Muslim (Islamic) Halal food in Myanmar

One of our visitors to our site asked whether it is easy to find a Muslim Halal food stall or restaurant in Myanmar. Although Myanmar is not a Muslim majority country, it is a multi cultural, multi religious country. Thus it is fairly easy, especially in large cities and towns, to find a Muslim Halal restaurant or food stall that caters not only the Muslim population, but also caters for the local non-Muslim population. Actually, contrary to outsiders’ believe, Muslim food is quite popular among the local Burmese people.

Most of the shops that sell Muslim Halal food are small to medium size restaurants or food stalls. There are a few Muslim Halal restaurants that serve Chinese food, but they are not very popular, and only a few can be found even in a large city like Yangon (Rangoon). Most of the time, it is shops that serve traditional Indian and Muslim food that are popular among the local people. These small restaurants and food stalls serve traditional Indian and Muslim food such as nan, roti, prata, puri, dosai, mutton curry, potato curry, beef curry and kabab. These food are quite popular among local Muslim population as well as non Muslim Burmese. All cities and most large towns in Myanmar have Muslim food shops and restaurants.

Muslim Halal restaurants and food stalls in Myanmar usually do not put the regular Arabic Halal sign, except those few high end restaurants that serve foreign visitors. Most of the time, they just write down “786” on their sign board. This is “786” symbol is used as a substitute for Bismillah “In the name of Allah” or “In the name of God”. This is a traditional sign used in South Asia, mainly in Pakistan, India, Myanmar and Bangladesh.

In large cities, like Yangon (Rangoon) and Mandalay, you can find Muslim Halal shops everywhere. In smaller cities and towns, it might be a little difficult to find one. However, if you could find a mosque, you will be able to find some Muslim Halal food stalls and small restaurants nearby. Just look for a mosque in any town. They are similar to the traditional Arabic style mosques everywhere in the world. Ask your taxi driver or trishaw driver to bring you to “Ba-li“.

Muslin Halal shops will usually write the letter “786” in Myanmar numeral. It looks like this.

786 Muslim Halal food restaurant in Myanmar

We hope this information will be useful to all those Muslim visitors coming to our country.

49 thoughts on “Muslim (Islamic) Halal food in Myanmar”

  1. Thanks for the info. I am not Muslim but I learnt something from this post… I did not know “786” has to do with Bismallah. Now I know 🙂

  2. Oops… my mistake there. Please allow me to correct my wrong spelling (“Bismallah”) to the correct one (“Bismillah”) in my previous comment.

  3. There’s literally no where else to find this good of content. I really appreciate you making this viewable to everyone for free. What a respectable thing to do!

  4. Assallammualikum … Norayah. I am a Moslem too and planning to Myanmar on 12th to 18th. I will be around town area (Yangon). If you really can help please drop address or shops and restaurant selling Halal food. My email alfayatd@gmail.com

    Johor, Malaysia.

    Wassallam

  5. salam..

    i will be in yangon myself on 30-31 May.. appreciate if u guys could share where to find halal food in yangon..

    btw.. where do u guys staying..? i will be staying in Sedona hotel.. they told me they have halal food there.. but not sure whether their definition of ‘halal’ is the same with us or not.. how about your hotels..?

    Zafrul
    KL

  6. Muslim or whatever if you are from other country don’t eat anything that they sell on street.I mean food.Myanmar is really poor country so most of the people who make their living by selling food can’t effort good ingredient.Like oil.The major problem is oil.
    The oil they use in fried and curry are not clean.And there are a lot of unclean thing like plate and cup.They barely wash them.So if you eat that food you had a chance of infect tape worm if you eating meat.And cool and soft drink you will get cough.
    It is not like adventure from discovery travel and living.85% The restaurant in Myanmar are really dirty.

  7. salam,
    I’ve been to Yangon several times n will be going there again on 15-28 Aug. There’s a few halal foodstall there. Behind Traders Hotel, there is a row of shops selling bryani. I dont remember the name, but one of it is halal, the one nearest to the intersection.

    Opposite Bogyoke Market, there is a shop selling friend chicken. This is halal. It is the same row as the pizza shop.

