Are you planning to visit Darjeeling? Or are you already enjoying the pleasant weather in Darjeeling? This is so amazing, right! When you are in Darjeeling don’t forget to try their famous food items. They are damn delicious; healthy, not-so-healthy scrumptious food items are all over in and around Darjeeling. I wish I could go to Darjeeling now again, but it’s okay! I will make a plan very soon.
But if you haven’t been there already, then have you planned everything for your Darjeeling trip? I mean where you are going to stay, places you want to visit in Darjeeling, essential things you want to keep in your bag pack and so. Everything has been planned, right? Oh! Did you miss something? Write it down right now otherwise, you will forget and if you haven’t made any checklist then do it right now. I am saying this because it always happens to me.
Yes, I know my friend you are here in search of the famous food in Darjeeling and I am nagging you like an irritating best friend. Nah! I was just telling you. Anyway, now lets just come to the point, though I know you will go straight to the popular Darjeeling food items, still I am saying.
15 Darjeeling Famous Food You Must Try In Your Darjeeling Trip
Darjeeling is mixed with various cultures. That’s why the local Darjeeling food dishes are also diverse. Because of the cold climate, the localities always prefer rice, noodles in their cuisine. These are the Darjeeling famous food items you must try.
1. Momos
Momos are mainly stuffed bun made with all-purpose flour, stuffed with vegetables or meat before they are steamed. Of lately people have experimented with momos by deep-frying, baking, etc. But I always prefer those steaming hot steamed momos which mostly served with spicy tomato sesame chutney. Along with momos, typo is also very popular over here. Typo is the bigger version of momos.
Where to eat: You will get to eat momos every here and there in Darjeeling, but to try out the best momos in Darjeeling, you must visit Kunga restaurant which is located at Gandhi Road & it is a very famous restaurant in Darjeeling. They serve 10 momos with both veg and non-veg options. The momos over there are very juicy and have got some soup inside.
2. Thukpa Darjeeling
Thukpa is a very popular Tibetan dish which is a must-have in Darjeeling. It is a noodle soup containing chopped vegetables and meat, which is also a very famous food in Gangtok. In Darjeeling, thukpa is available in different forms. You can have this as breakfast as its very light and you can easily digest it.
Where to eat: Though you will get thukpa in every roadside food stalls in Darjeeling, I can’t assure you about the taste. If you are someone who never tried thukpa and wants to experience the real taste of thukpa, then you should have thukpa at Dekevas restaurant which is located on the ground floor of Dekeling Hotel & it is one of the most famous restaurants in Darjeeling. The little spicy and tangy aromatic flavor of this local tasty delight will stimulate your taste buds for sure.
At Dekevas, they serve very delicious thukpa and is very comfort food for the cool climate in Darjeeling. It is very affordable and the quantity is huge.
3. Sel Roti
Sel roti is a popular Nepali dish which is made with rice flour. It is fried yet soft ring-shaped bread, sweet and the flavor of fennel seeds makes it even more delicious. Sel roti is very similar to malpoa. This is not only a Darjeeling famous food but also a famous food of Sikkim, so you must try this along with spicy alu dum.
Where to eat: Earlier sel rotis were not usually available in restaurants but recently few restaurants serve amazing sel roti at a very affordable price.
4. Peero Aloo dum
Peero Aloo dum is a side dish that is a very popular Darjeeling local food.Peero means spicy and as the name suggests it is made of boiled aloo (potatoes) which is cooked in a spicy tangy gravy and is amazingly delicious. You can have aloo dum alongside sel roti or naan/roti/rice.
Where to eat: Aloo dum is available in almost every street stall over there and they make them extremely spicy, so if you are someone who can’t handle spices then do avoid them and try this at restaurants.
5. Shaphalay
Shaphalay or Shia Phalay is a must-have Darjeeling famous food and you can’t miss it. It’s too damn delicious man! It is a Tibetan bread that is deep-fried and is stuffed with either meat or vegetables. It is a fried momo but a little bigger. Shaphalay is usually served with chutneys and soup alongside aloo achar. You cannot come to Darjeeling and not have shaphalay, you have to try shaphalay which is the most famous dish of Darjeeling.
