Nepali food: ten dishes to try
Ten dishes that tell the story of Nepal's kitchens, from dal bhat and momo to Newari feasts, Thakali sets and Bhaktapur's juju dhau.
By Firfirey editorial. Editorial draft, facts being checked against official sources.
The ten at a glance
Nepal's food varies with altitude, community and season. These ten are a good start:
| Dish | What it is | Where to try it |
|---|---|---|
| Dal bhat (दाल भात) | Rice, lentil soup, vegetable curry, greens and pickle | Everywhere, especially thakali kitchens and teahouses |
| Momo (मम) | Steamed or fried dumplings | Everywhere; jhol momo on a cold evening |
| Sel roti (सेल रोटी) | Ring-shaped sweet rice bread | Festival stalls, hill villages with morning tea |
| Chatamari (चतामरी) | Thin rice-flour crepe with toppings | Newari eateries in Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur |
| Yomari (योमरी) | Steamed rice dumpling with molasses and sesame | Newari sweet shops, especially in December |
| Dhido (ढिडो) | Thick buckwheat or millet porridge | Traditional kitchens and hill homestays |
| Gundruk (गुन्द्रुक) | Fermented, sun-dried leafy greens | As soup or pickle in the hills |
| Thakali set (थकाली खाना) | A refined dal bhat with buckwheat and pickles | Marpha, Jomsom and thakali kitchens in cities |
| Samay baji (समय बजि) | Newari festive plate with beaten rice | Old Patan, Kirtipur and Kathmandu |
| Juju dhau (जुजु धौ) | Sweet buffalo-milk yogurt set in clay pots | Bhaktapur |
Dal bhat
Rice (bhat) and lentil soup (dal), with a seasonal vegetable curry, greens and pickle (achar), is eaten twice a day in much of Nepal. It feeds farmers, porters and office workers alike, and the saying 'dal bhat power, 24 hour' is only half a joke. On a trek it is usually the freshest, most filling order, and refills are normally included.
Momo
Dumplings came to the Kathmandu Valley through Newar merchants trading with Tibet and became a national favourite. They are steamed, fried, or served in jhol, a spiced broth. Fillings range from buffalo and chicken to vegetables and cheese, and everyone has an opinion on who makes the best.
Sel roti
A crisp, ring-shaped bread made from a sweet rice batter poured by hand into hot oil. Families make stacks of it during Dashain and Tihar for guests and offerings, and in the hills it is often eaten with morning tea.
Chatamari and yomari
Both come from the Newar cities of the valley. Chatamari is a thin rice-flour crepe cooked on a griddle and topped with minced meat, egg or vegetables. Yomari is a fish-shaped steamed rice-flour dumpling filled with chaku (molasses) and sesame, made for Yomari Punhi, the full moon in December that marks the end of the rice harvest.
Dhido and gundruk
Before rice spread through the hills, dhido, a thick porridge of buckwheat or millet flour, was the staple, and in high villages it still is. It is eaten by hand, dipped in soup. Gundruk, leafy greens fermented and dried in the winter sun, is the classic partner as a sour soup or pickle. Both are now proudly served in city restaurants too.
The Thakali set
The Thakali people of the Thak Khola, the upper Kali Gandaki valley around Marpha and Tukuche, ran inns on the old salt-trade route between Tibet and India and became known for feeding travellers well. Their set meal, with fine rice or buckwheat, black lentils, dried meat and spiced pickles, is now served across Nepal.
Samay baji
A Newar ritual and festive plate: beaten rice (baji) with smoked buffalo meat, spiced potatoes, black soybeans, boiled egg, ginger and pickles. Each element has a meaning, and the plate opens many Newar celebrations. It is often served with aila, a strong local spirit.
Juju dhau
Bhaktapur's famous 'king of yogurts' is made from buffalo milk and set in unglazed clay pots that draw out some of the whey, leaving it thick and slightly sweet. It is best eaten fresh, the same day, from a clay-pot vendor in the old town.
Questions
Is Nepali food spicy?
Some dishes and pickles are hot, but most meals can be made mild. Say 'piro nahalnus' to ask for no chilli.
Is it easy to eat vegetarian in Nepal?
Yes. Dal bhat is often vegetarian, and many Nepalis eat vegetarian food on certain days. Teahouse menus always have vegetarian options.
What is buff?
Buffalo meat, widely used in momo and Newari dishes, because many Hindus do not eat beef.
Sources
Related treks
A teahouse journey around the Annapurna massif, from the green Marsyangdi valley through Manang and over the Thorong La (5,416 m) to Muktinath and the dry Kali Gandaki valley.
- Days
- 11 days
- Maximum altitude
- 5,416 m
- Difficulty
- Strenuous
A short teahouse loop from Pokhara through Magar and Gurung villages and rhododendron forest to Ghorepani and the Poon Hill viewpoint (3,210 m), returning via Tadapani and Ghandruk.
- Days
- 4 days
- Maximum altitude
- 3,210 m
- Difficulty
- Easy
Related places
Kathmandu
1,400 m, best Feb-Apr, Oct-Dec
Bhaktapur
1,401 m, best Oct-May
Patan (Lalitpur)
1,350 m, best Oct-May
Marpha
2,670 m, best Mar-Nov