Some travel to explore new places and some travel for food. Then others like me travel for both foods and to explore those amazing places. Here is my attempt to put some of my great food experiences and I hope you enjoy my best places to eat on your Himalayan trips.
Dehradun
Whenever I visit Dehradun or on the way to Mussoorie, I have a special place to stop and eat. The place is called Kalsang. They have branches in Mussoorie also. But I prefer the one at Dehradun. The ambiance of this place resembles a Shaolin temple, but in red. The ceiling is decorated with Chinese lanterns and red curtains everywhere
They have a wide variety of Chinese and Tibetan cuisines. Of all those countless visits, I have tried most of it, and trust me everything is unique. Even the french fries taste different here.
I am including those things that I found unique here, both in taste and the way it is presented.
The Green Momos
This veg momo is a treat to both eyes and mouth. Perfect photogenic for your Instagram posts and when you break it to try, vegetable filling oozes out with a creamy texture.
Mix meat Noodles
As the name says, it’s a mixed meat fried Noodle. Very dry in texture, but melts inside the mouth. Goes great with those special sauces and chutneys that come along with it.
Banana Toffee with Ice Cream
One of the best desserts I ever had. “ A story of fire and ice”. Toffee is hot with a crispy shell and inside it is creamy with mashed banana. Served with Vanilla and Chocolate Ice cream and came out to be a perfect combination.
Mussoorie
Like Manali, Mussoorie is one of the most visited places in India. Chole Bature to Masala Dosa, there is no limit to the variety of food here. For me, those small shops that sell Samosa and chai are the best. Then there is the famous Chardukan and some cafes on the way to Landour.
Rishikesh
Rishikesh has two faces: the one that intermingled with religion and culture and the other of a spirituality combined with modernism. The same diversity reflects in food and that makes it one of the best places for food lovers. While crossing the Laxman Jhula, we can see those fancy cafes on the banks and those places are a must-visit. There are many famous names like Freedom Cafe, Pyramid Cafe, Little Buddha Cafe, and many more.
I would like to share my experience at the Little Buddha Cafe.
It is one of the best cafes in Rishikesh with a view of the river Ganga. Must try is the veg Pizza with lemonade. Veg Burger with french fries is another wonderful and tastes better than any other veg burger.
Manali
Manali is one of the most visited hill stations, offers almost all types of cuisines.
Mall Road is packed with North Indian restaurants that target families and honeymooners and when we move a lane behind, we will find small dhabas with chole bhature and Aloo Paratha. There are those famous bakeries like the German bakery. The other side of the river is the roads to Old Manali and many cafes on both sides. Cafe 1947, Drifter’s Cafe are some of the famous names. Some of these cafes serve the famous Manali trout fish and are a must-try. Johnson’s Café and The Lazy Dog cafes are famous for their trout dishes.
When we move away from the town to those villages like Vashist, we will see more “pahadi” delicacies like Khatta and Sidu.
Shimla
The name that comes first to my mind when I think about my Shimla Trips is the iconic Indian coffee house. A part of Shimla nostalgia and memories, this is one of those places where you can get good food at an affordable price.
Coffee and pakode are a must-try here. More than the food that interests me here is the faces. Most of the crowd are old-aged people and they have their usual spots in the cafe. They meet daily here, sit and talk about almost everything. Those are the faces who might have seen the changes of this beautiful hill city from a small hill station to a chaotic hill city that we see today.
Kasol
Walking through the lanes of Kasol after the long hike to Chalal we found a small shop. Like all my mountain trips, I stayed away from Butter chicken or Dal Makani and when I saw the board of an authentic Tibetan food place, I couldn’t resist entering it. It was a small shop like all others. We ordered Thukpa and Chow Mein( Noodles). It took 15 to 20 Mins to get our food and when we finally dug into the steaming hot food, it was delicious. Chow Mein was extra spicy and Thupka was creamy and delicious.
While eating I suddenly found some movements below my chair and looked at what I found.
You can read my trip to Reckong and Kalpa here: Things to do in Kasol on a short visit
Reckong Peo
Reckong Peo is a small isolated town in Kinnaur. On my visit to Reckong, I was fortunate to find a little shop selling Tibetan food. Just one woman was working there, and it was a one-room store. After accepting orders, she went inside to cook in her little kitchen. We were taken aback when she came back to us with two cups of piping hot soup. That was complimentary, and it was very tasty. We ordered Thukpa and Momo. She offered us more soup, and it was difficult not to say No. Thukpa is a popular noodle soup among Tibetans. It is cooked in many ways depending on where you live.
This time on the roadside, we came upon a little kiosk with a large crowd. From the sound of it, we can quickly tell that this place is well-known in the region. This is how we landed upon Chacha’s Chicken Corner. Chicken Tikka, Fry, Kadai Chicken, and a variety of other dishes. This is a must-try place when you visit Reckong Peo.
Chitkul
Chitkul is a remote village and is considered to be the last village of India in these parts. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, this place is one of the most beautiful places in India and a hard one to reach. ‘Hindustan Ka Aakhri Dhaba’ is a small shop and got viral by the Instagram pics. I find these places a little overhyped. But considering the location, this place goes well with it. Food is simple, but eating at these places overlooking the valley and the Baspa river makes it a must-try place.
I didn’t include all those amazing foods of Kashmir and other parts of the Himalayas. Those are something we need to discuss in detail and those are for another time.