Nyima Tea House

A cluster of colorful, traditional Tibetan prayer flags hangs above the modest entrance to the Nyima Tea House. Inside, the space fills with the scent of salty butter tea and the low murmur of regulars. While many spots in Lhasa cater to the rapid influx of tourists, this tea house remains a neighborhood anchor. Local residents gather here on low wooden benches to catch up on news, play board games, and share a pot of yak butter tea, just as they have for decades.