TUSA — A New Beginning for Nepali Fine Dining

TUSA, in Bhaktapur, is a sharp, deliberate break from regular dining norm. The food here is not designed to fill you up quickly or tick items off a menu. It is crafted for experience, appreciation, observation, enjoyment, and — most importantly — for valuing the richness of our own local ingredients. From the moment you enter, you understand that this is not just a place to eat, but a place to feel food.

Nepal’s dining landscape has grown over the years, but in many ways, it is still anchored in survival mode. Menus overflow with every possible dish under the sun, proudly labeled “multicuisine,” because diners expect to find everything — from momo to pizza—regardless of a restaurant’s stated focus. A restaurant without multiple options risks complaints. The emphasis often falls on quantity rather than quality, on familiarity rather than discovery. Conscious, aware, and mindful dining is still rare, and restaurants rarely ask diners to slow down, observe, and truly engage with what’s on their plate.

Globally, there are restaurants where a single dinner costs over 50 thousand rupees per person, and yet diners book months in advance for the privilege. Chef Parashuram Pathak, co-founder of TUSA, has worked in one of those very places — the legendary NOMA in Denmark, crowned multiple times as the No. 1 restaurant in the world. Dining there costs between $600–$800 per person, and every plate is a masterclass in research, development, and innovation. By comparison, a full tasting experience at TUSA is priced at around USD 40 — a remarkably accessible amount for the craftsmanship, ingredients, and storytelling it delivers. Of course, if you measure value only by portion size or compare it to the plentiful plates at a multicuisine restaurant for a few hundred rupees, it may feel expensive. But TUSA is not about the size of the plate — it’s about the soul of what’s on it. It invites diners to look beyond volume, to discover the essence of an ingredient, and to understand food in a way that transcends the common dining mindset.

With that same foundation, and alongside co-founders Chefs Sagar Shrestha and Chef Rupesh Bohara, TUSA brings to Nepal a refined, world-class dining experience built around local biodiversity. They source and showcase Nepali ingredients with modern cooking techniques — fermentation, preservation, precision plating — without losing sight of tradition. This is the new beginning of research, development, and innovation in the Nepali culinary scene.

Reaching TUSA is not effortless. It sits in the heart of Bhaktapur’s old town, where the winding alleys and centuries-old architecture confuse even the most confident GPS app. Parking is scarce, and you might find yourself circling narrow streets. But remember—good things are never too easily available. The journey to TUSA becomes part of the story, a small pilgrimage before you step into a warm, intimate space where the aromas from the open kitchen begin to shift your focus from the chaos outside to the anticipation within.

You are welcomed with a drink and introduced to the space before being presented with a beverage menu. You can pair your meal with carefully chosen drinks or trust the chefs to guide you. And then, the show begins—a 7-course tasting menu that unfolds like a story. Each course is a chapter, each plate a canvas painted with indigenous flavors and textures. Every dish carries a history, every ingredient a significance, every bite a balance of familiarity and surprise.

Words struggle to capture the sensation. It is not just delicious. It is thoughtful. It is artful. It is a dialogue between what Nepal has always had and what it can become when skill and imagination meet.

At Chef Nepal, our mission is to bring the Nepali culinary scene into broader national and global conversation—advocating for our diversity, heritage, and potential. TUSA is adding its voice to this movement by making an international-level dining experience available here at home. The truth is, Nepal’s diners and restaurant market may not yet be fully ready for such a leap. There are only a small number of people who will understand, appreciate, value, and enjoy an experience rather than just a product. But someone has to start. Someone has to take the initiative.

We congratulate TUSA for doing exactly that — raising the bar and showing us what’s possible. To our readers: we encourage you to change the way you see food. Learn to appreciate it. Experience it. Value it. Visit TUSA at least once, not just to eat, but to witness a culinary journey beyond your imagination.

Because this is more than dinner. This is the beginning of something bigger.

🗓️ For Reservation: https://tusanepal.com/reservations-form

📍 For Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/6rs9zQebgkzPTnCJA