it long-lasting. 

The trick that makes the flavors pop is that most of the ingredients are fried and caramelized just a little before being pounded into a paste using a mortar and pestle. 

The sauce is finished by adding a little raw sugar to it. It is the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. Pile it on top of some sticky rice or boiled vegetables and enjoy this heavenly taste. 

Mok Pa

For fish lovers, mok pa is the perfect dish to sample. 

Traditionally seasoned with padaek—a pungent, fermented fish paste—and fresh herbs like lemongrass or kefir leaves, mok pa’s main ingredient is steamed fish. 

The fish is pounded together with spices and wrapped in banana leaves before being steamed over hot coals. It is usually served with sticky rice as a side and can be eaten by hand or with a fork. 

As a land-locked country, most fish you sample in Laotian cuisine, like catfish, will come from the Mekong River. 

Khao Soi 

In addition to classic Laotian flavors, some dishes are also influenced by the street food of Thailand and Myanmar.

The Lao twist on khao soi is made without the typical dose of coconut milk. Instead, it’s made with slow-cooked pork and tomatoes and served with thick rice noodles. This version of the dish focuses more on the ingredients roasted flavor than the coconut’s sweetness. 

Insects

For the adventurous traveler, trying insects is a must-do in Laos. Just like their neighbors in Cambodia and Thailand, Laotians love a dish made from insects. 

Whether it’s crickets, spiders, water bugs, or ants, these crispy goodies are a delicious delicacy that should not be missed. If you are brave enough, try one of these crunchy treats in any good street food market. 

Khao Nom Kok

To finish off your must-try list, find one of the many street food vendors selling Laotian coconut pancakes, sometimes written as kanom krok. 

These mini-pancake look-alikes are made from sugar, tapioca starch, rice flour, and, most importantly, whisked coconut milk. They are cooked over a charcoal brazier in cast iron pans made specifically for the little disk-shaped pancakes. 

With a perfectly crispy outside and melt-in-your-mouth insides, these delicious treats are the perfect end to an evening of food tasting. Or any evening, for that matter. 

Best Street Food in Vientiane

The capital, Vientiane, is a serene and beautiful city with a lot of things to do, offering a variety of incredible Laotian street food. In between visits to key tourist hotspots like Wat Sisaket or the Patuxay Monument, travelers cannot miss out on all these scrumptious treats. 

Lane Xang

Running from the Presidential Palace all the way to Ph That Luang, Lane Xang is Vientiane’s widest boulevard. The area offers a feast of food stalls, selling everything from local cuisine to a hybrid Laos/Thai street food menu. 

It is a great place to try the famous larb dish, sometimes called laap or laab. 

The delicious dish is best served cooked when buying from a street vendor. For vegetarians, there is vegetarian larb made from tofu or mushrooms instead of meat. 

Ban Anou Night Market

The Ban Anou Night Market—perhaps the most well-known market in Vientiane—pops up every evening along Khoun Boulom Road. Despite being a small space, the market crams in a massive variety of stalls and food vendors. 

Start your night with a classic dish: khao niew (sticky rice). The sticky rice is formed into balls and served in a bamboo basket. Dip them into all the yummy sauces or meat dishes. 

Laos takes the crown for consuming more khao niew than any other country. Laotians serve it as a base for almost every local dish. 

Ban Haysoke

If you want to try some proper Laotian food, check out the stalls at the junction of Rue Hengboun and Chao Anou Road. Ban Haysoke mainly offers snack foods instead of full dishes, so save this for later if you are hungry for a large meal. 

But if you want to try a range of smaller Laotian dishes, these stalls are your dream come true.

Start with Lao sausage. It is pork meat blended with herbs, like kaffir lime leaves, shallots, and cilantro, and flavored with the classic fish sauce found in many Southeast Asian dishes. 

Pha That Luang 

If you prefer to avoid big crowds, head to Pha That Luang, the Buddhist stupa and national symbol of Laos. This smaller, less touristy food market lies beneath the stupa and offers more of a local experience. 

For a sweeter dish, try some khao tom, sometimes called khao nom. This dish is made from sticky rice and coconut cream, steamed and served in banana leaf parcels.

There are also savory versions of this dish, but try the sweet filling for a ridiculously tasty dessert.

Mekong River 

The long and winding Mekong River runs through Vientiane, and it is a beautiful area to walk around in the cooler evenings. The night bazaar also runs alongside it. 

