# Tibetan Food in Nepal: Thukpa, Thenthuk, Shapale and More

_Published 30 May 2026_

Tibetan cooking is part of daily life across Nepal's mountains and in the Tibetan communities around [Boudhanath](/blog/boudhanath-stupa-guide) and Pokhara. It is warming, simple food made for cold places.

**Quick answer:** Try **thukpa** (noodle soup), **thenthuk** (hand-pulled noodle soup), **momos** (dumplings), **tingmo** (steamed bread), **shapale** (fried meat pies) and **butter tea**. The best places are the restaurants around Boudhanath, Tibetan settlements in Pokhara and teahouses in the high mountains.

## Dishes to try

- **Thukpa:** noodle soup with vegetables or meat. Ideal on a cold evening.
- **Thenthuk:** soup with flat, hand-pulled noodle pieces.
- **Momos:** Tibetan in origin, now Nepal's favourite snack. See [what are momos?](/blog/what-are-momos)
- **Tingmo:** soft, twisted steamed bread, often with a spicy stew.
- **Shapale:** crisp fried pies filled with spiced meat.
- **Tsampa:** roasted barley flour, mixed with tea and butter. A traditional staple.
- **Tibetan bread:** fried flatbread, a classic trekking breakfast with honey.

## Butter tea

Tea churned with butter and salt. It is more like soup than tea to most visitors, but it is warming and good for hydration at altitude. Try it at least once, in a monastery or a mountain kitchen.

## Where to try it

- Around Boudhanath and in Jawalakhel, Kathmandu.
- Tibetan settlements near Pokhara.
- Teahouses in Mustang, Dolpo, Langtang and the Khumbu.

See also [Sherpa food](/blog/sherpa-food-guide) and [Nepali food](/blog/nepali-food-guide).

## Frequently asked questions
### What is thukpa?
A Tibetan noodle soup.

### What does butter tea taste like?
Salty and rich, more like a soup.

### Where can I eat Tibetan food in Kathmandu?
Around Boudhanath and Jawalakhel.

### What is tsampa?
Roasted barley flour, a Tibetan staple.


Web page: https://himalayanhiking.com/blog/tibetan-food-in-nepal