Vientiane

Vientiane

Vientiane has a fabulous range of eateries to choose from. There is both budget-orientated tourist food right through to high end gourmet Lao and French cuisine. The bulk of places are within a short walk of the Mekong riverbank.

Cafés & bakeries
If you're one prone to starting your day with a stiff espresso, you're in the right part of the world. Vientiane has a good selection of cafes to choose from and free WiFi is becoming more and more common.

You could eat just about every one of your meals at Joma Bakery and Cafe and you wouldn't be disappointed. Start your day with a perfectly-cooked American breakfast or heavenly waffles with whipped cream and fruit, for lunch a selection of homemade soups and create-your-own sandwiches, and sets of pizza or lasagna with salad (Caesar, Greek, tacos) make a tasty and affordable dinner. The specialty coffees and baked goodies are downright addictive — don't overlook the cheesecakes and other heat-sensitive treats kept in a small fridge — and attentive staff, indoor/outdoor seating, local newspapers, and free WiFi secure Joma's rightful place as the most popular cafe in town. A second location has opened at the Water Park and they also have cafes in Luang Prabang and Hanoi.

For light fare in an elegant European-style cafe, Le Banneton is a fine choice. Early opening hours make them a popular choice for breakfast, and breakfast sets are served with melt-in-your-mouth milk bread and your choice of espresso-based beverage. Their baguettes are the real deal — crispy on the outside, soft inside, and stuffed with fine ingredients like roast beef and sauted forest mushrooms — and their panini sandwiches, quiches, and tartines are the best in town. It's a shame they're not open later for dinner, as the French country ambience and jazzy music courtesy off satellite radio encourages lingering.

Across the road from Wat Mixay, Le Croissant d'Or is a cozy spot to watch local life pass by with a coffee and pastry in hand. The pastries — eclairs, pain au chocolat, cinnamon cake, fruit pies — are to die for, though they cook a good breakfast, too. The sets with coffee and fruit are a great value and named after different cities — the Paris breakfast comes with a croissant while the Vientiane set with a baguette. For lunch there's sandwiches, salads, homemade soups, pastas, and perfectly prepared quiche Lorraine. Though we do love the location for people-watching, the tucked-away back courtyard is equally inviting.

The Scandinavian Bakery is almost an institution in Vientiane, particularly so at breakfast when baguettes, croissants, and their famous honey bread are fresh from the oven. The Scandinavian set is a hearty start to your day with bread, salami, cheese, juice, and coffee, or if you come for lunch you'll find burgers, quiche, and, of course, Swedish smorgasbord sandwiches. The small terrace outside is a lovely place to sit and watch the world go by or there's a spacious dining room on the second floor with a TV perpetually tuned to CNN. WiFi is free for customers.

The newest addition to Vientiane's coffee bar scene, True Coffee has a list of frappuccinos, lattes and other caffeinated concoctions long enough to put Starbucks to shame. Of course, don't be surprised if the price is also close to what you pay at home. True Coffee is very Westernized with sleek furniture, chatty baristas, and the fastest Internet connection in Vientiane, if not the whole country. Their selection of gourmet pastries is drool-worthy, including tortes, cookies, and cheesecakes. It's not hard to spend $10 on just a snack here, but you might forget you're still in Laos. If you're traveling without a laptop, they have new computer terminals and even sell Apple products like iPods and MacBooks.


Joma Bakery and Cafe: Setthatilath Rd (opposite Khop Chai Deu) T: (021) 215 265 http://www.joma.biz/
Le Banneton: Nokeo Koummane Rd T: (021) 217 321
Le Croissant d'Or: 96/1 Nokeo Koummane Rd T: (021) 223 741
Scandinavian Bakery: 74/1 Pangkham Rd T: (021) 215 199 http://www.scandinavianbakerylaos.com
True Coffee: 111 Setthathirath Rd T: (021) 260 417


Lao
You are in Laos afterall! But if you find market eating a bit too down to earth for you, there are some outstanding specialist Lao food eateries well worth exploring. Makphet in particular should not be missed.

