21 Must-Try Nepal Famous Foods: Traditional, Street & Authentic Food

The food traditions of Nepal match its many different cultures and landscapes. Nepal has great food choices that will please your taste buds – try savory curries, tangy pickles, and sweet treats to savor. This guide shows you what to eat, including street food in Nepal, vegetarian eats, and sweet treats.

This article helps you find authentic food in Nepal while you’re here or learning about its culture.

Non-Vegetarian Nepal Cuisine

Nepal has many meat dishes with strong tastes and colorful seasonings. Check out these Nepal famous foodsthat are special.

1. Sekuwa

Nepali people make Sekuwa by marinating meat such as chicken, lamb, or buffalo, then grilling it using local spices. The cooking method uses open flames and gives the meat a delicious smoky taste while making it both easy to eat and full of flavor. Many sample tables and festivals serve sekuwa as their main dish.

• Must Try: Buffalo sekuwa with garlic sauce
• Price Range: INR 250-400 | NPR 400-700
• Best Served With: Beaten rice or rice beer (Chyang)

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2. Yak Meat

Yak meat comes from the Himalayan area and is very protein-rich and less fatty. It is commonly cooked by frying or grilling in herbs and mountain spices. Its deliciously rich taste and soft texture will win over all who dare to try it.

• Must Try: Spiced yak meat stir-fry
• Price Range: INR 500-700 | NPR 850-1200
• Best Served With: Butter tea

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3. Choila

Choila is a spicy Newari dish made by mixing grilled buffalo meat with mustard oil, garlic, chili, and fragrant spices. It is mostly eaten at Newari celebrations and special occasions.

• Must Try: Spicy grilled buffalo choila with beaten rice
• Price Range: INR 300-450 | NPR 500-750
• Best Served With: Local rice beer

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4. Thakali Thali

The original Thakali dish consists of rice, lentil soup, a meat curry with spices, spinach, pickles, and a final ghee serving. People love this food for the way its ingredients blend and for its healthy nutrients.

• Must Try: Goat curry with Thakali Thali
• Price Range: INR 400-600 | NPR 700-1000
• Best Served With: Warm soup

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5. Sukuti

When meat is dried in the sun, stir-fried, and seasoned with spices, you get the chewy yet tasty dish known as Sukuti. Traditionally made with buffalo or goat, it is a snack that works well on its own or mixed into curries.

• Must Try: Spicy buffalo sukuti stir-fry
• Price Range: INR 200-350 | NPR 350-600
• Best Served With: Beaten rice or a cold beer

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6. Khasi Ko Masu (Goat Curry)

The Khasi Ko Masu is an authentic food in Nepal, a goat dish cooked very slowly with onions, tomatoes, and various flavorsome spices. This meal appears regularly during special occasions and holidays.

• Must Try: Served with rice and ghee
• Price Range: INR 400-600 | NPR 700-1000
• Best Served With: Freshly made roti or steamed rice

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Vegetarian Nepal Cuisine

Vegetarian dishes from Nepal are filling, good for your health, and form an essential part of traditional Nepalese culture.

1. Dal Bhat Tarkari

Dal Bhat Tarkari is the food Nepalis rely on most. This mixed meal includes steamed rice, a soup made with lentils, and flavored vegetables specific to the season. Food served at a Nepalese meal includes pickles, spinach, and yogurt to make every bite more delicious and healthy.

• Must Try: With spinach curry and spicy pickle
• Price Range: INR 150-300 | NPR 250-500
• Best Served With: Fried papad

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2. Gundruk

Fermented leafy greens are the main ingredient in Gundruk, which has a sharp and earthy taste that’s big with locals. Locals typically either cook Gundruk greens into a soup or mix them with flavors to make a stir-fry. The authentic food in Nepal is loaded with natural gut-healthy bacteria, making it a great choice for your well-being.

• Must Try: Gundruk soup with rice
• Price Range: INR 80-150 | NPR 135-250
• Best Served With: Lentil curry

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3. Aloo Tama

Aloo Tama stands out with its savory stew of potatoes, bamboo shoots, and black-eyed peas, which offers a signature tangy taste. Most Nepalese families like to eat this dish together whenever they’re all in the same place.

• Must Try: With roti or rice
• Price Range: INR 100-200 | NPR 170-350
• Best Served With: Curd

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4. Dhido

Dhido is made by mixing buckwheat or millet flour. It is then eaten with lentils, ghee, and pickles. The way it feels in your mouth and its natural taste appeal to us when we need food to comfort us.

• Must Try: With nettle soup
• Price Range: INR 200-300 | NPR 350-500
• Best Served With: Ghee

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5. Tarkari (Vegetable Curry)

Tarkari is a vegetable preparation made with local vegetables, which are available in season. It is also prepared with garlic, turmeric, and chili. It is a part of almost every Nepalese family’s diet.

• Must Try: Pumpkin or potato Sarkari
• Price Range: INR 100-200 | NPR 170-350
• Best Served With: Rice or chapati

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6. Kwati

A mixed bean stew prepared and packed in Uganda, Kwati is a protein- and spice-enhanced dish. It is usually made during the Gunla festival and has always been regarded as a healthful vegetable dish.

