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Top Restaurants in Yangon - Local Snacks to Fine French Dinners | Asia Highlights

Top Restaurants in Yangon - Local Snacks to Fine French Dinners | Asia Highlights

By Wendy Updated Oct. 26, 2022

Where should one dine in Yangon? Downtown Yangon offers a wide range of food, from 10-cent local snacks to high-end French dinners. As the former capital of Myanmar, Yangon is the gateway to this amazing country and also an attractive advertisement for traditional Burmese cuisine.

More and more international restaurants are being built in Yangon to cater for travelers who would like something familiar. It shouldn’t be hard to find a good restaurant, with our insider guidelines for top restaurants in Yangon.

Restaurants in Yangon

Yangon is the biggest city in Myanmar, but diners tend to set their radar within the downtown area, namely the area enclosing Sule Pagoda, Chinatown and Inya Lake. Curry-based, Indian-inspired local Burmese food might seem a little surreal to first-timers to Yangon, and many would prefer to dine at a restaurant rather than at a street-side vendor.

Once used to the exotic appearance of Burmese cuisine, however, every traveler develops an interest in trying out something local. This article covers both restaurants renowned for fine dining and mid-range eateries.

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Fine Dining

Le Planteur

The owner, Boris Granges, was born in Switzerland and worked under some renowned chefs during a 3-year career in Thailand.

The original site of Le Planteur, opened in 1998, was at the far end of the city of Yangon. The restaurant moved in 2014 to its current location by Inya Lake, near the house of Aung San Suu Kyi, and Boris added a wine bar, a tea room and a bistro.

The outdoor dining area, terraced section and indoor dining room are all well maintained, and you can see ducks and geese swimming in the pond, while rabbits run under your table on the lawn.

Le Planteur mainly offers European food, especially French. Besides the ordinary choice of cakes and steaks, it boasts creativity in joining some Asian elements with western cuisine. Recommended dishes include beef tenderloin, duck breast, lamb and foie gras.

Location: 80 University Avenue | Bahan Township, Yangon

Category: international

Cost: USD 100 to 150 per person

Halal- and vegetarian-friendly: yes

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Mandalay Restaurant at The Governor's Residence

The Governor’s Residence was built in the 1920s in the elegant Embassy Quarter of Yangon, and during the colonial era used to be the residence of the governor of Kaya State. It was renovated and has become one of Yangon’s best luxury hotels, enjoying a good reputation for both accommodation and dining.

Mandalay Restaurant is tucked away in a tree-shaded garden, dotted with lotus ponds. It exudes a strong colonial ambiance and a meal there is regarded as one of the most exclusive dining experiences in Yangon.

An international menu is tempting and inviting. For those who would prefer some authentic Burmese food, try out the curry menu, including pork and mango, duck with green tea, and tiger prawn with coconut milk. The curries are lighter than common Indian curries, yet with a lingering aftertaste.

Soft shell crab, tiger prawns, butterfish and veggie curry are all restaurant specialties. It also has a good wine list, ranging from the finest local Burmese wine to imported Sauvignon Blanc.

Location: 35 Taw Win Road | The Governor's Residence, Yangon

Category: Burmese, international

Cost: USD 100 to 150 per person

Halal- and vegetarian-friendly: yes

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Mid-Range

Shan Yoe Yar – Asia Highlights’ Top Pick

Located close to Bogyoke Aung San Market and the National Museum, Shan Yoe Yar is known as one of the best Burmese restaurants in Yangon, quite reasonably priced. The two-story wooden restaurant is a renovated colonial house.

The ground floor is spacious and good for big groups, with five people or more, while dining on the second floor is quieter. Members of staff are all smiling and attentive, and eager to explain the origins of each dish in fairly good English.

Shan-style cuisine is the restaurant’s specialty, lighter, with less spice and oil than at other Burmese restaurants.

Vegetables cooked in Shan-style are highly recommended; such as Shan potatoes (mashed potatoes in sweet, sour and slightly spicy sauce), Shan tofu (tofu cut into rectangular slices, dressed with toasted dried chili, crushed garlic and peanuts) and Shan-style sour vegetable soup.

Bamboo stuffed with minced seafood, Shan noodle soup, Shan omelet and catfish curry are listed among the all-flavor choices.

