In the Thamel area:
- Roadhouse café:
Best known for its wood-fired pizzas, the roadhouse cafe also serves a variety of salads including the popular goat cheese garden salad and a variety of desserts. There are four outlets in the Kathmandu valley: Thamel, Baluwatar, Bodhnath and Jhamsikhel. The one in Bodhnath overlooks the stupa and provides a vantage point for good views (and photos).
- Fire and Ice Pizzeria:
Fire and Ice probably pioneered good pizza in Nepal. And also a variety of other Italian dishes including pastas, gnocchis and good organic salads. Owned by Italians, they are so popular (and good) that they opened a second restaurant in Kolkata.
Link to their menu
- OR2K
OR2K is the best restaurant in Kathmandu for Mediterranean vegetarian dishes. Very reasonably priced, this restaurant is popular with backpackers – especially from Israel.
Link to their menu
- Places Restaurant
Another popular vegetarian and vegan restaurant in Kathmandu, this place is especially popular with younger travelers.
- New Orleans Café
This restaurant has live music in the evenings and serves a variety of food from Continental to Thai and Nepali/Tibetan. They serve tasty burgers, sizzlers, steaks and momos. Their specialty is Jambalaya (a New Orleans dish).
Link to their menu
- Ying Yang Restaurant
This place offers authentic Thai food and is the best place for Thai food in Kathmandu. The Thai food is prepared by a Thai chef. Ying Yang also serves a variety of Western fares.
Link to their menu
- Dechenling Garden Restaurant
This place serves the best Bhutanese/Tibetan, Indian and Nepali food. The Bhutanese food can be a little on the spicy side but is worth it. From Indian naans to a variety of momos, this is the place to go if you are feeling a bit adventurous.
Outside of the Thamel area:
- Vino Bistro:
This is the place to go if you are yearning for good salads served in generous portions. This French restaurant has a large selection of wines and serves good cheese and French meat platters. The sliders here are the best.
- Votoo Restaurant:
This is the place to go for hygienic Newari food in Kathmandu. Newars are the indigenous people of the Kathmandu valley. Start with chatamari – a rice pancake with egg and vegetable/meat toppings. Their Newari platter which includes baji (beaten rice), vegetables and pickles, and roasted meat would be a good choice for a main. If you are more adventurous, try the meat platter which includes choila (marinated and cooked buffalo), kachila (marinated raw minced buffalo), goat brains, tongue etc. Votoo also serves the best Newari and Darjeeling style momos (dumplings).
- Jimbu Thakali:
This restaurant serves a variety of food from Continental to Nepali. But their specialty is the Nepali sets which is Daal Bhat (Lentils and Rice) with chicken/mutton/pork. They also serve dhindo which is prepared by bringing hot water in a pan to boil and adding flour (Buckwheat/millet) while continuously stirring the mix.
Link to their menu
- Mulchowk Restaurant
This restaurant is located at the Babarmahal Revisited complex and serves great continental food. Burgers, salads, steaks etc.
Link to website/menu
- Bawarchi Restaurant
This restaurant is located at the Babarmahal Revisited complex and serves good North Indian food – Biryani, Naan, Butter chicken, mutton dishes etc. Their specialty is the Kathi roll which is an Indian sandwich – chicken or mutton kebab, vegetables, tofu/paneer wrapped in a paratha.
- Nina’s
Nina’s is located near the US embassy and caters to American/Western taste. It is the place to go for the good burgers, salads and steaks. Since they are also involved in meat production and processing, they have the best cuts.