• Must Try: With rice and pickles
• Price Range: INR 150-250 | NPR 250-450
• Best Served With: Ghee

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7. Bhuteko Chana

Bhuteko Chana is another tasty snack made of boiled chickpeas stir-fried with garlic, chili, and turmeric. It contains natural and health-beneficial nutrients and can be eaten as a snack or served as a traditional side dish.

• Must Try: Spicy version with fresh coriander
• Price Range: INR 50-100 | NPR 85-170
• Best Served With: Lemon juice or tea

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Street Food In Nepal

Street food in Nepal offers delicious meals at low prices and has a strong taste. Here are the must-try food in Nepal:

1. Momos

Nepalese folks love their dumplings, called Momos, which are stuffed with meat or vegetables and eaten steamed, fried, or pan-cooked. You can’t visit Nepal and miss out on delicious Momos—steamed dumplings served with a side of spicy tomato chutney.

• Must Try: Fried chicken momos
• Price Range: INR 80-150 | NPR 135-250
• Best Served With: Hot soup

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2. Chatpate

The spicy, tangy mix of puffed rice, boiled potatoes, onions, and chili is called Chatpate. Nepali people and visitors can easily enjoy it as a fast and tasty Nepali famous food.

• Must Try: With a squeeze of lemon juice
• Price Range: INR 50-100 | NPR 85-170
• Best Served With: Soda

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3. Pani Puri

Street food lovers can’t miss this classic dish, in which crispy puffed dough is stuffed with tangy tamarind sauce, potatoes, and garbanzo beans. People love Pani Puri because it offers many tasty flavors at once.

• Must Try: Spicy tamarind-flavored puris
• Price Range: INR 30-50 | NPR 50-85
• Best Served With: Masala water

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4. Thukpa

Thukpa sets the table with its warm and tasty noodle soup. You can pick your meat or tofu to eat with homemade pulled noodles and fresh vegetables. This steaming hot soup tastes of garlic and spices, which warm you up like nothing else.

• Must Try: Chicken Thukpa with a hint of lemon
• Price Range: INR 150-250 | NPR 250-400
• Best Served With: Pickled radish or chili sauce

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Desserts in Nepal

When you eat in Nepal, simple but delicious sweets are served to finish your meal.

1. Yomari

Yomari is a sugar-filled dough dumpling made with steaming rice flour around refillings of jaggery paste and sesame seeds. Yomari is a special food unique to Newari people and most popular at festive celebrations.

• Must Try: During the Yomari Punhi festival
• Price Range: INR 40-80 | NPR 70-140
• Best Served With: Warm milk

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2. Kheer

The dish includes rice cooked in milk, mixed with flavor-infusing sweeteners and seasonings. Kher is one of the most commonly made foods for special occasions and rituals.

• Must Try: Topped with almonds and raisins
• Price Range: INR 100-200 | NPR 170-350
• Best Served With: Fruits

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3. Pustakari

Pustakari, a sticky dessert of molasses and coconut, is often enjoyed at festivals and family get-togethers.

• Must Try: Freshly prepared during Dashain
• Price Range: INR 20-50 | NPR 35-85
• Best Served With: Tea

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4. Sel Roti

Sel Roti is a classic fried snack made from rice flour and shaped like a doughnut. Family gatherings love to enjoy this snack on special occasions like Dasai and Bhai tika. It is popular because its crunchy exterior complements its tender middle!

• Must Try: Freshly fried Sel Roti with tea
• Price Range: INR 20-50 | NPR 35-85
• Best Served With: Yogurt or milk tea

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FAQs

What is Nepal’s national food?

Nepalese people eat Dal Bhat Tarkari, their country’s traditional food consisting of rice, lentil soup, and fresh vegetables.

Is Nepal food cheap?

You can eat street food all over Nepal without breaking your wallet. Starting from just INR 50 | NPR 85 per dish, it’s a budget-friendly place to eat.

What type of food is eaten in Nepal?

In Nepal, they cook their standard meals using rice, lentils, cooked vegetables, curries, and homemade dumplings, and they also satiate traditional soups like Thukpa.

What is a typical breakfast in Nepal?

Newar or Nepali families usually begin their day with Sel Roti, yogurt, tea, and spicy pickles or lentils.

Which are the popular restaurants in Nepal?

Nepalese diners enjoy their favorite meals at well-known eateries like Thamel House, Krishna Arpan, and Gilingche.

Which is the best food to try in Nepal during Ramadan?

Breakfasts from Nepali cuisine, Choila, Seekh Kebabs, and Momos are wonderful choices when observing Ramadan.

Which is a traditional food of Nepal?

Dal Bhat Tarkari and Gundruk are Nepal’s traditional foods, which are celebrated by many generations of Nepalese.

What currency is used in Nepal? 

Nepal runs on the Nepalese Rupee. Now, 1 Nepali Rupee is worth around 0.63 Indian Rupees.