Nikhil Agarwal was born and brought up in Kathmandu, Nepal. He had always been passionate about Nepali food and culture from a young age.
But when Nikhil moved to Bangalore to study at Jain University, he often found himself teased by friends who would call him “Bamey” as a nickname.
It bothered Nikhil that most people in the city only saw Nepali cuisine as being limited to momo. He knew there was so much more – from the diverse dishes across different regions of Nepal to the unique ingredients rarely found outside the Himalayan country.
After graduating from Jain University in 2014, Nikhil was determined to introduce Bengaluru to the real flavors of Nepal. That’s how the idea for “Bamey’s Restro” was born. His goal was simple – to keep Nepal’s food culture alive and promote the ethnic dishes beyond just “Daal-Bhaat and Momo”.
Nikhil bootstrapped the entire venture himself. He handled all the interior and exterior work for the first restaurant entirely on his own along with a partner. In the early days, Nikhil and his partner would even deliver food orders personally to customers – that’s how hands-on he was with building up Bamey’s.
Over the next 5 years, Bamey’s became hugely popular for its authentic Nepali cuisine. In 2020, Nikhil opened a second, larger outlet in New Bel Road. But then the Covid lockdowns hit, forcing them to permanently shut down. At one point, Nikhil was on the verge of having to close that outlet as well.
But with the continued love and support from the people of Bengaluru, Bamey’s surged back stronger than ever. Monthly thakali sales crossed 7,000 plates. In 2023, Nikhil launched “Bamey’s Gastro Bar”, a new spacious restaurant located just 250m from the original spot.
Today, Nikhil has proven his doubters wrong. Through sheer passion and hard work, he has succeeded in introducing Bengaluru to the diversity of Nepali cuisine beyond just momos. His journey is a testament to how far determination and faith in one’s roots can take you.
In Nikhil’s own words: “Je Bhana Jaso Gara jata pani leijyau malai – Yo mann ta mero NEPALI HO!” – No matter where life takes me, my soul will always be Nepali.
