A smiling couple standing under a row of vibrant orange and red autumn trees near a body of water, with fallen leaves on the grass and sunlight filtering through the branches.

Our Story

We’re Tamsin and Darren, a London-Sydney couple and the founders of Sundays. Our journey began in London, where first dates over vegan pad Thai in Shoreditch sparked a love for both each other and plant-based cuisine. Darren’s dream of returning to his parents' homeland to create something special took shape when he shared the idea with Tamsin, whose travels around Asia had already left her longing to go back. A spontaneous “why not?” led us to book flights, make plans and set off for Phnom Penh in late 2018.

By mid-2019, we had the keys to a much larger space than our initial vision of a small café. Just a short walk from where Darren’s family once lived, the building’s potential allowed our ideas to flourish. Our vibrant café would now run alongside a four-bedroom boutique hotel.

After navigating a few rocky pandemic years while temporarily locked down in Sydney, we finally returned, completed construction and opened the doors in 2023.

A room with damaged walls, debris on the floor, and decorative window grilles leaning against the wall.

Creating a Home

We needed to honour the original charm of the house while still making it our own. We removed the tiles from the walls to expose the beautiful original brickwork and hand scraped the paint of the tall walls. We wanted to emphasis the high ceilings so we decided on the long panelled glass windows. Our favourite feature is the original yellow terrazzo staircase that leads you up to the hotel, we restored it with a local expert and the results were beautiful. 

Our café is our personal mini-gallery, with artwork from a mix of local artists and friends from all over the world and every piece has been thoughtfully chosen.

Building Responsibly

Responsible construction was at the heart of our project from day one. We donated materials from the house to our community, all of the windows went to a local NGO that builds houses for the underprivileged and our roof sheets went to a nearby business to re-use.

Our interior design focus was to reuse as much as we could and waste very little. When we built new furniture, we practised embracing the imperfections that would come from custom orders or transit mishaps rather than contributing to landfills. We found the beauty in these small quirks and imperfections, and saw them as part of our story.

Black and white image of a large ornate metal gate with decorative elements, flanked by walls and structures, and a sidewalk in the foreground.

Our Vision

Our vision has always been clear: to offer vegan food with Khmer & Southeast Asian flavours. We believe plant-based eating and sustainability go hand in hand, so our menu is crafted with local produce and almost everything in our kitchen is made from scratch, from vegan mayo to coconut ice cream. We implemented energy efficient systems and waste reduction programs, our hot water is solar powered as is our electricity. Every aspect of our hotel and café reflects our dedication to eco-conscious living.

Our Café

Our café has quickly become neighbourhood favourite - our biggest achievement! We built somewhere for everyone to enjoy specialty coffee and delicious food with a menu that showcases traditional Khmer flavours alongside vegan comfort foods.

So, what are you waiting for?

Stay at Sundays, we can’t wait to see you

VIEW THE ROOMS
Modern bedroom with a white bed, rattan chair on a round rug, windows with beige curtains, an exposed concrete wall, a black-framed folding screen, an antique clawfoot bathtub in a corner, and a minimalist ceiling light fixture.
A cozy cafe interior featuring a concrete wall with a blue painted lower half, decorated with framed artwork and a skateboard. There are small tables with black chairs and potted plants, illuminated by natural light from large windows.
Bathroom with a stone clawfoot bathtub, a black gooseneck faucet, a wooden tray with bottles, a bamboo ladder holding two white towels, and a textured two-tone wall with exposed concrete and teal paint, dark wooden floor, and a frosted glass door on
Six plastic cups with various drinks, some topped with lemon slices and others with ice and bubbles, on a black tray on a wooden table against a blue brick wall.
Interior of a cafe with a wooden counter, a small glass vase with white flowers, framed colorful artwork on a textured wall, and a window with green plants outside.
A three-story orange building with white decorative accents houses a cafe named "SUNDAYS." There are two motorcycles parked outside, green plants, benches, and a chalkboard sign near the entrance. The building has large windows, a blue awning, and a
A tray of freshly baked croissants on parchment paper.
Neon sign with the message 'HAVE A NICE DAY!' mounted on a white wall under a staircase, with visible black electrical conduit.
Two framed Traditional Asian artwork pieces hanging on a textured concrete wall, with a blue painted brick section at the bottom.
Modern chandelier with multiple exposed bulbs hanging from a central fixture, mounted on a ceiling near a decorative column.
A bowl of noodle salad with vegetables and toppings on a wooden table, accompanied by a fork and spoon on a napkin, a small pitcher of sauce, and a vase with pink and green flowers.
A plant-based coffee drink topped with cocoa powder on a blue plate, with a blue brick wall in the background.