Kilroys of Kathmandu
A return to the streets, stories and spirit that started it all
Kilroy’s of Kathmandu was never just a restaurant. It was a meeting place. A conversation. A late night that turned into an idea.
Founded in Kathmandu in the late 1990s, Kilroy’s became a home for travellers, locals, artists, misfits, chefs, and thinkers.
Where food mattered. Music mattered. And stories mattered more.
This site is not about reopening a restaurant. It’s about returning to something unfinished.
We are retracing the streets that shaped us, revisiting the dishes that defined us, and reconnecting with the people who made Kilroy’s what it was - and what it can become again.
Along the way, we’ll share the journey. The food. The drinks. The conversations. The lessons learned with time.
Kilroys of Kathmandu is becoming a place once more - online first, physical again in time.
If you were at Kilroy’s before, welcome home.
If you’re discovering it now, pull up a chair… because one day, it could be at your usual table with us!
Past, Present, Becoming
From the Kitchen at Kilroys
[Original photos from back in the day!]
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What Kilroy’s was…
Kilroy’s of Kathmandu opened in the heart of Thamel on 15 November 1998, and was built on a few things done properly.
Food came first, cooked in full view in an open kitchen where Chef Thomas Kilroy worked with his team. The menu featured dishes that were authentic and people came back for time and again.
Conversation, candlelight, good music, flowing drinks, and an atmosphere that was magical, where lovers lingered, strangers became friends. And there was always room for dessert!
In short, it had an understated sincerity. Travellers, trekkers, diplomats, celebrities and businesspeople; all were welcome, all belonged. The kitchen was open, the bar within reach, and the team was on hand to make you feel you had arrived!
For 18 years, until an earthquake, our ‘oasis in Thamel’ kept people kept coming back time and again.
They were good days… but sadly that version of Kilroy’s is a chapter now closed.
What Kilroys is becoming…
Kilroys of Kathmandu is becoming a place again.
Since that first chapter, Arati and I have lived full lives. We’ve built careers beyond the kitchen. Learned how businesses grow (and fall!), how relationships change, how quality endures when trends don’t. We’ve gained judgement, perspective, and the confidence to do less – but better.
That’s why now feels like a good time to consider coming home.
Not to the past, but to the essence of joy that Kilroy’s brought to us back then. With room for old friends to catch up with, new guests to welcome, and lots of shared stories still to unfold.
Kilroys of Kathmandu - if we can find that perfect venue - will be a reflection of where we are now, that heritage we want to protect, with a forward-thinking approach to the future.
Food will still be front and centre with honest cookie that pays respect to where those ingredient come from. Rooted in Kathmandu, pruned by worldly experience, and shaped by our new sense of fulfilment.
Conversation will still matter… as it always did. This new space – be it physical or digital – will be designed to help you unwind. We miss that connection and the kind of moments that linger long after the table is cleared.
This won’t happen tomorrow. We haven’t even found a location yet.
But we believe that with the same attention to detail, values, and purpose we had then; Kilroys of Kathmandu can once again be that next chapter in our story.
And we can’t wait to share it with you.
If this resonates, we’d love you to be part of it.
Join us as we explore the food, drinks, people, and places that made Kilroy’s unique and quietly ahead of its time – and as we consider what this next chapter should feel like.
This isn’t about rushing to an opening date. It’s about sharing our experience of getting the journey right.
“Bruce Boa - Actor! I’m the guy who ordered the Waldorf Salad from Basil Fawlty. Great food and service. Sorry we missed you.
All the best, Bruce”
- A note left for Chef Thomas Kilroy from the actor Bruce Boa after his lunch at Kilroy’s