Lao Porridge, Luang Prabang AMAZING (and cheap) local breakfast

Most Delicious Jok Lao Porridge in Luang Prabang

Local Lao breakfast by Prachaniyom

Lao Porridge

If you wake up early in Luang Prabang, you're in for a treat. Head to the riverside to see the mist swirling off the slow, muddy waters of the Mekong and up into the surrounding mountains as local people move back and forth across the river. While you're there, sit down at this incredible local restaurant for a mug of some of the best iced coffee in all of Laos and a bowl of delicious, filling jok.

I walked to my favorite local shop for an amazing bowl of Lao porridge. It's a small local restaurant in an old shop house, just along the Mekong River. I ordered porridge and Lao coffee, both of which cost only 8000 kip (about $1). I chose to sit by the river and enjoy the extraordinary scenes of the early Lao morning; the chocolate milk river that encircled the nearby green mountains and people being ferried on rickety wooden boats across the river.

Lao Iced Coffee

The boiled rice porridge had been cooking since very early in the morning, and it arrived soon after I ordered it. The bowl is topping with a poached egg, crispy dried onion, cilantro, and shallots. I mixed everything all up before I took my first bite. OMG! It's AMAZING! This savory porridge has small pieces of very soft pork that almost melted in my mouth. If you are lucky, you might have tiny shrimp or a small piece of squid in your bowl too. I especially like the crispy dried onions, as they really give a kick to this super filling breakfast. The taste is already perfect, but you can add a slice of lime or chili to taste. The portion size is great, and I could hardly finish the whole bowl!

The Lao iced coffee here is richer and stronger than any other cafe that I've been to in Luang Prabang. My boyfriend especially is a coffee lover, and he really loved this brew! The most important thing for us, since we always travel on a tight budget, is that it so CHEAP!

The shop is easy to find, clean, and the staff there are all very friendly.

One little comment is that there might be some small piece of pork bone still in the porridge, so be careful not to bite too hard. Overall this is still my favorite place in all of Luang Prabang for breakfast. They also serve noodles, but I haven't tried them yet... maybe I'll have to go back again soon! Prachaniyom is quite popular among locals, but as I sat there, I also saw some tourists stop by for a bite too. I highly recommend it for everyone!

Prachaniyom Coffee Shop, Luang Prabang, Laos

Price: 8.000 kip each for coffee and porridge!

Location: Prachaniyom Coffee Shop
Open: 4:00 am until 11:00 am, so get there early!
Review:  😃 AMAZING! One of the best bowls of jok and mugs of coffee you'll ever try