Newari food reached Pokhara with Newar traders from Bhaktapur, who settled around Bhimsen Tole in the old bazaar a few centuries ago. Today you'll find it in small restaurants and khaja houses on New Road, in the old bazaar and around Lakeside. Newari Bhoj on New Road, Newa Lahana at Malepatan and Denight Newari Bhoj near Phewa Marg are three long-running names. Order a samay baji set to taste most of the cuisine on one plate, then add bara, chatamari and choila. Expect buffalo rather than beef, plenty of chilli and mustard oil, and a cup of aila (rice spirit) that you are free to skip.
- Where to lookNew Road, the old bazaar (Bhimsen Tole) and Lakeside
- Order firstSamay baji, the Newari khaja set
- Also tryBara, chatamari, choila, yomari, juju dhau
- MeatBuffalo (buff), chicken or mutton. No beef
- DrinksAila (rice spirit) and thwon (rice beer)
- Vegetarian?Ask for a set without meat, egg and aila
- Before you goSmall places move or close, so check recent reviews
Over the years, Nepal has been the primary content source for food bloggers and video enthusiasts. Many world-renowned content creators have visited Nepal to explore the native taste in the country. When we talk about food, Newari cuisine comes to our mind, and that is for sure. Due to its savory taste with spices and the collection of many dishes, it has become a popular dish in Nepal and worldwide.
Basically, Newari food is widely popular in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Patan. But what if you are outside the reach of the Valley? Well, that's not a problem. If you are in Pokhara and looking forward to tasting some of the finest Newari cuisines, you don't have to travel to Kathmandu. Pokhara may be better known for its lakes and mountains, but its Newari food scene is growing fast.
Throughout this vibrant and lively city, you can find various top-notch restaurants serving up Newari delicacies. From street food stands to upscale Newari restaurants, Pokhara has something for everyone's taste buds.
We know that finding the best places can be overwhelming, so I've put together a guide on the top Newari restaurants in Pokhara. In this guide, I'll reveal some must-visit spots from my experience so you can discover all the flavors and culture Pokhara has to offer!
What Is Newari Cuisine?
The city of Pokhara is renowned for its stunning mountain views and laid-back atmosphere. But even more fascinating than the city's landscape are its tongue-twisting flavors. In Pokhara, restaurants offer delicious Newari cuisine, the cooking of the Newar people of the Kathmandu Valley, which came west with Newar traders and stayed.
Photo: Samay Bajey- Newari Khaja Set
Newari food is based around rice, beans, lentils, and vegetables, but you'll also find various meats and spices that add flavor. Common Newari dishes include bara (lentil pancakes), alu tama (potatoes with bamboo), and Yogurt with beaten rice. And make sure to try thwon (rice beer, called jaand in Nepali) and chhoila (spicy grilled meat). Finish with a platter of pickles made from local fruits and vegetables to complete your meal.
How Newari Food Came to Pokhara
Pokhara's Newars are traders by origin. The rulers of Kaski invited merchant families from Bhaktapur to settle and run the trade between the Tibet salt routes and the plains, and the best-known group, the Chhabis Kuriya or "twenty-six households," set up shop in what is now Bhimsen Tole. Accounts disagree on the date. Some place the first invitation in the 17th century, others after Nepal's unification in the 18th.
They built a small pagoda to Bhimsen, the Newar god of trade, about 200 years ago, and the brick houses with carved wooden windows around it still look like a street lifted out of Bhaktapur. Until the 1960s this old bazaar was the main market for the whole valley. Then business drifted south to New Road and Lakeside, and the Newari kitchens followed.
So if you want the setting as well as the food, walk the old bazaar from Bhimsen Temple up towards Bindhyabasini Temple, then eat on New Road on the way back. Our guide to the Newar people explains who they are and where their festivals come from.
Exploring Traditional Dishes From Newari Restaurants in Pokhara
Newari cuisine is heavily influenced by various spices, vegetables, and meat. Pokhara's top Newari restaurants offer some of the most authentic dishes around. A few traditional dishes you should try are Juju Dhau, the sweet set curd of Bhaktapur, Samay Baji, a platter built around beaten rice, and Sel Roti, a ring of fried rice-flour bread that every Nepali home makes at Tihar.
If you're feeling more adventurous, pick up some Bhuteko Masu (spicy pan-fried meat) or Kauli Ko Pakora (cauliflower fritters). Sekuwa, meat marinated in herbs and spices and grilled over charcoal, turns up on most menus too. Strictly speaking, bhuteko masu, pakora and sekuwa are everyday Nepali food rather than Newar dishes, but Pokhara's Newari kitchens cook them well.
