Jimbu Thakali Takes Nepali Cuisine to India with First International Franchise

The Kathmandu-based restaurant brand is preparing to open a 90-seat outlet at M3M 65th Avenue in Gurugram, while a second international franchise is being planned in the United States.

Nepal’s culinary presence in the international restaurant industry is set to receive a significant boost as Jimbu Thakali prepares to open its first franchise outside the country.

The restaurant’s first international outlet is being established at M3M 65th Avenue in Sector 65, Gurugram, Haryana. According to the company, the restaurant is expected to begin formal operations within the next two weeks. Official social-media updates from Jimbu Thakali have also announced its forthcoming arrival in Gurugram.

The expansion represents an important milestone for Jimbu Thakali and for Nepal’s growing effort to introduce its regional cuisines to a wider global audience. Founder and operator Vivek Man Sherchan said the international venture follows an extended period of research, planning and market preparation.

Sherchan’s family originates from Thak-Khola in Mustang, the cultural homeland associated with Thakali food traditions. Jimbu Thakali was established with the objective of presenting those culinary traditions in a structured, contemporary restaurant environment while maintaining their connection to Nepali ingredients and hospitality.

The Gurugram restaurant is being developed through the joint investment of Nepalis living in India and other countries. With seating for more than 90 guests, the outlet is expected to combine a modern dining environment with traditional Nepali flavours and hospitality.

The restaurant will serve many of the dishes available at Jimbu Thakali’s Kathmandu branches. Its menu is expected to feature signature Thakali meal sets alongside dhido, buckwheat preparations, gundruk, sisno, timur-seasoned dishes and food flavoured with the Himalayan herb jimbu.

Rather than offering only dal, bhat and curry, the restaurant aims to present the wider diversity of Nepali food culture to Indian diners. Thakali cuisine is recognised for bringing together rice or dhido, lentils, seasonal vegetables, greens, meat curries, pickles and carefully prepared accompaniments in a balanced meal. For diners unfamiliar with Nepali cuisine, the Gurugram outlet could become an accessible introduction to ingredients such as fermented leafy gundruk, aromatic jimbu, Nepali timur and traditional buckwheat dishes.

The company has said that several important ingredients—including jimbu, timur and buckwheat—will be sourced from Nepal for the Indian operation. Maintaining access to these ingredients could help the franchise preserve flavour consistency while also creating export opportunities for Nepali farmers, producers and food suppliers.

Gurugram was selected partly because of its substantial Nepali community and its diverse urban dining market. The company also sees potential among Indian consumers, particularly travellers who have experienced and enjoyed Thakali food during visits to Nepal.

The outlet’s location, M3M 65th Avenue, is a mixed-use retail and lifestyle destination in Sector 65 near Gurugram’s Golf Course Road Extension. The development includes shopping spaces, restaurants, cafés, open walkways and a central public plaza, giving Jimbu Thakali exposure to local residents, corporate professionals and visitors.

The decision to begin international expansion in India also reflects the cultural and culinary connections between the two countries. While Indian restaurant brands have operated successfully across Nepal for decades, the new outlet offers a Nepali restaurant brand an opportunity to build a comparable presence in the Indian market.

Jimbu Thakali currently lists four operating branches in the Kathmandu Valley: Tangal, Jhamsikhel, New Baneshwor and Kalimati. The brand says it has served more than two million Thakali meals through its operations in Nepal. Its move into India signals a transition from being a Kathmandu restaurant group to becoming an internationally franchised Nepali food brand.

The challenge will be to maintain recipe consistency, ingredient quality, service standards and cultural authenticity as the business expands. Successful international restaurant brands generally depend not only on familiar dishes but also on documented recipes, professional chef training, reliable supply chains and a clearly communicated culinary identity.

For Jimbu Thakali, the Gurugram outlet will therefore serve as both a restaurant and a test of whether an organised Nepali food brand can be successfully replicated in international markets. India is only the beginning of the company’s international plans. Jimbu Thakali is also preparing to establish its second overseas franchise in the United States with investment from members of the Non-Resident Nepali community.

According to Sherchan, company registration and most of the required legal and administrative preparations for the US venture have already been completed. The brand has also received franchise interest from markets including Australia and the United Kingdom, where sizable Nepali communities could provide an initial customer base.

The expansion carries significance beyond the growth of a single restaurant company. Internationally visible Nepali restaurant brands can help introduce the country’s ingredients, chefs, food traditions and regional identities to new audiences.

For Nepali gastronomy, Jimbu Thakali’s arrival in Gurugram represents another step towards moving Nepali cuisine from diaspora-oriented restaurants into organised, professionally branded and internationally recognised dining spaces. As the aroma of jimbu, timur and traditional Thakali cooking prepares to reach Gurugram, the new franchise could become an important ambassador for Nepal’s culinary heritage—and potentially open the door for more Nepali food brands to enter the global restaurant market.