Top 10 Dining Experiences in Ulaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar's best dining experiences range from steaming buuz in a simple canteen to khorkhog in a ger-style restaurant and polished international cuisine in the city's top hotels. Restaurants open and close quickly, so instead of a fixed ranking this guide covers ten kinds of meal worth seeking out, naming only a few long-established places. Always check that a venue is still open before you go.

1. Khorkhog at a ger-style restaurant

Khorkhog — mutton cooked in a sealed container with hot stones — is really a countryside dish, but some restaurants in and around the city serve it, or a full traditional banquet, in ger-style dining rooms, sometimes with live music. It usually needs ordering in advance and suits groups.

2. Buuz and khuushuur at a canteen

The everyday guanz (canteen) is where locals eat lunch: steamed buuz dumplings, fried khuushuur pastries, tsuivan noodles and a bowl of salty milk tea, all at modest prices. Pick a busy place full of office workers; pointing at the menu or at other diners' plates works fine.

3. Modern Mongolian cuisine

A number of restaurants present Mongolian meat and dairy dishes in a more refined style, with English menus and generous portions. Modern Nomads, a long-running local chain, has long been popular with visitors; check its current branches before visiting.

4. Korean barbecue

Close ties with South Korea mean Korean restaurants are everywhere in Ulaanbaatar. Grilling meat at the table with a spread of side dishes is a sociable, filling choice and a favourite with local families.

5. Hot pot

Chinese-style hot pot is hugely popular with young Mongolians. You choose a broth, then cook thin slices of meat, vegetables and noodles at the table. It is especially welcome on a winter evening.

6. Fine dining in international hotels

The large hotels near the centre run upscale restaurants serving European, Japanese and other Asian cuisine. Long-established properties such as the Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace and Shangri-La Ulaanbaatar are reliable choices for a special meal; reserve ahead and check current menus.

7. Vegetarian and vegan food

Meat dominates Mongolian cooking, but meat-free options are growing. A handful of dedicated vegetarian restaurants, some run by Buddhist groups, offer meatless versions of buuz and tsuivan, and many cafés now list vegan dishes.

8. Cafés and bakeries

Coffee culture has boomed, with local chains and independent cafés across the city. Café Amsterdam on Peace Avenue and Millie's Café are long-time traveller favourites for breakfast and sandwiches; confirm they are still operating before you go.

9. Pubs and beer halls

Mongolia brews its own beer, and pubs serve hearty Western food alongside it. The long-running Grand Khaan Irish Pub is a well-known meeting point, especially for watching sport.

10. Indian and other international flavours

Ulaanbaatar has a wide spread of international cuisines, from Japanese and Russian to Turkish and Indian. Hazara, one of the city's longest-running Indian restaurants, is a dependable option for curries and tandoor dishes; check before visiting.

Practical tips for eating out in Ulaanbaatar

• Venues change often: check recent reviews or contact the restaurant directly before you go.
• Cards and QR payments are widely accepted in central restaurants, but carry some tögrög for small canteens.
• Tipping is not traditional, though some upscale places add a service charge; check the bill.
• "Mongolian barbecue" stir-fry buffets found abroad were invented in Taiwan; traditional Mongolian food means dishes such as khorkhog, boodog, buuz and dairy products.