Ulaanbaatar Food

Travelers often marvel at the great selection of restaurants in Ulaanbaatar. You'll discover great cuisine from India, Thailand, France, Japan, Korea, China, California and elsewhere. Most of these places are run by expats living in Mongolia, and the patrons also tend to be expats with a sprinkling of monied Mongols.

MONGOLIAN FOOD:
Mongolian restaurants (guanze) serve a fairly predictable menu of meat soup, meat dumplings, potato salad and goulash. There is a chain of guanze called Khan Buuz, with outlets along Peace Ave and the Little Ring Road. You can fill up for around $1.

• Taliiin Mongol – This is the best Mongolian food restaurant in town. They serve really nice meat soups, plus khorkhog (traditional barbeque) and creative little dishes like Kazakh horse sausage and Buriat pancakes. It’s next to the Mongolian CIA building, under the Sericon restaurant. (Tel: 319-415, Juulchin Gudamj).
• Nomad Legends Mongols Club – Serves some nice soups, buuz and khuushuur. It’s a lot better than its parent restaurant, Modern Nomads. (Tel: 326 631, Sukhbaatar Gudamj 1).

ASIAN FOOD
There are lots of good Chinese and Korean restaurants around town. It’s also possible to find Japanese, Indian, Thai and others.

• Hazara – This place has been around 10 years and has always been considered one of the best places around. The food quality is high and the atmosphere is pleasant. It’s just off Peace Ave, behind the Wrestling Palace. (Tel: 480 214, Peace Ave 16).

WESTERN FOOD

• Millie’s Café - This place is routinely excellent, with a nice menu of burgers, shakes, sandwiches and salads. It's also the center of UB's expat community, come for lunch and you'll find the place buzzing with aid workers, English teachers, business execs and diplomats. Now they are also open for dinner, it’s one of the best meals you can get in UB. (Marco Polo Bldg, Tel: 330 338).

• Veranda – Really nice Italian place with good food and reasonable prices. The atmosphere is really sedate as everyone just sits around on couches. It has a nice location overlooking the Choijin Lama Museum. The place downstairs, Silk Road, is another good option. (Jamyan Gunuu Gudamj, Tel: 330 818).

CAFES
• Café Amsterdam – Run by a group of Cloggies. This cafe makes some tasty sandwiches and has coffees and teas. Its has an airy, smoke-free, comfortable atmosphere, books to read and good service. Free WiFi is available. (Peace Ave, Tel: 9578 0057).

• Michele’s French Bakery – The French guy who runs this place, Alex, slings some awesome French pastries. The apple turnovers are addictive. He also has a good taste in music. It’s in a little alley behind Mongon Zaviya. (Off Peace Ave, 9916 9970).

• Ananda Café – Didi, the Australian woman who runs the Lotus Children’s Centre, has opened this vegetarian café. Good place for your buckwheat, lentil and tofu fix. (Baga Toiruu West, Tel 316 986)

• Chez Bernard – This one is run by a Belgian dude name Bernard. It’s pretty much ground zero for the backpacker set. The food is kind of average and the baked good are over-priced, but it’s got a good travelers vibe and a deck overlooking Peace Ave. They also sell camping gear and have a notice board. (Peace Ave 27, 324 622).

• Stupa Café – The Buddhists run this place. It’s a fun little café with Mongolian ger furniture, books and snacks. It’s in the FPMT Buddhist Centre, opposite the Zanabazar Museum. Look for the pink building with the prayer flags. (Juulchin Gudamj, Tel: 319 953).