Where to eat

Club Terrace

San Francisco

Golden Triangle

Almost all of Pyin Oo Lwin's eating places offer Shan and Chinese cuisine. There are three or four Indian curry specialists, and a growing number offering Burmese mohinga and Thai recipes. There are innumerable teashops serving quite basic food (Shan noodles, for example), and many outdoor foodstalls spring up near the markets in the late afternoon. This list assumes that visitors on a tight budget will easily find places to eat authentic Myanmar meals, and includes only those eating places suitable for all visitors. One of the newer restaurants in Pyin Oo Lwin is Feel!, Kan Taw Lay, Kan Park Street, Nandar Road (on the way to the Kandawgyi National Gardens). Good service, lovely ambience both inside and outside, normal prices. Definitely worth a visit, especially in the evenings for food or a leisurely sundowner, overlooking the smaller lake below Kandawgyi National Gardens. And if a quieter ambience is needed, Woodland (see below) is highly recommended.

All of the higher priced hotels serve lunch and dinner, though it is always best to check in advance that specific menus will be available. Some (eg Aung Padamar - Indian curry shop) stop serving around 6pm. Otherwise, the choice for the visitor is generally one of ambience - inside or outside, noisy or quiet. Remember that locals eat quite early (by European standards), with lunch often starting at 11am, and dinner from 6pm. Most restaurants stop serving by about 9pm. The more expensive restaurants tend to have constant tv (Korean Soaps) with 'musak' playing over it, but in all of them it's possible to find a table away from most of the cacophony.

Coffee Shops and Snack Bars

Golden Triangle Cafe and Bakery. Mandalay-Lashio Road, next to Myoma Cinema. Comfortable and friendly. The only high class baker and confectioner in Pyin Oo Lwin. Pizzas, hamburgers, ice cream, snacks and sandwiches. Sells excellent coffee locally grown, roasted and packaged - Cafe Fino and Misty Mountain. (24288.

Day and Night. No 28 Ze Wa Road, between Myoma Cinema and the main market. Small, clean and friendly. Internet access. Good range of snacks including hamburgers. (21945.

Vanilla. Difficult to find, but look for their signboard next to Sham Sweets on the Mandalay-Lashio Road. Good ice cream, snacks. Quiet, residential location. Clean and pleasant.

Hi. Mandalay-Lashio Road - look for the forest of umbrellas just below road level. Snacks and drinks.

Some of the more popular restaurants

Woodland Restaurant. Circular Road. Indoor and outdoor excellent restaurant, serving European, Chinese, Thai menus. Pleasant atmosphere (except for the 'window' bird cage); elegant rattan chairs and low tables. Reasonable prices. Outdoors are several family shelters, and a well kept garden. Take away (pizzas and full menu). Wi-fi internet. Highly recommended.

Feel!, Kan Taw Lay, Kan Park Street, Nandar Road (on the way to the Kandawgyi National Gardens) is one of the recent additions to Pyin Oo Lwin's eating places. Between the Lake and the Golf Course, it offers an excellent international cuisine (European and Thai) in a beautiful setting. Prices are very reasonable and service is very good. Highly recommended.

San Francisco Restaurant & Rest House. 91B Club Road. (21534. Outside and inside seating. Caters for groups but is equally pleasant for individuals. Relatively inexpensive. Clean and friendly; mainly Chinese cuisine. English spoken. Click here for more.

Club Terrace Food Lounge. 25 Club Road. One of the smartest places to eat. Supervised by Royal Park View Hotel. Situated in a well restored colonial bungalow, with a large wooden terrace overlooking the extensive gardens. Good menu, but the best food is nearly always in the 'Special today' section of the menu. Ask for what is recommended - you won't be disappointed!

Sweet Farm. About 8 miles out of Pyin Oo lwin towards Mandalay. This is a working farm, with a family-style restaurant just beside the road, on the left towards Mandalay. Good menu, friendly service. A good place for a cool drink or substantial meal during your journey up from Mandalay. Recommended!

Lay Ngoon. Mandalay Lashio Road, opposite the end of Station Road. Private air-conditioned rooms available. Popular travellers' eating house. Chinese cuisine.

Aung Padamyar. No. 44 Zay Thit Road, near the Shan Market. 28 Block, Thumingalar Quarter. Good, hot South Indian curries - mutton or chicken. Closes at about 7pm. A favourite restaurant for locals and visitors alike.

Hlaing Cafe. Authentic Nepali curry shop. Ask for Gurkha Road (the first road to be built in old Maymyo). Hlaing Cafe is on the left.

Su Paung. Forest Road, corner of Circular Road. (21171

Yadana Pon. Forest Road, near Chinese Temple. (22676

Htee Hling. Sandar Street (Kan Daw Lay)

Queen Whar. Centre of town. (21209

Htate Tan Restaurant. No.50, 11A Road. Clean and good Shan food.

Yoeyar Restaurant.

Tiger Hotel and Beer Garden. Between Circular Road and the Golf Club.

King and Queen. Night Club and beer hall in Forest Road.

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