Street food is heaven; the vibrant colors, deep-fried aroma, and sizzling appearance all exude an irresistible charm. Are they healthy? Maybe not, but there is no doubt of their deliciousness. Hence, there is no shortage of street food lovers in any part of the world.
In the bustling streets of Nepal, aromatic street delicacies with colorful displays await visitors. Some of these dishes’ origins trace back to ancient times, and their recipes were passed down from generation to generation. Some were influenced by foreign food culture. Whatever their origin, street food in Nepal invites people to indulge and savor the flavor of these delicacies.
Also Read:
- What is all the Fuss about Pani Puri
- Enjoy The Spicy Flavor Of Chatpate
- Try Various Versions of Nepali-Favorite Momos
- Start Your Morning with Delicious Samosas
- A Bread to Your Morning Tea: Sel Roti
- Savor the Spicy Flavor of Laphing
- Fill Your Stomach with Chow Mein
- Up for Pizza: Try Nepali Chatamari
- Spice Up Your Life with Choila
- Taste the Sizzling Grilled Sekuwa
- Cleanse Your Palate with Sweet Delights
What is all the Fuss about Pani Puri
Wondering where to start from in your street food tour in Nepal? Then, I suggest the Nepalese favorite, Pani Puri. This snack will be something you have never tried before. It’s a perfect blend of crunchy, spicy, sour, and deliciousness wrapped in each puri.
As its name suggests, Pani Puri requires puri with fillings and water to dip it into. Puris are fried and crisp bread spheres made from semolina and flour. Their crunchy exterior makes them easily breakable. Furthermore, puri fillings combine boiled potatoes, chickpeas, nuts, onions, and spices. They can be spicy or mild, depending on customers’ requests.
Finally, Pani Puri’s water is a sour and spicy mint-flavored water. Sellers break the puri’s exterior, fill it with fillings, and dip it in the water before serving. With a single bite, this street snack will fill your taste buds with sour and spicy taste. It is so good, you won’t even realize when you go for another one and more.
Pani Puri originally came from India; however, you will find authentic Indian-flavored Pani Puris from Nepali vendors and stores. They are also fairly cheap and easy to digest. Moreover, if the original taste doesn’t suit your palate, try Dahi Puri, Chaat, Chocolate Pani Puri, and other variations. You will surely like one of them.
- Where To Eat: Streets Of Thamel, Baneshwor, Bhaktapur, etc.
- Price Range: $0.38 Onwards
- Famous Destinations: Tiwari Brothers Restaurant, Om Pani Puri Chat Center, Panipuri Adda
Enjoy The Spicy Flavor Of Chatpate
When you arrive at the Pani Puri shop, many will enjoy colorful rice puffs with various spices. This is another famous street food named Chatpate. As its vibrant color indicates, this snack is spicy and not for those with less spice tolerance.
Don’t worry; ask sellers to make your Chatpate less spicy. However, it likely won’t be as tasty as its spicy version. Regarding our topic, Chatpate is a vegan snack that includes rice puffs, onions, chickpeas, boiled potatoes, bhujia, and spices. All these are mixed, adding a flavored red sauce, salt, lemon juice, and oil.
Finally, sellers serve this tasty snack in a cone-shaped paper bag or plate. You can try it at shops or enjoy it while roaming the streets. However, I recommend the former, as Kathmandu cities are pretty polluted. Chatpate is the perfect alternative for those who don’t like Pani Puri.
- Where To Eat: Vendor shops at Thamel, Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Patan, and Terai Region
- Price Range: $0.38 Onwards
- Famous Destinations: Shiwakoti Rumpum Chatpate, Chatpate Time
Try Various Versions of Nepali-Favorite Momos
Visiting Nepal equals trying the local favorite momos. We are not kidding, as many restaurants, cafes, and eateries serve momos as their main dish, inviting you to try this delicacy at least once. Sometimes, you won’t have other options than ordering this dish if the shop only sells momos.
