“Plant-Based Dine-Out” | Episode 01

Utpala | Kathmandu, Nepal

Utpala Cafe is a vegetarian and vegan restaurant located in Boudha, Kathmandu Nepal about 5 minutes walking distance from the mystical Boudhanath Stupa. It might be a bit difficult to find if you are new to exploring Boudha but you can ask the local shopkeepers for directions or keep a lookout for sign navigations near the stupa.

When you reach the culinary oasis that is Utpala Cafe you will instantly feel the difference from outside the walls. It definitely has a peace and calmness that is very rare amidst the bustling streets of Kathmandu. The seating area is a surprising vast and spacious open patio. It feels like a venue of prayer and worship and also includes a large garden in the back where they grow their own vegetables, greens, flowers and herbs. You will notice people from different ethnic backgrounds of Nepal and an array of travelers from around the world all eating at Utpala.

The buffet was created originally to feed the buddhist monks at the Kanying Monastery. Now that it’s open to the public many monks continue to eat there as a part of their daily diet. The food is extremely fresh (some cooked to order right in front of your eyes) and way healthier than most restaurants. The Utpala chefs are constantly creating dishes from around the world for breakfast, lunch, and dinner changing the menu every meal and also every day.

I was such a fan of Utpala Cafe I must have eaten there at least 4 times in the week I stayed in Boudha. My favorite dishes included; a bowl of perfectly tangy tom yum soup, a smooth & creamy but just spicy enough green thai curry, the rainbow of fresh fruit salads, of course the flavor-packed crunchy falafel fittingly paired with heavenly hummus, and I was even able to enjoy essential nepali staples like noodles and dal bhat. It’s also well worth mentioning that their cappuccino, latte and in house-bakery were amazing as well.

After taking in the extremely affordable buffet you can sunbathe, meditate, be creative or just relax. I absolutely love the vibes, atmosphere and especially the food at Utpala Cafe in Boudha, Nepal.

While at Utpala Cafe I decided to shoot the very first episode of my YouTube series “Plant-Based Dine-Out“. The video is above, please check it out!