• Burmese
Monday, July 14, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Irrawaddy
29 °c
Yangon
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
The Irrawaddy
No Result
View All Result
Home Lifestyle Food

Yangon’s Street Foods — For the Hungry and Daring 

Lwin Mar Htun by Lwin Mar Htun
June 29, 2018
in Food
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0 0
A A
Yangon's popular street food Bein Moat, also known as Myanmar Street Pancakes. / Aung Kyaw Htet / The Irrawaddy

Yangon's popular street food Bein Moat, also known as Myanmar Street Pancakes. / Aung Kyaw Htet / The Irrawaddy

11.4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

One of the best ways to get to know a place is by exploring its popular foods. Walking along the streets of Yangon, you will come across a plethora of vendors and stalls offering a wide range of foods influenced by Chinese, Indian and local cuisines.

This street fare often looks good and smells delicious, and it is always cheap. If you want to know more about the daily lives of the local people and the culture of Yangon, the city’s famous street foods are one of the best places to start.

To help, I have collected some of the more common and popular street foods for you to try the next time you’re in town. These foods can easily be found in downtown areas like the Sule Pagoda neighborhood, Chinatown and Bar Street.

RelatedPosts

No Content Available
Wat Thar Doke Htoe (pork sticks); The various parts of the pig are cut into pieces and skewered on small bamboo sticks.(Photo: Aung Kyaw Htet/ The Irrawaddy)

Wat Thar Doke Htoe (Pork sticks)

A local favorite, you will surely be attracted by the smell of Wat Thar Doke Htoe (pork sticks). The various parts of the pig including internal organs like liver, intestines, kidneys, spleen, heart, lungs, tongue, meat, skin and cartilage are all cut into pieces and skewered on small bamboo sticks. You can ask for any part of the pig and the vendors will slice it up for you. Most of the Wat Thar Doke Htoe vendors provide small stools for their customers to sit on, and you can then ask for sauce and soup from a large pot that sits in the middle of the table. Wat Thar Doke Htoe is very popular with locals although many foreigners shy away from it because of the way it is displayed and for reasons of hygiene. Some restaurants and bars also offer pork sticks on their menus so you may want to try it at one of those places instead. If you dare to try the real street pork sticks, just head for downtown and you’ll see many vendors offering this Yangon staple. Each stick will cost about 200 kyats. Prices vary depending on the shop.

Moat Lin Mayar: The vendors pour the mixture into a big black round pan then put on other toppings like peas and quail eggs.(Photo: Aung Kyaw Htet/ The Irrawaddy)

Moat Lin Mayar

This is a popular Myanmar teatime snack. The direct translation is ‘Couple’s Snack,’ because it is made of two halves that are joined to become one. First, the vendors pour the mixture into a big black round pan then put on other toppings like peas and quail eggs. Then, the halves of Moat Lin Mayar are separately heated by a charcoal fire underneath to a crispy brown and finally combined as one and flipped over. You can find Moat Lin Mayar around the city. It is usually sold as a set of 10 for 500 kyats.

La Phet Thoke (Tea leaf salad): A small container of La Phet Thoke, consisting of boiled corn, peanuts, diced tomatoes, cabbage and some dried fish.(Photo: Aung Kyaw Htet/ The Irrawaddy)

La Phet Thoke (Tea leaf salad)

La Phet Thoke is a traditional Myanmar dish that is often sold at teashops, restaurants and uniquely styled stalls. You can see these La Phet Thoke stalls at many places in Yangon. The vendors put a small amount of tealeaf into a small container and mix it with boiled corn, peanuts, diced tomatoes, cabbage and some dried fish. La Phet Thoke stalls are most commonly seen around the downtown area and on 19th street.

Yangon’s popular street food Bein Moat, also known as Myanmar Street Pancakes.(Photo: Aung Kyaw Htet/ The Irrawaddy)

Bein Mont (Myanmar pancake)

Bein mont is a traditional snack that some people eat as breakfast and some as a teatime snack. It is also known as ‘Myanmar street pancake’ and is chewy, crispy, nutty and perfect to order as a take-away. The vendors will cut it into bite-size portions that you can eat as you go on your way. There are two different types – brown and white pancakes. Both are made of rice flour but the brown cakes are mixed with “jaggery” (palm sugar) to sweeten them and are topped with coconut slices, nuts and white poppy seeds. The white pancakes are more suitable for those who don’t like sweet food and are topped with boiled peas and onion. You can find them for sale along many streets in Yangon and elsewhere. Prices vary from vendor to vendor but Bein mont typically sell for 200 to 500 kyats each.

Lan Thaye Moat (Dosa sandwiches): A crispy thin crepe with a topping of tomatoes, chickpeas, small pieces of chili, cabbage, and bean sprouts along with sprinkles of black pepper.(Photo: Aung Kyaw Htet/ The Irrawaddy)

Lan Thaye Moat (Dosa sandwiches)

Lan Thaye Moat was originally an Indian cuisine that is mixed with a Myanmar topping. It’s a crispy, thin crepe made from the batter of fermented ground lentils and rice. First, a thin layer of batter is spread quickly inside a concave metal pot over hot coals, then some toppings are added such as tomatoes, chickpeas, small pieces of chili, cabbage, bean sprouts along with sprinkles of black pepper. This one is also good as a takeaway and it’s perfect as teatime or pre-dinner snack. Lan Thaye Moat typically sells for about 200 or 300 kyats each.

