Must see restaurants in 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…

The handsome pavilion restaurant inside the Folk Heritage Museum serves good Bhutanese meals, with a mix of meat and vegetable dishes, and there's a…

An unpretentious and charming family-run place serving delicious and spicy Bhutanese and Nepali food. The shahi paneer – fresh cheese in mildly spiced…

Any local will tell you the best momos (deep-fried or steamed dumplings) in town are served at Zombala, a cheap and cheerful local dive near Hong Kong…

This watch shop (look for the Tissot sign) doubles as an unlikely purveyor of delicious homemade ice cream. The all-natural vanilla, coconut and chocolate…

Familiar Chinese dishes such as chilli pork, Sichuan chicken and spare ribs are made to be shared here, and the brightly painted, well-lit interior is a…

Fine Lavazza coffee, excellent homemade cakes and snacks such as pizzas and burgers make this modern coffee house a great place to warm up on a cold…

A bright dining room above Norzin Lam, with a bistro feel, cold beers, a Chinese-and-friends menu, and views over the shopping bustle.

A central supermarket that stocks everything from fresh spices and cordyceps tea to imported breakfast cereals and Red Panda beer.

The menu isn't quite as flashy as the sleek decor would have you believe at this upstairs restaurant overlooking Clocktower Sq, but the Indian, Chinese…

A popular Clocktower Sq hang-out where locals come to shoot the breeze and puff surreptitiously on cigarettes on the terrace. The menu is mostly Bhutanese…

A simple but wholesome pure-vegetarian restaurant with slightly incongruous Bhutanese decor, but a broad menu of South Indian delicacies such as dosa…

This simple local hotel offers excellent-value Indian vegetarian food for travellers on a budget. The red chutney served with the dosas is delicious.

This project trains young Bhutanese with learning disabilities as bakers. Drop in for a cup of coffee and a croissant to help support their work.