Phewa Lake in Pokhara, Nepal

With over 300 options on TripAdvisor picking a restaurant in Pokhara can be a daunting task. To further complicate things, almost every restaurant claims to be a Nepali, Italian, Indian, European, Vegan-Friendly, Vegetarian, Pizza, Burger, and Continental cuisine specialist. This makes it difficult when you finally do select a restaurant to know what kind of food they actually serve. I assume this is partly due to the many nationalities that visit Pokhara. We stayed in Pokhara for two and a half weeks and ate out at restaurants three meals a day, almost every day. Here is a list of some of the highlights of our culinary adventures. Hopefully, this will make the necessary task of eating a little less stressful.

Ethnic Food

Anaki Restaurant

The restaurant is on the second floor, away from the busy streets, which lends to its relaxed atmosphere. Anaki specializes in Naga cuisine, which is interesting and worth a try. This restaurant was the best quality to price ratio we found in Pokhara. Chicken cheese balls are not usually associated with being culinary masterpieces, but they may have been the most delicious thing we ate in Pokhara. They come with a homemade garlic aioli. The drinks here are also among the best we found in Pokhara.

The Old La Hua Chinese Restaurant

This is a classic Chinese restaurant, which has been a staple in Pokhara for many years. I didn’t count, but I would guess there were over 400 items on the menu. This makes it a great place for picky eaters, you can definitely get what you want. The food was delicious, and service was attentive. You are greeted with complimentary green tea.

Sherpa Kitchen

This restaurant has a sleek interior design and a nice patio for lounging. This place was recommended to us by our Airbnb host for traditional Nepali food. The momos were exceptional, and the thupka did not disappoint. To round it all off, the prices were great.

Joy’s Restaurant & Bar

A quaint family run restaurant with beautiful views of the lake. They specialize in Indian and Nepali food. The chicken butter masala was the best we’ve had while in Nepal. Not too much flash, just really good food for a really good price.

Best Burger

Frituur No 1

A frituur is a traditional Belgium fast food joint. This is no McDonalds, the food is actually good! We tried burgers a few places around Pokhara and found most of them to be terrible. If your tired of dal bhat and curries, Frituur has an amazing burger and fresh cut fries for only 400 NPR. They also serve a nice selection of Belgium beers in the proper glassware. We ate there twice and the owner personally spoke to every customer while we were there.

Best Pizza

Neptalia Restaurant

A nice pizzeria with a homey feel, like you are eating with friends of the family. All of their pizzas and calzones are handmade and cooked in a woodfired oven. The toppings were good of good quality and the prices reasonable.

Best Lassie

Wendy’s Juice Shop

There is a large selection of juice shops in Pokhara. We found Wendy’s to be the best quality and also the cheapest price.  All the juices and lassies were 150 NPR per glass. If you want some juice for the hotel you can get a liter to go for 300 NPR. The pineapple lassie is amazing! Don’t expect fancy surroundings here it’s all about the juice.

Best Happy Hours

Busy Bee Café

This is one of the largest restaurants in Pokhara, with a nice airy atmosphere. Every day from 3 pm-7 pm select mixed drinks are 2 for the price of 1. The food here is pretty good as well, but we found it to be slightly overpriced for the area. Try the chicken chili, it was one of our favorites.

Buzz Reggae Bar

Laid back atmosphere with hip reggae music playing in the background. Here every hour is happy hour. When you order one drink, you always get two. For an extra bonus, the drink prices here are cheaper than others in the area. If you’re looking for some reasonably priced food and a buzz, this is the place for you. Try the chicken jerk wrap and the Funky Kingston drink – it has ice cream in it!

Best Coffee

Geographer Coffee

If you’re looking for a Starbucks atmosphere, this isn’t the place. But don’t worry it also doesn’t have Starbuck’s prices with a cappuccino price of about 115 NPR. It’s a modest location with only a few seats, but possibly best cappuccino I’ve ever had.

Metro

This is more of a classic coffee shop where you might see people hanging out or working on their laptops. Here you can kill two birds with one stone. There is a large variety of hot and cold coffees, which are of good quality. There are several options for sweet or savory crepes which we found to be delicious.

Korean food from Sarang

Vegan/ Vegetarian

Umbrella Café

Nice balcony overlooking the street. This restaurant is not for the carnivores, as there is no meat offered on the menu. There are extensive vegan and vegetarian offerings. I’m not normally into vegan food, but I ordered the Chef’s Special Vegan Burger and it was surprisingly delicious.  The prices were excellent as well. For a bonus, yoga classes are also offered in the back.

Splurge

Sarang

You will not leave here hungry! All of the main courses come with 7 side dishes, plus soup, in true Korean fashion. They are famous for their fried chicken, and after having a bite, you will know why. This also has the friendliest staff we encountered in Pokhara. Slightly more expensive than other restaurants in the area, but definitely worth it. We also recommend the BBQ pork.

Fresh Elements

This restaurant runs like a well-oiled machine. Everything is in its place and comes in a timely manner, which is not the norm in Nepal. The menu is varied with anything from Nepali food to Western fare. Everything we ate here was made with fresh ingredients and executed perfectly, which warrants the slightly higher prices. Try the fried prawn appetizer or the pork chop. For a fun twist, they also serve some drinks inside of hollowed-out pineapples.

Cheap Eats

Hot Sandwich Corner and Cheese Shop

Small shop with only three tables. The name is somewhat confusing because there was no cheese for sale. The sandwiches are made with warm flaky bread and garden-fresh vegetables. This one is for the backpacker budget. The sandwiches cost between 250 to 350 NPR, and they’re really big.

You and I

This restaurant is for the broke hipster. An eclectic place where the menu is written on handmade paper and the bill comes in a decorative makeup bag. The inexpensive prices don’t reflect on the quality of the food. The falafel wrap with hummus is only 250 NPR. There is also a nice view of the lake.