Samosa Salad.(Photo: Aung Kyaw Htet/ The Irrawaddy)

Samosa Salad

Samosa Thoke (Samosa salad) is another Indian-inspired cuisine that is a mixed salad of diced potato, chickpeas and samosa. The salad also includes shredded cabbage, chopped raw onions, mint leaves, and some chili for those who like it a little hotter. Then, a small amount of heat and comfort in the form of thick masala lentil soup is poured over the salad and it’s ready to eat. Samosa Thoke is a vegetarian dish and some people eat it instead of dinner or lunch. Samosa salads can easily be found on Yangon’s streets and sell for 500 kyats each.

A Kyaw Sone (Fried snacks)

A Kyaw Sone (Fried snacks) is Myanmar’s very own fast food and can be found on many streets of Yangon. Buu Thee Kyaw (crispy gourd fritter) is a local favorite and you can also get fried snacks like samosas, spring rolls, chickpeas, bananas, ba yar kyaw and fried potato slices. People eat them for breakfast and sometimes as a teatime snack. It’s delicious but the oil used to fry them is sometimes not of the highest quality. So, you need to be careful to check the vendors before you buy from them. These fried snacks are also cheap at 100 kyats each.

A Thoke Sone (Variety of salads); The varieties of A Thoke Sone such as Khout Swal Thoke (noodle salad), Tofu Thoke (tofu salad), papaya salad and also rice salad are put on portable street food stalls.(Photo: Aung Kyaw Htet/ The Irrawaddy)

A Thoke Sone (Variety of salads)

A Thoke Sone is one of most popular street foods in Myanmar. Among the varieties are Khout Swal Thoke (noodle salad), Tofu Thoke (tofu salad), papaya salad and also rice salad. You will see a lot of portable street food stalls in the crowded parts of Yangon. Vendors carry those stalls on their shoulders, balancing two baskets. They go place to place and settle down when they find what looks like a good spot. You take a seat on their colorful plastic stools and you can choose among the salads, which are made in front of you after you place your order. If you want it spicy, then ask for some chili powder. The salads are mostly good tasting but they are best avoided if you have stomach problems. If you dare to try one while you are in Yangon, you can easily find these roving vendors in the downtown area. One salad will cost 500 kyats.

Your Thoughts …
Tags: Street Foods
Lwin Mar Htun

Lwin Mar Htun

The Irrawaddy

Similar Picks:

No Content Available
Load More
Next Post
ICRC chief Peter Maurer at Sittwe Airport, before leaving Rakhine State. / Min Aung Khine / The Irrawaddy

Visiting ICRC Chief Says Northern Rakhine Needs Urgent Economic Relief

Mandalay Chief Minister Dr. Zaw Myint Maung talks to the media during a press conference. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy

Discrepancies Found in Audit of Mandalay Development Fund

No Result
View All Result

Recommended

Trump’s Tariffs to Hit Myanmar’s Garment Manufacturers Hard

Trump’s Tariffs to Hit Myanmar’s Garment Manufacturers Hard

5 days ago
1.2k
China’s Surveillance State Watches Everyone, Everywhere

China’s Surveillance State Watches Everyone, Everywhere

6 days ago
1.1k

Most Read

  • ‘Las Vegas in Laos’: the Riverside City Awash With Crime

    ‘Las Vegas in Laos’: the Riverside City Awash With Crime

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Junta Chief Thanks Trump for Shutting Down VOA and RFA

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • KIA Denies Rumor Chief Under House Arrest in China

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Junta Deploying Conscripts in Major Push to Reclaim Lost Territory

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Chinese Investment Reshapes Myanmar’s N. Shan as MNDAA Consolidates Power

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get The Irrawaddy’s latest news, analyses and opinion pieces on Myanmar in your inbox.

Subscribe here for daily updates.

Contents

  • News
  • Politics
  • War Against the Junta
  • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
  • Conflicts In Numbers
  • Junta Crony
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Asia
  • World
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Election 2020
  • Elections in History
  • Cartoons
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Commentary
  • Guest Column
  • Analysis
  • Letters
  • In Person
  • Interview
  • Profile
  • Dateline
  • Specials
  • Myanmar Diary
  • Women & Gender
  • Places in History
  • On This Day
  • From the Archive
  • Myanmar & COVID-19
  • Intelligence
  • Myanmar-China Watch
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion & Design
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Photo Essay
  • Donation

About The Irrawaddy

Founded in 1993 by a group of Myanmar journalists living in exile in Thailand, The Irrawaddy is a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. We believe that media must be free and independent and we strive to preserve press freedom.

  • Copyright
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Team
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Burmese

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Business Roundup
  • Books
  • Donation

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.