    I heard that Micasa hotel has halal food. I have yet to check it out. HTH

  8. Assalammuailaikum, I will be going to myanmar on 10th Aug till 12th Aug.can u email me the halal restaurant and better to change money in S’pore or juz use US dollars.Will be staying at Park Royal Hotel (Yangon).wats good for shopping.hope u able to reply asap.thank you.

    1. assalamu alaikum
      Sina, u cant get kyat, ie myanmar local currency, in Singapore. You will need to bring in US$ and change to kyat in Yangon. Near Park Royal Hotel, is the Bogyoke market. U can get ur money there or change at Central Hotel which is besides Traders Hotel.

      Make sure u bring in clean US$ bills. Bigger notes , for eg US$100 will get a better rate than smaller notes.

      Re Food
      You can buy briyani , from a stall behind Trader Hotels. I usually buy from the stall nearest to the traffic light.

      I was told that the cafe at Micasa hotel is halal. I have not checked it out. I will only be there on 15 Aug n staying at Micasa.

      Re Shopping
      There is lots of things to buy from Bogyoke market. Rubies, jade etc. lots of ladies accessories too. Mother of pearl placemat cost about us$18-20 per piece. quite good bargain. Ladies slippers n sequin sandals. Men sarong/longyi, nicer design than in Singapore.

      I was told that prescribed glasses is 50% cheaper in Yangon. There are also lots of tailor. Definately cheaper rate than what we have back in Singapore.

      Happy Ramadhan

    1. If you would like to have a halal food restaurant, just head to the shops/restaurants near the Sule Pagoda in downtown. Restaurants near Sule Pagoda are mostly halal. Look for “786” sign in the shop’s signboard.

  9. Beside bogyoke market where can will go shopping with bargin and reasonable price.Any market or shopping mall near Inya Lake Hotel/Park Royal Hotel.Please reply as we
    be going on 1-4 Nov 2010.

  10. Dear brothers and sisters,
    786″ – Does it stand for ‘Bismillah Hirahmaan niraaheem’
    Therefore, whosoever uses 786 with the intention to obtain Allah’s blessings, is a misguided person and any attempt to justify it, is ignorance. More astonishing is that fact that ‘786’ is an aggregation of the numbers of Hindu ‘Lord Hari Krishna’. H(a)iri Kr(i)shna

    h-5, r-200, r-10, k-20, r-200, sh-300, n-50, a-1 =Aggregate of 786
    Better to talk restrant´s owner about and share a Hadith and look his or her reaction.
    Allah bless all of us.
    Fi mailAllah

  11. syukran

    i would like to do some korban during idul adha
    can any of myanmar muslim bro or sister tell
    me with place that a really muslim need help and yatim place in myanmar

    thx

    1. Hi, I saw your previous post in 2010 on Korban In Myanmar.
      Can you share with me your experience in it.

      I plan to go there during the week of idul adha.

      Thks & Rgds,
      Sheila

  12. Hi..Syukran

    Mashallah…

    I am a burmese muslim .I living in singapore.
    There are many yatin place at everywhere in myanmar.
    If you really want to donate,Please go to 48 street,upper block,Botahtaung township.
    There is one main yatin place.This yatin school got many yatin haifz students.
    The management will help you.
    Please also contact me if you have problem to find muslim restaurant in myanmar.
    Inshallah..Allah may fufil your wishes.

    Assalammuarlaikum..
    Sulaiman MST

    1. My name is Murat, I’m Halal food consultant in Singapore, We are looking for Myanmar muslim food importer, who are interested to bring in range of Halal food from Singapore, We are also do Halal certification for any new food product. We are very keen to work with Myanamar muslim association. For more information, do email to us: md_art14yahoo.com.sg

    2. Sir,
      Im going to yangon end of may 2012. Could you please advice me on a. halal restaurant
      b. shopping centre
      c. hotel which close to shopping centre
      d. home industry which produce clothes/kain sarung/sulaman

      Thanks
      muhamad

    3. Hi,

      I would like to go the yatin place you mentioned. Can you pls advise if there is anyone there that I can look for that speaks english.

