Must-see restaurants in Bhutan

  • Bukhari Restaurant

    Paro

    The sophisticated circular restaurant at the Uma Paro hotel is the best in the valley. The set dinner menu changes frequently and focuses on fresh,…

  • Cloud 9

    Thimphu

    If you're tired of bland hotel buffets, this stylish restaurant serves the best international menu in town. Come for sourdough pizzas with authentic…

  • 7th Restaurant

    Thimphu

    The elegant restaurant at the Hotel Druk elevates the hotel buffet to high art. The spread of dishes roams from Europe to Bhutan and China, but it's the…

  • Babesa Village Restaurant

    Thimphu

    About 6km south of Thimphu's centre, this charming restaurant offers traditional Bhutanese cuisine in a rammed-earth village home, one of four still…

  • Sonam Trophel Restaurant

    Paro

    Sonam is popular with small groups and has excellent home-style Bhutanese cooking adapted to foreign tastes. The best bet is the set lunch (order in…

  • Ambient Café

    Thimphu

    A warm, friendly bolthole above Norzin Lam, used by many expats as a de facto office. Drinks include good espresso coffee, juices and smoothies, and the…

  • Hayate Ramen

    Thimphu

    It's ramen noodles all the way at this inviting, calm Japanese restaurant. Bowls come topped with everything from roast pork to ebi (battered prawns), and…

  • Cafe Perk

    Bhutan

    If you are searching for espresso, this is the place to head for. In addition to coffee, there are cakes, milkshakes, cold coffees and masala chai. The…

  • Brioche Cafe

    Paro

    The espresso is good at this little cafe but the real draw is the wonderful range of pastries, from the signature apple pie to blueberry cake and seasonal…

  • Brusnika Russian Cafe

    Thimphu

    One of Thimphu's most welcoming cafes, Brusnika is run by a charming Russian-Bhutanese family and looks out over a small park towards Trashi Chho Dzong…

  • Zone

    Thimphu

    This expat favourite feels a bit like a small-town American diner, with a Bhutanese twist. The menu runs to burgers and fries, ice cream, ribs (including…

  • San MaRu

    Thimphu

    A little slice of Seoul, transported to the centre of Thimphu, this wood-lined Korean restaurant serves excellent soups, stews and, for groups of two or…

  • Clove Bistro

    Thimphu

    There's a pan-Asian flavour at this upmarket bistro serving dishes that draw influence from China, Japan, India and Southeast Asia. It's a calm, grown-up…

  • Phuenzhi Diner

    Western Bhutan

    The 'Four Friends' is easily the best eating place in Khuruthang and is well known to guides. The food is delicious and reliable (as is the welcoming air…

  • My Kind of Place

    Paro

    Stylish, clean and well run, this spacious 1st-floor restaurant has tasty Bhutanese dishes such as hoentey (buckwheat dumplings) and ema datse (chillies…

  • Lemongrass Thai

    Thimphu

    Thimphu's best and most stylish Thai restaurant looks out over downtown from the top of a shopping centre, with views towards the National Memorial…

  • Zombala 2

    Thimphu

    This branch of Thimphu's famous momo restaurant serves delicious food in a roomy dining room overlooking Thimphu's main junction. It's deservedly popular…

  • Zen Family Restaurant

    Western Bhutan

    The Chinese dishes here are tasty and fairly authentic, with some Bhutanese and Thai flavours thrown in, and portions are sized to share, though service…

  • Chula

    Thimphu

    Upstairs above the hubbub of Norzin Lam, Chula serves some of the best Indian food in town. You'll find a wide range of tasty Indian staples (including…

  • Chuniding Food

    Thimphu

    Chuniding has shelves piled high with organic and local produce, much of it neatly packaged and ready for travel. You'll find everything here from ema kam…

  • Fu Lu Shou

    Thimphu

    The most authentic Chinese restaurant in Thimphu, with a huge dining room heated by open fireplaces and a long menu of real Chinese dishes – clay pot pig…

  • Coffee Culture

    Thimphu

    A bright, buzzy coffee shop, with a big chalkboard menu of pizza, sandwiches, salads, burgers and wraps, plus doorstop-thick walnut brownies and full…

  • Chimi Lhakhang Cafe

    Western Bhutan

    This well-run timber restaurant near the Chimi Lhakhang in Sopsokha is a great place for lunch or tea, with tables lined up against the window overlooking…

  • Neyphu Heritage Café

    Western Bhutan

    With traditional wooden furniture and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking fields, this modern and stylish place is a good lunch spot if you are…

  • Tou Zaiga Restaurant

    Paro

    Trainee five-star chefs and timid waitstaff test their skills on lucky tourists at this restaurant run by the Bongde Institute of Hospitality and Tourism…

  • Bhutan Orchid

    Thimphu

    A well-organised restaurant serving Bhutanese set meals, with the chilli toned down for non-Bhutanese palates. You'll get to sample eight local dishes,…

  • Bhutan Kitchen

    Thimphu

    A warm interior and traditional seating make for cosy meals at this Bhutanese place, serving local cuisine in traditional wooden bowls. Set meals include…

  • Panda Beer Garden Cafe

    Bhutan

    Adjacent to and associated with the Bumthang Brewery, this cosy cafe serves meat and veg pizzas, Swiss-style cheesy fondue and raclette dishes, cakes and…

  • Sunny Restaurant

    Bhutan

    There are plenty of small bars and local restaurants along Jakar's main street, though the brightest and cleanest is Sunny Restaurant, with Bhutanese and…

  • Druk Wangyal Cafe

    Western Bhutan

    This BTCL-owned cafe on the Dochu La pass is a good place to warm up with a cup of tea or espresso around the bukhari (wood stove). With prior arrangement…

  • Authentic Pizza

    Paro

    If you need a break from burning ema datse (chillies with cheese) or bland hotel buffets, this upstairs joint bakes decent pizzas: eat in the pleasant…

  • Kizom Cafe

    Western Bhutan

    For espresso coffee in delicious air-con, this modern and central cafe hits the spot. It also serves smoothies and iced coffee alongside good cakes,…

  • Seasons Restaurant

    Thimphu

    This deservedly popular restaurant specialises in thin-crust pizzas with authentic toppings, but the kitchen also rustles up some excellent salads. It's…

  • Menchuna Restaurant

    Western Bhutan

    Just below the Royal Botanical Park on the road from Dochu La to Metshina is this popular lunch stop. Espresso coffee is available and there's a good…

  • Yue-Ling Restaurant

    Paro

    A good, reliable place frequented by tour groups, Yue-Ling serves fine curries, vegetable dishes, naan and fried batura bread. If you want to try some…

  • Norbu Yangphel Hotel

    Bhutan

    Brightly painted Norbu Yangphel offers the usual tourist buffet upstairs and has a couple of cosier rooms downstairs where you can try juru jaju (river…

  • Art Café

    Thimphu

    A welcoming taste of the old Thimphu, this small, bukhari-warmed coffee shop serves decent filter coffee and delicious cakes, hearty soups, salads and…

  • Thijha Cafe

    Thimphu

    A modern, international-style coffee shop serving Illy coffee, salads, grills, pastas and decent attempts at Indian, continental and full English…

  • Karma's Coffee

    Thimphu

    Karma's was an early arrival on Thimphu's coffee scene and is still going strong despite lots of competition. The interior is a little dated but it's warm…

  • Wangchuk Lodge

    Phobjikha Valley

    This eight-bedroom lodge operated by Thimphu's Wangchuk Hotel has a fine dining room offering great views and espresso coffee. The disappointing rooms…

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