Kilroys of Kathmandu
A return to the streets, stories and spirit that started it all.
Kilroy’s of Kathmandu is a restaurant founded in 1998 in the Thamel district of Kathmandu by Chef Thomas Kilroy, known for its candlelit garden courtyard and welcoming atmosphere
Past, Present, Becoming
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, chefs, misfits, and thinkers.
Where food mattered.
Music mattered.
And stories mattered more.
This website 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 so many special occasions, and reconnecting with the people who made Kilroy’s what it was - and what it can be 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.
The original restaurant was called Kilroy’s of Kathmandu. Today, the story continues as Kilroys of Kathmandu. Yes, we dropped the apostrophe. A reflection of Thomas and Arati Kilroy and the next chapter they are shaping together.
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!
From the Kitchen at Kilroy’s
[Original photos from back in the day!]
The Kilroys of Kathmandu Journal
Stories from Kathmandu, the kitchen, and the journey back
What Kilroy’s was…
Kilroy’s of Kathmandu opened in Thamel in on 15 November, 1998.
An open kitchen.
A candlelit garden.
A place where strangers became friends.
For nearly two decades it welcomed travellers, locals, artists, diplomats, and explorers from around the world.
Those were good days.
What Kilroys is becoming…
Kilroys of Kathmandu is becoming a place again.
Not a return to the past, but a continuation of what mattered.
Food with honesty.
Conversation that lingers.
A space designed to help people slow down.
The next chapter is still unfolding.
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
What makes a good restaurant great? For some, it’s the food. For others, the room, the location, the reputation. As restaurants go, Kilroy’s of Kathmandu had all of those things working in its favour. And yet none of these elements in isolation - or even in the aggregate - explain why people kept coming back, and often bringing someone new with them…