Bhutanese and Himalayan Restaurants in America

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diaspora

The resettlement of over 90,000 Bhutanese refugees in the United States since 2007 has given rise to a small but growing number of restaurants serving authentic Bhutanese and Nepali-Bhutanese cuisine. From the Himalayan food corridor along Route 51 in Pittsburgh to the momo stalls of Columbus and the Bhutanese dining rooms of Queens, this guide maps the restaurants, food trucks, and catering businesses bringing ema datsi and momos to American tables.

Between 2007 and 2020, the United States resettled more than 90,000 Bhutanese refugees — primarily ethnic Nepali-speaking Lhotshampa who had spent up to two decades in refugee camps in eastern Nepal. The largest concentrations settled in Columbus (Ohio), Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), Akron (Ohio), Atlanta (Georgia), Burlington (Vermont), and the New York City metropolitan area. As these communities established themselves, food became one of the earliest and most visible expressions of cultural identity — first through home cooking and community gatherings, then through restaurants, food trucks, and catering businesses.

Bhutanese cuisine shares much with Nepali and Tibetan cooking but has its own distinctive character, centred on chillies (particularly the fiery ema datsi — chilli and cheese, the national dish of Bhutan), fermented foods, buckwheat, and red rice. In the diaspora, restaurants often blend Bhutanese, Nepali, Tibetan, and North Indian dishes on a single menu, reflecting both the cooks' backgrounds and the realities of serving a broader American audience. Finding a purely Bhutanese restaurant remains rare — but the flavours are authentic and the stories behind these businesses are remarkable.

New York City

The Weekender — Woodside, Queens

The Weekender is one of the first explicitly Bhutanese dining establishments in the United States. Located in Woodside, Queens, it opened around 2014 and doubles as a billiard hall, with pool tables behind a curtain and a small stage for Bhutanese music performances. The menu features traditional Bhutanese dishes including ema datsi, momos (steamed dumplings), thukpa (noodle soup), and various stir-fries. The large space serves as a community gathering point for the Bhutanese diaspora in the New York area. Price range: US$10–20 per dish.

Zhego NYC — Woodside, Queens (Closed as of late 2025)

Zhego NYC, located at 38-04 61st Street, Woodside, NY 11377, was a dedicated Bhutanese restaurant that received significant media attention from ABC7, Hell Gate, and The Infatuation for its authentic cooking. The menu featured ema datsi, puta (buckwheat noodles with scrambled egg, chives, and Sichuan peppercorn), goep paa (braised tripe with ginger and dried red chilli), air-dried beef and pork stir-fries, cheese momos, and hot butter tea. The restaurant was featured on ABC7's Neighbourhood Eats segment. Unfortunately, Zhego closed in late 2025, though the Bhutanese food scene in Queens continues to evolve.

Columbus, Ohio

Columbus is home to one of the largest Bhutanese-Nepali refugee communities in the United States — an estimated 30,000 people, concentrated on the north side of the city along and near Morse Road. This area has become a vibrant hub for Himalayan cuisine. Notable establishments include:

Momo Ghar — 1265 Morse Road

Momo Ghar is Columbus's best-known Himalayan restaurant, founded by Bhutanese-Nepali refugees and located inside the North Market as well as on Morse Road. The restaurant specialises in momos — handmade dumplings filled with chicken, pork, vegetables, or cheese — served steamed, fried, or in soup (jhol momo). Momo Ghar has become a citywide favourite and is widely credited with introducing Columbus to Nepali-Bhutanese cuisine. Price range: US$8–15.

Khaja Ghar Restaurant & Bar — 2057 Morse Road

Serving Himalayan and Nepalese cuisine, Khaja Ghar offers a broad menu including momos, sekuwa (grilled meat), chow mein, thali sets, and curries. The restaurant is popular with both the Bhutanese-Nepali community and the wider Columbus dining scene. Hours: Monday–Friday, 11:00 AM–9:00 PM. Phone: (614) 549-7236. Price range: US$10–18.

Namaste Indo-Nepali Cuisine — 1279 Morse Road

Opened in 2013, Namaste was the first Nepali restaurant in Central Ohio. The menu combines Nepali, Bhutanese, and North Indian dishes. Price range: US$10–18.

