Despite its small size and relatively quiet atmosphere, Battambang has a surprising amount of foreign food options. From Indian to American, French to Spanish, visitors and Khmer alike can get their fix of cuisines from around the world. Oddly enough, the food with the most variety in Battambang is pizza.

Because I adore pizza, I’ve made it my mission to check out all the options in Battambang and find my favorite. The results of my arduous search include more than a few nights stuffed with pizza, and a definite choice for the number one best pizza in Battambang.

The best pizza in Battambang? Gets my vote!

La Pizza

Recently opened in December 2016, La Pizza is located in a stunning French colonial villa right on the Sangker River. Owned by a French couple, they focus on brick oven-baked pizzas, with a few other interesting options on the menu.

La Pizza has by far one of the best atmospheres of any restaurant in town. Sit down in the enchanting outdoor garden area and you’ll soon be presented with a plate of crustinis slathered in homemade tapenade and eggplant spreads, complimentary for each guest.

The pizza menu is one of the most creative in Battambang. You can get the standard large or small pizzas, baked on a thin crust. Or, you try one of their pizza rolls, which is a pizza prepared as normal but then rolled up before baking. What comes out is some kind of mix between a sandwich and a pizza. It’s magic.

Their most popular pizzas are the sauceless “White Queen,” the spicy “Morocco,” and the exotic “Nordic.” If you’re still feeling peckish, they’ve got a pretty great dessert menu featuring creme brûlée and panna cotta.

In my opinion, this one takes the award for the best pizza in Battambang. Not everyone will agree, but I’m a sucker for a well-made pizza cooked in a brick oven, and that is exactly what La Pizza gives you. Only bad thing I can say about them is that their cocktails are decidedly average.

Pizzas range from $3.75 for a half roll to $12 for a large pizza. During their happy hour from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., you can get a slice of selected pizzas for $1.50.

A delicious European-style pizza right here at La Casa in Battambang.

La Casa

Opened in early 2016, La Casa is another favorite pizza spot for expats living in Battambang. Where La Pizza has French-style pizzas cooked in a brick oven, La Casa provides a Spanish or Italian-style pizza on an extremely thin crust with delicious ingredients.

Situated on Street 1165 across the street from Espresso Cafe and right next to Psar Nath, La Casa has the most convenient location of any pizza spot in Battambang. The atmosphere at the restaurant is welcoming and the decor is modern. The outdoor patio is probably the nicest place to sit during the evenings.

The pizzas at La Casa are flavorful and generous with ingredients. The owner is appropriately attentive, coming over to say hello and see how the meal is going. It’s evident he is passionate about his food. My favorite was the Greek pizza, a vegetarian options with feta cheese, olives, and tomatoes. La Casa also gets major points for being the only place in Battambang to offer a Caprese salad.

Pizzas range from $6.50 to $10, and salads and starters are a bit cheaper. They’ve also got a selection of delicious pasta dishes, including pesto, for about the same price as the pizzas. [Ed note: we don’t know if they’re under new ownership, but we received a report in late 2017 that the food has had a serious decline]

Pizza and a view? Yes, please.

Riverside Balcony

Though Riverside Balcony is more of a bar than a restaurant, over the last year or more it has become one of the favorite spots to get a slice of expertly cooked pizza.

If La Casa and La Pizza provide European-style pizzas for the Battambang crowd, Balcony makes a more Australian pie. Served on a flat crust that comes out perfectly crunchy, the best pizzas at Balcony are the ones with tons of different ingredients. The most popular are the chicken and brie, or my personal favorite, the pumpkin and feta. Balcony also gets extra points for being the only place in Battambang to offer vegan cashew cheese, which you can choose to get on any of their pizzas at no added cost.

Pizzas range from $5 to upwards of $12, and are a bit smaller than those at the other two gourmet pizza spots. If you’re coming for the pizza, make sure to treat yourself to one of their cocktails. The specials are usually $2.75 and are almost always dangerously delicious.

More pizza

There are a few other places to grab a bite of pizza in Battambang, but in my opinion they just don’t hold up in comparison with my top three. Mariyan Pizza House is located a bit outside town and is pretty forgettable. And on Street 1 on the riverfront you’ll find The Pizza Company. Beloved by the locals, this place serves up exceedingly average pizza at exorbitant prices. Be prepared to be underwhelmed for $20.

La Pizza
Open Thursday to Tuesday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
59 street 159 D
T: 096 360 7417
facebook.com/La-Pizza-Battambang

La Casa
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Road 115, Battambang
T: 081 610 177
lacasabattambang.com

Riverside Balcony
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.
T: 010 337 7862
facebook.com/theriversidebalconybar

Mariyan Pizza House
Open daily, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Street 211, Battambang
T: 096 666 6863

The Pizza Company
Open daily, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Corner of Street 1 and Street 109
T: 053 732 146
efg.com.kh