Café restaurants in Kathmandu
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A
Helena’s
Helena’s is deservedly popular for its set breakfasts, one of the highest rooftops in Thamel, cosy interior and super-friendly service, with a wide range of coffee, good cakes, tandoori dishes and steaks. It’s warm and cosy in winter. If you are heading off trekking, consider breakfast on the 8th floor a form of high-altitude training.
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B
Yak Café
Another unpretentious and reliable Tibetan-run place at the other end of Thamel. The booths give it a 'Tibetan diner' vibe and the clientele is a mix of trekkers with their Sherpa guides and local Tibetans who come to shoot the breeze over a cigarette and a tube of tongba (hot millet beer). The menu includes Tibetan dishes, with good kothey (fried momos), and South Indian food, at unbeatable prices.
It feels just like a trekking lodge, down to that familiar electronic sound of a chicken being strangled every time a dish is ready.
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C
Himalayan Java
Above the Bakery Cafe, this modern and buzzing coffeehouse serves good espresso and fine paninis and cakes, in addition to decent breakfasts. There’s a sunny balcony, lots of sofas and big-screen TV for the football, but from certain angles it feels a bit like a hotel foyer. It’s popular with hip middle-class Nepalis and there’s wi-fi.
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D
New Orleans Cafe
Hidden down an alley near the Brezel Bakery, New Orleans boasts a relaxed and intimate candlelit vibe and a great selection of music, often live. It’s a popular spot for a drink but the menu also ranges far and wide, from Thai curries and good burgers to Creole jambalaya and oven-roasted vegies, plus good breakfasts.
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E
Mike’s Breakfast
As the name suggests, this place specialises in big American-style breakfasts (Mike was a former Peace Corps worker), served up to a mix of expats and well-heeled locals. It’s a bit out of the way but it’s certainly a laid-back way to start (and occupy most of) the day, in the attractive, leafy garden of an old Rana house. The breakfast menu includes excellent waffles, fresh juices and great eggs Florentine (Rs 345); all prices include organic Nepali coffee from Palpa. Lunch extends to Mexican quesadillas and daily salad/soup combos; the barbecue fires up on Sunday evenings (Rs 550). While you’re here take a wander through the excellent Indigo Gallery. The restaurant is i…
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F
Himalatte Café
A North-American coffeehouse feel here, right down to the comfy sofas and Friday night music jams (courtesy of the owner's band). The impressive array of coffees are some of the best in Thamel, as are the cheeseburgers. The menu ranges from Caesar wraps to fruit crêpes and the Tuesday and Thursday set meal specials are good value. We recommend the excellent chicken saltimbocca - cheese, sage and bacon inside a chicken breast.
If you are feeling a little fragile, try the hangover helper - carrot juice with ginger and parsley.
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G
Lazimpat Gallery Cafe
This friendly place occupies a unique niche, somewhere between a greasy spoon and an art cafe, with a menu boasting both beans on toast and fresh carrot and coriander soup. Everything from the cakes to the juices is made fresh on the spot. It’s great for a cheap, light lunch, especially if you’re out in Lazimpat and suddenly need a cheese-and-ham toastie. It’s run by a British former VSO worker so it’s a popular hideaway for local volunteers. Friday night is film night and there’s free wi-fi all the time.
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H
Kaiser Cafe
This cafe/restaurant in the Garden of Dreams is run by Dwarika’s so quality is high. It’s a fine place for a light meal (such as crêpes stuffed with mushroom, asparagus and grated cheese) or to linger over a pot of tea or something stiffer at the stylish bar. The Austrian dishes are a nod to the country that financed and oversaw the garden’s restoration. You have to pay the garden’s admission fee to eat here.
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I
Café de Cosmopolitan
Café de Cosmopolitan. Nearby Basantapur Sq, this is a cheaper eating option than Festive Fare Restaurant.
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