Although Myanmar food is influenced by its neighbors, it still has its own identity. All of the dishes and snacks included in this list are delicious, traditional and offer a great opportunity to experience the authentic and subtly infused Myanmar culture.

Mohinga

This dish is always in list of top food in Myanmar. It is a comforting noodle soup and one of the national dishes of Burma. It is composed with fine rice noodles served in herbal fishing and hearty shallot-based broth, often supplemented by crunchy pitch of banana. Often served at breakfast but also sold throughout the day by restaurants, tea houses and street vendors. Optional toppings include sliced hard-boiled egg and akyaw, crispy fried vegetables and / or hard paste lenses. The dish is seasoned to taste with lemon juice and / or dried chili flakes.

Tea Leaves Salad

Lephet Thoke or Tea Leaves Salad is the most famous dish in Myanmar. This salad of pickled tea leaves is mixed with bitter leaves and shredded cabbage, sliced tomatoes, crispy fried beans, nuts and peas. Local people believe that if people ate too much Lephet Thoke, they could not sleep a wink.  

Burmese Coconut Chicken Noodle Soup

Ohn No Kauk Swe is one of the Burmese people's favorite dishes and often served for breakfast.

It consists of wheat noodles in a curried chicken and coconut milk broth. The dish is often garnished with crisp fried bean fritters, sliced raw onions, chili, crisp noodles, and slices of hard-boiled egg. 

Burmese Traditional Curries

Curry is considered as basic cuisine in Myanmar. There’re many different kinds of curries which could be overwhelmed due to their variety and taste. Some of the notable sauces include Ngapi Ye- a fish sauce with watery consistency and Balachaung- a dry peppery mix of chilies, garlic and deep fried dried shrimp.

Deep Fried Food

The majority of snacks found on the street or in tea shops includes samosas, spring rolls, savory fritters, sweets, breads, and many noodle dishes topped with akyaw- deep-fried crispy garnishes. One notable dish particularly worth seeking out is buthi kyaw- battered and deep-fried chunks of gourd. When served hot, the crisp batter conceals a soft and slightly watery interior of tender gourd. The fritters are typically served with a sweet and sour dip made from tamarind that can be made savory with the addition of bean powder.

Nan Gyi Thoke

The Burmese love "dry" noodle dishes, essentially noodle-based "salads" and perhaps the tastiest and most ubiquitous is Nan Gyi Thoke. The dish is served with thick & round rice noodles, chicken, thin slices of fish cake, par-boiled bean sprouts and slices of hard-boiled egg.

Burmese Sweet Snacks

Myanmar people like to have something sweet with tea either in the morning or afternoon, sometimes both. Burmese sweets are collectively called ‘mon’ which are not made entirely with sugar. They are made from a delicious fusion of coconut, rice flour, tapioca, coconut milk and fruit.

Burmese Noodle Soup (Mee Shay)

The dish most commonly associated with Shan State is this combination of thin, flat rice noodles in a clear, peppery broth with marinated chicken or pork, garnished with toasted sesame and a drizzle of garlic oil. Compared with most Burmese noodle dishes, it’s simple but delicious.

Shan-style ‘tofu’ noodles

Hto-hpu-new known as “warm tofu” is one of the popular dishes of ethnic Shan in northern Myanmar. Despite the tofu name, the dish does not really include tofu, but rather a thick porridge made from chickpea flour. It is served in thin rice noodles, chunks of amarinated pork or chicken and covered with a layer of chili oil.

Myanmar Tea Shops

Myanmar Tea Shops are not just places to enjoy small cups of sweet tea or milk. They’re ideal places to get in touch with local culture with different cuisine often reflecting the ethnicity of the owner of the store.

Here’s some ASIA DMC recommendations on the best food. You can contact with our expert to have more information about other tasty food and restaurants in Myanmar and the most suitable option for you.