Authentic Nepalese Food in Damerham: Discover the Gurkha Kitchen at TheCompasses Inn
If you're searching for Nepalese food near Fordingbridge or wondering where to find genuine Himalayan cooking in Hampshire, you don't need to head into a city. Tucked away in the village of Damerham, on the edge of the New Forest, The Compasses Inn is home to one of the county's best kept culinary secrets: Our Gurkha Kitchen.
What Makes Our Gurkha Kitchen Different?
Most "Nepalese" menus in the UK are really Indian restaurants with a couple of Nepali dishes bolted on. The Compasses Inn is unique - a proper English country pub supported by our locals that serves a full menu of genuine Nepalese dishes. It doesn’t stop there. Our talented chefs also offer English pub classics - there’s something for everyone.
The Gurkha Kitchen menu draws on authentic Himalayan recipes, cooked with a blend of genuine Nepali ingredients, and spices, local produce and fresh herbs from our garden which together create a blend of rarely found together on a Hampshire menu.
Standout Dishes include:
Steamed MoMo Starter - Spiced chicken and vegetable dumplings, handmade and pleated with care.
Damerham Trout Tandoor (Sizzler) - Locally caught trout roasted and served whole with crispy outer and succulent and tender inside. Served with a rich Himalayan curry sauce.
Gurkha Seasoned Chicken Burger with Mango Mayo Relish - A pub classic with a twist.
Lamb Chops Tandoor - If you see Rupert, he will definitley recomend this.
Myth-Busting: Nepalese Cuisine Isn't Spicy — It's Flavourful.
One of the biggest reasons people hesitate to try Nepalese cuisine is a simple misunderstanding: they assume it will be fiery, in the way some Indian dishes can be. In reality, Nepalese cooking is built around depth and warmth of flavour, not heat. Fenugreek, ginger, garlic, mustard oil and slow-cooked spice blends are layered to bring out richness rather than a chilli kick.
If you're the sort of diner who usually plays it safe with a korma, the Himalayan Honey Hunter is the perfect place to start. It's mild and gently sweet, taking its name and inspiration from Nepal's tradition of wild honey hunting in the Himalayan cliffs, and it's proof that Nepalese food can be comforting and approachable rather than intimidating. Nervous first-timers regularly tell us it's exactly what convinced them to explore the rest of the menu.
Every naan at the Gurkha Kitchen is made fresh to order. Nothing is pre-made or reheated. It's a small detail, but it's the difference between a naan that's merely a side dish and one that's a highlight of the meal.
Why Damerham Is Worth the Drive
The Compasses Inn sits in a quiet corner of Hampshire, overlooking the village cricket pitch, within easy reach of Salisbury, the New Forest, and Cranborne Chase. It's the kind of place people discover almost by accident, searching for a Sunday lunch spot or a dog-friendly pub with rooms, and leave talking about the curry.
Plan Your Visit
The Gurkha Kitchen menu is available alongside the regular pub menu at The Compasses Inn, Damerham which is available Monday-Saturday. On Sundays, we have a reduced Nepalese menu to make space for ‘The Locals Roast’. Whether you're booking a table for dinner or an overnight stay, it's worth reserving ahead — the Nepalese menu has built a loyal following with customers travelling hours to return to us from across the UK and Europe.