No matter what dish you choose, remember to include other dishes like Chatamari, choila, and kachila. Whether it's a spicy snack or dessert, Newari restaurants in Pokhara will surely excite your taste buds!
Popular Newari Dishes to Order in Pokhara
If you are looking for a Newari restaurant in Pokhara, you'll want to sample some delicious local fare. Newari cuisine is unique because it combines flavors and ingredients, think spicy, sour, sweet, and salt all combined in one dish. Here are some of the popular items to try while you're there:
Chatamari
One of the most popular Newari dishes is chatamari, a thin crepe made from rice flour and topped with egg, minced meat, spices and herbs. This snack item tastes best with a cup of hot tea. People also call it Newari Pizza. The old toppings are egg and minced buffalo, and many restaurants now offer mushroom or cheese versions for visitors.
Samay Baji Set
A Samay Baji set is a khaja set containing most Newari dishes. From the beaten rice to the pickles, grilled meat and roasted soybeans, they all are included in this dish.
A standard set has eight or nine items, and some places pile on twelve or more. From the mild beaten rice to the chilli-hot potato, you can taste it all in one set.
Bara
Baras (wo in Nepal Bhasa) are savoury patties of ground black lentils or mung beans, fried on a flat pan. Order one plain, or ask for it topped with an egg or minced meat.
Newari Dishes at a Glance
| Dish | What it is | Vegetarian? | Heat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samay baji | Beaten rice platter with choila, bara, egg, soybeans, potato, greens and ginger | On request | Medium |
| Bara (wo) | Fried lentil patty, plain or with egg or mince | Plain, yes | Mild |
| Chatamari | Rice-flour crepe with toppings | On request | Mild |
| Choila | Flame-grilled spiced buffalo in mustard oil and chilli | No | Hot |
| Kachila | Raw minced buffalo with spices | No | Hot |
| Aalu tama | Potato and fermented bamboo shoot curry | Yes | Medium |
| Yomari | Steamed rice-flour dumpling filled with molasses and sesame, or khuwa | Yes | Sweet |
| Juju dhau | Sweet set curd from Bhaktapur, served in clay pots | Yes | Sweet |
Kachila is raw meat, so only order it somewhere busy with a quick turnover. For the full list of dishes, see our top traditional Newari dishes.
Best Newari Restaurants in Pokhara
Newari cuisine is diverse, and Pokhara offers various types of Newari restaurants. Some of them are:
Newari Bhoj
For an authentic Newari experience, seek out the small eateries that specialize in Newari cuisine, and Newari Bhoj is one of the best of them. They serve you one of the classic and traditional Newari dishes you will never forget.
Photo Credit: Newari Bhoj Restaurant, Pokhara
They are affordable, so try as wide varieties as possible to get an authentic taste of the culture! Newari Bhoj is located on New Road, Pokhara. Diners often pick out the chicken samay baji, mixed bara, yomari and sapu mhicha.
Choila Newari Restaurant
If you want something more upscale, you'll want to head straight to Choila Newari Restaurant. Here you'll find classic Newari dishes like bara (lentil pancakes) and barbecued meats elevated with carefully sourced ingredients. The room is warm and the service friendly, a good pick for a slower, sit-down Newari dinner.
Newa Lahana
Newa Lahana is another excellent destination for food enthusiasts. It shares its name with the better-known community-run Newa Lahana in Kirtipur, outside Kathmandu, which we cover in our Kathmandu Newari restaurant guide. Of course, no visit to Pokhara is complete without tasting some Newari food, and Newa Lahana provides you with that offer.
Photo: Newa Lahana
With the crispy and spicy meat items aligned with the pickles and locally fermented wine, you will experience one of the unique dishes in Newa Lahana. This eatery lies in Malepatan, Ganatantra Chowk, in Pokhara, a short drive from the central city.
Denight Newari Bhoj
If you are near the lakeside in Pokhara, the best thing to do is to go to Denight Newari Bhoj and get a taste of the classic Newari cuisines. This place serves you one of the best homemade fermented pickles and a Newari Khaja set whose flavors will be fresh on your tongue forever.
Located in Phewa Marg Jarebar Chok in Pokhara, this eatery serves you the local chatamari, khaja set, choila, kachila, yomari, wine, and many others.
