Dawei Myanmar – Best Places to Eat

Dawei has a good mix of different kinds of foods and you will find Burmese, Chinese, Thai and Malay flavours on many menus here. As you would expect, particularly in beachside areas, fish and seafood feature heavily and you can also get a mix of Western dishes in many of the hotel and guesthouse cafes.

This is especially true if you venture outside Dawei and you can expect to pay a little more for your dinner in the beach areas although the seafood buffets that abound are delicious.

Regional Food

Besides Burmese food which is ubiquitous and found throughout the city, there are a lot of regional cuisines represented in Dawei, including Thai, Chinese, Indian and Malay.

If you want to kick off with a change of pace in Dawei then head for Sawatdi Restaurant which does delicious Malay dishes. One of the standouts is chicken and rice which is priced at MMK 1,500. They also do delivery if you don’t want to leave your hotel.

Another good choice similar to Satwatdi Restaurant is Meik Shwe which is an Indian tea shop located on Niban Road which does some delicious biryani as well as the usual roti, a kind of flatbread served with a curry dipping sauce. You will need to get there early however as this is more of a breakfast and early lunchtime venue.

One of the most famous and popular spots to eat at in Dawei is Pale Eikari which is has a selection of Burmese, Thai and Chinese dishes. This is not the cheapest spot in town, but you can get draught beer here so this is a good place to come if you want to have a drink and watch the sunset. Dishes include favourites like curries, fried noodles and steamed fish.

Another popular choice is Golden Dragon on Bogyoke Road which, as the name suggests, is focused on Chinese food including rice and noodle dishes. Don’t expect anything too fancy however, as the emphasis here is on the food and the flavours rather than a relaxed or refined setting. Still, it is a great choice if you are looking for some authentic Chinese fare in Dawei.

If you are looking for Thai food, then Joy which is also on Bogyoke Street is a solid choice and offers you a more upscale dining experience than many of the basic tea shops and eateries in the rest of Dawei. If you come to Joy then you can expect to find a comprehensive range of traditional Thai dishes such as curries and Tom Yum soups and there is a nice emphasis on seafood. Dishes are also reasonably priced and you can expect to pay up to MMK 3,000 for a meal which makes it one of the better value options in town, particularly if you want a more relaxing dining experience away from the usual street side eateries.

Western and International Food

If you are looking for some Western fare, then your best bet is to head to one of the coffee shops in town. One good choice is MK5 which serves pastries as well as pizzas and burgers. Don’t expect the portions to be particularly big, but you can also get some nice iced coffees here as well as freshly squeezed juice and smoothies.

Anyone traveling with younger visitors may wish to check out Zayar Htet San which is located on Ye Yeik Thar Street and is the onsite restaurant of the hotel. Here you will find a clean and more upscale dining experience with a mix of Western and Burmese dishes and the restaurant is also air conditioned which is much needed in the summer months. One of the reasons to come here if you have children is that there is also a large garden attached which is perfect for little ones to explore.