Kathmandu Restaurants
and Places to Eat
In Kathmandu there is one of the best selections of
good restaurants in Southeast Asia. There are restaurants that serve
Nepali, Tibetan, Indian, Chinese, Italian, Japanese and Mexican. Many
places have pizza, pasta, enchilada, pies and cakes. It is possible
to get first-class traditional meals. You can often get a good meal
at a budget restaurant for less than Rs 200. A meal in the most expensive
restaurant will usually be less than $20 per person. The more expensive
hotels have a 10% to 15% government tax. It is normal to tip in the
higher priced restaurants. 10% is normal. Often a service charge is
tacked onto your bill in more expensive restaurants. You should check
for this before leaving a tip.
Many of the best and most expensive restaurants are at the Durbar
Marg area and at the most expensive hotels.
Cheap is under Rs 150, Low is Rs 150 to Rs 250, Medium is Rs 250 to
Rs 500, and High over Rs 500, not including drinks. At some of the
high-class place you should make a booking for dinner.
Not many of the places are pure vegetarian, but most places serve
some vegetarian food.
Thamel
Skala, Thamel, three minutes down the road from the Kathmandu Guest
House, on the left, is a good vegetarian place that Indian, soups,
salads and imaginative veg dishes. It has a peaceful garden.
Nirmala, a couple minute walk north of the Kathmandu Guest House,
is a good vegetarian place. Low.
Northfields Café, near the Pilgrims Bookshop north of the Kathmandu
Guest House, has good breakfasts and Mexican food. It has a nice garden.
It is managed by Mike from Mike’s Breakfast in Naxal. Low to
Medium.
Pilgrims Feed N Read, behind the Pilgrims Book House just north of
Kathmandu Guest House, is a laid-back place with both outdoor and
indoor place to eat. It has South Indian, Tibetan, tandoori and sandwiches.
Low.
G’s Terrace, on top of Pilgrims Book House, is pleasant, well-managed
place that has among other dishes some authentic German preparations.
Mains dishes are Rs 150 to Rs 250. Medium.
Las Kus Restaurant, at the Kathmandu Guest House, is a popular place
with good food. It has good breakfasts and traditional Tibetan dishes.
Brezel Bakery, opposite the Kathmandu Guest House, has baked goods
and snacks. It has a pleasant rooftop terrace with an interesting
view of the street below.
Nargila Restaurant, a little down the road, is upstairs. It serves
Middle Eastern food, such as falafel for Rs 100 and hummus for Rs
70. It does a pretty good job at it.
Casa Della Pasta, close to the Kathmandu Guest House, is a fancy place
with very good Italian food. It has a large TV screen.
KC’s is a popular, friendly place that has good Continental,
sizzlers and deserts. A very good breakfast starts are Rs 120 and
vegetarian lasagna is Rs 200. Medium.
Hilena’s Restaurant, opposite KC’s, has good vegetarian
food, soups, pasta and cakes. Low.
Garden Cafe is a good place for breakfast.
Pumpernickel Bakery, in the same area, is a very popular place with
good sandwiches and baked good including cakes, bread and snacks.
In the back is a pleasant garden. Cheap.
Hot Bread, near the Kathmandu Guest House, has a couplet of places.
One is has seating and the other is for take-out only. It has sandwiches,
pizza, bread and cakes. It is popular. Low.
Le Bistro, next door, is a popular place has café seating and
a garden. It has Indian, Chinese, pizza, Mexican, Italian and Continental.
It has a pleasant outdoor courtyard. It is popular for breakfast.
Main dishes go for Rs 100 to Rs 200.
Tit Bits, in the Hotel Garuda, has sandwiches and cheese.
There are a few places in the Sanchaya Kosh Bhawan Shopping Center
on Tridevi Marg. Fire and Ice is a very good Italian place that serves
pizza, ice cream and other Italian food. It is a very popular place
and should be booked in advance during the high season. It has some
of the best pizzas (Rs 200 to Rs 300) in Kathmandu. Medium.
Dechenling Restaurant, near door, is a good Tibetan place that is
reasonably priced.
La Dolce Vita has some of the best Italian food in Kathmandu. It has
indoor and outdoor seating. It has pizzas, pasta and vegetarian dishes.
It is a little more expensive than most places. Medium
Rum Doodle, north of Kathmandu Guest House, has good Continental food,
pizza, pasta, salad and deserts. It has a garden. Medium.
