Without a doubt, Kathmandu offers various popular Nepalese local foods that play a significant role in depicting the local culture and tradition. Most importantly, these foods add meaningful experience to the life of the traveler. To enjoy foods from different cultures, Kathmandu is the perfect place. Thus, I recommend the following list of the local foods that you must try in Kathmandu:

List of 7 Local Foods in Kathmandu

1. Thakali Thali
2. Newari Khaja Set
3. Mo: Mo
4. Chatpate
5. Dhido
6. Thukpa
7. Laphing

Thakali Thali

If you want to have something heavy then, thakali thali is the best option. People believe that Thakali Thali originated from Mustang as it is also known as Mustang thali. Thakali Thali is suitable for lunch as it gives the maximum energy that you need for a day. It consists of dal, bhaat(rice), tarkari(Curry), pickle, meat and salad. For non-vegetarians, you can choose chicken, buff, and fish.

Newari Khaja Set

To begin with, the popularity of Newari Khaja has been escalating these days. Varieties of dishes with different flavors come in this set. The dishes symbolize the celebration and festivity of the Newari people. Neware Khaja Set contains dishes Chiura(beaten rice), chatamari, aalu tama, chela (barbecued and marinated buffalo meat), bathmats, aalu-wala, juju dahi, bodi ko achar, sanya, khen, palu, saag ayla. You can order chang( local alcohol ) with the set.

Mo: Mo 

One of the most popular foods that almost every Nepali has tried is mo: mo. Mo: Mo is a steamed dumpling made from flour which is filled with minced meat. There are different mo: mo that you can find in the market such as chicken mo: mo, buff mo: mo, veg mo: mo, aalu mo: mo, and paneer mo: mo. Buff, chicken, and veg mo: mo is especially popular among the people of Kathmandu. Whereas, aalu mo: mo is consumed in the Himalayas of Nepal. Spicy tomato sauce is the best combination with any kind of Mo: Mo. Mo: Mo is a local food you must try in Kathmandu.

Chatpate

The mouth-watering snack found in almost every corner of the roads of Kathmandu is chatpate. Chatpate contains ingredients like puffed rice, dried instant noodles, chickpeas, fresh coriander, tomato, cucumber, onion, boiled potato, lemon juice, fresh chili, and spices. Thus this is the most beloved street food of Nepal and India. As well as it is very affordable for everyone. 

Dhido

Dhido is a traditional food. It is prepared by slowly adding flour to boiling water while stirring. It takes a lot of energy to make local Dhido. People love to eat Dhido with chicken, buff, and pork as per their preference. Some even love to add ghee on top of it before eating. Nowadays, a lot of restaurants serve Dhido at a reasonable price. However, I recommend any of you try it in a rural village in Nepal to enjoy the local taste to the fullest or in a local restaurant.

Thukpa 

Thukpa, a dish that originated from the eastern part of Tibet, is popular among the Buddhist people. It is a soup served with noodles and meat (buff and chicken) along with some vegetables. Moreover, Boudha can be the best place to try authentic thukpa as there are a lot of Tibetan restaurants. Talking of thukpa, people prefer to have it during the winter or when it is cold outside to warm the body with hot and spicy soup. Moreover, this delicious dish is suitable for breakfast and snacks.   

Laphing

Laphing is a Tibetan street food. It is so popular in Kathmandu among youngsters. Laphing contains spicy cold mung bean noodles served with soy sauce gravy. Similarly, You can add red chili, coriander, green onions, wai wai noodles, chips, and gluten bread. Apart from that, a customer can order laphing in three ways and the price differs from what you add to your laphing.