Many visitors are surprised to learn that a traditional Nepali family eats its first full meal, dal bhat, mid-morning. Before that comes tea and a light snack.
Quick answer: The day starts with chiya (sweet milky tea), often with biscuits, sel roti (a ring-shaped rice doughnut) or beaten rice. Popular breakfasts in towns are puri tarkari (fried bread with potato curry) and jeri-swari (jalebi with a soft fried bread). The main meal, dal bhat, is often eaten at 9–10 a.m.
What to try
- Chiya: tea boiled with milk, sugar and sometimes spices. See Nepali tea.
- Sel roti: slightly sweet, crispy rice-flour rings, made especially at Tihar.
- Puri tarkari: puffed fried bread with potato or chickpea curry.
- Jeri-swari: syrup-soaked jalebi with a soft fried bread.
- Chiura (beaten rice) with yoghurt or curry.
- Anda (egg) dishes: omelette with chilli and onion.
Where to have a local breakfast
Small tea shops and sweet shops open at dawn in Kathmandu, Patan and Pokhara. Look for a busy one with fresh batches. In Asan or the old streets of Patan, breakfast comes with a view of the city waking up.
On treks
Teahouses serve porridge, eggs and Tibetan bread, but ask for chiya and a local snack too.