Food and restaurants, what and where to eat

Lhasa offers the best catering service in all of Tibet. The main cuisines are Tibetan meal and Sichuan dishes. Nepalese and Indian restaurants can also be found in here. The price of the Sichuan dishes in Lhasa is a little bit more expensive than in the mainland but the service worth the price. Recently there has been a boom of some small-scale but pleasant themed restaurants in Lhasa. They are becoming increasingly popular amongst the tourists.

The Guangmingshop Teahouse

The Guangmingshop Teahouse is the oldest traditional teahouse in Tibet. Just follow some locals into the teahouse, place some small bills on the table like they do, get a glass and wait for the waiter to come over and fill the tea. The waiter will count the money you place on the table and give you exact change. At present, the price of the sweet tea is ￥0.5 per glass. Located in an alley inside the Tibetan Hospital Road, the teahouse definitely lives up to its reputation as the busiest marketplace in Lhasa. You can take part in the local lifestyle while enjoying the fragrant sweet tea.

The Snowland Restaurant

Standing right beside the Jokhang Temple Square, the Snowland Restaurant is a part of the Snowland Hotel. It’s most famous for its westernized Tibetan, Nepalese, and Indian dishes. Highly recommended is the scrumptious yogurt cake (￥8 per piece). If you order it after 9:00 p.m., you can enjoy a 50% discount. The exact address of the Snowland Restaurant is 4 Tibetan Hospital Road.

The Snow God Palace

Situated at the foot of the Potala Palace, the Snow God Palace has been crowned as the most traditional and most luxurious Tibetan restaurant. The beef here is either jerked or stirred in juice and you choose which is to your taste. As for the buttered tea that you’ve been yearning for day and night, you can drink to your heart’s content. The roasted yak meat and sapodilla are also worth a try.

The Makye Ame Restaurant

Characterized by its western food and Nepalese meals, the Makye Ame Restaurant is a yellow house that lies in the southeast corner of Barkhor Street. Rumor has it that it was the very place where the Dalai Lama Ⅶ dated with his lover. Because of this mystique, it is not to be missed.  When waiting for your food, you can page through the thick guestbooks to kill some time. The open-air terrace on the top floor is strongly recommended as the best seat in the house. And the lyrics on the wall of the bathroom with excellently illustrated pictures are a feast for the eyes. 

The Loowo Restaurant

The owner of the Loowo Restaurant is nicknamed Peter Pan. As both husband and wife are both themselves Cantonese, the Cantonese dishes they offer are so magnificent that the restaurant has become a rendezvous point for independent travelers. Clay pot rice is the restaurant’s specialty. The address of the Loowo Restaurant is 10 Beijing Road, right and to the east of the Youth Hostel.

The Street Yogurt

Yogurt in jars can be found everywhere, on the main corners of the Beijing Road and in some unattractive stores along the Barkhor alley. It tastes so rich and sweet when you spoon it into your mouth with sugar. So authentic! And the price is just ￥3 per jar. 

Fried Potatoes

Potatoes are great because they are super cheap but also filling. There are many small stands selling fried potatoes along the extending alleys inside the Barkhor Street. The fried potato is so soft inside and crispy outside that once you taste it by sprinkling some salt and chilli powder on it, you will never forget it! And the price is around 1 to 1.5 Yuan.

Customize Your Unique Lhasa Tibet Tour

If you are interested in one of the Lhasa itineraries mentioned above, please contact us, and we will be happy to customize it and provide a quote tailored to your preferences.

Alternatively, if you would like to customize your Lhasa Tour, please visit our Lhasa Tour Customized Center. We assure you that you will receive a reply within 24 working hours.

Informative Articles for Your Lhasa Trip

Prayer wheel, Lhasa

• Travel Guide: attractions, seasons, hotels, food, itineraries, etc.
• Travel itineraries: best itineraries for your reference
• Weather: the best time and seasons to visit Lhasa
• Top attractions: things to do in Lhasa
• Cultural immersions: hands-on activities to spotlight your trip
• Unique perspective: top different things to do
• Local food: what to eat while traveling in Lhasa
• Luxury hotels: where to stay in Lhasa
• Lhasa Tours: tailor-made Lhasa Tours for your reference