Food hopping in Kathmandu

When I was growing up in the 90s, there were only a handful of places we could go to for a nice meal with our families or some down time with school friends. Birthday treats meant momos and coke at The Bakery Café, which was a cool place to hang out, perhaps due to the lack of places to hang out. I remember going to a few restaurants in New Road and Durbar Marg with my parents and relatives. They were always the places we’d go to every time we went out. The options were limited.

Fast forward to 2024 and we are spoilt for choice. There are many restaurants in Kathmandu, with new ones coming up quite frequently. I have lost count of the restaurant promotions I have saved on Instagram. There are all kinds of places too—from fancy, expensive ones to cute cafes that serve meals on a budget. I always have a tough time deciding where to go for brunch or a night out with friends. Most of the time, I let my friends decide. I have stumbled upon many establishments that way and a few have gone on to become my favorites.

There are some places I like to go for a tea and a slice of cake, a few serve really good breakfast, and others are just cool places to hang out and maybe read a book or get some work done. Here, I’m recommending three places that I have enjoyed in recent times so that, unlike me, you aren’t scrolling through your Instagram feed the next time you want to grab a quick bite to eat or enjoy a leisurely breakfast with a friend during the weekend.

Filli Café, Labim Mall

Enjoy a cup of fragrant milk tea while reading a book or get some work done while you grab a sandwich for lunch

They have an outlet in Lazimpat, Kathmandu. I also saw the skeletons of an outlet in the tourist hub Thamel, Kathmandu. It was in the works when I went to Thamel about a month ago. But the one I frequent is the one on the lower ground level at Labim Mall in Pulchowk, Lalitpur. It’s not a big space, with just a smattering of tables but it’s a nice little nook to sit back and relax. I go to Filli Café for their Filli Lite tea. Apparently, the other flavors like the Filli Zafran and Karak teas are equally good. They serve an array of coffees as well.

The menu isn’t extensive but there is quite a selection. From sandwiches and wraps to pastas and momos, there is pretty much everything you could want. Their Butter Chicken momo and pasta are bestsellers. I have tried their Chicken Toasties and they are filling and flavorful. The Zafran Milk Cake which is kind of reminiscent of the traditional rasmalai is soft and melts in your mouth. A meal for two will cost around Rs 1500 to 2000.

Feels, Jhamsikhel

Perfect for a brunch date with friends or when you just want to sit by yourself and get some work done when you are working remotely

I have been to Feels a few times already after I first visited the place for brunch with a few friends during Tihar last year. We spent over five hours at the place so that will probably tell you a thing or two about just how much we loved it. Every time I’ve been there, the experience has only gotten better. When we had first gone there, they had just had a soft launch and there were a few wrinkles to iron out. Now, it’s pretty much set up and the staff know what they are doing.

I highly recommend Feels. It’s aesthetic, providing you with plenty of photo ops. The founders have paid meticulous attention to the décor so it’s really pleasing to the eye. There are many seating options. Each space has a theme. There’s also a study area that doubles as a co-working space. The food is delicious. It seems everything on the menu is planned to perfection. I have had their breakfast platter, chicken meatballs, tortilla wrap, and peri peri fries. They all came beautifully plated. The prices are reasonable, given the portion size. They have a wide variety of drinks too.

Tukche Thakali Kitchen, Gairidhara

Stop by when you are really hungry and feel like you could eat a horse as the food here is amazing. Serves the best mutton momos in town

A friend recommended this place. She said it has the best momos in Kathmandu. She wasn’t wrong. The mutton momos were amazing. The chicken momos weren’t bad either. They came in deep bowls with a tomato chutney and a radish pickle on the side. I felt really bad knowing I’d overlooked the place for so long. I had been to other restaurants in the area. There is enough parking space for both two-and four-wheelers. The building is old and that lends it a certain charm. It’s neat and clean and the décor is rustic. My friend and I were there for two hours, sampling their iced teas and various snacks. The chicken chili and aloo sadeko were spicy and both seemed to have been freshly prepared. 

The thakali sets that were making their way to the other tables looked delectable as well. A friend who went there said the curry is spicy and you have to ask for a less spicy (or bland) version if you can’t handle heat. But the good thing is that they will tweak the food to your liking. The restaurant is pretty affordable too, with a meal for two costing you as much as, if not less than, coffee and cake at some of the fancy coffee shops in the capital.