20 Best Restaurants in Myanmar

Enormously charming and truly unique in Mandalay, this pint-size, family-run café is near Mandalay's jetty, an area otherwise devoid of much in the way of dining. The sweet owner and his son speak English well and are passionate and knowledgeable about organic food, the environment, and the use of MSG. There are delicious Chinese-style pastries, some ice cream and, like manna from heaven, proper coffee, available in several variations including iced and even cappuccinos. On the savory side are traditional Shan noodles, which the locals eat for breakfast, house-made dumplings, and simple stir-fry dishes like chicken with rice and vegetables. 35th Street runs the length of downtown Mandalay, so be sure to indicate to whomever is driving you that you want to be near the jetty.

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.

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.

This is one of the better spots along this happening strip of restaurants, where you're likely to bump into friends you've made earlier in the day during temple hopping. These places are geared to tourists and so prices are inflated, but the "no good, no pay" offer at this Indian restaurant is hard to resist. Curries are tasty but mild, so definitely ask for more spice if you like a kick. All the breads are worth a try, especially the hot, fluffy naan. Aroma 2 gets packed so it's best to have your hotel make reservations.

A charming little restaurant, Be Kind to Animals the Moon is constantly packed with ravenous temple-goers. The menu offers traditional Burmese dishes like a refreshing tea leaf salad alongside gussied-up backpacker staples. Dip papadums into a chutney and cool down with refreshing shakes or the restaurant's top-notch lime, ginger, and honey juice.

On New Bagan's restaurant row, Black Rose serves up Burmese, Thai, Indian, and Chinese food to tourists staying in the nearby hotels. Most dishes are quite mild, so tell your waiter if you like your food on the spicy side. The chicken curry is excellent. The restaurant owners, a husband-and-wife duo, speak English well and are on hand, but service is extremely slow. Order a drink to start and sip slowly while you wait for your food.

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.

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.

Inle Lake is unlikely to be your first stop in Myanmar, and so by this time a break from Burmese food is likely a top priority. Pancake Kingdom is a classic backpacker restaurant, with friendly service, inexpensive sweet and savory pancakes (really somewhere between crepes and American-style pancakes), Wi-Fi, and computers. Proximity to the docks, indoor and outdoor seating, and a general laid-back and quiet atmosphere make this popular with tourists looking for a little western flavor.

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.

Burmese, Indian, and western dishes pack the vegetarian menu at this Sri Lankan family place. The all-day breakfast, with dishes like muesli and pancakes, are big with backpackers staying nearby, but most come here for lunch and dinner, snagging coveted seats on the upper-level balcony. The menu includes dal and curries (the pumpkin is the best), guacamole and eggplant dip, and tart, fresh tomato salad. Wash it all down with lassis or chocolate–peanut butter milk shakes. Service is friendly but there have been reports of bill discrepancies; check yours carefully.

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.

Eating at this busy spot that's always packed with locals is a delicious, inexpensive affair. The menu is tiny, with just three types of biryani—chicken, mutton, and vegetable (which sells out the fastest). Be sure to order your meal with pickles. Service is fast and efficient; this is the place to grab a lassi and eat quickly before returning to sightseeing. Nilar Biryani is always crowded. If you can't get a table, head just down the street to the equally good New Delhi (Anawratha Road between Shwe Bontha and 28th Street), where the menu is longer and includes plenty of vegetarian dishes. Don't miss the potato chapati, daal, and very spicy curries.

The ice cream here is not the best you'll ever have, but you won't be able to find cold scoops anywhere else in Mandalay. The atmosphere is really the big draw, with locals and foreigners coming by all day to hang out at the sidewalk tables and people-watch while sipping beer and shakes. The short flavor list includes chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, and durian, of which the durian is the best. Eco-warriors, beware: unless you specifically ask for a bowl or glass, scoops come served in little Styrofoam containers.

There are nine varieties here, and the wine-making process is overseen by a Frenchman who joined the winery in 2002. Tours are basic but give a good overview of Red Mountain's production process. Both wine and food are quite average, but the K3,000 wine tasting paired with lovely views of the fields and cool breezes makes for a very pleasant afternoon. Note that service is molasses slow, so budget at least an hour. The vineyard can be reached by bike in about 20 minutes, and it's an easy ride save for the very last uphill stretch.