Start with samay baji, the Newar food set of beaten rice, smoky buffalo chhwela, black soybeans, ginger, a lentil bara and a splash of aila. Then try yomari, a steamed rice-flour dumpling filled with molasses and sesame, chatamari, the thin rice-flour crepe sold as "Newari pizza", and kachila, spiced raw minced buffalo. Braver eaters can order ta:kha (meat jelly) and sapu mhicha (leaf tripe stuffed with bone marrow). Most Newari meat is buffalo, because cow slaughter is illegal in Nepal. The best places to eat it are the old quarters of Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur and Kirtipur. In Bhaktapur, finish with juju dhau, the town's thick sweet yoghurt. Yomari Punhi, the yomari festival, falls on 24 December 2026.
- Who cooks itThe Newars of the Kathmandu Valley
- Dish to start withSamay baji (a full set on one plate)
- Main meatBuffalo ("buff")
- Best sweetYomari, and juju dhau in Bhaktapur
- Yomari Punhi 202624 December
- Kwati (nine-bean soup) dayJanai Purnima, August
- Vegetarian optionsBara, wa:, yomari, lakhamari, panchkol, plain chatamari
How often has it happened that you go over your phone or watch the TV and find people talking about Newari cuisine? Or you plan a day out with your friends, and someone suggests you try Newari dishes? If so, you must be curious about what traditional Newari dishes to try.
Newari dishes are widely popular within the Kathmandu Valley and in different parts of Nepal. Growing up in a Newari family, I have always been fascinated by the varieties of dishes in Newari culture and by how unique yet delicious they taste.
Some dishes are weird to eat the first time. That is half the fun.
There are many dishes to try from Newari cuisine, most of which are available on the restaurant menus. However, to make it easier, I have listed the top 11 traditional Newari dishes to try.
A Quick Insight into Newari Cuisine
Newari cuisine is a type of cuisine that originates from the Newar people of Nepal. It is known for its diverse range of dishes, including both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. Some popular dishes in Newari cuisine include Chatamari, Yomari, Bara, Samay Baji, etc.
Newari cuisine is widely popular among the Newars as well as people outside of the Newar community. Thus, many restaurants today include Newari cuisine in their menu.
It is also known for its use of various spices, including cumin, coriander, fenugreek and timur (Sichuan pepper), cooked in mustard oil with garlic, ginger and fresh cilantro.
When a Newari menu says "meat", it almost always means buffalo, called buff. Cow slaughter is illegal in Nepal, so there is no beef. Goat, chicken and duck turn up too, and vegetarians can still eat well from the lentil, rice-flour and vegetable dishes.
Significance of Newari Cuisine
Newari cuisine has a long historical and cultural significance in Nepal and continues to be an important part of the country's culinary traditions. It is often served during special occasions and celebrations and is also enjoyed by tourists visiting the region.
Newari cuisine is a traditional style of cooking that originated in the Kathmandu Valley and is particularly popular among the Newar people, who are indigenous to the region.
The cuisine is known for its use of a wide variety of ingredients and spices and for its emphasis on fresh, locally sourced produce.
One of the most popular dishes includes Yomari, which is a type of dumpling filled with a mixture of sesame seeds and molasses, and Chatamari, which is topped with a variety of meats, vegetables, and eggs.
11 Traditional Newari Dishes to Try
Given the wide variety of options, choosing a Newari dish from the menu may be challenging. It's particularly difficult the first time you experience it.
Thus, the following are the top 11 dishes from the delicious and traditional Newari cuisine that you need to try:
1. Samay Baji
Samay Baji is the best-known Newari food set and holds a lot of cultural significance. It is offered as a prasad during Newari festivals and rituals.
Samay Baji is served during the beginning, often as the starter or as the first course of a meal once the Pooja is over. This traditional Newari dish symbolizes good luck, joy, health, and longevity among the Newars.
The typical Newari dish Samay Baji has been passed down from generation to generation. It typically consists of many items on a single plate where the plate is usually made of leaves called 'Tapari.'
