Nepali Food Guide: 30 Dishes to Try in Kathmandu, on the Trail and Beyond

Ask any trekker what they remember most about Nepal, and after the mountains and the people, many will mention the food: the steaming plate of dal bhat after a long day on the trail, the first bite of juicy momos in a Kathmandu café, the sweet, milky chiya at a roadside tea stall. Nepali cuisine is simple, hearty and full of flavour, shaped by the country's geography and its many cultures: Indian influences in the Terai, Tibetan traditions in the mountains and the rich, festive cooking of the Newar people of the Kathmandu Valley.

Our team eats these dishes every day, at home, in the office and on the trail. Here are the dishes to try, what you'll eat on a trek, where we go for the best food, and how to eat well without getting ill.

The foundation: dal bhat tarkari

Nepal's national meal is dal bhat tarkari: steamed rice (bhat), lentil soup (dal) and vegetable curry (tarkari). It is usually served with achar (a spicy pickle, often tomato, radish or mango), sautéed greens (saag), a papad and sometimes meat curry, yoghurt or fried vegetables. Most Nepali families eat dal bhat twice a day, in the late morning and the evening, and it is the backbone of every trekking lodge menu.

What makes dal bhat special is its variety. Every family and every region has its own version. Dal can be made from black lentils, yellow lentils or split peas, flavoured with garlic, cumin, turmeric and jimbu, a Himalayan herb. Tarkari changes with the seasons: potatoes and cauliflower in winter, pumpkin and beans in summer. In restaurants and teahouses, dal bhat usually comes with free refills of rice, dal and vegetables, so you can eat until you are full. As trekkers and porters say: "Dal bhat power, 24 hour."

How to eat dal bhat like a local

Nepalis traditionally eat with the right hand, pouring dal over the rice, mixing it with vegetables and pickle, and lifting it to the mouth with the fingers. The left hand is never used for eating. Spoons and forks are always available for visitors, and no one will mind if you use them, but trying it the local way is part of the experience.

Momos: Nepal's favourite snack

Momos are dumplings of Tibetan origin, now the most popular snack in Nepal. A thin dough wrapper is filled with minced buffalo, chicken, pork or vegetables, spiced with onion, garlic, ginger and coriander, then steamed, fried or served in a spicy soup (jhol momo). They come with a tomato-sesame chutney that ranges from mild to fiery. You can find momos everywhere, from street stalls to smart restaurants, and every Nepali has an opinion on where to find the best. Try C-momo (chilli momo), tossed in a spicy sauce, and kothey momo, pan-fried on one side.

Newari cuisine: the feasts of the Kathmandu Valley

The Newar people of the Kathmandu Valley have one of the richest culinary traditions in South Asia, with hundreds of dishes, many prepared for festivals and rituals. Must-try dishes include:

• Samay baji: a ceremonial platter of beaten rice (chiura), spiced buffalo meat (choila), black soybeans, boiled egg, ginger, garlic, potato salad and pickles, traditionally eaten with rice wine.
• Bara (wo): savoury lentil pancakes, sometimes topped with egg or minced meat.
• Chatamari: a thin rice-flour crêpe, often called "Newari pizza", topped with egg, meat or vegetables.
• Choila: grilled buffalo or chicken marinated in spices and mustard oil.
• Kachila: spiced raw minced buffalo, a delicacy for the adventurous.
• Yomari: a sweet steamed dumpling of rice flour filled with molasses and sesame, eaten especially at the Yomari Punhi festival in December.
• Juju dhau: Bhaktapur's famous "king of curds", a rich, sweet yoghurt set in clay pots.

Try Newari food in traditional restaurants in Patan, Bhaktapur, Kirtipur and Kathmandu's old town, where you often sit on floor cushions and drink local rice wine.

Thakali cuisine: the best dal bhat in Nepal?

The Thakali people of the Kali Gandaki valley in Mustang are famous for their hospitality and cooking, and their version of dal bhat, the Thakali thali or Thakali set, is considered by many the finest in Nepal. It includes rice or buckwheat dhido, black lentil dal, several vegetable curries, gundruk (fermented greens), pickles, ghee and often meat curry, all served in brass dishes. Thakali restaurants are found throughout Nepal, especially in Pokhara and Kathmandu, and on the Annapurna Circuit in Marpha and Jomsom.