The banks of the Mekong make a great place to sit and enjoy a meal, and you will invariably find plenty of barbeques and make-shift restaurants lining the riverfront. Most are hastily assembled just before sundown and stacked away around 22:00, though some open earlier and close later. The food is simple but tasty, and the staples are grilled chicken, fish, spicy papaya salad and spring rolls served with a basket of sticky rice and some dipping sauces. Their menus are beginning to diversify and some offer "hot pots" — a fondue-like experience of cooking meat and veggies in a pot of boiling broth. The ramshackle restaurants lack names, so it's hard to recommend one over another or even tell them apart. Fruit shakes or big bottles of Beerlao complete the experience, and a meal on the Mekong is a must.

Though nearly every restaurant and riverside food stall has fruit shakes on their menu, no one does them like the House of Fruit Shakes. Shakes are made with real fruit and blended to perfection — not too watery, not too chunky. Flavours range from banana (tasty but mundane) to starfruit (more exotic, but slightly sour) to lemon mint (extremely refreshing) and most cost 6,000 kip. Though the shakes are their namesake, don't overlook the food. Wholesome muesli, soft baguette sandwiches, and fruit plates with yogurt make this a great breakfast joint. There are only a few tables which are often full, but a copycat restaurant has opened up next door.

In a beautifully restored colonial mansion, Kua Lao has a great atmosphere and popular set menus of Lao food and wine. Every evening there is a cultural performance of traditional music and dance, and the diners are an interesting mix of package tourists and Vientiane's well-heeled. The food — larb, grilled fish, spicy salads — is high-quality and presented beautifully, though the price of the show is factored into the food and the same dishes cost half as much anywhere else. Nonetheless, dinner at Kua Lao certainly makes for a memorable night out. For a less touristy experience, try going at lunch time.

Satisfy your appetite and your conscience with a dinner at Makphet, a charitable establishment that hires and trains former street kids to be cooks. If that isn't enough to lure you in, the food is delicious with contemporary versions of Lao favourites like buffalo curry, spiced pork sausages, and grilled tomato, mushroom, and eggplant dips served with sticky rice. Portions are very generous and perfect for sharing, or order a half-size dish to feed one. Be sure to save room for dessert of homemade coconut ice cream or mango and sticky rice. After dinner, browse the handicraft shop, Noi Noi, located above the restaurant.

Though the riverbank is the most scenic spot for street eats, more affordable, authentic Lao fare abounds at the Vientiane's markets. Join the lunching shopkeepers at the Talat Sao Market (morning market) for a bowl of noodle soup or fried rice (from 10,000 kip) at the stalls on the ground floor or cross the street to Talat Kua Din (bus station market) for prepared curries, larb, and farm-fresh produce. The night markets start up around 17:00 and the Ban Anou Night Market, near the junction of Chou Anou and Khoun Bouloum Roads, is one of the best for its hand-made noodles, grilled pork, and Lao sweets.

Sister to the popular restaurant in Luang Prabang, Tamnak Lao restaurant in Vientiane is a little harder to find, though well worth it. In operation since 1993, it's become a local favourite and serves surprisingly authentic Lao cuisine in a restored colonial house and garden. Try the 6-course tasting menu to try classic Lao dishes or order a la carte for larger portions of larb with fresh herbs, Mekong fish cooked in coconut milk, spicy seafood salads, sun-dried beef, and even some vegetarian options. The large, elegant restaurant is popular with tour groups and they can organize cultural shows and Baci (string) ceremonies on request.


House of Fruit Shakes: Samsenthai Rd T: (021) 212 200
Kua Lao: 111 Samsenthai Rd T: (021) 215 777
Makphet: On the street behind Wat Ong Teu (parallel to Sethathirat Rd and the Mekong River front) T: (021) 260 587
Tamnak Lao: 100 That Luang Rd T: (021) 413 562


High end
As with any city popular with tourists and expats there are some exceptional high-end eateries in Vientiane. Here's a short selection to start off with. Be sure to ask for the wine list as simple wines are very affordable.

Easily the most elegant spot to sample Lao cuisine, Amphone Restaurant is set with an absolutely gorgeous indoor/outdoor area on a quiet lane behind Wat Xieng Gnuen. The food is as appealing as the serene setting and was good enough for celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain's introduction to Lao cuisine when he visited in 2008. Dishes like larb, eggplant dip, grilled fish, and curries are richly seasoned with fresh herbs and fish sauce and, unless you request it extra-spicy, the use of chili is minimal enough that everyone can enjoy the food. There's no better way to spend an evening than savouring their tasting menu and glass of wine while soaking up Amphone's atmosphere.