The items in Samay Baji include beaten rice (baji), black soybeans (bhatmas), wa:, chhwela, finely cut ginger (palu), fried boiled egg, boiled beans, spinach, and aila, the Newar rice spirit. Families add or swap items, so you may also get potato achar or a piece of chatamari.
2. Yomari
Yomari (Yamari) is one of the popular Newari sweet dishes made of rice flour which has a sweet filling of either Chaku (molasses), usually mixed with sesame, or Khuwa. The dumpling is steamed, not fried. Its pointed shape is often compared to a Sankha (conch shell), which is taken as a sign of good fortune and joy.
Yomari is included during special occasions in the Newar community. There is a festival allocated as Yomari Punhi during the full moon of Thinlaa: (the second month of Nepal Sambat), where the Newars gather to make Yomari in different shapes and sizes and celebrate the festival. In 2026 Yomari Punhi falls on 24 December, the same full moon as Udhauli and Jyapu Diwas, the farmers' day.
People love Yomari even outside the Newar community as it is a unique yet appetizing sweet dish.
3. Lakhamari
Lakhamari is another sweet dish of the Newar community that is hard and crispy to bite but melts in your mouth like clouds leaving a sweet taste when eaten.
Recipes vary, but most lakhamari is made of refined wheat flour or rice flour, butter or ghee, and sugar, whose dough is formed and given different shapes. Then they are deep fried and finally dipped in sugar syrup.
This hard yet crispy sweet dish can often be found in the markets of Kathmandu valley and can be eaten as a snack. Large, decorated lakhamari are also part of the gifts a Newar family sends at weddings and other rites, and they are a common Tihar sweet.
4. Bara
Bara is a pancake-like authentic Newari dish made of black lentils. This dish has a unique taste which is also nutritious and healthy to eat. Bara is the Nepali name. In Nepal Bhasa the same patty is called wo or wa:, which is why the next dish on this list looks so familiar.
Bara is made by soaking black lentils overnight and washing them until the lentils' coat comes off. Then the lentils are ground to make a thick paste to which water, salt, and spices are added.
The Bara batter is now poured in sections to give a round roti shape and fried.
You may find other variations of Bara, such as egg bara and meat bara. You will find Bara included in many feasts of Newars and in the Samay Baji set.
5. Panchkol (Chhyalcha)
As the name implies, the recipe is built on five main vegetables. The mix changes by family and season. Potato, radish, beans and bamboo shoots are common, cooked with ginger and garlic into a thick curry and served hot.
However, this is a festive dish and is not frequently consumed. This dish is typically consumed during social gatherings and other cultural events in the Newar community.
6. Ta:kha (Nyakhuna)
Ta:kha or Nyakhuna is one of the Newar delicacies that are not so popular outside of the Newar community but are widely consumed by the Newars. This dish is simply a meat jelly where the meat soup is coagulated into jelly.
In Ta:kha, the buffalo meat is boiled by adding spices to thicken it while a little water still remains. Then it is left overnight in a cool place, today usually the fridge, to set into a jelly-like dish.
The jelly sets from the gelatin in the buffalo skin and bones, so the meat is cooked with the skin on. Recipes vary, and many cooks add "Jhamsi," a sour citrus that resembles a cross between "mosambi" and lemon.
The soup is the main distinction between Nyakhuna and Ta:kha. Nya means fish in Nepal Bhasa. The soup in Nyakhuna contains little dried fish, whereas the meat in Ta:kha is buffalo meat.
7. Chatamari
This dish resembles pizza and has a variety of toppings. Hence, it goes by the name "Newari Pizza." It is a typical and traditional Newar dish that families make at festivals and feasts. You will also find it every day in small Newar eateries in Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur.
To make Chatamari, simply combine water and rice flour until they form a thick liquid, heat the pan and add a little oil, and then pour the mixture and spread it thin with the base of a cup. Similar to pizza, you can add toppings any way you like with meat, eggs, or beans.
