Dhaka - Post Report Question and Answers
What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
After that rant I have to say the restaurant food is good here. The diplomatic zones have some very good and very fancy restaurants. Good steaks, sushi, chinese, indian, fast food, pizza, burgers, etc. There are American style places with burgers and milkshakes, some semblance of mexican food, bao buns, a nice variety. Food Panda delivers most food except for the fancy places. I enjoy the local food too, especially the fried stuff. - Jul 2023
The lack of good, international restaurants is a real disadvantage to Dhaka. Even before the plague shut everything down, this was a tough place for foodies. The international clubs (American club, British club, Nordic club) are the main hangouts for foreigners. Food Panda is the go-to for food delivery. - Dec 2021
FoodPanda is the main food delivery app. PizzaRoma is the best pizza in town! Holey Bakery and Izumi are also very popular. - Sep 2021
Food Panda is great, as is Hungry Naki. You can also find restaurants that deliver. - Jun 2019
Lots of options. there are some nice but expensive restaurants, but the average middle of the road options are also good. - Jul 2018
While many good restaurants can be found throughout the diplomatic enclave, including some excellent Thai, Chinese and other venues, Embassy staff are allowed to visit only one local restaurant. Food delivery services are available. - Apr 2017
There are a few high-quality restaurants, although the choices have decreased since the Embassy community is now restricted to a small part of the diplomatic zone. Food Panda, Hungry Naki, and some individual restaurants will deliver. - Jun 2016
Nando's Peri Peri, Pizza Hut, Gloria Jean's, Pizza Roma, and lots of good Indian restaurants (Lucknow, Khazana, Tarka, Roll Express, etc). Other good restaurants include O Kitchen/Holey Bakery (continental/Spanish), Izumi (Japanese), Bistro E (Continental), Turkish Bazaar, Soi 71 (Thai), Bamboo Shoot (Chinese), Goong the Castle (Korean), and some others. Nearly every place delivers. All these restaurants are slightly cheaper than DC prices. You can obviously get inexpensive restaurant food here, but it's better to pay more for quality ingredients. - May 2016
Yes, but be careful about contaminated food. - Jun 2015
yes - US$10 will get you a fancy dinner. - Mar 2015
Pizza Hut, and lots of other local chains like fried chicken places. I could spend US$25 for a family of 4 ordering delivery. - Sep 2014
No U.S. chains. I ate at a "KFC" clone and got sick. - Aug 2014
Pizza Hut, A&W, KFC, Pizza Roma, Nandos, BBQ (Korean chain), Gloria Jeans (Austalian chain), lots of local restaurants deliver an hour after you call to order. Prices are about half what you'd pay in the U.S., except at U.S. chains, where price is equivalent. Rumor has it Burger King is coming. - Jul 2014
There are lots of Indian, Thai, and Korean places to go. For American food, your best bet is the American Club, though there is an A&W and KFC. Fried chicken is very popular here. Meals can run you from US$5 to $50, with an average night out running in the US$15/person range. New restaurants are popping up all the time. We just got a Dunkin Donuts knock-off and have a couple Nando's. - Aug 2013
KFC; CP Chicken (from Thailand); Pizza Hut. - Apr 2013
Three fast food chains are in the area: KFC, Pizza Hut and A&W. All are mediocre, but are priced like in the US. Lot of local food, but we do not eat it for fear of stomach problems. There is the occasional nice meal out, affordable. - Aug 2011
KFC, Pizza Hut, and A&W for fast food. The latter is horrible though. KFC and Pizza Hut aren't too bad. No other american known restaurants, but there have been some decent restaurants opening up in the past year. - Jun 2011
There are a handful of decent restaurants which have just opened in the last year and a half:Soi 71 (Thai), Mainland China, the 8 (fusion Euro-Asian), Roll Express (local), Khazana (Indian), Izumi (Japanese), Wasabi (pan-Asian), Fourchetta (Pizza), as well as a few more Japanese and Korean places. Generally, if you're looking for good tasting food that won't make you sit, not at plastic tables underneath flourescent lights, you're going to pay dearly for the privilege: $25-$50 per person is not uncommon, which is truly an outrageous sum in any other context in Bangladesh. - Feb 2011
KFC and Pizza Hut (not good) are here and about the same price as in the States. There are good Thai, Korean and Western restaurants which are expensive. Local Bangladeshi food is quite cheap. - Jan 2011
Very few good options. For instance, there is only one decent Chinese restaurant, one decent Italian restaurant, one decent Indian restaurant, one decent Thai restaurant, a good steakhouse and several Korean restaurants. This in a city of 16+ million persons. Though it is not an Islamic Republic and 20 percent of the population or so is not Muslim, alcohol is not sold in restaurants or shops. - Jan 2011
Nando's, Pizza Hut, and KFC are all here. I'd say they were all relatively inexpensive. There's also a deli at the Westin Hotel that is pretty decent, offering good coffees and sandwiches to go. The clubs all serve food. The American Club recently redid its menu and has improved its selections. The Nordic Club is also a good place to go for food. Other notable restaurants include Khazan (Indian) and Spaghetti Jazz (Italian).The sit-down restaurants at the Westin are good (but expensive) and brunch is available both there and at the Radisson. Outside of the International Clubs and the Westin, alcohol can be hard to come by, but many places do allow you to bring your own. - Oct 2010
A&W, KFC, BFC, and Pizza Hut are all in Dhaka. Overall, western brands are limited. However, there are many good restaurants at great prices for Indian, Thai, and Bengali foods. Less so for Italian and Japanese. - Apr 2010
There is KFC, Pizza Hut, A&W, and Nando's (plus lots of local knock-offs).There are many restaurants but few good ones. Dinner at the most expensive restaurants (other than the ones at international hotels) runs about $15/person--no alcohol, but you can bring your own. - Oct 2009
Pizza Hut, KFC, and A&W are here. There is also a Nando's. The cost is slightly less than the States. For decent restaurants you can find Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Bangla-Fusion, and Italian. There is a Tex-Mex place, but it's awful. Curry is not a spice that belongs in a taco! - Aug 2009
There is a Pizza Hut, but I have never been. Most of the fast food chains here are knock offs. The best legit fast food chain here is Nando's. Many of the local restaurants are quite good and have a variety to choose from - Korean, Japanese, Indian, Thai, even Tex-Mex. - Mar 2009
More and more, western-style restaurants are available. They have trouble duplicating textures and flavors we expect, but when those cravings strike, it will do. - Nov 2008
Pizza hut and KFC. - Oct 2008
KFC, Pizza Hut, A&W, plus many good restaurants. - Mar 2008
The restaurant scene is improving. There are literally thousands upon thousands of restaurants - though many have the same menu of Chinese-Thai-Indian food. There are good restaurants and I have yet to get sick from the food here. The good restaurants tend to run about US$10 per person for a good meal. - Feb 2008