Another fine choice for upscale French cuisine, Le Central serves plats du jour in a quaint and tranquil setting. Using the finest imported ingredients, the menu offers indulgent dishes such as beef carpaccio, bluefin tuna tartar, and a salad of duck breast and foie gras. Accordingly, this is not the most affordable restaurant in Vientiane, but their daily set menu is quite reasonable at 75,000 kip for 3 courses. For a mini-splurge, get the Taste of France set with your choice of starter, steak or fish, and creme brulee for dessert. Bon apetit!

Smart, slightly up-market Le Cote d'Azur right on the riverfront has been open since 1996 and for good reason. Authentic provencal-style cuisine like rabbit stew have made Le Cote d'Azur a hit with French expats looking for a taste of home, and the chef actually hails from Nice, France. The steaks and seafood are as fresh as it gets and many say their pizza with fresh basil is the best in Vientiane. There are a few tables crowded onto the sidewalk outside the restaurant, but the inside dining room with wooden tables and French country-house decorations is much more charming.


Amphone: On the small road beside Jazzy brick. Unit 37 Ban Xieng Gneun T: (020) 771 1138
Le Central: 077/8 Setthatirath Rd T: (021) 244 3703
Le Cote d'Azur: 62/63 Fa Ngum Rd T: (021) 217 252


Western food
If you just cannot face another plate of larp, don't fret. Vientiane has a good supply of international eateries offering everything from pizza to schnitzel. Prices tend to mid-range.

The food at the Ban Lao Restaurant and Beer Garden is nothing to write home about, but we love the open-air setting in a lush little garden complete with fairy lights and a pond. The menu features the usual tourist fare — pizzas, breakfast sets, burgers, fried rice — but their small selection of traditional Lao dishes like larb with sticky rice actually taste pretty good. As the name suggests, they definitely serve BeerLao and you're welcome to just come here and drink. Despite the lovely setting, Ban Lao doesn't seem too popular: think of it as Khop Chai Deu without the crowds.

Chokdee Cafe is Vientiane's first Belgian bar and restaurant aspires to convert vegetarians with its meat-centric menu of steaks, kebabs, sausages, stews, fried mussels, and burgers. The meats are perfectly cooked, portions are generous, prices are reasonable, and side dishes like Belgian-style fries are so good they could stand alone. Though you'd be crazy to come here and not try the Belgian specialties, they also offer Lao salads, curries, and a traditional Lao tasting menu. The staff and regular clientele are a friendly, chatty bunch... did we mention the huge selection of European beers?

Dao Fa Bistro is a trendy eatery serving much more formal meals than its neighbor, Joma Bakery. The menu is modern fusion with a selection of salads, pastas, pizzas, crepes, and even breakfast sets. The focus is on healthy, fresh ingredients so expect the pastas to be homemade, the bread to be wholegrain, and the pizzas to come topped with lots of veggies and herbs. The decor is as modern as the menu with dark wood, art-adorned walls, and a small sidewalk terrace. Dao Fa also has a full bar and cocktails are discounted to 25,000 kip apiece during happy hour.

With good drink specials and spot-on American food, the Full Moon Cafe attracts a steady crowd of expats and tourists. There's a bit of a Wild West theme going on with Native American art adorning the walls, so it feels like the right place to chow down on Buffalo wings and pulled-pork sandwiches, even though Lao, Chinese, Vietnamese and Indian food also grace the menu. There's a daily happy hour from 17:00 - 19:00 on beer and cocktails, which are fairly priced even outside these hours, and the restaurant can get a bit noisy even if there's no music. Free WiFi for customers.

We're skeptical that Hungry Burger's claim is true — The burger you're about to unwrap is the best in town — but Hungry Burgers is definitely a solid competitor for its price range. Whether you want pork, beef or chicken, all the burgers from this sidewalk stand are priced at a bargain 15,000 kip and cooked fresh-to-order. Burgers will be doused with mayo and chili sauce unless you request otherwise, and another 5,000 kip gets you cheese or a fried egg. Only burgers are available here — they don't even have fries — but they definitely hit the spot if you're hungry and in a hurry.

Set in a two-floor colonial house, Lotus Restaurant has become an elegant organic restaurant and wine bar. At first glance the menu is the usual mix of Western breakfast sets, sandwiches, pizzas, and Thai curries, though they do make a good effort to include Lao specialties like rice soup, tamarind pork, and larp with fresh herbs. However, for the best selection of local fare, come during lunch for their Lao buffet (10:30 -14:00). Lotus is also very accommodating to vegetarians with a variety of meatless appetizers, soups, and mains. Despite their up-market turn, prices remain reasonable and the second floor dining area is cozy with cushion seating.