8. Wa: (Wo)
Wa: is one of the simplest yet healthy dishes in the Newar community. You can also call it a lentil patty as it is mainly made of lentils like "mung beans" or "musur."
Musur or Mung is ground, combined with a little water and spices like garlic and ginger juice, and then briefly fried.
Strictly speaking, wa: and bara are one dish with two names. We list them separately because many menus use bara for the black lentil kind and wa: for the mung and musur kind. Wa: is also the dish everyone eats at Sithi Nakha, the Newar festival at the start of the monsoon, when families clean the wells and ponds.
Additionally, we can also find variations like "khen wa: (egg wa:)" or "laa: wa: (meat wa:)" where meat or eggs are mixed together while preparing the batter.
9. Chhwela
Chhwela is one of the tastiest and most popular Newari cuisines. It is made with spiced roasted buffalo meat and is often served with beaten rice.
The recipe to make chhoila varies from person to person. However, it is mostly made by grilling the buffalo meat over a fire, traditionally a straw fire, until the surface is charred, cooling it, then combining it with some spices and marinating it for a while. It is one spicy food that goes well when served with Samay baji and Ayla.
10. Kachila
Kachila is a traditional Newar dish made with raw, minced buffalo meat that has been marinated. The name is usually explained as Kachyu, meaning raw, and La, meaning meat. The minced buff is mixed with mustard oil, ginger, garlic, timur and chilli. It is a favorite among fans of Newari cuisine and one of the most well-known Newari specialties.
Kachila is raw meat. Eat it only where it is made fresh that day, and skip it if you have a sensitive stomach or are pregnant.
11. Sapu Mhicha
A unique dish among the Newa community in Nepal, "Sapu Mhicha" is made of buffalo leaf tripe that has been stuffed with bone marrow. Sapu is the leaf tripe and mhicha means bag.
Essentially, small pieces of tripe are folded into pouches, filled with spiced bone marrow, tied shut, boiled and then fried. The marrow melts into a soft jelly inside, while the tripe turns crisp. You bite it whole so the marrow stays in your mouth.
The Newar cuisine of the Kathmandu Valley's Sapu Mhicha is a delicious treat that is typically made for special occasions.
Traditionally, when a man visits the home of his wife's parents for festival feasts, the delicacy is one of the delicacies prepared to honor him. It is offered both before and after the main course.
More Newari Foods Worth Knowing
The eleven dishes above are the ones you will see on most menus. A few more belong to particular towns or days of the year, and they are worth seeking out.
Juju Dhau
Juju dhau means "king of curds". It is Bhaktapur's thick, sweet yoghurt, set in unglazed clay pots that soak up the extra water. Buy a small pot near Bhaktapur Durbar Square and eat it on the spot.
Kwati
Kwati is a soup of nine sprouted beans. Newars eat it on Janai Purnima, the August full moon also called Kwati Punhi, and it is said to rebuild strength after the hard work of rice planting. In 2027 that day is expected in mid-August.
Aila and Thwon
Aila is a strong spirit distilled from rice, poured in a long thin stream from a spouted pot called an anti. Thwon is the milder, milky rice beer. Both are offered at feasts and rituals, so expect your cup to be refilled.
Bhutan
Bhutan is fried, spiced buffalo or goat offal, usually eaten with beaten rice and a glass of aila.
