This Tamel Cafe with a Courtyard Has Me Coming Back 5 Days a Week ☀️

After wandering Thamel for almost a month and trying every brunch spot on the blocks, I’ve cracked their “pattern”: either the trendy ones have cute courtyards but coffee as bland as dishwater, or the ones with killer burgers are squeezed into tiny rooms where you can barely turn around. That is, until a friend dragged me through the gate of organic smoothie bowl & cafe. Sunlight filtered through bougainvillea leaves onto the wooden table, and the first bite of avocado toast hit—suddenly, I got what “regular canteen” means: it’s not about being mind-blowing, but feeling so cozy you want to come back daily. 🌿 A Little Courtyard Hideaway in Thamel: Sun, Greenery, and “No Rush” Vibes Push open the white-painted wooden door, and the first thing you see is a courtyard wrapped in greenery: flagstone paths, three or four wicker tables, bougainvillea climbing bamboo trellises in the corner, petals scattered on tablecloths like pink confetti. 10 AM sunlight slants in, casting spots on coffee mugs. A few foreigners type on laptops, occasionally glancing up to laugh with the owner in Nepali—even the air hums with “take your time.” Other brunch spots I’ve tried? Either crammed in office buildings staring at ceilings, or outdoor seats facing noisy roads. But this courtyard feels like a secret garden: eating breakfast in the sun, watching butterflies flit through mint bushes, even the wind smells sweet. My friend said, “This is what brunch should feel like”—and sure enough, I sat there for two hours on the first visit, reluctant to leave. 🥑 Safe Bets Every Time: Magazine-Worthy Plating, Generous Portions First visit, I stared at the menu confused. The owner handed over his phone: “Order from the photos—everything’s good.” After trying a round, I realized he wasn’t exaggerating— Signature smoothie bowl: A purple-hued mountain piled high with mango slices, blueberries, toasted oats, drizzled with honey and chia seeds. Dig in, and the banana-spinach blend is as creamy as ice cream, fruit sweetness mixing with nutty crunch—refreshing like a sip of morning dew. And the portion? One bowl equals half a meal; two girls could split it. Eggs Benedict with whole-grain toast: Runny yolk oozes over avocado mash, toast crispy outside, soft inside, just the right sprinkle of black pepper. Other places either overcook or undercook the eggs, but here the timing’s perfect—fork through, yolk “plops” to coat the avocado, so good you’ll want to lick the plate. Smoked salmon salad: Lettuce crunches when bitten, salmon sliced thick, yogurt dressing with a hint of lemon tang—even me, who usually skips veggies, polished it off. The best part? “No skimping”: plating as pretty as an Instagram post, but portions don’t shrink—Benedict toast is thick as a brick, smoothie bowl fruit piles over the edge. Under 200 NPR (10 RMB) and you’ll leave stuffed—way more generous than Shanghai’s brunch spots at the same price. 💰 Affordable Enough to “Eat 5 Days a Week Without Guilt” Total for a main + coffee? Just over 300 NPR (15 RMB)—nearly half the price of Thamel’s “viral spots.” As a regular who “shows up 5 days a week,” the owner even slips me a small bowl of homemade banana bread: crispy outside, soft inside, cinnamon-scented, perfect with coffee. My friend teases me: “You’re treating this like your second home.” Monday to Friday, 10 AM sharp, I’m in the courtyard’s usual spot—sometimes smoothie bowl with a book, sometimes Benedict with chat. Even the Japanese girl at the next table recognizes me now; we nod and say “Back again?” The other two days, I eat Chinese food—mostly to avoid the owner thinking, “Does this girl have nowhere else to go?” But honestly? If my stomach didn’t crave hotpot, I’d live here 7 days a week. Now, every time I weave through Thamel’s busy lanes, push open that white door, and see sunlight on the courtyard wicker chairs, I think: “Life in Kathmandu isn’t so hard.” After all, having a place to soak up sun, eat food that hits the spot, and not break the bank? That’s probably the coziest part of living abroad. Looking for brunch in Thamel? No need to wander—search organic smoothie bowl & cafe on Google Maps. Trust me, you’ll turn it into your “home away from home” too. 📍 Location: Thamel (Search “organic smoothie bowl & cafe” on Google Maps—look for the white door with a small courtyard) #brunch #HiddenGemRestaurant #RestaurantRecommendations #FellForTheVibes #Kathmandu #KathmanduFood #Nepal #NepalTravel #NepalFood #LivingInNepal