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Last Updated on 21 April 2026 by Vanessa
If you’re looking for the best Phnom Penh restaurant or café when it comes to vegetarian food, Ministry of Cat is one of the most interesting places you’ll come across. It’s a relaxed café setting with a fully vegetarian menu, but what really makes it stand out is the presence of around 12 adoptable, rescued cats.
Phnom Penh has no shortage of places to eat, but finding a restaurant that combines decent vegetarian food with a genuinely unique concept isn’t that common. Ministry of Cat manages to do both without feeling gimmicky.
I also had the chance to interview the founder, Adolfo Perez-Gascon, who explained how Ministry of Cat works behind the scenes and what goes into running a space like this. His perspective adds a lot of context to what might otherwise just seem like a quirky idea.
Here’s what you can expect before you go, from the food to the overall experience.
Best vegetarian restaurant & café in Phnom Penh: Ministry of Cat review
Practical info
- Address: Ministry of Cat, 5 St 442, Phnom Penh 12311, Cambodia.
- Neighborhood: Tuol Tom Poung area (one of the most popular neighborhoods in Phnom Penh for cafés, restaurants, and expat-friendly spots).
- Opening hours: Open from Tuesday to Sunday between 09:00 am and 06:30 pm. Closed on Mondays.
- Price: There is no entrance fee. Typical spend per person is around $5–$10.
- Time needed: At least 1 hour.
- Child policy: Children are allowed but they need to be supervised at all times to keep the cats safe and comfortable.
- Reservation info: Reservations are not required. Walk-ins are usually fine.
What is Ministry of Cat?
Ministry of Cat is a vegetarian restaurant and café in Phnom Penh with a strong focus on animal welfare in Cambodia.
Primary mission
Their primary mission is to rehome former street cats.
“Most other cat cafés in Cambodia host pure breeds, who are often imported from other countries. However, our cats have all been rescued from the streets of Phnom Penh by our partner organization, ARC,” says Perez-Gascon.
“After being rescued, the cats are restored back to health, and when ready, they move into our café. Guests at Ministry of Cat can adopt the cats after going through a process involving a written application and face-to-face interview.”
Main inspiration behind the café’s concept
“Our main inspiration was Jack’s Cat Café in Hoi An, Vietnam, which pioneered the rescue cat café concept,” says Perez-Gascon. “Another key influence was Bali’s The Odd Cat. After visiting there in 2017 and meeting the owner and getting to know about the positive impact her work was having, I knew I wanted to start my own rescue cat café.”
Crowdfunding campaign
“We opened Ministry of Cat in 2019, after running a crowdfunding campaign. The reason we wanted to crowdfund was to test demand for this concept as it was a very nobel idea, particularly in a Cambodian context,” says Perez-Gascon.
“While running the campaign, we started work on all the key aspects of the venture, the most urgent of which was finding a shelter/rescue organization to partner with. Around this time, we also worked on the café’s design, the menu, our business model, etc. After one month, we had collected over $15,000. We went ahead with the launch, secure in the knowledge that the concept was popular.”
“Our fully-vegetarian menu reflects the cultural backgrounds of both founders. Georgia is Australian and worked in cafés in Melbourne for a few years, while I’m from Spain,” says Perez-Gascon. “Our menu has the Melbourne-café feel and vibe while incorporating Mediterranean flavors and borrowing elements from other cuisines.”
“Regarding our best sellers, the romesco avocado toast has always been a top choice and a great example of the café’s Spanish influence,” says Perez-Gascon. “Our Mexican-inspired dishes are also quite the crowd-pleasers, particularly the lentil tacos and huevos rancheros. On the other hand, Cambodian dishes like banh chao (crispy pancakes filled with bean sprouts and tofu) and mee cha (fried noodles) are popular among locals.”
Apart from the usual coffee and tea options, the drinks menu also includes home-made kombucha, smoothies, beer, and wine.
Rescue cats
Ministry of Cat usually has around 12 cats inside the café. Sometimes, that can be less, especially when there has been a string of adoptions.
All the cats were rescued from the streets by their partner, Arc, and are now available for adoption.
“The cats get along with each other for the most part,” says Perez-Gascon. “However, there is always the occasional bully who likes to torment other cats. Luckily, our staff is trained to deal with this. We’ve also learned over the years what type of personalities are a good fit for the café and will be gentle with both other cats and customers. These are the cats that our partner prioritizes for the café.”
Overall vibe and atmosphere
The café is quite a small, intimate space. It’s no more than around 100 square meters, split across two floors. That already gives it a more “homey” feel.
There’s also a third floor, where they run their “cat hotel,” which is essentially a boarding space for customers who need somewhere safe to leave their own cats while they’re traveling.
Events
Ministry of Cat also hosts movie nights about twice a month. This is when they turn the café into a cozy cinema. They show all kinds of movies, from 1980s fantasy to anime. Some previously shown titles include The Cat Returns (2002) and Kedi (2016).
