Mawlamyaing has a strong Mon culinary tradition that blends Burmese cooking with Indian and Southeast Asian influences. Mon curries tend to be lighter and more coconut-forward than Burmese equivalents, and the city's Indian heritage shows up in the many biryani and tea-shop restaurants around the market.
The mohinga (rice noodle soup with fish broth) here is reputed to be among the best in Myanmar — eaten for breakfast at the streetside stalls near the covered market. Indian restaurants clustered near the waterfront serve good curry and roti. Most visitors eat at the string of tea shops on and around the main market streets, where the food is cheap, freshly made, and excellent.