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Given Myanmar's many different ethnic groups and regions, as well as the historical influences of neighboring Thailand, India, and China, the food of the country is fascinating—particularly for those happy to eat on the streets, in the markets, or at local eateries. Recent contact with the West and the influx of tourists—many no
Given Myanmar's many different ethnic groups and regions, as well as the historical influences of neighboring Thailand, India, and China, the food of the country is fascinating—particularly for those happy to eat on the streets, in the markets, or at local eateries. Rec
Given Myanmar's many different ethnic groups and regions, as well as the historical influences of neighboring Thailand,
Given Myanmar's many different ethnic groups and regions, as well as the historical influences of neighboring Thailand, India, and China, the food of the country is fascinating—particularly for those happy to eat on the streets, in the markets, or at local eateries. Recent contact with the West and the influx of tourists—many not willing to gamble on the food safety of the street vendors—means that western tastes are catered to wherever tourists travel, such as Yangon, Bagan, Inle Lake, and Mandalay. If you tire of local food, it's easy to find pastas, pizzas, burgers, and the like in these destinations.
This casual, light-filled restaurant would be at home in Sydney or Singapore, and yet it somehow feels distinctly Yangon. Set on the first floor of a beautifully restored white colonial building, it can nevertheless be tricky to find, located above an electrical appliance store; look for the doorway and stairs on the right of the building. Once inside you’ll find a lovely whitewashed space with wooden floorboards and whooshing ceiling fans, and the most delicious food you’ll find in Myanmar. Expect anything from traditional samosas (K2,500) and tea leaf salad (K2,000) to modern pan-Asian favorites such as pork belly bao (K3,000). Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you can order a full meal or simply pop in for tea or cocktails (K4,000). Try the Mandalay rum sour or Dragon martini.
A handful of Shan restaurants have set up shop around this intersection. Both Golden Shan and Lashio Lay offer sizeable buffet spreads of standard Myanmar dishes like chicken curry and assorted sautéed greens, served with big helpings of white rice. Teashop Karaweik does excellent Shan noodles and sweet naan straight from the tandoor, best enjoyed alongside a cup of tea.
84th St. near 23rd St., Mandalay, Mandalay, Myanmar
This pint-size, cheap-and-cheerful noodle eatery is equally popular with locals and tourists. The friendly proprietors speak English well, and the picture menu has English descriptions. The noodles are those of the Shan ethnic group, and noodles are served in soups or smothered in scrumptious toppings such as creamy tofu. Rounding out the menu are sautéed vegetables, fried tofu, and pork skin. The owners can prepare plain and mild noodle dishes if you're not one for spice. Inexpensive local beer is available, too.
130B 34th St. near Anawrahta Rd., Yangon (Rangoon), Yangon, Myanmar
You’ll see few tourists at this cheap, cheerful, and unpretentious family-owned eatery, which gets packed with local office workers during the day, students in the late afternoon, and local residents and expats in the early evening. While there’s a long menu of dishes from across Myanmar, unlike other Shan eateries, the specialty is Shan noodles, so order the heavenly warm tofu chicken noodle (K1,500). The fried tofu is also delicious, and if you’re with a few friends it’s hard to go past the big plate of fried pork dumplings (18 for K3,500).
Corner Nawady St. and Bo Yar Nyunt St., Yangon (Rangoon), Yangon, Myanmar
Open for breakfast and lunch only, the food stalls at this colorful market are an experience for the senses. Everything is handmade and the sellers take pride in what they're offering. Featured dishes include Shan tofu salad, noodle soup, and enormous round rice crackers that will be devoured by those who've had a bit too much spice. Just across from the market are a few other food stalls where you'll find inexpensive plates of tea leaf salad and spicy noodle soup.
Yone Gyi Rd. near Mong Li Chuang, Yawnghwe, Shan, Myanmar
Of the cluster of restaurants just north of Ananda Temple, Golden Myanmar 1 and 2, owned by the same family, are the most popular with local drivers and guides, and offer the most authentic Burmese food. Sit down, smile expectantly, and dishes will begin appearing on your table faster than you can wash the grime from your face. Mutton, pork, and an array of chicken curries, fried fish, sautéed vegetables, Burmese salads (pickled tea leaf), and rice will leave you stuffed, but then dessert comes out—short, squat bananas and sweet little tamarind candies. The friendly staff will keep refilling your plates unless you say otherwise. The buffet is K3,000 per person, excluding drinks.
Off Bagan-Nyaung-U Rd. near Ananda Temple, Bagan, Mandalay, Myanmar
If you want to try a wide variety of Burmese food and aren’t ready to dive into street stalls, Green Elephant is a safe bet. It’s popular with tour groups, but don’t let that put you off: service is friendly and efficient, and the food, though certainly not mind-blowing, is toothsome and comes from a clean kitchen. Indeed, it was her own food allergies that drove Cherie Aung-Khin to open Green Elephant. Because Aung-Khin previously lived in Thailand, Thai and Chinese dishes are available as well, but we recommend the Burmese dishes, especially the tea leaf salad, eggplant salad, and fish curry. Prices for fairly standard Burmese dishes here are much higher than what you'll pay elsewhere, but this is a safe, clean place to sit down to eat.
Main Road (Kayay St) near 2nd St, Bagan, Mandalay, Myanmar
This diminutive, family-run space fills up quickly, and with good reason. Salads, which utilize pickled tea leaves, coriander, bits of chili, and other assorted delicious odds and ends, have great texture and go down nicely alongside the restaurant's curries. Round out the meal with a refreshing fruit plate and a chat with the friendly owner.
Museum Rd. (Haw St.) and Myawady St., Yawnghwe, Shan, Myanmar
Pull up a chair near one of the fans here and order an avocado shake to enjoy while you peruse the menu. Once you're finished, order another; you'll need something to cool your mouth down after a bite of the rice noodles in a fiery broth. Once your sinuses have been cleared, move on to the delectable grilled seafood; there's crab, oysters, prawns, squid, and shellfish to choose from, and all come to the table expertly charred.
Pyay Rd. at Parami Rd., Yangon (Rangoon), Yangon, Myanmar
The food of the Shan State is the "it" cuisine in Yangon, and this two-story restaurant in a refurbished teakwood house claims to be the first Shan fine-dining restaurant in Myanmar. Specializing in the cuisines of the Shan ethnic minorities, the highlight is the lovely, light food of the Intha people of Inle Lake. Don’t miss sa kone, a traditional beef salad and the fried fish with tamarind sauce. Upstairs has more atmosphere than the modernized downstairs space with the annoying television; however, service is slower.
169 War Tan St., Yangon (Rangoon), Yangon, Myanmar
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