Tibetan and mountain food

In the mountains, Tibetan and Sherpa influences dominate the menu:

• Thukpa: a hearty noodle soup with vegetables or meat, perfect on a cold evening.
• Thenthuk: hand-pulled noodle soup.
• Tibetan bread: fried flat bread, often eaten with honey or jam for breakfast.
• Tsampa: roasted barley flour, mixed with butter tea or eaten as porridge.
• Riki kur: Sherpa potato pancakes served with yak butter or cheese.
• Sherpa stew (shyakpa): a thick stew of vegetables and hand-made noodles.
• Yak cheese: made in the Langtang and Khumbu regions, firm and slightly smoky.
• Butter tea (po cha): salty tea churned with yak butter, an acquired taste but warming at altitude.

Food on the trail: what trekkers eat

Teahouse menus on the main trekking routes are surprisingly varied, offering Nepali, Tibetan and Western dishes. A typical day of trekking food looks like this:

Meal	Popular choices
Breakfast	Porridge, muesli, eggs, pancakes, Tibetan bread, chapati, toast
Lunch	Dal bhat, fried rice, fried noodles, noodle soup, potatoes, momos
Dinner	Dal bhat, pasta, pizza, Sherpa stew, spring rolls, thukpa
Snacks	Chocolate bars, biscuits, apple pie, popcorn
Drinks	Milk tea, black tea, ginger lemon honey, hot lemon, coffee, hot chocolate

Prices rise with altitude because everything is carried up by porters and animals. We recommend a vegetarian diet above about 3,000 m, because meat is carried up for days without refrigeration. Garlic soup is a popular choice at altitude, believed locally to help with acclimatisation. Read more in our guide to teahouse trekking.

Street food and snacks

• Sel roti: a ring-shaped sweet rice bread, crispy outside and soft inside, especially at Dashain and Tihar.
• Samosa and pakoda: fried snacks influenced by Indian cuisine.
• Chatpate: a spicy, tangy mix of puffed rice, potatoes, onions, chilli and lemon.
• Pani puri (golgappa): crispy hollow balls filled with spiced water and potato.
• Sekuwa: skewers of spiced meat grilled over charcoal.
• Aloo chop: spiced potato fritters.
• Makai (roasted corn): sold on street corners and by lakes in the monsoon.

Sweets and desserts

• Juju dhau: Bhaktapur's king of curds.
• Kheer: rice pudding with milk, sugar and cardamom.
• Lalmohan and rasbari: soft milk dumplings in syrup.
• Jeri (jalebi): spirals of fried batter soaked in syrup, often eaten for breakfast with swari bread.
• Barfi and laddu: milk and flour sweets offered at temples and festivals.
• Yomari: the Newari sweet dumpling.

Drinks

• Chiya: milky, sweet tea, sometimes spiced with ginger, cardamom and cinnamon (masala chiya).
• Lassi: a yoghurt drink, sweet or salted.
• Nepali coffee: grown in the hills of Gulmi, Palpa and Kavre.
• Ilam tea: high-quality tea from the eastern hills, similar to Darjeeling.
• Raksi: strong distilled spirit made from millet or rice.
• Chhyang (chang): a mild, cloudy rice or millet beer.
• Tongba: fermented millet in a wooden vessel, topped with hot water and sipped through a bamboo straw, a speciality of eastern Nepal.
• Local beers: Everest, Gorkha, Nepal Ice and others.

Vegetarian and vegan travellers

Nepal is one of the easiest countries in Asia for vegetarians. Many Nepalis are vegetarian for religious reasons, and dal bhat, vegetable curries, momos, noodles and many other dishes come in vegetarian versions everywhere. Vegans need to be careful with ghee (clarified butter), milk in tea, yoghurt and paneer, but most cooks will adapt dishes if you ask. On treks, tell your guide your dietary needs; they will order for you and explain to lodge owners.

Food safety tips

• Eat freshly cooked, hot food.
• Choose busy restaurants and stalls with high turnover.
• Avoid raw salads and unpeeled fruit unless you know they were washed in treated water.
• Drink only boiled, filtered or bottled water, and avoid ice of unknown origin.
• Wash your hands or use sanitiser before eating.
• On treks, eat vegetarian at altitude.
• Carry rehydration salts in case of stomach upsets.

