Places to Eat in Oudomxai

Oudomxai’s northern location places it near China, Vietnam, and Thailand, giving this city a multicultural feel that can be seen in the type of food available to eat around the city.

Food prices and type of food in Oudomxai

Because so much of the city is populated with Chinese businesspeople, a lot of the restaurants in town cater to Chinese tastes, but of course there are still plenty of delicious Lao options available as well. There are a few restaurants well-loved by travellers who come through Oudomxai, in addition to the food available in markets and street stalls.

Prices in Oudomxai are comparable to the rest of Laos, with dishes in restaurants costing around LAK20,000 or a bit more. Snacks and smaller items from the street carts (such as the traditional Lao sausages, barbecued chicken, spring rolls, or other items) will generally cost around LAK5,000.

Local Food

Supailin Restaurant is a traveller favourite in Laos, with a wide variety of delicious Lao dishes, as well as some good Western food and vegetarian dishes. You can find various soups, noodle dishes, papaya salad, laap, rice and stir fries here, all for large portions and cheap prices. Travellers from around the world have praised the restaurant, not only for the food but also for the kind and generous service from the owner of the restaurant. However, when this spot is busy with customers, you can often find yourself sitting around and waiting for quite a while for your food to be ready, because unless things have changed in recent years, the food is all cooked by one woman who can easily get overloaded when she’s got 17 dishes to prepare! Supailin Restaurant is located near the post office.

Cafes and Bakeries

Siso Bakery is another popular spot in town, located near the roundabout. They have a selection of several baguettes, sandwiches (including Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches), homemade breads, cookies, and general bakery items. It's a popular breakfast spot. Their hamburgers and veggie burgers are another favourite item on the menu; some even say it's the best burger in Laos.

The Sinouk Cafe, which is located in Charming Lao Hotel, serves both Lao and Western dishes and has a bit of a more modern feel than some of the more traditional spots around town. It's a good place to relax and use the wifi, and prices are not too expensive.

Markets and street stalls

There are also three food markets in town, and browsing around through these is of course the best way to find fresh fruits. Shopping in the markets in Southeast Asia is always a fascinating, sensory experience, and the markets in Oudomxai are no exception. You’ll be able to see the variety of unique foods and the products of different ethnic groups; Oudomxai has several different types of foods and fruits that are not so readily available in other places in Laos. While the markets are open every day, you’ll find them to be especially bustling during the weekends. These are day markets, so if you're hungry in the evening, the fresh markets will be closed. You’ll have to look for street food or other restaurant food elsewhere in the evenings.

These are just some ideas to give you a feel for what to expect in terms of food in Oudomxai; like anywhere else in the world, wandering around the streets and watching for the places that look good, cheap, and well populated can always earn you something to eat. Even if you're only in town while connecting between two different bus journeys, a short wander from the old bus station is worth it to get a taste of the delicious and varied foods of northern Laos.