Come for the mountains, stay for the food in Kathmandu

The valley had turned purple with blooming jacaranda trees that had washed it in shades of lavender Just for a few weeks the pavements along Durbar Marg and Ratna Park and the roadsides and parks in Lalitpurrsquos quieter neighbourhoods are carpeted with violet blossoms creating a striking contrast against the valleyrsquos ancient temples stupas and brick architectureAt the top of the Shivapuri trek get sweeping views of the valley and mountains Pics Nasrin Modak SiddiqiKathmandu in May is a beautiful sight to behold Besides one could sense the fresh hope that has enveloped the city after the March 2026 election which upended Nepalrsquos traditional political order The relatively young rapper and structural engineer Balen Shah 36 and his Rastriya Swatantra Party won a sweeping parliamentary majority ending decades of coalition politics dominated by the oldguard parties The election followed mass youthled anticorruption protests in 2025 that forced the resignation of thenprime minister KP Sharma Oli The locals are hopeful for a better future Even our taxi driver regaled us with optimistic tales as Shahrsquos magnum opus Balidan played on the carrsquos stereoBhojan Griha ThaliFor our first meal in the city as we checked into Moxy Kathmandu the contemporary hotel near Thamel we tried the bara with eggs The chef had made these pipinghot fermented black lentil pancakes whose taste sits somewhere between an uttapam and a falafel while being distinctly its own thing Lightly crisp and golden from the griddle itrsquos not heavily spiced allowing the lentilsrsquo earthy flavour to come through We had the anda bara topped with an egg which made it a complete mealBerriesPrashan Poudyal our guide appointed by the hotel is a young passionate trekker who knows the city and country inside out Our first stop is at Boudhanath Stupa the spiritual heart of Nepalrsquos Tibetan Buddhist community It is invigorating with monasteries prayer wheels and incensefilled lanes Here pilgrims and monks circle the massive white dome in a ritual known as kora while the stuparsquos iconic allseeing Buddha eyes gaze out across the valleyChicken momosBeyond its religious significance Boudhnath is also a vibrant cultural hub where yoursquoll find some great Tibetan cafeacutes Sherpa eateries and traditional Himalayan businesses including the Boudha Stupa Thanka Center where you can learn the art of thangka paintings PS It takes years to master the artFritter platterPoudyal tells us about these tiny homerun establishments of Sherpas where you can hear the heavy sound of pounding Here the mountainous potatoes rich in starch are boiled and then pounded hard in a large wooden mortar with a heavy wooden pestle until they turn soft and silky Then they are made into small dumplings and cooked in a simple soup of onion garlic and tomato Itrsquos called rildok and it melts in your mouth Expert advice sprinkle some timur a tonguetingling Nepali pepper closely related to Szechuan pepperAnloo tareko and Kwatti ko Surwa right MomosThe cafeacute scene here is buzzing as well We headed to Roadhouse Cafe and sat by the window watching the beautiful stupa at dusk as pilgrims circumbulated it alongside tourists and shoppers Back at the hotel we tried some lipsmacking momos chatpate and hot dogs that were made to give us a glimpse of what people have after a night of intense partying at Thamel the tourist hub of KathmanduBarfiWaking up to sweeping views of the mountains from our room the next morning we headed straight to the hills of Shivapuri for a scenic hike through forest trails At the top were the sense of accomplishment from finishing a trek panoramic views and a stupa where young monks study Buddhist philosophy and scriptures At the hotelrsquos launch party that evening the swish set of the Kathmandu party circuit arrived dressed in their finest ready to party at the rooftop pool bar overlooking the cityrsquos skyline and the mountains The morning after we headed for a morning walk to the local park and crossed a few lanes to reach the Bikerrsquos Cafeacute Run by the Himalayan Java Coffee a homegrown brand known for promoting locally grown highaltitude Arabica beans from regions such as Gulmi Syangja and Lalitpur We packed back a Thamel Roast tooPost breakfast we headed to Patan Durbar Square a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the finest showcases of Newar architecture Once the royal seat of the Malla kings the square is famed for its intricately carved temples courtyards and redbrick palaces Despite the 2015 earthquake it remains a vibrant cultural hub where traditions continue to thrive We witnessed the Newari Bhim Ratharohan ritual held when a person reaches exactly 77 years seven months and seven days of age The elder is honoured as a living deity and paraded through the streets on a beautifully decorated chariot pulled by children and grandchildrenHimalayan Java CafePatan is one of the best places in Nepal to experience traditional Newari cuisine The narrow lanes around the square are dotted with familyrun khajas eateries old bhattis taverns and modern restaurants Set within a beautiful courtyard we tried the food at the museum cafeacute starting with Newari bara a whole plate of fried snacks and next the Newari fish thali which came with leafy veggies rice dal sweet curd and fish Poudyal got us barfi to try Similar to the khoya variant back home this one is denser in flavour In Patan get a bowl of sweet curd juju dhau and sel roti ringshaped sweet fried dough any chance you getBoudhnath Stupa a UNESCO World heritage site is one of the largest spherical stupas in the worldThat night we dined at Bhojan Griha founded by Bharat Basnet where we experienced traditional cuisine in a heritage setting while enjoying traditional music and dance from different parts of Nepal Housed in a beautifully restored centuryold Ranaera building the cultural programme is just as interesting as the food including classicsPostdinner we switched gears to experience Kathmandursquos vibrant nightlife with a guided clubhopping tour by the hotelrsquos team We navigated the cityrsquos entertainment hubs of Durbar Marg and Thamel with VIP access to some of the capitalrsquos most popular venues including Purple Haze Rock Bar known for its live music scene and energetic crowds Nova Club a sleek latenight destination favoured by Kathmandursquos young social set and kept the party going late into the nightThe experience showcased how Kathmandu seamlessly shifts from ancient spirituality by day to cosmopolitan nightlife after dark More importantly it revealed a city that is rapidly evolving beyond its reputation as a trekking gateway where centuriesold Newari culinary traditions Himalayan ingredients and a new generation of hospitality are coming together to create one of South Asiarsquos most compelling food and travel destinationsFoods to bring back thinspTimur thinspYak cheese thinspHimalayan tea thinspHimalayan coffee thinspWild mushroomsNewari foodLong before Nepal became a nation the Newaris were the traders artisans and rulers who shaped life in the Valley Their cuisine is unlike the dalbhat that most visitors associate with Nepal It is festive complex and flavourful A meal might begin with Samay Baji a celebratory spread of beaten rice buffalo meat black soybeans and pickles move on to smoky Choila crispedged Bara lentil pancakes or Chatamari a rice crepe often compared to a pizza and end with sweet Yomari dumplings filled with jaggery and sesame Every dish tells a story of trade routes harvest cycles religious rituals and community gatheringsFermentation seasonal eating local sourcing and nosetotail cooking have been part of Newari kitchens for centuries The cuisine evolved at a crossroads where merchants from the Indian plains met traders from Tibet creating a food culture that feels distinctA new generation is reclaiming indigenous ingredients and forgotten recipes with pride Kathmandursquos food scene so compelling right now because it isnrsquot chasing trends but rediscovering itself