Alongside the usual clothing and trinkets, the night bazaar is also home to a treasure trove of delicious food stalls. Take your time and stroll down the river while tasting a variety of traditional Laos street food. 

Start with nem luang, a dish made from beaten eggs cooked inside a wok and topped with fish sauce, sugar syrup, fresh herbs, and bean sprouts. Add a dash of soy sauce or dried chili to make the flavor pop. 

Or, if eggs aren’t your thing, try another classic street food of Laos: the green papaya salad or som tam. It is made using shredded unripe papaya mixed with chili, sour lime, salt, fish sauce, and sugar. Some kind of meat or fish is usually added to create a dish with classic Laotian flavors. 

Best Street Food in Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang, the former royal capital, is brimming with beautiful temples, stunning natural beauty, and delicious street food. 

While there are plenty of fine dining restaurants to try along the Mekong River, street food is king here. 

Luang Prabang Morning Market

Starting bright and early at 5 am, this morning market is an unappreciated treasure chest. The vendors are friendly and chatty in the cool early morning sun, and the options are endless. 

Sample fresh foraged herbs and, if you are lucky enough to have a kitchen in your accommodation, pick out some wild game to cook later. 

For breakfast, sample some fresh juice and fruit or dig into a chunk of grilled beehive honeycomb. If you want to eat like the locals, stick to hot, savory breakfast foods like khao piak sen, a chicken noodle soup. 

Luang Prabang Night Market

The best street food in the city can be found at its night market. This sprawling market is split into two sections.

The main eatery has a stage for performances and a giant TV, where I watched one of the World Cup games. This section is mostly dedicated to a mix of Western food, such as fried chicken, and other Asian cuisine, like Korean and Chinese dishes. The Thai area is a delight; every stall offers something equally delicious. 

Keep cool by sampling one of the many fruit shakes on offer while you explore your options. 

The other section is a long alley across the street where you’ll find a more traditional Laotian meal. Try the grilled Mekong fish or one of the many curries on offer.

Along the Mekong River

The Mekong River is the centerpiece of Luang Prabang, offering panoramic views of the surrounding hills. Alongside it, there are numerous restaurants and street vendors. 

If you want to try something a little fancier, have dinner at one of the many restaurants and enjoy the sunset views. As a multicultural city, plenty of other cuisines can be found here, including delicious Indian and Vietnamese dishes. 

Map of the Best Street Food Spots in Laos

You have a lot of eating to do. The least we could do is make it easier with a map of the hotspots. Zoom in to see them in each city.

Street Food Stomach Safety and Food Rules

Traveling and the risks of food poisoning or stomach sickness go hand in hand. Here are some golden rules to follow to keep safe and maximize your experience:

• Drink plenty of water. Only bottled water!
• Avoid any meat that has been reheated. 
• Bring medication, such as anti-diarrhea tablets, because it’s always better to be prepared for the worst. 
• Follow the queues! The more people there are by a food vendor, the better and safer the food will be. 
• Avoid dishes that have raw meat in them.
• Learn some language basics. You will be welcomed far more warmly if you make an effort rather than shout loudly in English until you get what you want. 
• If you see locals adding extra flavor with chili flakes, lime, or soy sauce, give it a go. A dash of extra flavor can level up any street food dish. 
• Don’t get stuck just eating food from home. Take a risk and try something new.
• No matter how lovely your accommodations are, eating breakfast there, even when included, is not your safest bet. Popular street food stands go through food too quickly for it to go off. But hotels do not. Stick to street food stalls full of locals, and you’ll be just fine.

Laotian Food Culture 

The food culture in Laos is similar to many other Southeast Asian countries. Dining together is a huge part of socializing, and food is often served on a communal dish or on the banana leaf it was cooked in. 

People typically eat together, but there are no specific meal times. Most Laotian food is eaten with your hands, but spoons and forks are usually used for rice. Chopsticks are typically reserved for noodles. 

In a traditional Laotian home, the meal is served while people sit in a circle on a mat-covered floor. A host will often serve drinks and food to welcome the guest. The offer is accepted to honor the host, even if it’s only one sip or a single bite. 

Making the Most of Laotian Street Food

If you are traveling in Laos, do not fall into the trap of only eating Western food. It’s a small country, so it’s easy to get around, and its mighty cuisine should not be missed. 

Get out of your comfort zone and try something new. The food is affordable, delicious, and refreshing, so try all the street food in Laos. You’re going to love it!

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