Modern Burmese · Nyaung U, Bagan · ~2,400–15,600 kyats per dish
Social-enterprise training restaurant · open since 2016Modern Burmese$Nyaung U, Bagan
"A social-enterprise restaurant in Nyaung U training Bagan's youth — modern Burmese plates like tea-leaf salad and tamarind river prawns in a garden setting."
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About Sanon
Sanon — Burmese for turmeric — opened in 2016 as Bagan's first socially responsible restaurant, set up by the Myanmar Youth Development Institute on the TREE Alliance model pioneered by Friends-International. It trains disadvantaged young people from the Bagan area in cooking and hospitality over twelve to eighteen months, alongside English lessons and life skills, while serving modern Burmese cooking to travellers in a calm garden setting in Nyaung U.
The result is a restaurant with a purpose that does not coast on goodwill: the food is genuinely good, the garden is one of the more peaceful rooms in town between temple runs, and dishes run from around 2,400 to 15,600 kyats. It sits near the top of Bagan's restaurant rankings. Browse more in our Bagan dining guide or the full RFK rankings.
The Kitchen
The kitchen, run as a training programme rather than under a single celebrity chef, gives Burmese classics a light, modern turn. The signature is a tea-leaf salad (lahpet thoke) with a contemporary spin, alongside the Fiercely Fiery Tamarind River Prawns that top the menu at around 15,600 kyats. Guests single out the squash-and-cheese fritters, the caramelised pork, the river-prawn and catfish curry with apple eggplant, and Shan-style noodles.
There are fresh juices, cocktails and local desserts like banana spring rolls and coconut semolina cake to finish. Prices start as low as 2,400 kyats for crispy toast with curried herb butter, which makes a full meal here both a good plate of food and a direct contribution to the training programme behind it.
The Room
Sanon is built around a tranquil garden in Nyaung U, on Pyu Saw Hti Street next to the Thante Hotel — a shaded, unhurried spot to land after a morning among the temples. Service is warm and earnest, delivered by trainees learning the front of house, so the pace is relaxed rather than slick. It is open through the day, roughly 11:00 to 22:00, with the kitchen winding down by 21:30.
Best for Solo Dining and a Relaxed Lunch
Sanon is ideal for a solo traveller or a small group wanting a calm, worthwhile meal between temple visits: a shaded garden, an easy modern-Burmese menu, and the knowledge that the bill funds youth training. Order the tea-leaf salad, the tamarind river prawns and a fresh juice, and take your time. It is one of Bagan's best solo-dining rooms and works for a group dinner too. See more in our Bagan guide.
Not for
Not for fine-dining formality or a rushed bite between temples — Sanon is a relaxed, purpose-driven garden restaurant where unhurried service is part of a youth-training programme.
Frequently Asked
Is Sanon in Bagan worth visiting?
Yes. Sanon is a social-enterprise restaurant that trains local young people in hospitality, and the modern Burmese cooking — tea-leaf salad, tamarind river prawns, squash-and-cheese fritters — is genuinely good, served in a peaceful garden. With dishes from around 2,400 kyats, it is both a fair meal and a direct contribution to the programme. See more in our Bagan guide.
What should I order at Sanon?
Start with the tea-leaf salad and the squash-and-cheese fritters, then try the Fiercely Fiery Tamarind River Prawns or the river-prawn and catfish curry with apple eggplant. Finish with banana spring rolls or coconut semolina cake. Prices run from about 2,400 to 15,600 kyats per dish.
Where is Sanon restaurant in Bagan?
Sanon is in Nyaung U, on Pyu Saw Hti Street next door to the Thante Hotel, set around a garden. It is open roughly 11:00 to 22:00, with the kitchen closing about 21:30 — an easy lunch or dinner stop between temple visits.
What makes Sanon a social enterprise?
Sanon was created in 2016 by the Myanmar Youth Development Institute on the TREE Alliance model developed by Friends-International. It trains disadvantaged Bagan youth in cooking and service over twelve to eighteen months, with accommodation, English lessons and life skills, so eating there supports that programme directly.
Details at sanon-restaurant.org; walk-ins welcome, open daily ~11:00–22:00.
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Practical Information
AddressPyu Saw Hti Street (next to Thante Hotel), Nyaung U, Bagan