Momos are Nepali dumplings that come in vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. They are either circular or long structures with nicely made designs. The fillings are minced meat, onions, garlic, ginger, and spices. Veggies are added in place of meat for veg momos.
This Nepali favorite dish is served hot and steamy with tomato achar (pickle). They must be eaten hot, not cold. Furthermore, you can explore variations like Fried Momo, Tandoori Momo, Khuwa Momo, Chilly Momo, Jhol Momo, Sadheko Momo, Kothey Momo, Momo Platter, etc.
- Where To Eat: Momo shops around Swayumbhunath, Bhaktapur, Baneshwor, Thamel, etc.
- Price Range: $0.76 Onwards
- Famous Destinations: Narayan Daiko Masangalliko Famous Momo, Ghangri Café, Bagmati Sweets
Check These Handpicked Activities:
Start Your Morning with Delicious Samosas
It is challenging to fix a quick breakfast if you have morning classes or a job to be at. People can hardly make it in time, so preparing meals is out of the question. Samosas could be said to be a good-gifted creation among early birds. They are the go-to option for Nepali people.
Morning college students are often seen munching on this street snack in the mornings. They are delicious and fill stomachs, making them like breakfast. Visitors can try hot Samosas early in the morning in Kathmandu.
Samosa is a triangular pastry stuffed with boiled potatoes, onions, chili, and spices. It is a vegetarian dish, but non-veg options are also available. Moreover, this street food is the healthier street snack in Nepal. Still, refrain from consuming it daily, as it could lead to weight gain.
If you want to enjoy something different than Samosas, you can try Aloo Chop. It is a fried snack with potato fillings. Although this dish is rich in carbohydrates, eating it once or twice won’t hurt.
- Where To Eat: Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Nepalgunj, Biratnagar
- Price Range: $0.30 – $0.38 per piece
- Famous Destinations: Tip Top, Dudh Sagar Sweets
A Bread to Your Morning Tea: Sel Roti
Samosas are a great breakfast item, but it will feel bland without a cup of tea/coffee. If you want to enjoy a light snack with your tea, try Nepali street food, Sel Roti. It is a deep-fried ring-shaped bread made of rice flour.
Sel Roti has a cultural root in the Hindu religion. Hindus make sel roti during festivals like Tihar, Dashain, Swasthani Brata, and other important occasions. In the past, married women used to bring sel rotis to their parents’ homes as gifts. It is also used to break fasts.
Visitors have to try this delicious sweet snack while visiting Nepal. You won’t have to wait for festivals to try this dish. They are easily found in shops in Kathmandu. The lodges and homestays in the Hilly region also make this food item every other day.
- Where To Eat: Thamel, Kathmandu, Bhaktapur
- Price Range: $0.23 Onwards
- Famous Destinations: Lokpriya Selroti Bhandar, Nepalganj Selroti Ghar
Savor the Spicy Flavor of Laphing
As mentioned before, foreign food culture also influences Nepali street food. Hence, visitors will find several foreign street snacks in Nepal. Moreover, Tibetan culinary delicacies dominate Kathmandu’s Swayambhunath and stupa areas. Local people love these dishes, increasing the craze behind Tibetan dishes.
Among many other Tibetan food items, Laphing is easy to find in Kathmandu streets. It is a cold noodle made of moong dal, wheat flour, or potato. The noodles are packed with veg or non-veg contents, marinated with soy sauce, vinegar, and salt, and cut into medium-sized pieces.
Laphing comes in a dry and soup version. The latter includes dipping the noodles in watery chili paste. This dish’s perfect sour, spicy, and crunchy combo attacks your taste buds. You will be fairly full by the one serving but can go for more.
- Where To Eat: Swayambhunath, Boudhanath, and around stupas
- Price Range: $0.60 Onwards
- Famous Destinations: Cold And Hot Spicy Noodles, The Laphing Lounge, Tibetan Laphing Center, Yummy Laphing Center
Fill Your Stomach with Chow Mein
Who said street food can only be light snacks? Nepal boasts several street delicacies that will fill your stomach in no time. Take, for instance, Chow Mein, a Tibetan stir-fried noodles. This mouthwateringly delicious dish is perfect for lunch.
