Upstate New York isn't the first place most people think of for Nepali food, but Syracuse is home to one of the largest Bhutanese-Nepali refugee communities in the country, and Buffalo's Nepali scene has been quietly growing for years. The food here is humble and honest, and the grocery stores are where the community itself shops. Here are four spots to start with.
Sarnia — Buffalo
A Nepalese spot on Amherst Street in Buffalo serving momos and coffee — a combination you don't see every day, and it works. Casual and friendly, and a good first stop for anyone new to the cuisine.
https://meetnepali.com/businesses/sarnia-buffalo
Buffalo Star Kabab — Buffalo
Halal Himalayan/Nepali cooking on Grant Street. The menu runs on momo, chow mein, and chatpate — the everyday comfort food of the community.
https://meetnepali.com/businesses/buffalo-star-kabab-buffalo
Nepali Khaja Ghar — Niagara Falls
Not a sit-down restaurant — Nepali Khaja Ghar is a food truck (a red truck with the menu board right on the side), serving momos, Chicken 65, and parathas. Exactly the kind of no-frills Nepali food worth going out of your way for.
https://meetnepali.com/businesses/nepali-khaja-ghar-niagara-falls
Nepali Kitchen — Niagara Falls
A Nepali and Himalayan restaurant on 19th Street — momo dumplings, spicy curries, and the kind of warm dining room where prayer flags hang over family photos.
https://meetnepali.com/businesses/nepali-kitchen-niagara-falls
Where the community shops
Syracuse's North Side groceries are the backbone of the community pantry. Sagarmatha Nepali and Indian Food on Court Street has been serving South Asian staples for over a decade, and Namaste Nepal on North Townsend Street gets praise for fresh produce. In Buffalo, JP International Grocery on Grant Street stocks products from Nepal, India, Bhutan, and Burma alongside halal meat, while Buffalo Bazar East on Sycamore Street covers groceries, halal meats, and money transfer in one stop.
https://meetnepali.com/businesses/sagarmatha-nepali-and-indian-food-syracuse
https://meetnepali.com/businesses/namaste-nepal-syracuse
https://meetnepali.com/businesses/jp-international-grocery-store-buffalo
https://meetnepali.com/businesses/buffalo-bazar-east-buffalo
A note on the community
The Bhutanese Community in Syracuse anchors the North Side — ESL and citizenship classes, newcomer support, and cultural programs. If you're new to Syracuse, that's the place to start.
https://meetnepali.com/businesses/bhutanese-community-in-syracuse-syracuse
Log in to comment