Customers can also book the space and choose their own movie if they want.
The café has also hosted and continues to host other types of events on a more sporadic basis.
Their speeddating with cats was very successful as were their live drawing lessons.
They also welcome professionals who want to host workshops, and they have them on a number of topics, including entrepreneurship, women empowerment, and, of course, pet care.
Nearby attractions
The neighborhood, known as Tuol Tum Poung, is calm and full of great cafés and restaurants. It’s quite a departure from the rest of Phnom Penh, which is notoriously hectic. Tuol Tum Poung is definitely a nice area to visit while in Cambodia.
Ministry of Cat is also located right next to the Russian Market (Tuol Tum Poung Psaa). This is a large and scenic local market where you can find anything, from clothing items to local foods and beverages. A must-visit.
Of course, there are many other things to do in Phnom Penh in general, from visiting the Royal Palace and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum to enjoying the riverside area where the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers meet.
If you’re traveling more widely in Cambodia, a visit to Angkor Wat in Siem Reap is a must since it’s one of the most important cultural and historical sites in the country and well worth the journey.
Where to stay nearby
“As far as places to stay, Sacred Lotus is a neat, little plant-based café in Tuol Tum Poung with some great accommodation,” says Perez-Gascon.
“For those looking for something more upscale, La. Chronique Hotel has great boutique rooms and an amazing café on the ground floor.”
Prices
Unlike most other cat cafés, Ministry of Cat works solely on a pay-for-what-you-consume basis.
“We always felt that an entrance fee would discourage people from entering,” says Perez-Gascon. “We do, however, require customers to purchase at least one drink to support the business and our mission.”
“I’ve been to many cat cafés around the world, and I know that charging an entrance fee is the norm,” he continues. “The way we compensate for this is by having a great vegetarian menu and by offering other services such as cat boarding, lunch box delivery, and merchandise.”
Prices are overall very reasonable. For example, it’s only $1.75 for an espresso and $3.50 for a smoothie. Food-wise, you’ll never pay more than $5.50 for a meal.
If you want to help feed the cats, you are free to add $0.50 to your bill.
The people behind Ministry of Cat
Behind Ministry of Cat are Georgia Murphy and Adolfo Perez-Gascon, who have been living in Cambodia for nearly a decade.
Over the years, they have been involved in animal welfare in one way or another. Long before the café existed, they were already rescuing cats from the streets, taking them to the vet for treatment, and trying to find them new homes. Some of those cats even ended up being adopted by them personally. Opening Ministry of Cat just felt like the natural next step from all of that.
Georgia originally came from Australia to Cambodia to work in development and also runs a kombucha business in Phnom Penh. She’s currently studying for a master’s degree to become a counselor, which fits well with her long-standing interest in helping both people and animals.
Adolfo comes from a journalism background and has worked with major news outlets in Cambodia. He now works remotely as an SEO expert for a US company. Outside of work, he’s a keen marathon runner and an avid reader, which keeps him busy when he’s not involved with the café.
Why you should visit this vegetarian restaurant and café
If you’re visiting Phnom Penh, you’re going to need to stop somewhere for food and drinks anyway. So why not pick a place that is both vegetarian and actively contributes to animal welfare? That mission alone, together with the good food and convenient location, makes it worth visiting.
Since opening, Ministry of Cat has adopted out nearly 250 rescued cats.
“One of my favorite rescue stories is Mama Chan,” says Perez-Gascon. “She’s a beautiful grey tabby who had her eyes removed at an early age due to a congenital condition. Although completely blind, she was quite autonomous and strong. She had a few quirks, such as spinning widely when confused or excited. But other than that, she was remarkably well-adapted. A lovely British couple adopted her three years ago, and we knew she was going to get all the love and attention she could ever need. We, as well as the parents, were in awe at how quickly she adapted to her new home despite her handicap. The whole family eventually moved back to the UK, so Mama Chan has been a UK resident for some years now.”
“The best part of owning this restaurant and café is finding a home for a cat that was especially difficult to adopt,” Perez-Gascon. “For example, many older cats are harder to adopt out as people generally go for kittens. Having one of the oldest, “less desirable” cats being adopted is always a cause for celebration and a moment of happiness for all the team.”
“As a café owner, seeing customers truly relaxed and enjoying themselves also brings a smile to my face,” he says. “Observing a customer who is having a great time, whether playing with the cats or just having a nice evening out with a friend, just makes my day.”
Final thoughts
Have you already visited this Phnom Penh restaurant? Or is Ministry of Cat now on your list of must-visit cat cafés in Cambodia? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.
Read next: How to open your own successful cat café.
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2 responses
What a fabulous place! I really like the way they run it asking people to make purchases instead of paying an entry fee. I know as much as I like cafes, I’d buy a lot more food and drink than the entry fee would charge.
Thank you for joining Feline Friday!
This is really interesting Vanessa. I appreciate the information you shared.
Visiting today from PoCoLo #3