Our Story

Sundays is founded by Darren and Tamsin, a Sydney-London couple who found themselves in the Kingdom of Wonder - Cambodia! After meeting in London and enjoying first dates with vegan pad thai in Shoreditch, our love for vegan food (and each other) blossomed. Darren had always wanted to return to his parents' homeland and open a place of his own. When he shared this idea with Tamsin, who travelled around Asia a few years before, it was one of those "why not?" moments.

So, we booked flights and arrived in Phnom Penh in late 2018. By mid-2019, wide-eyed and ready, we received the keys to our new project, just a short walk from where Darren’s Grandma, Mum, and Aunty lived before their migration to Australia. The building was much larger than the small café we had envisioned, allowing our ideas to grow into a large kitchen and four-bedroom boutique hotel.

After a couple of rocky pandemic years, during which we were locked down in Sydney, we finally returned in 2022 and opened the doors to Sundays in 2023.

Our Vision

Our vision has always been clear: plates bursting with Southeast Asian and Khmer flavours. To us, plant-based eating and sustainability go hand in hand, which is why our menu focuses on local produce. We ensure every aspect of our hotel and café operates with the environment in mind, from energy-efficient systems to waste reduction programs.

Building Responsibly

Building responsibly was a priority from the beginning of our journey. During demolition, materials from the existing house were donated to the community. All the windows were donated to a local NGO that builds and renovates houses in rural communities, and the roof sheets were repurposed by another local business.

In some of rooms as some of our furniture has been built from repurposed materials, so there are some small imperfections. We also had ordered items that were scratched or scuffed in transit, custom made in the wrong size, or completely not what we ordered. To avoid adding things to landfills, we accepted all these mistakes and used them instead.

We saw beauty in wasting as little as possible, and we grew to love the imperfections.

Creating a Home

We wanted to honour the original building, so we exposed the bricks, hand-scraped the paint off the walls to reveal their raw texture, and accentuated the high ceilings with long panelled glass windows. We restored the original yellow terrazzo staircase leading to our hotel rooms, where industrial-chic meets cozy comfort.

Creating a mini-gallery in our café space was always our intention. Our art pieces are a mix of local artists and friends from home, blending together to create a beautiful space that feels like home.

Every inch of our space has been thoughtfully cared for. Each room is a sanctuary, designed with plush bedding, bespoke furniture, and curated amenities from local businesses for the ultimate eco-luxury stay.

Our Café

Our café has quickly become a social hub, the local coffee spot for many. Our menu features artisanal coffees and carefully crafted dishes full of flavour. We proudly support local businesses: our kombucha, craft beers, and spirits are brewed right here in Phnom Penh, and our herbal teas are crafted by a local social enterprise.

Our food menu creatively blends classic Khmer flavours with a vegan twist and café comfort foods. Our kitchen is committed to minimising plastic use, reducing food waste, and composting the rest

So what are you waiting for? Come and stay with us!