      Thks & Rgds,
      Sheila

  13. we are 10 in group.will visit yangon on 21 di 2010 for 4 days.please list up places we must visit and entry rate 9if available), try to find muslim restaurant.will stay at panda hotel
    how to rent van or coaester.do you have email address
    tq

    1. To all muslim brothers/Sisters
      For the sake of korban to help the poor Burmese Muslims,
      A group(16 ladies and 2 gentlmen) fly from Singapore to Yangon and later to Mandalay. We to a village three hours drive from Mandalay to perform our korban.This is(was) a customised travel undertake by Mdm Asmah Marican working together with Exora Travel – The tour was successful and to get further details pse check with Mdm Asmah +65 98322700 or Mr Mohamed +65 96230808.Due to this successful trip she(he) would like to organise another customise tour in December – Call to check…..
      rgds – akm1956@singnet.com.sg

  14. I use to be in Myanmar last January for offshore job with PCML. I was told by one of the PCML’s guy that Nilar Biryani is one of the good restaurant in Yangon and serve halal food. Can anyone confirm this?

  15. salam, my kids and family love very much to visit yangoon and other muslim areas, this coming school holiday. love very much if somebody can highlighted to me various place of interest.
    rgds & salam

    1. It is implying Bismillah in Burmese language too. But it meant to be used for identifying Muslim owned shop and restaurants from others. So that you can easily identify where u can get halal food and things.

  16. Pingback: Muslim (Islamic) Halal food in Myanmar « Dr Ko Ko Gyi’s Blog

  17. Hi, this isn’t really a reply but another question related to halal food in Myanmar. I read that meat imported into Myanmar must always be accompanied by a halal certificate. I have written to the commerce department, but I really do not very much expect to get a reply. Does anyone know?

  18. I will arrive in Yangon on the 3 Jan 2012 for 3 days and would like to meet Muslm friends in Yangon male or female between the age of 35 to 55 to give me info about the Myanmar Moslems

  19. hi frnds … my name is imran and i am from India (Delhi) .. i want to come in ur beautiful country.. but i dont know how to come .. can u tell me please … if is there any bus service between Imphal and Mandalay … ?? please tell me the way to come in Burma… actually i fall in love with some who live in burma……………

  20. hi friend..Im from malaysia plan to visit to Yanggon in may 2012. Could advice me the hotel to stay which is close to market/shooping centre and halal restaurant.Any tourist guide can assist me over there
    I also like to visit the factory/home industry which is manufacturing clotching, sarung and etc.
    thank u very much for any advicing

    1. You should stay in a hotel in downtown near Sule Pagoda. For high end, there is Traders Hotel Yangon. For a mid range, there is Central Hotel Yangon.

  21. Selam,brother, i’m a muslim from China and planning to visit Myanmar in the late June for a week. I want to konw will it be rainning a lot during June and is there any mosque or halal food availabe in Bagan. Thanks a lot and Jazakallah Haire.

  22. Hi there..

    My fren n I had booked return flight tickets to Yangon from Kuala Lumpur on 4th October 2012 and return on 7th October 2012. There were 3 of us.. The trip will be on 4 days 3 nights stay. Therefore we would like to enquire for any muslim package tour during our trip. For your information this is our first time to Myanmar n I dont have any ideas on how to go around, where to get muslim meals as well as where to go overthere. Please advise!!

    Thank you

  23. Salam A’laikum
    Alhamdulilah, yesterday arrived at Myanmar from indonesia, plan to stay alittle bit longer more than 1 month as need for site supervise at Tharketa area, mean time i am staying at Orchid Hotel at yangon, please be kind inform me regarding the location of the halal food and mosque location close to this hotel?
    SYUKRAN.

  24. asalamualaikum my dear bro n sis,
    im from malaysia,planning going to yangon next month with my wife,plan to stay there for 4 d3n,so please if can help me to find cheap hotel,hallal food,mosque etc..,thanks in advance,wasalam

  25. Foodfare restaurant, not far from united living mall have lots of choices for muslim food.
    For halal poultry, can easily get at ruby mart and united living mall.
    There’s also phai lin restaurant near united living mall.
    For chinese muslim cuisine, heaed tamwe is good

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