Location: 169 War Tan Street | Lanmadaw Township, Yangon

Category: Burmese

Cost: USD 25 to 35 per person

Halal- and vegetarian-friendly: yes. Muslim diners, however, should first check if anything is cooked with pork oil.

Padonmar Restaurant

Renowned among locals and travelers alike, Pandonmar Restaurant is noted for its healthy ways of cooking. Oil, salt and spices are used sparingly compared with other Burmese restaurants, which is welcome to those who prefer a milder taste. Pandonmar provides catering services for the local community for important occasions such as weddings and family reunions.

The indoor dining area is divided into a main dining hall and some private boxes. If the weather is good, the garden dining area is even better. Sometimes during lunch the restaurant organizes a traditional Htwe Oo Burmese puppet show.

Behind the main building, there is a chamber where the master chef holds exclusive cooking classes on request. Specialties on the vast menu include Shan-style tofu, sauteed watercress with mushrooms, prawn curry, chicken curry, tea leaf salad and grilled butterfish.

Location: No.105/107, Kha Yae Pin Road, Dagon Township| Yangon

Category: Burmese, Thai

Cost: USD 30 to 40 per person

Halal- and vegetarian-friendly: yes. Muslim diners, however, should first check if anything is cooked with pork oil.

Café Sule

A nice café in the Shangri-La Hotel, Café Sule is close to the famous Sule Pagoda and can be a nice stop after a morning’s sightseeing. As hotel guests finish breakfast before 11 am, members of staff remain busy preparing for another round of lunch, also in buffet-style.

The large dining room is well-lit and stylishly decorated, with smiling staff happy to show you to your table. The international lunch buffet provides a rich variety of food both local and international, with many hot stations.

Fresh made-to-order mohinga is a great option for local Burmese cuisine. Shan-style baked fish and chicken curry are popular for their freshness and flavor. This is generally a good option for dining, where everyone can find something they like.

Location: Sule Shangri-La | 223 Sule Pagoda Road, Yangon

Category: international

Cost: USD 30 to 45 per person

Halal- and vegetarian-friendly: yes.

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L’Opera Italian Restaurant & Bar

A rare authentic Italian restaurant nestled in a palm tree garden beside Inya Lake, L’Opera caters to the most fastidious eaters, who want nothing but the best. Established in 1997, it has received several awards from Myanmore Dining & Nightlife.

It is ideal for a romantic dinner at sunset by the lake. Notable offerings include pizza, beef tenderloin with truffles, tiramisu and mint pineapple juice.

Location: 62D U Htun Nyein Street | Mayangone Township, Yangon

Category: Italian

Cost: USD 30 to 45 per person

Halal- and vegetarian-friendly: yes for halal, not so much for vegetarian

Monsoon Restaurant

This is a great spot for lunch after a visit to Botahtaung Pagoda. Monsoon is proud to provide local cuisine from Myanmar and other Asian countries. The building itself has a long history and is now decorated with historical photos and paintings from the colonial era. The restaurant has a welcoming vibe and is good for friends and families.

Notable Dishes: eggplant curry, tea leaf salad, Cambodian beef salad

Location: 85, 87 Theinbyu Road | Botataung Township, Yangon

Category: Asian

Cost: USD 30 to 45 per person

Halal- and vegetarian-friendly: yes.

Café/Desert

Acacia Tea Salon

An up-market café, Acacia Tea Salon is dedicated to offering the best delicate desserts and most relaxed atmosphere for a good afternoon with friends. It’s a bit far from downtown, which makes it harder for big groups of tourists to frequent, so that attentive service and quietness are more likely here.

Notable Dishes: cheesecake, Eggs Benedict, English muffins

Location: 52 Saya San Road | Bahan Township, Yangon

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Visit Myanmar with Asia Highlights

Yangon is the first stop for most travelers, and first impressions certainly matter. A good restaurant in Yangon helps ease you in to an exotic land, and to embrace expectations for the upcoming trip.

One good thing is that you will not be alone. Our experienced and thoughtful tour guide will be a good advisor for your restaurant hunt in Yangon. Let us know your food preferences while tailor-making your trip to Myanmar.

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