A Little Culture… Traditional Nepali Food and Traditions

Last updated on August 2, 2025 by Shannon

Pharping is a large town by Nepali standards. It’s small to be sure, but it’s bigger than the tiny villages that dot the hillside as the bus through the Kathmandu Valley putters through the mountains for an hour before arriving in Pharping, Nepal.

Living in this small village gave me my first introduction to Nepali food. Although I visited Kathmandu sightseeing for several days, the lure of Western food is high when you stay in Thamel. And while I ate my weight in Tibetan momos, I also fell back on pizza and comfort food.

Across my time in Nepal though—including trekking to Poon Hill and doing a 10-day Vipassana Meditation course—I would sample all types of traditional and celebrational Nepali foods.

Is Nepali Food Like Indian Food?

Having only a rough knowledge of what it would be like to travel through Nepal beforehand, I thought the cuisine in Nepal resembled Indian food.

Although Nepal borrows flavors and influences from India, there are fewer similarities than you’d expect in their actual traditional foods. When I questioned the monks at the monastery, they simply stated that they could imagine no other life—they loved dal bhat and enjoyed eating it every day.

When I shared with them that people in the U.S. eat rice just a few times a week, they were horrified and sad for me. As strange as I find their diet, they are equally appalled by the idea of a world with less rice.

Life in the Pharping is slow, and some evenings the handful of us volunteers would walk the about one minute up the hill from our guesthouse to the town’s only restaurant at the time, the Snow Lion.

If we ever ordered actual food, it sometimes took two or three hours, but as a treat, they would serve curd with honey and a steaming hot and deliciously spicy chiya tea, the Nepali version of the ubiquitous chai tea popular throughout South Asia.

On a good day, one of our group would buy a mango on the walk home and we would feast on curd and mango—a tasty dessert option that I had never dreamed up before traveling throughout South Asia these past months.

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One of the things about living in a rural village is the need to pace your life to the pace of life in town. And that means going to sleep a lot earlier than normal. If we stayed at the restaurant too late, we were like a horrible party guests overstaying their welcome.

The entire town shuts down by eight, and the streets are deserted. The dusty food-shops silent, with shutters tightly closed. And because of the power shortages, the streets took on a ink-black stillness I’d never before known in a town with so many people sleeping nearby.

Even funnier, the charming Amrit never seemed to remember that we had left for the night. We were the only people staying in the hotel, but he would lock the door, forcing me to gently knock around 8:30 pm. Sheepish to be coming home late!

He would audibly shuffle down the hallway in his night-clothes and shower shoes, shouting from just the other side of the locked door, “Ssannon? Ssannon is that you? Why are you out so late Ssannon?”

Then, he would wait on the other side of the door until I again explained the need for dessert. I would confirm that it was safe to open the door because it was just the four of us.

This became a hilarious and absurd ritual every few nights. And if this were Kathmandu, perhaps it would justify worry, but in a sleepy town of 30,000 people, there was neither imminent danger, nor any chance that it was any other soul knocking on the door of his guesthouse.

On the weekends, us English teachers were given the entire weekend off, even though the students attend classes on Sunday. Our ragtag group would venture into Kathmandu on Saturdays to stock up on snacks. For some reason, a large portion of my days centered on the procurement of food, the eating of food, and the ponderings about the next meal and snack!

In addition to shopping at the larger grocery stores for snacks, my cousin and I would wander the streets of Thamel and the backstreets of Kathmandu in search of souvenirs. We had already done our sightseeing in Kathmandu, so on the weekends we either took weekend trips to other areas of Nepal (like Chitwan National Park!), or we simply enjoyed the range of restaurants and foods.

Thamel is the backpacker part of Kathmandu, and it’s a sensory overload. I am not a city person under most circumstances, and in this case, Kathmandu became a place that I enjoyed in doses.

The vendors in Kathmandu constantly nag tourists to enter the shops if you make even a passing glance at the pashminas, silk scarves, wooden carvings, Tibetan singing bowls, and other goodies lining the streets.

Other areas of Kathmandu hum with more activity, but fewer touts paying tourists nay mind. It’s in the city that I learned how to deploy a well-timed “chhahi daina,” which roughly translates as “I don’t need,” would shock the vendors into a grin to hear me speak Nepali, and they would let me pass without further comment.