The best way to find out about other great Newari restaurants in Pokhara is to ask locals what their favorite spots are. Trust us, they'll have plenty of suggestions!
| Restaurant | Area | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Newari Bhoj | New Road | Affordable khaja sets, bara, yomari |
| Choila Newari Restaurant | Pokhara (check the current address) | A sit-down dinner, choila and grilled meats |
| Newa Lahana | Malepatan, Ganatantra Chowk | Crispy meat dishes, pickles and local drinks |
| Denight Newari Bhoj | Phewa Marg, Jarebar Chowk, near Lakeside | Homemade pickles, khaja sets, chatamari, yomari |
We last checked these listings in October 2026. Small restaurants in Pokhara change hands, move and close often, and we couldn't confirm current hours for each one, so look at recent reviews or ask your guide before you set off.
Surprising Facts About Newari Dining in Pokhara
When uncovering Pokhara's flavors, you'll definitely want to sample the local Newari food. But do you know all there is to know about Newari dining in Pokhara? Here are a few surprising facts that will help you make your way through the city's food scene:
Magic of Ingredients
A lot of Newari cooking starts with the same four: ginger, garlic, turmeric and chilli. Mustard oil, cumin, fenugreek seeds, a pinch of asafoetida and timur, the tingling Himalayan pepper, do the rest. That mix is why a plain plate of beaten rice and potato can still taste so loud.
Brass Plates and Leaf Plates
Newari feasts are traditionally served on brass plates or on leaf plates (tapari) stitched from sal leaves. Some Pokhara restaurants still bring khaja sets out on them.
Street Food Culture
Newar snacks such as bara, chatamari and choila also turn up in small khaja houses and stalls around the old bazaar and New Road. It's a cheap way to try one dish at a time before you commit to a full set.
Alcohol Has a Place at the Table
Finally, something surprising about Newar dining is that alcohol is served as culture. At many Newar feasts, aila (rice spirit) and thwon (rice beer) are poured through the meal, often from a spouted brass jug called an anti, and a little is offered to the gods first. Not every Newar family drinks, and nobody will mind if you cover your cup and say no.
Photo: Traditional Newari Alcohol
Eat Your Way Through Pokhara With Swotah
Pokhara is a stop on several Swotah trips, and each one leaves room for a Newari dinner in town. Here is how food fits into three of them:
| Trip | Days | Food angle | From (per person) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best of Nepal Tour | 12 | Kathmandu Valley Newar towns, then Pokhara and Chitwan | USD 1,010 (group departure) |
| Poon Hill Trek | 4 | Starts and ends in Pokhara, teahouse dal bhat on the trail | USD 300 (group departure) |
| Himalayan Food Exploration Tour | 11 | Cooking classes in Kathmandu and Kirtipur, a Newari homestay | USD 2,999 (group departure) |
Swotah can arrange any of these as a private trip. If you'd like a guide with a particular background or language, tell us and we'll try to match one.
FAQs About Newari Food in Pokhara
Is there authentic Newari food in Pokhara?
Yes. Pokhara has had a Newar trading community since its old bazaar was founded, and restaurants such as Newari Bhoj on New Road cook the same khaja sets, bara and choila you get in the Kathmandu Valley. The Valley still has more choice, especially in Kirtipur, Patan and Bhaktapur.
What should I order at a Newari restaurant?
Start with a samay baji set, which gives you beaten rice, choila, bara, egg, soybeans, potato and greens on one plate. Add a chatamari to share and finish with juju dhau or a yomari if they have it.
Is Newari food spicy?
Parts of it are. Choila, kachila and the potato pickles carry plenty of chilli and mustard oil, while bara, beaten rice and chatamari are mild. Ask for less chilli when you order.
Can vegetarians eat Newari food?
Yes, with a little asking. Bara, chatamari without meat, aalu tama, soybeans, greens and yomari are all vegetarian, and most places will make a vegetarian khaja set.
Do Newari restaurants serve beef?
No. Cow slaughter is illegal in Nepal, so Newari meat dishes use buffalo (buff), chicken or mutton.
Final Thoughts on Newari Food in Pokhara
Whether you're a Nepali food enthusiast or just looking to taste the city's local fare, Pokhara offers many delicious Newari restaurants. From the most popular and well-known local restaurants to those hidden gems that only a few know about, Pokhara provides a culinary experience that will leave you wanting more.
No matter what part of town you're in, the unique flavors of Pokhara will have you coming back for seconds. So get out there and explore the flavors of Pokhara. You won't regret it!
