There are a host of restaurants in Thamel, the tourist area of Kathmandu, serving a plethora of international cuisines. Nepali chefs are known for their quality and often employed as such in India. If you like the food then I suggest tending toward Indian or Nepali cuisine. The food in Thamel is generally high quality, though, if you’re worried about the bill, watch out for ‘extras’ like VAT tax and service charges likely ‘to be added’ in tourist spots.

Try scrolling through the following sites for some ideas; the excellent Lonely Planet and consumer-rated Trip Advisor lists.

Breakfast can be had at the excellent New Orleans Cafe in Mandala Street (central Thamel), though it gets very crowded in the evening.

The 8th floor rooftop restaurant Helena’s in Chaksibari Marg (south Thamel) is also recommended, and not just for breakfast.

The Third Eye Restaurant, Chaksibari Marg (south Thamel), is a great place for Indian food. Highly recommended.

Rosemary’s Kitchen and Coffee Shop, in a small street off Bakbajra Marga (south Thamel), has superb food (at very competitive prices), tasty tea and a great vibe. You must eat here.

Places Restaurant and Bar, Seven Corners (central Thamel), offers a chilled out atmosphere with vegan and other vegetarian food, good music, relaxed vibe, good decor, cushions etc.

Gaia Restaurant and Coffee Shop in Jyata, a small street off Amrt Marg, offers good food and a fine outdoor eating area.

Green Organic Cafe and Farmer’s Bar, Chaksibari Marg (south Thamel and next to the Third Eye) offers a good range of food.

The Funky Buddha Bar, Thamel Bhagawoti Marga (north Thamel), has a fine nouveau cuisine influenced menu plus a large outdoor garden with a funky music playlist.

Bhojan Griha (House of Food) – a short taxi drive from Thamel in Dilli Bazaar – has great Nepali and Newari food with ‘traditional’ music and costumes for culture vultures. The traditional 150-year-old building was rescued from decay. A meal here will cost you about US$ 25 per person.

For more up-market eating the excellent restaurant at Dwarika’s Hotel (Pashupatinath) may set you back US$ 100 or so.

If you want to eat local and cheap there is an excellent Thali restaurant, Thakali Bhancha, where you can eat till your stomach’s content, just inside Z Street (north Thamel). Next to the Funky Buddha Bar is the small garden of the excellent Muktinath Thakali, over the road is BK’s Place, a Tibetan momo and French fries restaurant, and further down (east) the same street is the Momostar. The recommended Yangling Tibetan Restaurant is in Saatghunti Chowk (northern Thamel). Down a small alley, just south of the one leading to the Kathmandu Guest House, past the Pub Maya, but before the Hotel Himalayan Yoga, is the small friendly hip Namo Buddha Bar/Restaurant. Shree Lal House of Vegetarian Restaurant, Jyatha Road (south Thamel) is noted for its Indian dishes.

Nepal has plenty of good bakeries, try the one on the right of the entrance to the Mandap Hotel, Chaksibari Marg (north Thamel).

For superb homemade yak’s cheese try Namaste Cold Store, a mom and pop’s shop, opposite the Yangling Restaurant, Saatghunti Chowk (northern Thamel).

Outside of Thamel;

Overlooking the Buddhist Stupa La Casita De Boudhanath is an excellent Spanish restaurant/bar. Chez Caroline is a charming French restaurant with a varied menu popular with ex-pats though not cheap by local standards. Nepali Chulo is a Nepali food and culture restaurant in the Grand Old Building of the Phora Durbar, a 157-year-old former Rana Palace, where most people choose the set menu (about US$ 10) of 11 dishes.

Ditto elsewhere in the Kathmandu Valley; the Lonely Planet list.

Ditto Pokhara; the Lonely Planet and Trip Advisor lists.

Map of Thamel
Map of Kathmandu
Map of the Kathmandu Valley
Map of Pokhara
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