Restaurants in Pokhara
Food is central to life in Pokhara, and eateries abound. The area near Lakeside North is especially packed with places to eat. Since there isn't much to do after the sun goes down here, social life revolves around the evening meal. Cafes and restaurants become a good place to sit back and relax with friends and swap stories of old treks and make plans for new ones. The locals, called the Newars, are real connoisseurs and their passion for food is evident in the variety of restaurants and cafes here.
Unlike some of the quieter towns in Nepal, Pokhara offers visitors ample choice of restaurants.
In our Pokhara restaurant guide below you will find information about great places for eating out in Pokhara, the perfect end to a day of shopping at the local markets. You should also check out our Nepal restaurant guide for more general information about the food and cuisine of Nepal.
Food & Cuisine in Pokhara
Thanks to the power outages that are so common in the area, a meal by candlelight may be the norm on your holiday. The good weather and the charm of being close to the Himalayas make this inconvenience seem like a romantic way to dine.
Restaurants catering to tourists have a standard menu, with an odd mix of foods from places outside Nepal plus local fish cooked in a variety of styles. All Nepalis usually follow a common set of recipes and cooking styles and go by the book, so things can get monotonous. Also, the food may not be exactly what you thought you ordered, but will be tasty anyway. For something different try going to restaurants run by Westerners.
If you have had it with eating so called Western food cooked Nepali style, be brave and try the local food. Quite a few places offer Indian and Nepali food. Another great budget option is to eat at a momo shack (there are dozens) with the locals. Don't drink juice anywhere, though - the roadside juice sellers dilute juice with water that may not be clean and also heavily sugar the drinks before overcharging you.
Pokhara, though touristy in parts, is largely cheaper than Thamel in Kathmandu. Low cost dinners can come at under Rs 150 for a meal for one, excluding alcohol. Breakfast and lunch are cheaper. Moderately priced meals for one are around Rs 250 and can go up to Rs 500.
Restaurants in Pokhara
For low cost yet delicious breakfasts, your best bet is the Pushkar Guest House. Here they serve a variety of cuisines through the day - even Western style meals. But the best meal here is the breakfast. They also offer a pleasing variety of liquor, including some good beer.
For cafe style food, The Puja Bakery and Cafe is inexpensive and the food tasty. On offer here are some respectable cinnamon rolls, but the cakes are slightly different from what one is used to. Everything is freshly baked, though, so the aromas of the rolls mingling with that of freshly brewed coffee can be quite enticing. The place has a very retro feel to it and you may find yourself drawn back here every day!
For European style fast food, the German Bakery is the place to go to. The cakes are great, creamy and flavourful, as are the donuts. The stock is fresh during season, but may be a couple of days old in the off-season. Some heavier savoury snacks are also available.
Lunchtime offers more varied options, so you can even try Tibetan or Korean food. The best restaurants are Koto and Hua-Han. Koto offers Korean and Japanese food while Hua-Han has the choicest Tibetan and Chinese food.
Himalayan Mountain Goat Meat
A local speciality that can only be sampled in Pokhara in Nepal is mountain goat meat, which is served during the Dashain festival. The Dashain festival is a long one and a highly revered time in the country. It is usually between late September and the middle of October, soon after the monsoons. The festival day is also called the day of victory over demons.
On the day of the festival you will see locals with their foreheads anointed with a red mark called the tika. This is made from a mix of red powder pigment, rice and yogurt and is an auspicious symbol.
On this day Nepalese are free to eat any kind of meat they like, but the preference is usually goat meat or buffalo meat or chicken. Mountain goat meat is considered really special and since these goats are found mainly in the remote Mustang area in the north west of the country near Tibet, it is a rare treat.
Restaurants List
La Pizzeria
Italian Cuisines
Lakeside, Pokhara, Nepal
+977 61 463 321
la_pizzeria@asia.com
09:00 to to 21:00
Chinese Garden Restaurant
Welcome to Chinese Garden Restaurant in Lakeside, Pokhara, where you can treat yourself with Chinese food and culture.