For a fine meal at midrange prices, and right beside the fountain, you can't beat Restaurant Le Provencal. This long-running favourite serves some of the best steak in town (all beef is imported) prepared with savory cream sauces or simply grilled (80,000 -120,000 kip). All main courses are served with frites and ratatouille Nicoise. Though the restaurant is unmistakably French, other European fare like bruschetta, pizza, and pasta (from 50,000 kip) are also served and equally delicious. Attentive service and a charming setting near the Namphu fountain are the icing on the gateau.

Sticky Fingers is a groovy little bar/restaurant down a sidestreet from the Mekong. The menu is very international and many dishes use ingredients not found in the region. The imported ingredients make the food expensive by local standards, but just try the salmon steak, bruschetta, or couscous and you'll agree they're well worth the price. Daily specials are a good value and happy hours on Wednesday and Friday evenings mean that cocktails like their famous Som Tam martini are half price. If you've had one too many, come back the next morning for the hangover breakfast — with or without a bloody Mary. Free WiFi.

Satisfy your salsa cravings at Tex-Mex Alexia, the only Mexican restaurant to be found in Vientiane, if not all of Laos. The menu offers the expected range of tacos/burritos/enchiladas/fajitas with your choice of fillings, plus some Gringo alternatives like pizza, spaghetti, or fried rice. The prices are high (mains from 50,000 kip) for rather mediocre food, but obviously they don't have much competition. The margaritas (35,000 kip), however, definitely pack a punch. A band plays throughout the day (you're guaranteed to hear Hotel California) and starts out mellow in the afternoon but gets the place hopping at night.

The generic tourist restaurants that line Fa Ngum Rd, such as The Shade, attract a constant stream of travellers looking for an inexpensive meal. Rather than doing one type of cuisine well, their menus run the gamut from Thai to Western to Chinese to Lebanese and, though decent, the food is not a revelation in flavour or freshness. In addition to their reasonable prices (you're hard-pressed to find anything over 35,000 kip), their long opening hours — from breakfast baguettes and coffee at 07:00 right through the day until around 22:00 — keep them busy.


Ban Lao Restaurant and Beer Garden: Francois Ngin Rd T: (021) 212 930
Chokdee Cafe: Fa Ngum Rd T: (021) 263 847
Dao Fa Bistro Setthatilath Rd T: (021) 217 252
Full Moon Cafe: Francois Nginn Rd (next to Sticky Fingers) T: (021) 243 373
Hungry Burgers: Setthatirath Rd, near True Coffee T: (021) 218 320 http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hungry-Burger/330426987026
Lotus Restaurant: Corner of Nokeo Koummane and Hengboun Rds T: (030) 525 6700
Restaurant Le Provencal: by Namphu fountain T: (021) 219 685
Sticky Fingers: 10/3 Francois Nginn Rd T: (021) 215 972
Tex-Mex Alexia: Fa Ngum Rd T: (021) 241 349
The Shade: Fa Ngum Rd T: (021) 261 587


Other Asian food
Aside from the Lao food on offer, you can also pick up good regional food in Vientiane. There is an especially good selection of Indian eateries.

An understated restaurant on a busy road, Cafe Indochine pays nod to all countries of former French Indochina including Laos, though the focus is clearly on Vietnam.
Daily specials marked on a board outside offer a good introduction to Vietnamese cuisine and even better value. For example, set #3 includes lemongrass chicken, fresh spring rolls, soup, rice, and a fruit platter for 40,000 kip. The staple dish of Vietnam, pho bo, is executed perfectly with steaming beef broth, firm noodles, and fresh herbs, and priced at 20,000 kip. The setting is elegantly understated but service can be hit or miss.

Catering to the influx of Korean tourists, Dok Champa has rebranded itself as a Korean restaurant. If you haven't tried bulgogi, Korea's national dish of marinated barbeque beef, and have no plans to visit Seoul in the near future, you can try it here. If that's not to your tastes don't worry, the huge menu spans the globe from the American clubhouse sandwich to Russian borscht to humble Lao larp. The restaurant is deceivingly large with seating in a small garden, an upstairs terrace, and even private dining rooms, making it very popular with package tourists, Korean and otherwise.