Krua Thai, further north across from the Hotel Mandap, is an outdoor
Thai place. The food is fairly authentic. A main meal ranges from
Rs 200 to Rs 500.
Tama Fuji, nearby, is a fairly good Japanese place with medium prices.
Alice’s Restaurant, south of the Kathmandu Guest House, has
pancakes and pizza. Medium.
Third Eye (260-478), Chhetrapati, has good Indian food, tandoori food,
salads, soups and continental food. It is a popular long-standing
place with a good atmosphere. It is best to book in advance during
the high-season. In the back there are low table and you seat on the
food and tables in the front. Medium.
Yin Yang (425-510), opposite the Third Eye, has first-class authentic
Thai food, and it serves some of the best Thai food in Kathmandu.
Very popular. During the high-season you have to book a table in advance.
Main dishes are Rs 200 to Rs 400.
Wiesel Bakery, Chhetrapati, down from Third Eye, has good pastries,
breads, cakes, and vegetarian food. It is a pleasant laid-back place
with a garden. Low.
Narayan’s Restaurant, in Chhetrapati, has good breakfasts, pizza,
baked goods and ice cream.
Everest Steak House, near by, is a popular place with pizza and other
items. Medium.
Green Leaves, Chhetrapati, has a nice outdoor location and live music
at night. It has organic salads, good pasta dishes, Tibetan and Indian.
Main dishes Rs 80 to Rs 120. Low.
Utse Restaurant, in the Utse Hotel in Jyatha, is one of the oldest
restaurants in town. It serves very good Chinese, Tibetan food including
momo and soup, and full meals. A full meal is around Rs 400 per person.
Dolma Restaurant, a few doors from the Utse Hotel, is a small place
with good momos for Rs 20 per plate.
Nearby is the Omai Restaurant, which is a decent Japanese place.
Nepalese Kitchen, Chhetrapati, has good Nepali and Continental food.
It has outdoor seating, a fireplace, and often has live music at night.
Low to Medium.
Lhasa, north Thamel, has good Tibetan and Chinese food. Cheap to Medium.
Durbar Marg
Naachghar, in the Hotel Yak & Yeti (413-999, 248-999), has first
class Nepali, Indian and Continental food. There is usually an interesting
cultural program, but you should call in advance to make sure there
is a performance. The dinning room is fancy marble, high ceilings,
and ornate work. Main dishes range from Rs 200 to Rs 500. Expensive.
Chimney Room (248-999), at the Hotel Yak & Yeti, is known for
traditional Russian and continental food. It is a good place with
main dishes for Rs 400 to Rs 1000. It is an atmospheric place with
a central fireplace.
Mangalore Coffee House, upstairs on the corner of Durbar Marg and
Jamal, is a good vegetarian South Indian restaurant. Fairly cheap.
Annapurna Coffee Shop, at the Hotel de l’Annapurna, Western,
Nepali and snacks. A pizza is Rs 300. Medium.
Nirula’s has good ice cream and make a fairly good attempt at
Western food including pizzas. Low.
Wimpy has fairly good vegetarian burgers and other fast-food snacks.
Hot Breads has good baked goods, pizzas and snacks. Low. They also
have branches on New Rd and in Jawalakhel.
Nanglo Cafe & Pub has pizzas (Rs 200), pasta (Rs 100) and Nepali
set meals (Rs 185). It has a popular terrace and a cyber cafe.
Seoul A-ri-ring is a good place with main dishes for Rs 200 to Rs
500. A set meal is Rs 600. Only open for lunch and dinner. It has
a pleasant rooftop.
Baan Thai Restaurant, upstairs, has good Thai food. It has good service.
Medium to High.
Koto (226-025) has good Japanese food. Medium. Main dishes start at
Rs 150. A good value for Japanese food.
Kushi Fuji (220-545) has good Japanese food. High with set meals starting
at Rs 600.
Ghar-e-Kebab (221-711), in front of the Hotel de l’Annapurna,
has very good North Indian and tandoori food, one of the best in Kathmandu.
In the evening there is classical Indian musci and Urdu ghazals. A
full meal is around Rs 1000. High.
Tansen (224-707) is a first class Indian place. High.
Moti Mahal, next door, has very good Tandoori food. Medium with main
dishes for around Rs 200. Upstairs there is the vegetarian Godavari,
which has thali-lunches for Rs 175 and dinner for Rs 200. It has South
Indian food.