Attractions include:
- High quality Chinese cuisines
- Authentic natural ingredients imported from China
- Professional chefs from mainland China
- Hygienic, open kitchen
- Chinese ho pot at the table for you to cook your favorite dish yourself
- Special menu for large groups
- Building designed and decorated in typical Chinese style using traditional Chinese arts.
- Owned, built and managed by a Chinese family
- Total Chinese cultural experience through food, art and service
Chinese Cuisines
Lakeside, Ammot, Pokhara
977 61 465153
yaxinsheng015400@yahoo.com.cn
09:00 to to 22:00
Caffe` Concerto Pizzeria Restaurant
Try Café` Concerto Pizzeria Restaurant at Gaurighta, Lakeside, Pokhara, for an electrifying experience. It specialises in Italian cuisines.
Highlights:
- Delicious Italian dishes like pizza, pasta, cappuccino, etc
- Ice cream and organic food products
- Large selection of Jazz music
- Live musical performances occasionally
- Comfortable seating with open fireplace during winter
- Variety of board games
- Welcoming and well-trained staff
Italian
Gaurighat, Lakeside, Pokhara
977-61-463529
caffeconcerto@gmail.com
09:00 to to 21:00
Boomerang Restaurant & Kangaroo Pub
Boomerang has something special for everybody. It has a cosy seating, a beautiful garden with palm trees and kids' playground. It offers spicy Nepali, Chinese, Mexican, Italian and Indian dishes as well as fresh German bakery. The in-house Kangaroo Pub serves local and imported drinks and plays great music too.
Restaurant & Bar
Lakeside - 6 Pokhara, Nepal
977-61-521978, 977-61-522978
977-61-520266
No1Boomerang@yahoo.com
Almond's Cafe & Restaurant
Restaurant
Chipledhunga Crossing, Pokhara
(977) 061 530176 / 524004
Mamma Mia Restaurant
Italian
Lakeside, Baidam, Pokhara
+977-61-534810, 523582
mammamia@fewanet.com.np
Marpha Thakali Kitchen
Nepali
Near Ibiza Dance Bar, Lakeside, Pokhara
09:00 to to 21:00
Busy Bee Cafe
Busy Bee Cafe serves hot beverages and fresh tasting bakery food in a nice and quaint setting. You can also come view some great Nepalese rock and roll in the evenings.
Cafe
Lakeside, Baidam - 6, Pokhara
+977 61 522640
beambeam2000@hotmail.com
09:00 to to 21:00
Gorkha Grill Restaurant & Bar
Restaurant & Bar
Lakeside, Pokhara
+977 61 464931
info@gorkhagrill.com
09:00 to to 21:00
Station - The Food Club & Sausage Park
Sausages
Niva Galli, Chipledhunga, Pokhara
+977 61 541504
Thic Thak
'Thic Thak' in Nepali means 'all is well'. The restaurant is a perfect place to enjoy food and drinks in a homely atmosphere. Just find a table in the lounge, restaurant or bar and order your food and drinks.
Restaurant and Bar
Lakeside, Pokhara
+977 61 464634
09:00 to to 21:00
Lhasa Tibetan Restaurant
Tibetan
P.O. Box 188, Lakeside, Pokhara
+977 61 463 066
tsenamgyop2002@yahoo.com
08:00 to to 21:00
Bella Napoli Restaurant & Bar
Bella Napoli Restaurant & Bar at Lakeside, Pokhara is famous for its spicy Nepali, Italian, Indian and dishes from other countries too. It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, a nice place to try yummy sizzlers and vegetarian food.
Restaurant
Lakeside, Pokhara
977 1 523018
dhakal_niranjan@hotmail.com
10:00 to to 22:00
Meet Rajendra Prasad Sapkota and Outdoor Himalayan Treks, we are your local connection in Pokhara. Starting as a young porter, Rajendra has all the local knowledge that will make your trip to Pokhara life changing. With us, visitors experience remote villages, meet local people, and gain insight into our culture. We support local villages, and have even built a local orphanage to house and educate displaced, and often outcast, children. We hope to bring you a journey that will be enriching, but will also help those in need in Pokhara.