One of the great things about Nepal is the fact that the Nepalese love when you try to speak their language. My cousin and I scored not only major kudos with the street vendors for bargaining in Nepali, but we also scored discounts, too.

And as fun as it was to experience the bustle and pulse of Kathmandu, we would all head to the bus and find our way back to the slower pace of life in Pharping, traditional food and all.

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One of the best parts about my weekly trip into Kathmandu was the Baskin Robbins stand half-way between the bus station and town. Each time we rode out of town, the other volunteers and I would stop at the ice cream shop and wrap our taste buds around a sweet, creamy, and welcomed taste of home.

Just like walking into a Cold Stone Creamery back home, the scent of waffle cones suffuses the store and it was a throwback to a place I haven’t seen in a good number of months.

Traditional Nepali Foods and Drinks

Many lists of traditional Nepali foods reads like a highlight reel of Indian dishes. India has had a strong influence on Nepal and you will find a number of Indian dishes on the menu across the country.

That said, there are actually dishes, snacks, and drinks unique to Nepal that deserve a shout. Some of these are only trotted out by the locals at festivals and celebrations, while others form the basis of the Nepali diet.

Dal Bhat

Dal baht is the heart and soul of Nepali cuisine. This wholesome meal consists of steamed rice (bhat) served with a variety of lentil soups (dal). It’s often accompanied by curried vegetables, pickles, and sometimes even a crispy papad.

If you’re on a trek or in poorer areas of Nepal, the above plate of food is what you’ll be served. Restaurants always fancy it up, but at the heart its just a plate of rice with some veg or meat if you can afford it, and a seasoned lentil soup.

It’s not just a meal; it’s an experience of flavors and textures that truly embodies Nepali culture.

Chiya

Chiya is a Nepalese tea that is as ubiquitous in Nepal as dal bhat. Nepali chiya, or chai, is a common beverage in Nepal that holds cultural significance beyond its ingredients.

It’s a blend of black tea leaves, milk, sugar, and spices like cardamom. The preparation involves boiling the ingredients together to create a flavorful and aromatic brew.

Chiya is an integral part of Nepali hospitality. It’s offered to guests as a gesture of warmth and welcome. Sharing a cup of chiya often leads to conversations about daily life, traditions, and experiences. Teahouses and stalls are scattered throughout the country, serving as gathering spots for locals and travelers alike.

The influence of chiya in Nepal is rooted in its role as a social connector. It bridges gaps between generations, fosters discussions, and creates a sense of community. This simple yet powerful beverage has become a symbol of togetherness and is deeply intertwined with the fabric of Nepali culture.

You will drink a lot of chiya when you’re in Nepal.

Momos

Momos are a type of dumpling that originated in Tibet and are widely enjoyed in Nepal and other parts of the Himalayan region. I first tried momos in McLeodganj, India when visiting the home of the Dali Lama, and I loved them so much I took a cooking class from a Tibetan refugee to learn how to make them.

Momos consist of a thin dough wrapper filled with various ingredients. While there are non-vegetarian options available, you can nearly always find vegetarian ones.

In vegetarian momos, the filling is usually a combination of vegetables such as cabbage, carrot, and sometimes spinach. The vegetables are finely chopped and seasoned with spices to create a flavorful mixture. The dough wrapper is folded and pinched to encase the filling, creating small, crescent-shaped packages.

These little pockets of delight are often served with dipping sauces, such as a tangy tomato-based sauce or a spicy sesame-based sauce. Momos can be either steamed or fried—obviously the steamed version is lighter and healthier, but the fried ones offer a crispy texture and slightly different flavor profile.

Momos are a beloved street food and snack in Nepal, which has a large Tibetan population—and are enjoyed by locals and travelers alike.

Sel Roti

Crispy on the outside and delightfully soft on the inside, Sel Roti is a beloved Nepali snack that you’ll find popular especially during festivals. It’s a traditional rice-based doughnut—a ring shape that’s deep fried in oil or ghee.

Outside of festivals, this sweet treat, which goes well with a cup of chiya, is often enjoyed as a breakfast item or a tea-time treat. Dip it in you cup of local chiya for an authentic experience.

