The Spirit of the Himalayas just off the Royal Mile

Gurkha Café brings the warmth and spice of the Himalayas to Cockburn Street, where rustic charm, generous hospitality and deeply flavoured Nepalese cooking – from street‑food sekwa to must‑order momos – make this long‑standing favourite well worth the pilgrimage.

Gurkha Cafe on Cockburn Street has established an excellent reputation for its Nepalese food in the 15 years since opening, and we decide it is high time we pay a visit.

Upon entering we are instantly transported to a rustic mountain eatery, with wooden beams and bright paper lanterns evoking the Himalayan home of the cuisine. The restaurant serves a mix on Nepalese and Indian dishes, though it is the former we are keen to try, particularly the Momos which have been highly recommended.

We settle into a cosy corner and order Ghurka beers...well, when in Nepal... Our server, manager Karki provides a warm welcome and is keen to share his knowledge and recommendations for Nepalese dishes, which is lucky as we don't know what we're doing.

Poppadoms are eagerly consumed while decisions are made, and we both note how delicious the sauces are, with an extra depth of flavour compared to the usual tasteless chutney and raita, especially the veggie-packed zesty pickle.

We start with the Chicken Sekwa, a street food from Nepal, which is spicy and succulent. Next, the famous Chicken Momos, much like gyoza but rich in spices, the soft, savoury delights are eagerly dunked in the rich tomato sauce, and I regret never having discovered them before.

For mains, and on the excellent advice of Karki, we choose the Bhot Ko Chelu, tender pieces of lamb cooked with green chilli, garlic and spring onion, and the Poleko Bhale Kukhura, chicken marinated with Nepalese herbs and cooked in thick sauce. Nepalese curries are generally milder than neighbouring India's, and these are flavourful and aromatic, but the green chilli is hard to detect and we suspect Karki may have toned the food down for our western palates. We note that everything tastes healthier and somehow less greasy than our usual Indian curries.

Our guide encourages us to try a side dish, Bhuteko Saag, which is fresh spinach leaf sautéd with cumin seed, chopped garlic and dried chilli, and adds an extra depth of flavour and freshness to the meaty curries. However, on one point we rebel against his advice and insist on an Apricot Naan, simply as it is a novelty to us, and we are very happy with the choice as it is similar to peshwari but with an added fruitiness and less cloyingly sweet.

Everything is consumed and we apologise for the state of the table, but are assured by Karki "you wouldn't be enjoying it if you didn't make a mess".

We finish with a Mango Kulfi, the perfect creamy palate cleanser that somehow there is always space for.

For a taste of the Himalayas in Edinburgh city centre, Gurkha Cafe is highly recommended, just be sure to order the Momos.

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Gurkha Care - 25/27 Cockburn Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1BP - 0131 225 2832

Sunday – Thursday : 12 – 10pm

Friday - Saturday : 12 – 10:30am