Aside from eating on the street, the cheapest most dependable places to eat are hâan foe (noodle shops) and talàat sdo (morn­ing markets). Most towns and villages have at least one morning market (which often lasts all day despite the name) and several hâan foe. The next step up is the Lao-style cafe (hâan kheuang deum; drink shop) or hâan kjn deum (eat-drink shop), where a more varied selection of dishes is usually served. Most expensive is the hâan qahâan (food shop), where the menu is usually posted on the wall or on a blackboard (in Lao).

Many hâan qahâan serve mostly Chinese or Vietnamese food. The ones serving real Lao food usually have a large pan of water on a stool - or a modern lavatory - somewhere near the entrance for washing the hands before eating (Lao food is traditionally eaten with the hands).

Many restaurants or food stalls, especially outside Vientiane, don't have menus and fewer still have menus in English. In these parts it's worth memorising the names of a few standard dishes. Most provinces also have their own local specialities and if you have an adventurous palate it's well worth asking for qahâan phisàht (special food), allowing the proprietors to choose for you.

Especially in the larger cities along the Mekong River, the number of Western-style restaurants is growing fast. Vientiane and Luang Prabang, in particular, boast dozens of restaurants serving a wide variety of cui­sine, from Japanese and North Korean to fine French fare, all at very reasonable prices.