Must-see restaurants in Bhutan

  • Cloud 9

    Thimphu

    If you're tired of bland hotel buffets, this stylish restaurant serves the best international menu in town. Come for sourdough pizzas with authentic…

  • 7th Restaurant

    Thimphu

    The elegant restaurant at the Hotel Druk elevates the hotel buffet to high art. The spread of dishes roams from Europe to Bhutan and China, but it's the…

  • Babesa Village Restaurant

    Thimphu

    About 6km south of Thimphu's centre, this charming restaurant offers traditional Bhutanese cuisine in a rammed-earth village home, one of four still…

  • Ambient Café

    Thimphu

    A warm, friendly bolthole above Norzin Lam, used by many expats as a de facto office. Drinks include good espresso coffee, juices and smoothies, and the…

  • Hayate Ramen

    Thimphu

    It's ramen noodles all the way at this inviting, calm Japanese restaurant. Bowls come topped with everything from roast pork to ebi (battered prawns), and…

  • Cafe Perk

    Bhutan

    If you are searching for espresso, this is the place to head for. In addition to coffee, there are cakes, milkshakes, cold coffees and masala chai. The…

  • Brusnika Russian Cafe

    Thimphu

    One of Thimphu's most welcoming cafes, Brusnika is run by a charming Russian-Bhutanese family and looks out over a small park towards Trashi Chho Dzong…

  • Zone

    Thimphu

    This expat favourite feels a bit like a small-town American diner, with a Bhutanese twist. The menu runs to burgers and fries, ice cream, ribs (including…

  • San MaRu

    Thimphu

    A little slice of Seoul, transported to the centre of Thimphu, this wood-lined Korean restaurant serves excellent soups, stews and, for groups of two or…

  • Clove Bistro

    Thimphu

    There's a pan-Asian flavour at this upmarket bistro serving dishes that draw influence from China, Japan, India and Southeast Asia. It's a calm, grown-up…

  • Lemongrass Thai

    Thimphu

    Thimphu's best and most stylish Thai restaurant looks out over downtown from the top of a shopping centre, with views towards the National Memorial…

  • Zombala 2

    Thimphu

    This branch of Thimphu's famous momo restaurant serves delicious food in a roomy dining room overlooking Thimphu's main junction. It's deservedly popular…

  • Chula

    Thimphu

    Upstairs above the hubbub of Norzin Lam, Chula serves some of the best Indian food in town. You'll find a wide range of tasty Indian staples (including…

  • Chuniding Food

    Thimphu

    Chuniding has shelves piled high with organic and local produce, much of it neatly packaged and ready for travel. You'll find everything here from ema kam…

  • Fu Lu Shou

    Thimphu

    The most authentic Chinese restaurant in Thimphu, with a huge dining room heated by open fireplaces and a long menu of real Chinese dishes – clay pot pig…

  • Coffee Culture

    Thimphu

    A bright, buzzy coffee shop, with a big chalkboard menu of pizza, sandwiches, salads, burgers and wraps, plus doorstop-thick walnut brownies and full…

  • Bhutan Orchid

    Thimphu

    A well-organised restaurant serving Bhutanese set meals, with the chilli toned down for non-Bhutanese palates. You'll get to sample eight local dishes,…

  • Bhutan Kitchen

    Thimphu

    A warm interior and traditional seating make for cosy meals at this Bhutanese place, serving local cuisine in traditional wooden bowls. Set meals include…

  • Panda Beer Garden Cafe

    Bhutan

    Adjacent to and associated with the Bumthang Brewery, this cosy cafe serves meat and veg pizzas, Swiss-style cheesy fondue and raclette dishes, cakes and…

  • Sunny Restaurant

    Bhutan

    There are plenty of small bars and local restaurants along Jakar's main street, though the brightest and cleanest is Sunny Restaurant, with Bhutanese and…

  • Seasons Restaurant

    Thimphu

    This deservedly popular restaurant specialises in thin-crust pizzas with authentic toppings, but the kitchen also rustles up some excellent salads. It's…

  • Norbu Yangphel Hotel

    Bhutan

    Brightly painted Norbu Yangphel offers the usual tourist buffet upstairs and has a couple of cosier rooms downstairs where you can try juru jaju (river…

  • Art Café

    Thimphu

    A welcoming taste of the old Thimphu, this small, bukhari-warmed coffee shop serves decent filter coffee and delicious cakes, hearty soups, salads and…

  • Thijha Cafe

    Thimphu

    A modern, international-style coffee shop serving Illy coffee, salads, grills, pastas and decent attempts at Indian, continental and full English…

  • Karma's Coffee

    Thimphu

    Karma's was an early arrival on Thimphu's coffee scene and is still going strong despite lots of competition. The interior is a little dated but it's warm…

  • Folk Heritage Museum Restaurant

    Thimphu

    The handsome pavilion restaurant inside the Folk Heritage Museum serves good Bhutanese meals, with a mix of meat and vegetable dishes, and there's a…

  • Oyster House

    Bhutan

    This popular restaurant boasts cosy sofa seating and a sunny terrace with pub tables overlooking the main strip, along with a menu of Tibetan and…

  • Cypress Hotel

    Thimphu

    An unpretentious and charming family-run place serving delicious and spicy Bhutanese and Nepali food. The shahi paneer – fresh cheese in mildly spiced…

  • Zombala

    Thimphu

    Any local will tell you the best momos (deep-fried or steamed dumplings) in town are served at Zombala, a cheap and cheerful local dive near Hong Kong…

  • Sonam Tshoey Ice Cream

    Thimphu

    This watch shop (look for the Tissot sign) doubles as an unlikely purveyor of delicious homemade ice cream. The all-natural vanilla, coconut and chocolate…

  • Bumthang Pizza

    Bhutan

    Find this pizza joint, the best in Jakar, downstairs, where there are veg and nonveg pizzas made in three sizes, plus a bar. Bhutanese varieties include…

  • Rice Bowl

    Thimphu

    Familiar Chinese dishes such as chilli pork, Sichuan chicken and spare ribs are made to be shared here, and the brightly painted, well-lit interior is a…

  • Cafe Himalaya & Bakery

    Thimphu

    Fine Lavazza coffee, excellent homemade cakes and snacks such as pizzas and burgers make this modern coffee house a great place to warm up on a cold…

  • Silver Wok

    Thimphu

    A bright dining room above Norzin Lam, with a bistro feel, cold beers, a Chinese-and-friends menu, and views over the shopping bustle.

  • 8-Eleven

    Thimphu

    A central supermarket that stocks everything from fresh spices and cordyceps tea to imported breakfast cereals and Red Panda beer.

  • Ga-Wa

    Thimphu

    The menu isn't quite as flashy as the sleek decor would have you believe at this upstairs restaurant overlooking Clocktower Sq, but the Indian, Chinese…

  • Tushita Cafe

    Bhutan

    Tushita sits in a sunny position just above the road and provides lunch and morning and afternoon tea, with the added attraction of super-clean bathrooms…

  • Musk Restaurant

    Thimphu

    A popular Clocktower Sq hang-out where locals come to shoot the breeze and puff surreptitiously on cigarettes on the terrace. The menu is mostly Bhutanese…

  • Hotel New Grand

    Thimphu

    A simple but wholesome pure-vegetarian restaurant with slightly incongruous Bhutanese decor, but a broad menu of South Indian delicacies such as dosa…

  • Viewpoint Restaurant

    Bhutan

    If open, this roadside eating spot offers an opportunity for a cup of tea while enjoying great views of the Trongsa Dzong and the valleys it imperially…

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