
Mpay Bay Village, a small bay on Koh Rong Samloem Island, was in the period when the first commercial steps were taken in 2014. Our restaurant building, located on the pier, had a great advantage with its location. Apart from the advantage of location, it also had to make a difference in its menu and the most extraordinary menu of the island was prepared!
The menus in the restaurants on the island consisted of similar dishes. The main materials used were also similar to each other. For this reason, 23Pier Restaurant began to attract attention from the first day with its lamb steak and special lamb kebab varieties, Mediterranean cuisine’s appetizers, Middle Eastern dishes and famous breakfasts from the world’s countries. More importantly, considering the preferences and needs of the customers, all preferences for vegetarians, vegans and celiac patients were also considered in the menu.
Turn competition into an advantage by creating difference. Your difference is one of the most important criteria that will lead you to success.

1-2-3 : Success
Proper analysis and business plan means a good startup business and you start off very strong.
Business planning & strategy
Our customers are often surprised by what we offer them. What was important on the road to success?
- Being one of the first businesses on the island
- A unique menu
- Anticipating customers with special preferences (vegetarian, vegan, celiac)
- First free WiFi service
- First coffee station
- Chef’s Private Table (Customers can request a private table outside the menu by prior appointment)

Research Beyond The Business Plan
If you are going to make a different menu, you will definitely need to find different ingredients. Sometimes, even though the recipes are different, it is more difficult to make a difference with similar food ingredients.
Customers with special circumstances or special preferences can visit the business. Options that will appeal to these customers should definitely be on the menu.
You started your business to make money. But making small gestures to your customers does not mean cost, it means more referral customers!

A Very Difficult Island Life, A Very Difficult Beginning
Adapt To The Environment
- You can’t do construction on the pier: Adapt the existing building to the environment. Focus on decoration and authentic environment
- Ingredients come from far: The importers of the special materials were based in Phnom Penh. The order, which was placed a day in advance, would be taken by taxi in the morning to Sihanoukville, where the supply boat was. Then the contracted tuktuk would pick up the package and load it onto the boat.
- Do your stock planning carefully: There is no forgiveness for the mistake. Because orders arrive with a supply boat every 24 hours. Except for stormy days!
- Limited electricity: The shared generator used for the properties on the pier operates between 6:00 pm and 11:00 pm. You should have your own small generator for the kitchen in case of emergency.
- Limited water: If necessary, build your water tank on land and lay a water line for operation. Otherwise you have to carry your water by hand!
- Alternative to stock problems: Research in advance the alternatives on the island and the businesses from which you can borrow materials and take note of them.
“Running a restaurant on an island, especially on a pier, has great difficulties. Especially if you are on an island of Cambodia and in a part of that island called a village !”

Photos From 23Pier Restaurant On The Island
(Translation From Russian)
The falafel was fine. Mango stick rice too. The establishment is right on the pier, but out of all the guests in the village we liked it more than others. Turkish cafe, seats are mostly on the floor near low tables. The owner speaks excellent English, looks like a Turk 🙂 I liked it
Oleg Key
Google Local Guide, Testimonial for 23Pier Restaurant
(Translation from German)
The food was really delicious! We had lamb kebab and a falafel plate, both excellent. I can’t understand why some people complain about the prices in the reviews; you can’t get decent lamb for free. We paid a total of $16 including drinks, which was definitely okay for the quality offered.
Philip Ochs
Google Local Guide, Testimonial for 23Pier Restaurant
(Translation from German)
Very tasty and definitely worth the money! A great change from Khmer cuisine!
Liesa Ottmann
Google Local Guide, Testimonial for 23Pier Restaurant
23Pier Ghost Kitchen In Phnom Penh Province
During the period when the restaurant was operating, investments were made in new sectors, foreseeing the risks that would arise for the tourism sector. During the period when we focused on these sectors, the Covid-19 pandemic period began. We had to stop restaurant operations within 1 month. Fortunately, thanks to our precautions, we did not encounter any financial risk.
When our new investments during the crisis period grew rapidly, it was decided to close the restaurant on the island indefinitely. With the relocation of our company office and headquarters to the capital Phnom Penh, we started working on 23Pier Ghost Kitchen.
Again, we provide service with a different menu that goes far beyond the existing menus. The reason we started as Ghost Kitchen is to both let our customers taste the menu and complete the necessary optimization studies before investing in a restaurant. After the optimization, 23Pier Restaurant will come to life again with a very different concept.
You can access the news about the opening of 23Pier Ghost Kitchen by clicking on the news link below. You can also see some examples from our new menu in the photo gallery.