The steamy blasts from the swinging door of Crested Butte’s cozy Sherpa Cafe beckon for blocks. Inside, former Nepalese mountain guide Pemba Sherpa and his family conjure the meals of their homeland, with hearty, belly-warming flavors that draw consistent crowds to the 250-square-foot closet of an eatery.
The Sherpa family’s comforting, distinct cuisine makes the room feel like their home, and each diner a welcomed guest. The Thupka noodles are swollen in the vegetable-thick broth. The momos (similar to dumplings) are engorged with chunks of meat and vegetables that meld well with the collection of homemade chutney dipping sauces.
The Himalayan curry is different from its Thai or Indian cousins, but the creamy saag is very similar to its across-the- border counterpart. Pemba’s homemade chai swims with slivers of cinnamon bark and cardamom seeds.
Sherpa Cafe
Nepali cuisine 313 Elk Ave., Crested Butte, 970-349-0443,
