Updated: May, 2026
Momos are a traditional dumpling dish from Tibet and Nepal. I had tasty momos in Amsterdam a couple of years ago at Tibet Restaurant, on the edge of the red-light district. A little closer to home, you can get excellent momos in New York at the Tibetan Kitchen (444 Third Ave, between 30th & 31st St). I’m sure there are other places around New York to get momos, so please put your favorite in the comments for everyone to enjoy. For a complete guide to the best momo spots in Jackson Heights, see our Jackson Heights Himalayan Street Food Guide.
Delish Recipes has a video to show you how to make momos. If you’re not up to making the flour & water dough, simply buy dumpling wrappers or wonton skins at your favorite Asian grocer. Cooking should be fun and easy, not heavy-duty drudge work.
The fillings are usually ground meat – chicken, pork, lamb or yak (if you want to get super-authentic), spiced with onions, shallots, garlic, coriander, salt, pepper and cumin. In their video, pureed tomatoes are added to the mixture. I wouldn’t do this personally, but that’s the point – feel free to make them to your taste. There’s not one specific way to make a momo.
Enjoy!
FAQ
Q: Do you need to make momo dough from scratch?
A: No. Store-bought dumpling wrappers or wonton skins work as a shortcut if you don’t want to make flour-and-water dough.
Q: What meats are traditionally used in momo filling?
A: Chicken, pork, lamb, or yak, spiced with onions, shallots, garlic, coriander, salt, pepper, and cumin.
Q: Where can you find good momos in NYC without making them yourself?
A: Tibetan Kitchen (444 Third Ave) is mentioned here; the Jackson Heights Himalayan Street Food Guide covers the full range of NYC momo spots.
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Ron Rossi is a New York native, marketing director, and self-styled “Jaded Traveler” who has spent a career crossing borders — both professionally and culinarily. Having lived and worked across Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America, Ron has eaten his way through nearly 100 countries on six continents, always with the same philosophy: the best food belongs to the people, not the guidebooks. He gravitates toward mid-range, budget, and street food — the kind of meal a local nurse, teacher, or taxi driver would actually eat — and believes that a country’s character is most honestly revealed not in its fine dining rooms but in its markets, cart stalls, and neighborhood joints. At New York Street Food, Ron brings that same globe-spanning hunger to the five boroughs, hunting down the dishes that feed everyday New Yorkers and the stories behind the hands that make them.