Freak Street and Area
There are several good cheap places in this area. Freak Street is
right next to Durbar Square, so these places may be convenient for
lunch.
Paradise, Freak Street, has is vegetarian place with good Indian,
Italian and Mexican food. It has lasagna for Rs 100. Cheap.
Oasis, Freak Street, is a popular place with street-side dining. Good
for breakfast. Cheap to Low.
Cosmopolitan, Freak Street, with a view of Basantapur Square, has
good pasta and salads. Low.
Snowman, Freak Street, has a good selection of baked goods.
Mona Lisa, near Basantapur Square, is a nice place.
Tripti Restaurant, near Ranjana Cinema, just off New Rd, across from
the Nepal Bank, is a good recommended North Indian and South Indian
vegetarian restaurant. Cheap.
Festive Fare, Makhan Tol, next to Durbar Square, has a good rooftop
location next to the Taleju Temple with good view of the Square. It
has decent Nepali and Newari food.
Cafe Culture has good vegetarian food and lasagna. It is a laid-back
place with a pleasant atmosphere. Main dishes Rs 80 to Rs 100.
Diyalo Restaurant, at the Annapurna Lodge, is a popular place that
has good Indian, Chinese and continental food. Main dishes around
Rs 100.
Other Areas
Mike’s Breakfast, Naxal, near the police station, has really
good breakfasts and Western food. It has a pleasant garden. It is
very popular and is recommended. It is a 15-minute walk from the north
end of Durbar Marg. Classical music is played. Open 7 am to 9 pm.
Breakfast start at around Rs 200. Western lunches start at around
Rs 150. Medium.
Delicatessen Center, Kantipath, opposite the Marco Polo Guest House,
has good baked goods, cheeses and salad. Low to Medium.
Fuji (225-272), on Kantipath near the Royal Palace, has good Japanese
and Thai food. It has a great location on the grounds of the Bahadur
Bhawan Palace. Set meals are Rs 500 to Rs 750. Open daily except Monday
for lunch and dinner. Expensive.
Him Thai (418-683), Lazimpath, has good Thai food. Medium.
Angan, corner of Shukra Path and New Road, has good Indian sweet.
Far Pavillions Restaurant, at the Hotel Everest, has very good Indian,
tandoori and set meals (Rs 600). Main dishes are Rs 350 to Rs 800.
Open only in the evening. There are great views from its 7th floor
location.
The Soaltee Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza, in west Kathmandu has a few
excellent restaurants. Al Fresco Italian Restaurant has first-class
Italian food. Pizzas and pastas are around Rs 300. The Himalchuli
Restaurant has real good Indian and Nepali food. It has traditional
Nepali music and has woodcarvings done in Bhaktapur. It is only open
for dinner. Main dishes are Rs 200 to Rs 400.
Nepali Restaurant
There are several places serving traditional Nepali meals. Many of
the places serve set meals and seating is at a low table. Some places
have cultural shows.
Thamel House (410-388) is in an old, interesting traditional Newari
building. It has individual dishes for Rs 75 to Rs 200 and a full
meal is Rs 600. It has a good atmosphere.
Jhigu Thayabhu, in Paknajol, north of Thamel Chowk, has set lunches
for Rs 500. Vegetarian dishes are Rs 40 to Rs 100.
Kathmandu Kitchen, close to the south end of Durbar Marg, has both
floor and table seating. A fixed menu with around ten dishes is $12.
It is a decent value.
Tukche Thakali Kitchen, on Durbar Marg, also has Tibetan dishes. It
has good food and a vegetarian lunch is Rs 150 and full spread dinner
is Rs 450.
Bhojan Griha is in a beautiful 150-year-old house in Dilli Bazaar,
east of the center of the city. A set meal is Rs 1100 plus drinks
and taxes. The seating is both on the floor and at tables. During
the meal traditional musicians and dancers perform.
Krishnarpan Restaurant, in the Dwairka’s Village Hotel on Ring
Rd, has excellent food. It costs $20 for a six course meal and $30
for a 15 course meal.
Bhanchha Ghar (225-172), a little east Durbar Marg, east of the Clock
tower in the Kamaladi area, is in a traditional Newari house. You
first see a short cultural show where the performer wear traditional
Nepali costumes during snacks upstairs while seating of cushions and
carpets. It has very good selection of dishes. Meals are $14 per person
(plus drinks). During the meal musician walk between the tables playing
Nepali folk songs. High.
