Must-Try Food In Nepal: Your Guide To Delicious Nepalese Cuisine (2024)

Nepal, a land of high mountains, rich culture and numerous Hindu and Buddhist shrines, also boasts a flavourful and diverse culinary heritage. Influenced by neighbouring countries like India, China, and Tibet, Nepal’s food and cuisine reflect the country’s diverse ethnic groups, terrain, and climate.

The Himalayan region, known for its cold weather, has shaped the local cuisine. Hearty staples like buckwheat, millet, high-altitude rice, and beans are commonly consumed to provide warmth and sustenance. Local favourites include soup, thukpa ( Tibetan noodle soup), tea and strong alcohols like rice beer. This guide takes you on a culinary adventure across Nepal, introducing you to the must-try dishes and regional specialities.

Also, plan your culinary adventure with our guide to the best time to visit Nepal.

Nepalese cuisine: Delicious foods to try in Nepal

The best and most ubiquitous food in Nepal is Dal Bhaat — rice and lentils served with vegetables or meat — a comfort food that can be found almost everywhere in the country. The Newari community in Kathmandu Valley also consume a lot of buffalo meat. Choyyla — buffalo meat marinated in spices and grilled — is the most popular meat dish in the country.

Ring-shaped Sel rotis made from flour (deep-fried doughnuts), are the most popular street food usually enjoyed as breakfast in Nepal. Bara pancake, made from lentils and a choice of egg, vegetables or meat, is another popular food in Nepal. Chatamari is their version of a pizza made from rice flour – pancakes topped with meat pieces, eggs, cheese, and vegetables. Juju dhau is a sweet curd made from buffalo milk set in mud pots and an essential part of the Nepalese diet.

Also read | An Epic Nepal Itinerary To Trek Through Adventure And Culture In The Land of Himalayas

Samay Baji is their traditional signature dish, usually served in festivals, where varieties of beans, aalu saag, chhoyela (grilled meat), puffed rice, egg, achaar or pickles and vegetables are put together on a platter and served. Yomari — steamed dumplings filled with jaggery or molasses and crushed sesame seed, cashew nuts and grated coconut — is a popular dessert in Nepal.

Momo (steamed dumplings) filled with meat or vegetables are found all over Nepal, served as street food and in restaurants. Rice beer called Ailais prepared in every household and had by all.

Thakali cuisine, originating from the Pokhara and Mustang regions of Nepal, reflects the unique lifestyle and culinary traditions of the Thakali people. Known for their trading activities and high-altitude living, the Thakali people have developed a distinctive cuisine that incorporates dried ingredients and bold flavours. Typically, a Thakali thali includes dried goat and yak meat, green leafy vegetables fermented with soybean (locally called gundruk), alongside buckwheat, barley flour, and a spiced tomato pickle. Timur, a spicy Himalayan pepper obtained from the dried outer pod of the berry of a tree in the prickly ash family, is used to flavour soups, vegetables and gravies, giving a distinct flavour to Thakali food in Nepal.

The Tharu people, an indigenous group inhabiting the southern foothills and inner Terai region of Nepal, have a rich culinary heritage shaped by their unique environment and lifestyle. Living near fertile river floodplains and forests, their cuisine features a variety of fresh produce, including rice and wild ingredients. Fish, crabs, snails, mussels and other river food are central to the Tharu food culture in Nepal, alongside a lot of taro, legumes, wild vegetables and mushrooms. Bhakka, a popular snack of the Tharu community of eastern Nepal, is a fluffy steamed rice cake typically enjoyed with freshly made chutney or achaar. Ghonghi (mud-water snails found in paddy fields and streams) is a much-loved delicacy. This community makes their desserts using sesame seeds and jaggery.

Explore our guide to the best hill stations in Nepal.

Best drinks to savour in Nepal

Made from grains like millet, rice and barley, alcoholic drinks like Chyang, Raksi, and Aila are deeply rooted in the country’s customs and served at religious rituals, festivals, and social gatherings. While Chiya, Nepal’s tea, is a staple, herbal teas made from plants and spices have been a part of traditional Nepali medicine for centuries.

Top restaurants to try Nepal’s delicious food

Some of the best restaurants to try Nepali food and cuisine are located in Kathmandu and across Nepal. Have a meal at Krishnarpan Restaurant at Dwarika’s in Kathmandu, where several courses from different regions of the country are served on metal platters. Another great place to eat with a Chef’s table is the rooftop restaurant at The Nanee boutique hotel in Bhaktapur.

Have a Thakali platter at Jimbu Thakali by Capital Grill at Patan. Raithanee is another good restaurant in Pathan with vegan options. Nectar by Carpediem is a rooftop restaurant in Thamel that promises multi-cuisine options from Nepali to Chinese. For a meal with a view, head to the Dwarika’s Resort in Dhulikhel.

Have a meal at the Tiger Mountain Lodge in Pokhara, where Nepali and international food is served on the terrace with a view. Have a pizza at Soul Origin Café and Restaurant in Pokhara, or a Nepali thali at The Sanctuary Resort in Chitwan, with an assortment of vegetables and meat dishes, dals and rice.

shop the best travel experiences here

(Feature Image Credit: Antara.upadhyay7, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Related: Kathmandu, Mount Everest And Beyond: Discover The Best Places To See In Nepal

Note:
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
We may earn an affiliate commission when you shop through links on our site.

Written By