There are no McDonald's restaurants or any other multi-national fast food outlets in Luang Prabang, or elsewhere in Laos.

Restaurants line Sisavangvong Road and the roads along the Mekong and Nam Khan. Food runs the line from standard SE Asian backpacker fare to more traditional Lao dishes, including buffalo sausage, right up to very high quality French cuisine.

There are also numerous market stalls for cheaper food, including baguettes, crepes, and pancakes. Stalls along an alleyway between the night market end of Sisavangvong Road and the Mekong offers superb Lao street food at bargain prices.

The much recommended street-food market located east of the Tourist Information building as posted on PBS Gourmet.com, said to be one of the must-see street food markets in SE Asia is quite disappointing though. A dozen or so buffet dishes per table-stall is offered at 15,000 kip (as of February 2015) per plate. They are displayed in aluminium basins with no warmers and by the time it's 20:00, the food is cold (however most vendors are more than willing to heat up your food in a wok, after which it's a lot more palatable). The taste is also bland, nothing outstanding or super noteworthy more than any indifferent buffet offerings in other parts of the world. Also, one must contend with a barrage of flies. Basically, if one sees one table, one has seen it all. However, there is large range of salad items and because everyone is packed into the tables to eat, it is a great way to meet other travellers.

While the buffet tables are the cheaper way to eat, be wary of the hygiene and note the distinct lack of local customers which is an indicator of the standard of food on offer. You'll never encounter fatter flies elsewhere in SE Asia. For a bit more, a tasty alternative are the grilled fish, chicken legs, and buffalo sausages sold just before the main "buffet" area. Delicious and worth every overcharged kip. Even tastier if you are tired of fried rice from the dozens of cafes that have sprung up on every corner.

A large Beerlao should not cost more than 10,000 kip, and 8,000 kip for the small dark variety, pretty much standard throughout the country. Most riverside places offer the same prices for beer and generally the same foods. Prices of food can vary wildly, though. Shop around and don't be shy about asking prices directly if anything is unclear.

Probably the one dish most recommended is the Lao version of fried spring roll: vegetarian at 3,000 kip, or pork at 5,000 kip per piece.

The bundles of dried seafood snack have a texture is like chewing salty paper.

Local specialities include:

French baguettes and other bakery items.

Local watercress, which is very peppery.

Fried dried seaweed with sesame seeds dipped in a chili sauce.

Buffalo steaks and sausages.

Luang Prabang Khao Soi: spicy clear mince and noodle soup which is very different from the Chiang Mai version. Try a great one at the crossroad to the night market for 15,000 kip