Where to eat in Kathmandu and Pokhara

In Kathmandu, Thamel is full of restaurants serving everything from Nepali to Italian, Korean and Israeli food. For Newari food, head to Patan, Bhaktapur, Kirtipur or the old streets around Asan and Indra Chowk. Boudhanath has excellent Tibetan restaurants. For momos, ask your guide: every Nepali has a favourite hole-in-the-wall. In Pokhara, Lakeside has lakeside restaurants, bakeries and Thakali kitchens. Have a look at our Kathmandu and Pokhara guides.

Cooking classes

A cooking class is the best way to take Nepali food home with you. Several cooking schools in Kathmandu and Pokhara offer half-day classes, often including a visit to a local market, where you learn to make momos, dal bhat, curries and chutneys. Some classes are held in family homes, adding a cultural experience.

Food and culture: etiquette at the table

Food in Nepal is closely tied to religion and social customs. In traditional Hindu households, food touched by someone else's mouth or plate (jutho) is considered impure, so do not offer food from your plate or drink from someone else's bottle. Use your right hand for eating and passing food. It is polite to accept a second helping when offered, and to finish what is on your plate. Beef is not eaten by most Hindus, as the cow is sacred; buffalo meat ("buff") is used instead in many dishes. If invited to a Nepali home, you may be served first and generously; accept with thanks.

A day of eating in Kathmandu

To give you a taste of how Nepalis eat, here is what a typical food day in Kathmandu might look like. The morning starts early with a glass of sweet, milky chiya and perhaps a biscuit or a piece of sel roti from a tea stall. Around 9 or 10 a.m. comes the first proper meal: a big plate of dal bhat at home or in a local bhojanalaya (canteen). In the afternoon, people snack on momos, chatpate, samosas or chowmein, often with another glass of tea. In the evening, the second dal bhat is served around 7 or 8 p.m., sometimes with meat curry on special days. For Newar families in the old city, snacks and meals may include beaten rice, bara and choila, and on festival days, elaborate feasts. Try following this rhythm for a day and you will see the city differently.

Regional flavours across Nepal

Nepal's geography creates distinct regional cuisines. In the Terai lowlands, food is closer to that of northern India, with rotis, spicy curries, fish from the rivers, and sweets such as rasbari and peda. The Tharu people of the western and central Terai have their own dishes, including dhikri (steamed rice-flour dumplings) and snail curry (ghonghi). In the middle hills, dal bhat, gundruk (fermented leafy greens), dhido (a thick porridge of buckwheat or millet flour) and local vegetables dominate. The Limbu and Rai communities of eastern Nepal are known for tongba and pork dishes, while Gurung and Magar communities in the west enjoy smoked meats and local spirits. In the mountains, Tibetan and Sherpa staples such as tsampa, potatoes, yak products and noodle soups keep people warm and energetic at altitude.

Dhido and gundruk: food of the hills

Two dishes are central to traditional hill cooking. Dhido is a thick, dough-like porridge made by stirring buckwheat, millet or maize flour into boiling water, eaten with dal, curry and pickle. It is filling, nutritious and healthier than white rice, and it has become fashionable in Kathmandu restaurants. Gundruk is made by fermenting and drying the leaves of mustard, radish or cauliflower, a traditional way to preserve greens for the winter. It is used in a tangy soup or pickle, and its sour flavour is loved by Nepalis. Try both in a Thakali or traditional Nepali restaurant.

Food souvenirs to take home

• Ilam tea: high-quality black, green and white teas from eastern Nepal.
• Nepali coffee: organic, shade-grown coffee from the middle hills.
• Timur: Nepal's Sichuan pepper, with a lemony, tingling flavour.
• Jimbu: a dried Himalayan herb used to flavour dal.
• Himalayan salt and spices: from Thamel and Asan markets.
• Dried yak cheese (chhurpi): extremely hard, chewed slowly as a snack.
• Marpha apple brandy and dried apples: from Mustang.

Check your home country's rules on importing food before you buy.

Eating well on a trek

Eating enough on a trek is as important as fitness. At altitude, appetite often drops, but your body needs more energy to walk and keep warm. Our guides recommend eating a big breakfast, such as porridge with honey or eggs and Tibetan bread, snacking regularly during the day, and choosing carbohydrate-rich meals like dal bhat, pasta or potatoes for dinner. Drink plenty of fluids, including soups and tea. Bring some snacks from Kathmandu, such as energy bars, nuts and dried fruit, as they are more expensive on the trail. And listen to your guide's advice on which lodges serve the best food along the route.

