Nepal

• Kathmandu

  Kathmandu is the bursting-at-the-seams capital of Nepal, at once forward-looking and provincial, trendy and traditional, surrounded by some of the world’s most spectacular beauty and wallowing in its own filth. Visitors to Nepal, unless coming overland from India, must pass through Kathmandu, as it’s home to the only international airport in the country. And while many leave its dust-clogged arteries as soon as possible after arriving, heeding the call of the Himalaya just beyond the city’s northern rim, those who stay a while discover why this is the kind of place people come to on a quick backpacking trip and wake up in 40 years later, having never left. Its culture is ancient, and so is its food, with just the right amount of contemporary.

  It’s often mistakenly said that Nepali food is similar to Indian, perhaps because both cuisines feature spiced curries. While both Indian and Nepali food vary according to region and the ethnic group preparing it, generally speaking Nepali food is less reliant on butter, cream, milk, and heavy sauces than Indian food. You won’t find many Nepali curries swimming in rich gravy. Instead, you’ll be served whole ingredients that have been freshly cooked with a plethora of spices. That doesn’t always mean that Nepali food is hot with chili, though—many Nepali meals are served with a fiery hot sauce on the side, so you can choose your own spice levels. That rule, however, goes out the window when it comes to Newari food.

  Newari cuisine is so hot that even non-Newari Nepalis sometimes struggle—or at least break out into a sweat. With copious lashings of fresh chopped chili in almost everything, Newari food is not for the faint of heart. The Newars are the “original” inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley, a distinct ethnic group with their own language and traditions, and they are masters of spice. Casual observers often mistake the Newari-infused culture, architecture, and food of Kathmandu for Nepali culture at large. But the Newars are simply one of the many ethnic groups of Nepal, and their large numbers in Kathmandu mean the city has developed its own distinct food scene that blends the best of both Newari and other Nepali cuisines. For travelers with an adventurous palate, a whole new culinary world awaits in Kathmandu. It’s not Indian, it’s not Chinese … it’s distinctly Nepali.

  Click below to find the best Nepali and Newari dishes in Kathmandu.
  
  Nepal text by Elen Turner
  Kathmandu food photos by Eva Gies
  
   

  Kathmandu is the bursting-at-the-seams capital of Nepal, at once forward-looking and provincial, trendy and traditional, surrounded by some of the world’s most spectacular beauty and wallowing in its own filth. Visitors to Nepal, unless coming overland from India, must pass through Kathmandu, as it’s home to the only international airport in the country. And while many leave its dust-clogged arteries…   Read more

   

  Find local foods in Kathmandu.

  Yomari

  Dal bhat

  Chiura

  Chatpate

  Badam sadheko

• User Content

Below is user-submitted content for this region. Have something to contribute? Upload your regional-food photo or food memory.

• 

  Chicken Chili

  Kohalpur
  ssoloman
• 

  Aloo Paneer

  Kohalpur
  ssoloman
• 

  Sekuwa

  Kohalpur
  ssoloman
• 

  Nepalese Vegetarian Thali

  Pokhara
  ccella

• • Buffalo on the Ceiling, Pancakes on the Floor

    hamsandwichindicted
    behind the Krishna Mandir Temple, Patan, Kathmandu, Nepal
    

    On a street in Patan, Kathmandu, down a low passageway between two buildings that opens into a smoky room, is one of the best restaurants in Nepal. You may initially think that you've wand…    Read more