Over the pas few years Ulaanbaatar has seen a culinary revolution with ever evolving and more sophisticated restaurants appearing on the scene.

While Mongolian Cuisine is not renowned throughout the word for its refinement, there have been marked improvements with the arrival of new ingredients such as fruits and vegetables as well as an increasing demand for more sophisticated and healthier foods. There has also been a flury of foreign restaurants making an appearance with Japanese, Korean, Indian, American, French, British, Irish restaurants now firmly established.

Below are some of our favourites, if you have any suggestions please email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it so that we can try it out and add to the list. 

The UB Delicatessen   

The UB Deli is one of UB’s favourite hanging out places. It is popular with the expat community in the town who come regularly for its gourmet sandwiches and quality food as well as with the locals  who come on dates for its  cool relaxed atmosphere, good music, excellent food and the friendly ambiance. The UB Deli offers the best breakfasts in town with a filling English breakfast or its delicate eggs benedict’s , it also has excellent menus over lunch and dinner which are certain to satisfy  even the most discerning of customers. The wine menu is as impressive as any in the best  restaurants with a variety of world wines including magnums of Chateauneuf du Pape Domaine du Trintignant 2000 and Champagne Blanc de Blanc from the Brossolet domaine. The deli does take away’s and deliveries.

World Restaurant
Located behind the London Pub this restaurant serves proper Mongolian food while a reasonable try is made of occidental dishes but they are of varying quality. Big mirrors and world maps decorate this local. Tuya the owner speaks French and would be happy to assist you in any way.

California’s   

California’s is a typical Californian Restaurant serving the usual burgers and shakes. They also have some Asian dishes including a few Mongolian specialities revisted for the Modern palate. The decoration brings you back to the US and the pleasant terrace on Seoul Street makes for a pleasant lunch afternoon. The Caesar Salad and the baby spinach salad come highly recommended and so do most of the pasta dishes. The restaurant also has a small selection of sushi dishes but make sure to ask when the fish arrived in Mongolia. The open kitchen at the back makes for entertainment when all else fails. The staff is pleasant and efficient. The wines are too expensive but they serve a wide variety of American spirits and some sake's. The restaurant can be found after the Marco Polo restaurant on Seoul Street opposite the Aeroflot office.

Dave’s Place   

What would Ulaanbaatar be without Dave’s? The one and only real English pub in Mongolia. Located right on Sukhbaatar Square, it has all the ingredients for a perfect evening. A large terrace overlooking the square, beers exclusive to the pub, Thursday night quizzes, real fish and chips, all day full English Breakfast . What more could a man want? Dave will look after you like a true Pub Landlord and make you feel welcome in the other British Embassy of UB. Also a regular haunt of the local expect community, even in the depth of the frozen winters. Dave has a large selection of british foods, british music, british spirits and british customers. Packed in summer with its outside bar, it has parking facilities, good security, the staff is very friendly and professional. 

 Genghis Pub   

It is hard to believe as you walk in the bar of the brewery, that you still are in Mongolia and not in the middle of the Bavarian Alps. This is the brewery for one of Mongolia’s most popular beers. The Genghis beer has been brewed continually on this site since 1998. There are windows in the Pub to the inside of the brewery to make sure that it really is brewed in Mongolia. They serve some of the best steaks in the country and offer a good atmosphere in the evenings. They are also the only pub in the country to have the giraffe beer containers so that you can be your own barman. Located in the north of the city near the ger districts.

Khan Brau   

The only and only real Beer garden in Mongolia, serving simply the best beer in Mongolia. Overlooking the national theatre next to Sukhbaatar Square it is the place to be over the summer months taking in the sunshine, drinking in the Mongolian brewed German Beers and if you are really nice Klaus the owner might come and share a glass with you. The beer garden also serves real German food, plays good music and has a band to while away the hours of the night with. 

Le Bistrot Francais   

A real French Bistrot managed by a real Frenchmen! Guy is an endless source of information and inspiration about Mongolia. The food is as good as on the streets of Paris and the outdoor terrace is as good as any on the Champ Elysee. They serve the best espressos in town and offer a wide collection of French wines, pastries and dishes. Recommended to any Frenchmen who is a little homesick and to those who just want quality French food or just drink a good coffee with the students from the University of Ulaanbaatar just opposite the bistrot.

Le Soleil Restaurant   

This excellent restaurant at the top of the Narantuul Hotel offers extraordinary  views over the city. The food is excellent and the service well intentioned. This is definitely one of the classiest restaurants in the city, a favourite for important lunches and dinners. The food is mainly European in its ispiration and the décor simply breathtaking, especially at night.

Michele’s   

A small but delicious bakery between the state department store and the circus will fill you with memories of France with its warm “ pain au cholocat” , apple croissants and strong espressos. Alex, the French owner will tell you the tales of his native France while you try to decide which one of the baguettes you should have. Perfect for breakfast every morning and every other time in between.

Seoul Restaurant   

This excellent restaurant situated in the tranquilty of the children’s park has magnificent views over the park and the mountains. It boasts real Korean food and at your table grills and hot plates to cook your own food exactly how you like it. There is also a large world buffet available on selected nights for those who need more than a kilogram of meat to satisfy their needs. Great for families, dates or just a fun night out.

Millies   

 The expat restaurant by definition, withier at lunch or over dinner, Millies is the perfect meeting place for the local expat community. In its central location overlooking the Choy Jin Lama Museum between the Children’s park and Sukhbaatar Square there is no other place to go for lunch. The food is American in style with global influences, large sandwiches and good specials always available.

The Gate Restaurant   

This restaurant is a favourite with the Mongolians with its heavy golden décor and kitch interiors yet the food is surprisingly good and its master chef , Joele always happy to come and have a chat. They host special evenings on certain nights such as Japanese nights. There is little to say against the food, the dishes are filling and well presented. A fun place to be  for a lively evening.

The Casablanca   

This restaurant is a favourite with the miners back from the Gobi, it serves a good menu of Singaporean and Western foods with a fast service. The restaurant is often busy in the evenings when you could nearly believe that you were really in Rick’s Place. Its dishes are affordable and easy to choose from its picture menu. Great service and the  best cheeseburger in UB.

The Grand Khan Irish pub    

The Irish Pub by the National Theatre is one of the better known drinking landmarks of UB, if only for its gigantic size.  Guinness  and Irish food available in the large drinking hall. In summer the outside terraces make it a favourite meeting place with the well to do locals. Bands go on stage on most evenings while the local girls dance through the night on the dancing floor.

BD's BBQ Restaurant

One of the instutions of Ulaanbaatar, the best place to go if hungry. BD's BBQ is often full and the quality of the food is good and consistent. BD's BBQ is based on the old Mongolian cooking techniques, thinly sliced lamb meet cooked in the overturned shield andserved hot. The modern version is a large buffet full of cold meats, vegetables, sauces and other yummy stuff, you mix it all together give it to the big man next to the grill, he cooks it and gives it back to you. Highly recommended, familly friendly environment.