A little down from Nazim, Fathima Restaurant is another reliable spot for a satisfying Indian meal. Don't be put off by the dated decor — the food is excellent. There's so many dishes it's actually hard to choose, though the samosas, rogan josh, and aloo gobi (potatoes and cauliflower) are highly recommended. If you still can't decide, opt for the thali which is a big round plate with small portions of various curries and vegetables plus rice. If you've saved room for dessert, they also have ice cream. Staff are polite and attentive, plus credit cards are readily accepted — even though your total bill may only be a few dollars!

It seems like all the riverfront restaurants have added Middle Eastern food to their menus, but the new Istanbul Restaurant does it best. Here, the schwarmas and falafels are freshly prepared and the handmade pita bread is thick and chewy. The Turkish pizzas give bold new flavors to an old favorite and vegetarians will love the ones topped with eggplant. The servers are friendly and will help explain the menu if needed. Check the whiteboard for the daily special — it was Turkish meatballs with salad, sides, and a big beer Lao for 40,000 kip during our visit — a steal!

Japanese food appears to be the latest dining trend in Vientiane with sushi restaurants like Kitchen Tokyo popping up around the city. Though it's not the chicest sushi joint around, Kitchen Tokyo makes up for in value what it lacks in style offering set lunches of miso soup, assorted sushi, and tea for a mere 30,000 kip. Other classic Japanese foods appearing on the menu include udon noodles, rice bowls, Japanese-style pork curry and, of course, sake. Though the ground floor dining room is quite non-descript, the upstairs area has traditional-style seating with mats and cushions on the floor to complete the experience.

Part of the chain with locations in every Lao town big enough to have tourists, Nazim is a cheap and cheerful Indian restaurant. The menu offers more than 150 items including the usual favorites like chicken tikka masala, biriyani rice and naan bread, plus some South Indian specialties like the masala thosai (a lentil crepe filled with curried vegetables). Vegetarians will have no problem finding something to eat and most items, even the meat dishes, cost less than 40,000 kip. Nazim is rightfully popular and the service is attentive even when it's a full house.

Rashmi's Indian Fusion combines the strange-sounding mix of Indian and Chinese cuisines, and pulls it off with varying degrees of success. If you're intrigued, the best way to sample the goods is during their lunch buffet from 11:30 to 14:30 priced at 35,000 kip. In terms of ambience, the restaurant is modern and the floor-to-ceiling windows in the upstairs dining room offer some picturesque views, though mostly of the Lao Plaza Hotel across the street. In an effort to keep fusing new cuisines, Rashmi's has added a bakery and pizza oven to their repertoire. Is anyone in the mood for mutton pizza? Note that Rashmi's is Halal.


Cafe Indochine: 199 Setthatilath Rd T: (021) 216 758
Dok Champa: Chao Anou Rd (opposite the Lao Orchid Hotel) T: (021) 251 739
Fathima Restaurant: Fa Ngum Road T: (021) 219 097
Istanbul Restaurant: Francois Ngin Rd T: (021) 218 320
Kitchen Tokyo: Chou Anou Rd T: (020) 770 3923
Nazim: Fa Ngum Rd (next to Orchid Guesthouse) T: (021) 223 480
Rashmi's Indian Fusion: 316 Samsenthai Rd T: (021) 251 513


Bars
You just haven't "done" Vientiane unless you've had a cold drink down by the river. You don't need to stop there though as there are a bunch of other joints to choose from, from backpacker digs to flashy cocktail bars.

Filling a void in the Vientiane entertainment scene, Blue Bananas is a friendly Lao/Western restaurant by day and a chilled-out backpacker bar by night. The drinks are limited to simple cocktails or beer (2-for-1 from 17:00 - 19:00), but it's the convivial atmosphere and endless entertainment like pool tables, video games, WiFi, and music that keep people coming back night after night. A collection of board games includes favourites like Scrabble and Jenga and, if there's a big football or rugby game on TV, it'll definitely be playing here. Look for the bright blue building on Samsenthai Road.

As carefree as its name suggest, Bor Pen Nyang (No worries in Lao) is a popular travellers bar and restaurant right on the riverfront. The set-up makes the most of the 4-floor building with pool and snooker on the second floor and an open air rooftop terrace on the top level. The great views of the river make it a popular place to be for sunset, or anytime after dark really, and the bartender can mix a special sunset cocktail. Though it's definitely more of a watering hole than a restaurant, the kitchen can prepare pub grub like burgers, nachos and chicken wings and the Lao specialties like river fish or larb aren't half bad. If you want to mix and mingle with fellow travelers, this is the place to be.

