Ask anyone who has travelled through Nepal what they remember most, and the answer is rarely just the mountains. It is the food. A steaming plate of dal bhat after a long day on the trail, a basket of hot momos shared with new friends, a cup of chiya (milk tea) poured by a host family at sunrise. At a farmstay like Hillage Nepal, food is not a side note to the experience — it is the experience.

Dal Bhat: The Heart of Every Nepali Table

Dal bhat is the national dish of Nepal, and for good reason. It is a complete, nourishing meal built around lentil soup (dal) and steamed rice (bhat), served with a rotating cast of side dishes: seasonal vegetables, pickled greens (gundruk), spicy chutney, and sometimes a small portion of curried meat or paneer. The phrase “dal bhat power, 24 hour” is a favourite joke among trekkers, because the meal genuinely fuels a full day of walking.

What makes dal bhat special at a farmstay is the source. The lentils, rice, and vegetables are often grown on the very land you are standing on. When you eat at Hillage Farm, you are eating food that travelled metres, not miles.

Momos: Nepal’s Beloved Dumplings

Momos are steamed or fried dumplings filled with minced vegetables, chicken, or buffalo, served with a fiery tomato-and-sesame dipping sauce called achar. They are everywhere in Nepal — street stalls, teahouses, and family kitchens — and learning to fold them is a rite of passage for many volunteers. If you are staying at a farmstay, ask your host family to show you how; it is one of the most memorable afternoons you can have.

Farm-to-Table, the Traditional Way

Nepal’s hill farms have practised what the world now calls “farm-to-table” for centuries. Crops are planted and harvested by hand, fertilised with compost, and cooked the same day. A typical farmstay meal might include:

  • Seasonal greens — spinach, mustard leaves, and wild sisnu (nettle) cooked simply with garlic and ginger.
  • Gundruk — fermented and sun-dried leafy greens, a tangy staple of hill cuisine.
  • Dhindo — a thick porridge of buckwheat or millet flour, the traditional alternative to rice in the hills.
  • Fresh fruit — oranges, bananas, and papaya depending on the season and altitude.

What You’ll Drink

No Nepali meal is complete without chiya, the sweet, spiced milk tea brewed with cardamom and ginger. In the hills you may also be offered raksi or chhang, traditional fermented drinks made from millet or rice, usually reserved for festivals and celebrations. If you are offered a cup, accept it with both hands — it is a gesture of welcome.

Why Food Matters to Your Stay

Sharing a meal is how Nepali families welcome guests, and it is the fastest way to feel at home. When you volunteer or stay at a farmstay, you are not a customer ordering from a menu — you are a guest at the table. You will learn the names of the dishes, the rhythm of the kitchen, and the stories behind the recipes. That is the kind of memory no restaurant can give you.

Ready to taste Nepal the traditional way? Explore our farmstay and volunteer programs and come sit at the table.