Food and health: dealing with stomach upsets

Stomach upsets are the most common health complaint among travellers in Nepal, usually from contaminated water or food. Most are mild and pass in a day or two with rest, fluids and rehydration salts. Eat plain foods such as rice, toast and soup while recovering. If symptoms are severe, include blood or fever, or last more than two days, see a doctor; clinics in Kathmandu, Pokhara and larger trekking villages can help, and your guide will know where to go. Prevention is best: wash your hands, drink treated water and eat freshly cooked food.

Momo culture: how Nepal fell in love with dumplings

Momos arrived in Nepal with Tibetan traders and Newar merchants who travelled between Kathmandu and Lhasa, and they were once a speciality of Tibetan and Newar communities. Over the past few decades, they have become Nepal's favourite fast food, sold in tiny shops, street stalls, school canteens and upscale restaurants alike. Kathmandu even holds momo festivals and competitions. Buffalo meat ("buff") momos are the most traditional in the Kathmandu Valley, chicken and vegetable momos are popular everywhere, and creative versions such as cheese, chocolate and "jhol" momos in a sesame-tomato broth show how the dish keeps evolving. Ask any Nepali where to find the best momos and you will get a passionate answer, and probably a different one from each person.

Eating with locals: homestays and village meals

One of the best ways to experience Nepali food is to eat with a family. On treks such as the Tamang Heritage Trail and in villages such as Ghandruk, Sirubari or Briddim, homestays let you share home-cooked meals in the family kitchen, often around a wood fire. You might help to make momos, grind spices, churn butter tea or pick vegetables from the garden. Meals are simple but made with fresh local ingredients, and eating together is a chance to learn about daily life, farming and customs. Your guide will translate and help you connect with your hosts.

Food prices in Nepal

Item	Kathmandu (local place)	Tourist restaurant	Trekking lodge (high)
Dal bhat	US$2–4	US$5–8	US$10–14
Plate of momos	US$1.50–3	US$4–6	US$7–10
Cup of chiya	US$0.25–0.50	US$1–2	US$2–4
Local beer	US$3–4	US$4–6	US$7–10

Nepal is very affordable for eating out, especially in local places, and even tourist restaurants are good value by international standards.

Useful food phrases in Nepali

English	Nepali
Delicious	Mitho chha
Not spicy, please	Piro nahalnus
A little spicy	Ali ali piro
I am vegetarian	Ma sakahari hu
Water	Pani
Tea	Chiya
More, please	Ali thap dinus
Enough, thank you	Pugyo, dhanyabad
The bill, please	Bill dinus

Nepalis love it when visitors try a few words, and "mitho chha" said to a cook or lodge owner always brings a smile.

Our favourite food experiences

We asked our team to name their favourite food experiences for visitors. Top of the list was a Newari feast in a traditional restaurant in Patan or Kirtipur, sitting on cushions and trying a dozen small dishes. Next came a Thakali dal bhat in Marpha or Jomsom after crossing the Thorong La, and a plate of steaming momos in a tiny shop in Kathmandu's old town. Several guides mentioned apple pie at the bakeries of Namche Bazaar and Manang, and yak cheese at Kyanjin Gompa. And everyone agreed on one thing: the first dal bhat after a long day on the trail tastes better than any meal in the world.

Coffee and café culture

Kathmandu and Pokhara have a thriving café culture, with independent coffee shops serving espresso made from Nepali beans grown in the hills of Gulmi, Palpa, Kavre and Nuwakot. Many cafés work directly with smallholder farmers, and some offer tastings. Even on the trekking trails, bakeries in Namche Bazaar, Manang and Ghorepani serve cappuccinos and cakes, a welcome treat after a long day. Nepali coffee is mostly organic, grown in shade at altitude, and makes an excellent souvenir.

Breakfast in Nepal

Nepali families traditionally start the day with tea and a light snack, eating the first proper meal in the late morning. In cities, breakfast might be chiura (beaten rice) with yoghurt, sel roti, puri with curried potatoes, or jeri and swari from a street stall. On treks and in tourist hotels, you will find porridge, eggs, pancakes, toast and Tibetan bread.

Food and festivals

Every Nepali festival has its special foods. During Dashain, families feast on goat meat and sel roti. At Tihar, sweets and sel roti are exchanged and offered. Yomari Punhi in December celebrates the harvest with yomari dumplings. Maghe Sankranti in January brings sesame sweets, sweet potatoes, yam and ghee. During Teej, women feast the night before a day of fasting. Visiting during a festival is a great way to taste special dishes. See our guide to Nepal's festivals.