Chow Mein is available in veg and non-veg options. The noodle is stir-fried with meat, onions, tomatoes, cabbage, and celery. You can add chickpeas and potatoes as alternatives to meat. They are garnished with chopped onions and coriander before serving. Visitors can enjoy this dish with ketchup or pickles.
This Tibetan noodle dish is also found in the soup version. Chefs boil noodles in thick vegetables/chicken broth, allowing it to soak in flavor. They are then served hot in a bowl. The soup version is named Thukpa.
- Where To Eat: Restaurants in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Swaymbhunath
- Price Range: $0.76 Onwards
- Famous Destinations: Yangling Tibetan Restaurant, Little Tibetan Restaurant, Gyan Daiko Khaja Ghar & Restaurant
Check These Handpicked Activities:
- Momo, Dhalbhat & Thukpa Cooking Class, Nepal
- Cooking Tour in Kathmandu – Learn as Local with Nepalese Family
Up for Pizza: Try Nepali Chatamari
(Source: Chatamari Facebook)
Few know, but Nepal has an original pizza that looks and tastes different from Italian pizzas. It is a Newari dish called Chatamari, also famous as Newari pizza. This dish is also called Rice Pancake.
Chatamari looks slightly similar to regular pizzas; it has a round shape with veg/non-veg toppings. What makes it different from Italian pizza is its taste. It doesn’t taste like a pizza at all. Moreover, this Newari delicacy has a very thin crust made of rice flour. Its base is also thin and slightly crispy.
The Newari pizza comes with generous toppings. Non-veg Chatamaris primarily include minced meat, eggs, onions, black-eye beans, and spices. The veg version has potatoes, soybeans, and black-eye beans. Although these might not taste like pizzas, they are a delicious, crunchy feast.
- Where To Eat: Authentic Newari restaurants in Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, and Lalitpur
- Price Range: $0.76 Onwards
- Famous Destinations: Chatamari Chen, Matina Bhoe Chhen, Wunjala Moskva Pvt Ltd
Spice Up Your Life with Choila
No street food tour is complete without having sizzling and grilled meat varieties. You guys will have diverse options for meat lovers while hunting for street food in Nepal. Local favorites include Choila, Sekuwa, Sausages, fish fry, etc.
Choila is a Newari delicacy that will challenge your spice tolerance. They are spicy grilled meat (buffalo, pork, mutton, chicken, and duck) marinated with chili and spices. You only have to look at the dish’s pictures to figure out its fiery fragrance.
This is a sole meat dish, so vegan and vegetarian options are unavailable. Also, we advise people with gastric or stomach problems not to try this dish. But, if you are one of those who want to challenge their spice tolerance, by all means, go ahead and enjoy red hot Choila.
- Where To Eat: Newari Restaurants in Patan, Kirtipur, Kamalbinayak, and Harisiddhi
- Price Range: $1.89 Onwards
- Famous Destinations: Harisidhhi Newa Shulee, Sasa Twa, Honacha
Taste the Sizzling Grilled Sekuwa
Nothing beats grilled savory treats barbecued over the fire until nearly burnt. If you roam around Thamel and Baneshwor streets in the evening, you will see lively groups of people enjoying grilled meat. These are Sekuwa that are roasted over an open charcoal and served hot.
Sekuwa is primarily made of mutton, buffalo, pork, chicken, goat, and lamb meat. It is marinated with chili, spices, and herbs and grilled in skewers over an open fire. They are savory, tangy, and spicy in flavor.
The meat is crispy on the outside and juicy inside and will melt in your tongue. You must enjoy this savory dish with local alcohol or cold beer. They serve as an excellent relaxing factor.
