Nepali Times

As the old saying goes, the best way to stay healthy is to eat like a king in the morning, eat like a peasant in the afternoon, and eat like a pauper at night. If you happen to be around Pokhara’s Lakeside, Caffe Concerto Pizzeria Restaurant is the ideal place to start your day with a breakfast fit for royalty.

A two-storey building opposite the former royal palace, Caffe Concerto is also known for its Italian style menu of pizzas and pastas. But to our surprise, its breakfast menu had better choices than most other restaurants in Pokhara or in the capital.

Our first order was the Platter B/F (pic, right), which we assumed stood for breakfast. A large plate of cheese and breakfast meats served with a thick slice of toast and a mess of roasted potatoes, it was a very hearty meal for just Rs 290. The cheese went well with the ham and salami, but the peach jam served with the toast was a pleasant surprise. As we were more familiar with blackberry and raspberry jam, trying the peach jam was a novel experience. It turned out great on toast without being too sweet.

We also ordered the American breakfast set, a slightly pricier option at Rs 335, but one that didn’t disappoint when it arrived. You can choose omelette, scrambled or sunny side up egg. In the end we settled on scrambled. The eggs weren’t as fluffy as we had hoped, but the croissant made up for it. Warm and buttery, soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, it was so good we felt like ordering a whole basket to take home.

Being more tea lovers than coffee junkies, we also ordered a pot of mint tea. The menu boasted that the range of herbal teas was made with fresh herbs grown in Concerto’s own garden and infused with honey. For a reasonable price of Rs 140 the smooth, sweet tea was the perfect choice to finish off our meal.

The cafe also provides free Wi-Fi and a selection of fresh Gelato (Italian ice-cream) for those with a sweet tooth. Before you go for a late morning stroll along Phewa Lake, drop by Concerto for a long, lazy holiday breakfast to start your day on the right foot.

How to get there: the restaurant is located near Phewa Lake, opposite the former royal palace.