Yomari

If you have a sweet tooth, Yomari is your ticket to happiness. It’s a sweet, rice flour dough filled with a mixture of jaggery and sesame seeds. This unique dessert is often enjoyed during festivals and celebrations.

I first had jaggery in Myanmar as it’s popular there and often served in chunks as an after-meal sweet.

Gundruk

Get ready for a unique and acquired taste. Gundruk is a fermented leafy green vegetable dish that’s packed with intense flavors. The fermentation process gives Gundruk a distinctive tangy and slightly sour flavor. It’s a taste that’s unlike anything you might have tried before, making it an adventurous addition to your palate.

Using primarily mustard greens, the greens are first wilted, then tightly packed into an airtight container, and left to ferment for a period of time, usually a few weeks. The result is a tangy and slightly sour product that’s used as a flavor-enhancing element in various Nepali dishes.

If you’ve traveled in Myanmar then you may have a point of reference as there are similarities between gundruk and the beloved Burmese dish laphet thok (my favorite in Nepal!). Laphet thok is made using pickled tea leaves, which are mixed with a variety of ingredients such as fried garlic, nuts, seeds, and sometimes even shrimp.

When you first take a bit of gundruk, it will take a moment to appreciate its tangy and earthy profile, but hang in there as it’s a fantastic example of Nepali food preservation techniques.

Bara

Crispy, flavorful, and utterly satisfying, Bara is a lentil-based pancake that’s often served with a spicy chutney. It’s a traditional Nepali snack that holds a special place in the hearts and palates of many.

These patties are made by grinding soaked black lentils (urad dal) into a thick batter, seasoned with spices like cumin, ginger, and sometimes chopped onions. The batter is then shallow-fried until it develops a crispy outer layer while remaining soft and flavorful on the inside.

This snack has its roots in the Newar community, an indigenous ethnic group of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. The Newars have a rich culinary heritage, and bara is one of the gems of their gastronomic offerings.

The spicy dipping sauce is often made from tomatoes, chilies, and other seasonings, which adds an extra kick to each bite.

While you can find bara in various parts of Nepal, it’s easiest to sample this Nepali food in the Kathmandu Valley due to its Newar origins. The streets of Kathmandu are lined with small eateries, stalls, and teahouses that serve bara as a snack, or even as a meal.

Durbar Square in Kathmandu is known for its authentic Newari cuisine, and many local establishments offer this savory delight. Otherwise, seek out family-run eateries in the backstreets of Kathmandu or Bhaktapur. These places often serve time-honored recipes, allowing you to savor the flavors that have been cherished for generations.

I have a fun one for you! Hisalu berries, also known as golden Himalayan raspberries or Rubus ellipticus, are small, red to orange-colored berries that grow in the Himalayan region, including Nepal. I was beyond psyched to find a new berry I had never tried before during my hike to Poon Hill in the Himalayas.

These berries are closely related to raspberries have a sweet and tangy flavor that’s quite distinctive.

We enjoyed our orange hisalu berries fresh, straight from the bush, but locals use them to make jams, jellies, and sauces. They are also a popular ingredient in traditional sweets and desserts in Nepal.

These berries are commonly found in the wild, especially in hilly and mountainous areas of Nepal. They have a short harvesting season and are eagerly awaited by locals and nature enthusiasts alike. So, if you’re exploring the Himalayan region, keep an eye out for Hisalu berries as they offer a true taste of the local flavors and natural bounty.

Other Foods Popular in Nepal

In addition to the traditional Nepali foods above, you can fill yourself on a number of foods borrowed from nearby countries. These include:

Thukpa

This hearty noodle soup has its roots in Tibetan cuisine. Thukpa consists of wheat or rice noodles served in a flavorful broth with vegetables and sometimes meat. It’s a comforting dish that has been embraced in Nepal, especially in areas with Tibetan influence.

Samosa

A street food favorite in Nepal, samosas were introduced from India. These crispy triangular pastries are filled with a mixture of spiced potatoes, peas, and sometimes minced meat. They’re a go-to snack enjoyed by locals and travelers alike.