- Where To Eat: Eateries In Chabahil, Dillibazar, Pokhara, Biratnagra, and Dharan
- Price Range: Rs. 700 – Rs. 1000 ($5.29 – $7.55), Buff/Pork Rs. 1000 – Rs. 2500 ($7.55 – $18.88)
- Famous Destinations: Bajeko Sekuwa, Yangtaru Sekuwa Corner, Town Top Lama Sekuwa Corner
Check These Handpicked Activities:
- Half-Day Traditional Meal and Food Tasting Tour From Kathmandu
- Food Tasting Tour Nepal With Locals On Motorbike
Cleanse Your Palate with Sweet Delights
So far, we have recommended savory, spicy, and tangy Nepali street food. Hmm, but does it feel a bit incomplete? I know what we are missing; let’s finish our tour with these sweet street delights.
Taste Sugary Lakhamari
(Source: Flickr)
We are starting with the Newari dessert, Lakhamari. It is a deep-fried bread that comes in various shapes and designs. Moreover, this sweet is made of wheat flour, sugar, sesame seeds, and butter. The ingredients are mixed into dough and deep-friend till crunchy.
Lakhamari is not only a street food but also a part of Newari culture. For instance, a groom has to give these sweets to his in-law’s house before marriage. Lakhamari is also distributed to guests during a marriage ceremony.
Visitors will find these sweet snacks around Kathmandu Durbar Square, Asan, and Thamel. Many local shops sell them in the early mornings. So, you can start your day with the piping hot Lakhamaris.
- Where To Eat: Asan, Indra Chowk, Durbar Square, Bhaktapur, and Patan
- Price Range: $0.49 – $14.73
- Famous Destinations: Lakhamari Pasa, Kasthamandap’s Lakha Mari
Refreshment in Hot Weather: Lassi
Nepal is a tropical country whose weather ranges from hottest sunny days to extreme cold winters. If you visit between June and August, you will experience hot and dry days. This humid weather creates fatigue, tiredness, and heat stroke.
Fret not; we have a perfect street food to relieve your tiredness, Lassi. This yogurt-based beverage is sweet, thick, creamy, and flavorful. Furthermore, it has various toppings and flavors, such as banana, almonds, saffron, and ice cream.
During the blistering heat of Kathmandu, Lassi will feel like finding an oasis in a desert. Moreover, they are cheap and found in most areas of Kathmandu. If it doesn’t suit your taste, try Bhaktapur’s King Curd Juju Dhau.
- Where To Eat: Kathmandu, Janakpur, Biratnagar
- Price Range: $0.94 Onwards
- Famous Destinations: Indra Chowk Lassi Bhandar, Janakpur Dahi Lassi Bhandar
Sweet Jeri to End Your Street Food Tour
People with sweet tooths must try the street snack, Jeri. This orange-colored sweet bread looks like a pretzel. No matter how much of a dessert lover you are, you won’t be able to eat more than 5 Jeris. They are so sweet that 3-4 will be enough for even the biggest sweet lover.
Jeri, aka Jalebi, is made of all-purpose flour, baking powder, and sugar. They are deep-fried in oil and then soaked in sugar syrup. Furthermore, Nepali people often buy this sweet at festivals and occasions like Father’s Day and Mother’s Day.
You can control Jeri’s sweetness by eating it with puri. They come as Jeri Swari Haluwa, whose price ranges from Rs. 800 ($6.04) onwards. Although expensive, this dish is delicious and fulfilling.
- Where To Eat: Baneshwor, Pepsicola, Jhamshikhel, and Kalanki
- Price Range: $0.19 – $0.38 per piece
- Famous Destinations: Badri Ko Haluwai, Sangam Sweets, Rameshwaram Sweets and Snacks
Street food is more than enjoying a country’s culinary arts; it is a social affair that brings diverse people together in a similar space. It allows people to bond over their common love for food.
Nepal’s street food scenario sees people uniting to discover and indulge in available street snacks. Regardless of cultural or other barriers, people enjoy their meals in a shared space, creating a harmonious atmosphere.
