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Thamel in Kathmandu
Thamel in Kathmandu
There are dozens of tourist restaurants clustered in the Thamel district serving everything from Middle Eastern to Mexican food. Indian and Nepali dishes are always the best tasting-- and best priced. Don't hesitate to state your preference for spiciness. Travelers who venture into smaller places are often rewarded with better prices and friendlier staff. Inspect your bill and count your change at the places frequented by short trip tourists.
Helena's Rooftop Restaurant. Tel: 4266979 Excellent food, great service, and modest prices. Apparently it's the tallest rooftop restaurant in Kathmandu, and the views from there of the city (especially at night) are fantastic. Serves Western and regional cuisine - chicken tikka masala will set you back around 350 NPR. From Chhetrapati, pass the Everest Steak House on your right, and turn the next left. Helena's is about 2 minutes walk up this road on your right. Claims to have the best breakfasts in Kathmandu.
Thamel House Restaurant, (In front of Hotel Thamel), ☎ 4410388, . We just came back from Katmandu (24/10/2010) we liked a lot this place and that's why I recommend it. From the outside looks like a regular restaurant, but in the inside it has a beautiful garden, very cozy and calm. We had the Nepalese Set, that includes several dishes and what seemed unlimited shots of rice wine. The whole dinner was around 1000 NRP per person, but it was delicious, and we ate all we could and still there was food left! The service too was amazing. �
"Aqua Java Zing" The newest restaurant to hit the Thamel dining scene. With a chain of restaurants and cafes Internationally, it is a welcome for Nepal. They serve amazing international gourmet cuisine with a full range of Risottos, Pastas, Thai curry to a Five spice exotic vegetables. They also probably do the best stone oven baked Pizzas in town. The dessert range and quality is unparalleled and so is the coffee that they are famous for internationally. They also serve Hookahs/Shishas with over 100 flavours. For a truly gourmet experience and superb prices they are your best bet 200-350NPR. They are located just next to Helena's and opposite Galleria Cafe.
Krua Thai, (Located at the outskirts of Thamel, take first the left curve after Pilgrims, then right.). Probably the best Thai food in Kathmandu �
"Cafe Kaldi" has a small menu with drinks, salads & snacks as well as free WiFi for customers (please refrain from downloading anything as the connection is limited.) Located behind OR2K - across the street from Pumpernickel Bakery & K-Too Steakhouse.
"La Dolce Vita" probably the first Italian restaurant and the best you can find in Kathmandu serves great pastas, desserts and speciality coffees all at very reasonable prices.
Tashi Delek. Tibetan restaurant with extensive menu and good Mexican/ Italian dishes. Open late. Across the street from the postcard shop, near HotBreads corner. 100-300 NPR.
Northfield Cafe. Basic pub grub and Nepali attempt at Mexican, often with live traditional music. Popular with English teachers and expats. A few doors up from Kathmandu Guest House. 100-300 NPR.
New Orleans. A good variety of well-made food, including pasta, Nepali and salads. Pleasant Newari courtyard setting almost opposite Kathmandu Guest House. 200-400 NPR.
Third Eye. Indian food in a nice building and outdoor garden. 250-500 NPR.
Green Ice. Amazingly good Indian cuisine, Thamel Chowk upstairs with the green windows overlooking "Kukuri Crossroads".
Just Juice and Shakes. Popular with Israelis and long-timers. Great coffees and , yes, juices and shakes. Two eggs on toast: 20rs. 10m down the alley across the street from the music shop, near Pilgrim's bookstore curve.
Everest Steak House. Traditional pre-or post-trekking feast: Massive steaks cooked just right, about 300 NPR will stuff you. Just off Chhetrapati, the pagoda-cum-roundabout.
Fire & Ice. A popular western haunt, and for good reason. Serves traditional Italian-style stone-baked pizzas, which are delicious. Certainly pricier than most, however - a cheese & tomato pizza will cost around 250 NPR, whereas a Hawaiian will cost 350 NRP. Chocolate ice cream with added chocolate on top is definitely to be recommended, and will cost about 145 NPR. Everyone knows where it is: on the left side of the main road into Thamel from the Palace Museum, next to a temple under Himalayan Bank.
Himalayan Java. Wonderful pizza and some of the best (if not the only) paninis available in Nepal. See below for detailed coverage. Located across the street from Fire & Ice on the second story of the building nearest the palace wall.
Fu Ru Sato. Just past The Roadhouse, beside the second Pilgrim's bookshop, this quiet Japanese restaurant, with Japanese trained chefs offers great food. From Sushi to Udon to Teriaki Chicken, this awesome little restaurant offers amazing food at super low prices. Expect to pay 200rs for a set meal, or 400 for fresh Sushi. Fish is brought in frozen.
Or2K. Great middle eastern food. Try the falafel and the homemade mint juice. Opposite the Pumpernickel Bakery.
Rum Doodle. Excellent food at modest prices, including live music on most nights. Carry on straight past Helena's, around the "chicane" (where the road bends then straightens out again) and turn the next right (it should be signposted, though the sign's fairly small). Everest summiters can eat here for free!
Hot Breads. Past Helena's, opposite the right-turn junction towards Fire & Ice, Hot Breads sells fresh pastries (pan au chocolats, cinnamon bakes) from about 30 NPR each, which you can eat on the roof along with a selection of drinks. The place to go for breakfast at least once.
KC Across street from "Helena's Restaurant", & 1/2 block toward King's Palace from KTM Guest House. Safe salads, vegetarian & Brown Rice dishes, sizzling steaks, and 'Pumpkin Pie' - not a dessert, but an entre', made with pumpkins & almonds. Outdoor balcony overlooking the street, and indoor dining on 2 or 3 levels.
BK's French Fry heaven in Thamel. Opposite Funky Buddha Bar.
Roadhouse Cafe Excellent Wood fired pizza, similar to (better than?) Fire and Ice. Fantastic decor. Good coffee and hot chocolate. Draught Everest beer, when available. A very relaxing, upscale place for when you need to escape from Kathmandu for an evening. WiFi available. Branches a bit up from Hot Breads in Thamel, another near Bhat Bhateni supermarket, and one in Patan.
Sandwich Point is a small sandwich bar with a wide range of fillings including beacons, ham, chicken and sausage. To get to Sandwich point, turn left on the second intersection of thamel arriving from Himalayan Java. It is on the left just a few meters down the road.
Café Mitra Serves excellent European meals. It is expensive for Kathmandu, but the standard of the food more than makes up for this. 250/13 Thamel Marg.
Galaria is a very smart upmarket coffee shop, above a bookshop. Serves fantastic 'Illy' (not local?) coffee, and some great desserts - brownies to die for. Less exciting but good sandwiches.
Ciao Ciao this newer place is in Bhagawan Bahal Road, just behind the Hotel Malla. The italian owner Francesco offers wood-fire pizza's and some very good italian delicaties.
Electric Pagodais a very eclectic bar on Satghumti Road. Specializes in Mexican cuisine and also offers local and continental dishes between 100-300 NPR. Easy going atmosphere with well rounded music and very friendly staff. Tuborg/Everest beer 240 NPR.
Alchemy a new opend italian restauran. On the upper pricing in Thamel, but same as price is for the food. Excellent italian dishes and nothing else. Pizzas from 300 NPR and pastas from 280. You get wine in 1/4 or 1/2 litre so suitable for dining alone or in two. The restaurant is guided by Kapil, which has long Italy experience. It's about 100 m before Chetrapati Chowk.
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Kathmandu Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.