Other Columbus Locations

Himalayan Grille — 1307 Stoneridge Drive, Gahanna. Traditional Nepalese dishes including khasi ko sekuwa (grilled goat).
Yeti Express — 12565 National Road SW, Pataskala. Situated to serve the Bhutanese-Nepali community in eastern Franklin County.
Everest Cuisine — Worthington, OH. Nepali, Tibetan, and Indian food.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Approximately 7,000 Bhutanese refugees have settled in the Pittsburgh area, many along the Route 51 corridor in the South Hills neighbourhoods of Carrick, Baldwin, and Whitehall. The Pittsburgh City Paper has described this area as a "Himalayan Highway" of food and culture, with at least eight Himalayan restaurants operating in the corridor.

Subba Asian Restaurant — 422 East Ohio Street, Pittsburgh

Opened by Deo Subba in 2014 in Deutschtown and relocated to East Ohio Street in late 2022, Subba is one of Pittsburgh's most established Himalayan restaurants. The menu spans Nepali, Bhutanese, Indian, and Tibetan dishes. Momos, thukpa, and chow mein are popular choices. Price range: US$12–20.

Namaste Momo Corner — South Hills

Specialising in handmade momos (dumplings) in various styles — steamed, fried, chilli, and jhol — Namaste Momo Corner brings the comfort food of the Bhutanese-Nepali community to the broader Pittsburgh audience. The restaurant is located in the South Hills area along the Route 51 corridor.

Other Pittsburgh Locations

Himali Kitchen — Route 51 corridor, South Hills.
Everest Kitchen — Route 51 corridor, South Hills.
Taste of the Himalayas — Baldwin, PA.

Akron, Ohio

Akron's North Hill neighbourhood — known as the city's "International District" — is home to a significant Bhutanese-Nepali community and several restaurants.

Dragon Restaurant & Bar

Founded by Nepalese immigrants from Bhutan, Dragon offers authentic Indian and Nepalese cuisine in Akron. The restaurant serves momos, curries, biryani, tandoori dishes, and Nepali-Bhutanese specialities.

Nepali Kitchen — Cuyahoga Falls Avenue

Located in Akron's North Hill, Nepali Kitchen employs refugees from Nepal and Bhutan and serves a menu of Nepali standards including dal bhat, momos, and chow mein. The restaurant has been profiled by The Resettlement Project for its role in community integration.

Atlanta, Georgia

The Clarkston area of metro Atlanta, sometimes called "the most diverse square mile in America," hosts a notable Bhutanese-Nepali community.

Kathmandu Kitchen and Grill — Clarkston

Located in the Clarkston Village shopping centre, Kathmandu Kitchen was taken over by Arjun Khapangi (himself a refugee) in 2012. The restaurant features a large dining room with a platform for live music. While the printed menu features familiar Indian dishes, the back pages list Nepali-Bhutanese specialities — momos, thukpa, and curries made with less oil and more subtle spicing than their Indian equivalents. Price range: US$10–18.

Burlington, Vermont

Burlington boasts at least five Himalayan restaurants, an extraordinary concentration for a city of 45,000 people — a testament to the Bhutanese-Nepali refugee community that settled there.

Dorjee's — Burlington

Opened in May (exact year varies by source), Dorjee's menu includes dedicated sections for Tibetan, Nepali, and Bhutanese food, making it one of the few restaurants in America to explicitly label and serve dishes from all three Himalayan traditions.

Sherpa Kitchen Restaurant — Burlington

The first Himalayan restaurant to open in Burlington, in 2012. Serves Nepali, Tibetan, and Indian cuisine. A pioneering establishment in the local food scene.

Other Burlington Locations

Laliguras Indian Nepali Restaurant — Burlington, VT.
Everest Indian-Nepali Restaurant — South Burlington, VT.

Salt Lake City, Utah

Bhutan House Restaurant — 1241 East 8600 South, Sandy, UT

A family-owned restaurant offering Indian, Nepali, and Bhutanese cuisines. The Bhutanese House Specialities section of the menu features ema datsi, chilli momos, chicken momo steam, and the Bhutan House Combo Grill. The restaurant grew out of the Spice Kitchen Incubator programme, which supports refugee entrepreneurs in building food businesses. Price range: US$12–20.

Signature Bhutanese Dishes to Look For

Bhutanese Dishes on American Menus

Ema datsi — Chillies and cheese, the national dish. Fiery and addictive.
Momos — Steamed or fried dumplings, filled with meat, cheese, or vegetables. The most ubiquitous Himalayan dish.
Phaksha paa — Pork stir-fried with dried chillies and greens.
Puta — Buckwheat noodles, typically with egg and spring onions.
Jasha maroo — Spicy minced chicken stew.
Thukpa — Noodle soup, Tibetan origin, widely served.
Suja — Hot butter tea, salty rather than sweet.
Red rice — Bhutan's distinctive nutty, slightly sticky whole-grain rice.

References

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