Rub elbows with Vientiane's well-heeled at the Jazzy Brick, another bar that buys into the trend of a more sophisticated drinking experience. The entrance is located a few doors down from Joma Bakery and a sign stating the house rules — no shorts, singlets or bare feet — is prominently displayed. The rather strict dress code may deter some, but those who enter are in for a grown-up evening of expensive cocktails (the menu lists 150 of them) and, if you're lucky, live jazz music. The interior is sleek and modern with a mix of dark wood and — what else? — exposed brick. The Jazzy Brick often stays open later than the 23:00 curfew.

A fun, funky spot is Martini Lounge with its long bar stocked with all the favourites. Comfy chairs and chill-out music encourage staying a while and working your way through their extensive cocktail menu. Start with a classic like a black Russian or mai tai, then advance to the Asian fusion cocktails like a lemongrass martini or sex on the Mekong (cocktails from 35,000 kip). Every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, movies are screened at 20:00 in the upstairs lounge and on Thursdays, salsa lessons and dancing could add some spice to your stay in Vientiane.

Well past the Spirit House where Fa Ngum Road turns to dirt, the bank of the Mekong is lined by ramshackle bars with cheap beer and expansive views. Sala Sunset Khouta remains one of the most popular of the lot with its rickety wooden platform set over the edge of the embankment that affords some lovely views of the river, especially as the sun is setting. This, or any of the similar bars in this area, is a great place to wind down after a hard day's sightseeing. A happy hour daily from 17:00 - 19:00 makes the cheap drinks even cheaper.

Looking oddly out of place on an unpaved road near the Mekong, the Spirit House is the most sophisticated cocktail bar that Vientiane has to offer. The bartenders take great pride in the cocktails which include some spectacular concoctions like a green-tea infused gin and tonic or a martini with sake and pickled ginger. If you're not that adventurous, there's more familiar mixes plus imported beers, cognacs, whiskeys, and a very impressive wine list. Drinking here is almost affordable during their 17:00 - 20:00 happy hour when cocktails are 25% off. If you get peckish, the food is as elegant as the drinks with a selection of tapas and sandwiches or full meals like steak or homemade meat pies. Whether you dine in the wood-accented dining room or on the riverside terrace, your needs will be impeccably tended to. Free WiFi for customers.

Forget you're in Asia with a pint at the The Hare & Hound, a proper English pub in the centre of Vientiane. The owners have gone to great lengths creating the perfect atmosphere, from the pub's smart brick facade to the cozy wood paneled interior with bar stools and Guinness signs. The bar is fully stocked with premium spirits and imported beers from the UK and Europe. If you're hungry, the menu features authentic pub grub like steak and kidney pie, bangers and mash, and pork chops (meals from 40,000 kip). Oddly, the only thing that feels out of place is the Beer Lao.

The Samlo Pub is almost as much of a Vientiane icon as the three-wheeled vehicles that are its namesake. Even though it's kind of a dive, the pub has been lovingly maintained for its older expat regulars and has two bars to keep the drinks flowing when the pub fills up around 22:00. With TVs showing sports, classic rock music on the speakers, and a busy pool table it can get pretty noisy inside, but that's part of Samlo's charms. The pub tends to stay open later than most, usually until 1:00 or so, and anyone still wanting a drink after last-call shares a tuk-tuk to one of the Lao discos.


Blue Bananas: Samsenthai Rd T: (021) 219 732
Bor Pen Nyang: Fa Ngum Rd by the Inter Hotel T: (021) 261 373 http://www.borpennyang.com
Jazzy Brick: 47/1 Setthathilat Rd T: (020) 771 1138
Martini Lounge: 96 Nokeokumane Rd T: (020) 752 9638 http://www.martini-laos.com/
Sala Sunset Khouta: Fa Ngum Rd (right at the end of the dirt road after The Spirit House) T: (020) 771 1138
Spirit House: Fa Ngum Rd (continue on the embankment along the dirt road) T: (021) 243 795 http://www.thespirithouselaos.com
The Hare & Hound: Francois Ngin Rd T: (021) 222 308
The Samlo Pub: Samsenthai Rd T: (021) 222 308