Newari Dishes at a Glance
| Dish | What it is | Vegetarian? | When people eat it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samay baji | Set plate: beaten rice, chhwela, bara, soybeans, ginger, egg, aila | Can be made veg | Festivals, rituals, any day as khaja |
| Yomari | Steamed rice-flour dumpling, molasses and sesame or khuwa | Yes | Yomari Punhi (24 Dec 2026), birthdays |
| Lakhamari | Hard, sweet fried pastry | Yes | Weddings, Tihar, any day as a snack |
| Bara | Black lentil patty, plain, egg or meat | Plain bara, yes | Feasts, samay baji, street snack |
| Panchkol | Curry of five vegetables | Yes | Feasts and gatherings |
| Ta:kha / Nyakhuna | Buffalo meat jelly, nyakhuna with dried fish | No | Feasts |
| Chatamari | Thin rice-flour crepe with toppings | Plain or egg | Festivals, everyday snack |
| Wa: | Mung or musur lentil patty | Plain wa:, yes | Sithi Nakha, feasts, snack |
| Chhwela | Grilled, spiced buffalo | No | With samay baji and aila |
| Kachila | Raw minced buffalo with spices | No | Feasts, with beaten rice |
| Sapu mhicha | Leaf tripe stuffed with bone marrow | No | Feasts, honouring a son-in-law |
| Juju dhau | Sweet clay-pot yoghurt from Bhaktapur | Yes | Any day, end of a meal |
| Kwati | Soup of nine sprouted beans | Yes | Janai Purnima (August) |
Newari Food Through the Year
Several of these dishes are tied to a festival, so when you visit decides what you will find in Newar homes. The 2027 monsoon dates follow the lunar calendar and are only expected dates until the official list comes out.
| Festival | Next date | Food |
|---|---|---|
| Mha Puja (Newar New Year, Nepal Sambat 1147) | 10 Nov 2026 | Samay baji and a family feast after the puja |
| Yomari Punhi | 24 Dec 2026 | Yomari |
| Bisket Jatra, Bhaktapur | About 10 to 18 Apr 2027 | Feasts, juju dhau, aila |
| Sithi Nakha | Late May or June 2027 | Wa: and bara |
| Janai Purnima (Kwati Punhi) | Mid-August 2027 (expected) | Kwati |
For the full festival calendar, see our guide to the six most popular festivals in Nepal, and for Bhaktapur's New Year festival, Bisket Jatra.
Where to Try Newari Food
The best Newari food is in the old Newar towns of the Kathmandu Valley. Small family eateries in the lanes around Asan and Indra Chowk in Kathmandu, the courtyards of Patan, the hilltop town of Kirtipur and the squares of Bhaktapur all serve samay baji, bara and chatamari. Bhaktapur is the place for juju dhau. If you are invited to a Newar home during a festival, go, and arrive hungry.
A few tips help. Order samay baji first, because it lets you try six or seven things on one plate. Ask for "veg" if you do not eat meat, since buff is the default. Eat with your right hand if you want to join in, and take aila slowly. It is stronger than it tastes.
Taste Newari Food With Swotah
Swotah's 11-day Himalayan Food Exploration Tour, from USD 2,999 per person (group departure), is built around Nepali and Newari food, with time in Bhaktapur and Kirtipur and a taste of juju dhau. If you want food alongside the main sights, the 12-day Best of Nepal Tour, from USD 1,010 per person (group departure), covers Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur. If you want your dates to match Yomari Punhi or another festival, Swotah can arrange it as a private trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most famous Newari dish?
Samay baji, the set plate of beaten rice, buffalo chhwela, bara, black soybeans, ginger and aila. It is served at Newar festivals and rituals and is the easiest way to try many dishes at once.
Is Newari food spicy?
Some of it is. Chhwela and kachila carry chilli and timur, the numbing Sichuan pepper. Bara, wa:, chatamari and yomari are mild. Ask for less chilli if you are unsure.
Do Newars eat beef?
No. Cow slaughter is illegal in Nepal. Newari meat dishes use buffalo, called buff, along with goat, chicken and duck.
Is there vegetarian Newari food?
Yes. Bara, wa:, yomari, lakhamari, panchkol, kwati, juju dhau and plain chatamari are all vegetarian, and many eateries make a veg samay baji.
When is Yomari Punhi in 2026?
On 24 December 2026, the full moon of Thinla in the Nepal Sambat calendar. Families make yomari at home, and the day is also Udhauli and Jyapu Diwas.
