If you ever have a chance to visit Nepal, then Pokhara will probably be on your itinerary. If not, it should be. You can come here to access the mountainous trails of the Annapurna region or just relax lakeside (there are seven lakes surrounding the city) and enjoy the mountains from a distance. While you are here in Pokhara, you might be confused at finding the right place to eat, or indecisive about what to try. It usually happens to me when I visit other towns, even within Nepal. Hence, I have listed my top five places to eat in Pokhara for your next getaway.
1. Godfather’s Pizzeria
Ranked #6 of 199 Restaurants in Pokhara on TripAdvisor, Godfather’s provides a simple choice of firewood oven pizzas. You can sit and watch your pizza being made right from the patio. This is one of the better places to go if you’re craving some Italian cuisine. My personal favorite is Godfather’s Special Pizza which has 3 different meat toppings and a vegetarian option just to make you feel healthy!
2. Lanhua Chinese Restaurant
Economic development is rampant here in Pokhara with new hotels and restaurants popping up everywhere. From what I see in Pokhara, a large chunk is related to China, from Chinese restaurants to investments in hotels and shops. While Westerners visit mostly during the autumn and spring seasons, it seems like our northern neighbors do not care much about the weather as they love it here in Pokhara year-round. You can feel the growing influx of Chinese tourists all around the city. Of the countless Chinese restaurants in Pokhara, Lanhua has appealed the most to my taste buds. And yes, it is very different from the Chinese food in the United States. And no, I have not tried any chicken feet dish on their menu.
3. Merhaba Kebap House
I never had a chance to get a good taste of Turkish cuisine until I tried it here at Merhaba Kebap House. While on a vacation in Pokhara a couple of years back, my friend introduced me to this place, and ever since then I have been a huge fan. I usually visit here once a month now that I’ve moved to Pokhara. The cook has experience from working in Germany for many years and is friendly in recommending dishes from the wide range of choices they have on their menu. Merhaba is ranked #24 of 199 Restaurants on TripAdvisor. It also claims to be the first Turkish kitchen in the whole of South Asia.
4. Momotarou Japanese Restaurant
This Japanese restaurant has a fine choice of Japanese cuisine. This is one place I have yet to further explore. I have only been here once and was very pleased with the simple yet delicious taste of my meal.
P.S. We had a Japanese intern visit us at our office in Pokhara last month, and he taught us how to make as simple Japanese Ramen noodle. Now that we’ve learned how to make it, it has been a staple for dinner ever since.
5. Maili Bhancha Ghar
So, there had to be the icing on the cake for my top five restaurants. A popular saying you will hear amongst tourists here in Nepal is, “Daal Bhaat Power, 24 hour.” I will leave it up to you to find its meaning. Maili Bhancha Ghar is the place to try the traditional Nepali food. It has been a popular destination, especially for domestic tourists.
I hope you are able to one day visit the beautiful city of Pokhara and sample some of the best restaurants in the area!