Chow Mein

A product of cross-cultural culinary exchange, Nepali-style chow mein draws inspiration from Chinese stir-fried noodles. In Nepal, it’s often prepared with a mix of vegetables and sometimes meat, creating a fusion of flavors that caters to local tastes.

Jalebi

Another treat inspired by Indian cuisine, jalebi is a sweet dessert that has found a place in Nepali food culture. These spiral-shaped deep-fried sweets are soaked in a sugary syrup, creating a perfect balance of crunch and sweetness.

Pakoda

These deep-fried fritters have their origins in India but have been embraced wholeheartedly in Nepal. Pakodas are made by dipping vegetables or even paneer (Indian cheese) in a chickpea flour batter and frying until crispy. They’re often enjoyed as snacks with a side of chutney.

Gyathuk

Another noodle dish with Tibetan origins, gyathuk is a Nepali adaptation of the Tibetan thenthuk. It features hand-pulled flat noodles cooked in a hearty soup, often with a variety of vegetables and occasionally with meat or tofu. It’s a warm and satisfying meal, perfect for chilly mountain evenings.

Chapati

While chapati itself is a staple in Indian cuisine, it’s also widely consumed in Nepal, particularly in the Terai region. These unleavened flatbreads are made from wheat flour and are often enjoyed with vegetables, lentils, or curries, adding a touch of familiarity to Nepali meals.

Khaja Set

Inspired by Indian snack platters, the khaja set is a common street food in Nepal. It typically includes a variety of crunchy snacks like chiura (flattened rice), fried lentils, peanuts, and sometimes even sweet treats. This snack medley is a great way to indulge in different textures and flavors in one go.

Before you leave on your trip, these are the best places to visit in Nepal.

Small Town Life in Nepal

Pharping is a classic Nepali town—it has one local grocery store. Smaller than a 7-11, but it has the most basic of necessities in life: rice, eggs, and junk food.

It’s interesting to actually see that the local grocery store in rural towns is tiny. It’s representative of the nature of rural life in Nepal. Locals eat the basic staples, and that food is fresh—or at least prepared from scratch.

The rice and vegetables served for dinner at our guesthouse were bought from local farmers. Eggs usually come from their own chickens. Processed foods of any sort, especially junk food, is an expensive luxury unaffordable for most Nepali families.

At the monastery where I volunteered, staff and students alike cultivated the garden in the back of the property. This garden was an important part of allowing the monastery to serve the students a healthy range of fresh vegetables and meat alongside the lentils, which is the most common food in Nepal.

These rural towns are comparatively quite poor if you consider the tourism wealth that floods into Kathmandu and along the major trekking routes. Even buying food from the local market is out of reach for many families. If you can’t grow it, you can’t afford to eat it.

As you journey deeper into the Kathmandu Valley, it’s apparent that this is still a farming culture. Stepped terraces cut into the mountainsides, and the lowland valleys flourish with a range of small homes and large gardens.

By planting a garden at the monastery, the boys are among the lucky Nepali—they eat fresh vegetables every single day as a key part of their diet.

My guesthouse provided breakfast and dinner while I volunteered teaching English in Pharping. Nepali people in poor areas eat dal bhat—lentils—twice a day. My placement served eggs for breakfast many days, and every night dinner consisted of  dal bhat, which is a lentil curry served alongside a heaping pile of rice.

After a couple weeks, we convinced the monastery to use some of our food stipend to cover vegetables, and the cook even made Tibetan momos once, which was a fun treat.

If meals at our guesthouse were uninspired, the monastery served a beautiful feast each day. Most days, the meals were vegetarian, but the monastery strives to give the growing boys a nutritious diet and they would eat meat once or twice a week, and trade out the rice for potatoes.

This Nepali diet is remarkably different from my U.S. diet, but in actuality, it’s similar to the meat and potatoes of my Irish ancestors.

While I loved my time eating the range of dishes in India, a few months in Nepal had me craving a touch more food variety. There is a great range of differences in the cuisines across Asia, but in the world’s poorest countries, there is similarity in the way the food is pared down to its most basic components.

The six weeks I spent in Laos and Cambodia had prepared me for the Nepali food tradition of eating rice at every meal—at my Cambodian volunteer program we ate it three times a day!