Where to eat: You will get it at the roadside stalls as well as at the Tibetan restaurants.
6. Chhurpi
Chhurpi is a very famous food of Darjeeling and it is also known as durkha. It is a milk-based cubical-shaped product. Originated from Nepal, Chhurpi is a traditional cheese and has two varieties.One kind is very soft and the other one is a hard kind. Chhurpi is prepared from buttermilk and it is very similar to ricotta.
Soft chhurpi is used in various ways and as it is a good source of protein, the Himalayan people consume this as a substitute for vegetables. On the other side, Hard chhurpi is used as a treat for dogs.
Where to eat: You will get the best chhurpi at Keventers.
7. Kinema
Kinema is a must-have Darjeeling local food. It is a fermented soya bean food of the Himalayan regions. Earlier Kinema used to be prepared at home but now it is available in local markets. Traditionally kinema is prepared into a soup to be consumed alongside rice. But kinema can also be prepared into the spicy tangy curry which is very delicious.
Where to eat: You can have a kinema at any local restaurant.
8. Sekuwa Darjeeling
Sekuwa is roasted meat and is one of the best Darjeeling famous food. It is a very tasty dish made of chicken, mutton, pork, lamb, or beef that are marinated with spices and other required ingredients and left for few hours before it is roasted on a natural wood fire.You can have sekuwa either alone or along with naan or roti. This is also a very popular Sikkim street food.
Where to eat: To have the best sekuwa in Darjeeling you need to visit Chopstix restaurant.
9. Naga Cuisine
Naga cuisine is very popular in Darjeeling. You will get a platter full of Naga dishes which consists of rice, boiled vegetables, pork with dried bamboo shoot, fish with fermented bamboo shoot, lentils and akunhi, etc. These are very different in taste yet very scrumptious.
Where to eat: You can try this amazing Naga cuisine at the revolver restaurant which is located at Gandhi Road and is specialized in Naga cuisine, but you have to inform them a day before you are going.
Pocket Pinch: It might cost you around 1500 INR for two people for a full-fledged lunch or dinner.
10. Nepali Thali
Darjeeling food recipes are extremely delicious. As the majority of people are Nepalese here, so you must try their traditional Nepali thali. When you are making a list of Darjeeling famous food you have to include Nepali thali in it. It is a platter consists of rice, daal, assorted vegetable curry, chutney. You can have some non-veg preparation along with this.
Where to eat: To have the best Nepali thali visit Penang restaurant.
11. Gundruk
Gundruk is a must-try Darjeeling famous food which is mainly a Nepali item. It is not food by itself but used for flavors. It is prepared with green leafy vegetables such as spinach, mustard leaves, cauliflower leaves, radish leaves, etc. these leaves are left for fermentation for a few days and then naturally dried up under the sunlight, which is called gundruk and is used with vegetables for a unique flavor.
Where to eat: Many small vendors sell gundruk on the roads.
12. Kwati
Kwati is one of the most famous food of Darjeeling and is a traditional Nepali dish. It is mixed sprouted bean soup. Nine different types of sprouted beans are cooked with some spices and form a thick soup. It is very tasty and an excellent source of protein.
Where to eat: You can have this healthy soup at any budget restaurants in Darjeeling.
13. Tongba
Tongba is a local alcoholic beverage that is prepared from fermented millets which is served in a bamboo glass with a bamboo pipe and it is a very famous food in Darjeeling.
Where to eat: You will get the best tongba at a small roadside shop named Hot Stimulating café which is located near the zoo.
14. Darjeeling Oranges
While talking about Darjeeling famous fruit you must include oranges in it because Darjeeling oranges are extremely sweet although it is very underrated. They are very juicy and pulpy at the same time and has a very thick skin.
Where to eat: Oranges are all around in Darjeeling during November to March.
15. Darjeeling Tea
You are having Darjeeling famous food and you can’t miss Darjeeling tea. It is the essence of Darjeeling so you must try Darjeeling tea. Having a cup of Darjeeling tea is pure bliss for me, I just love the aroma of it. I just wanted to mention that when you are going to Darjeeling don’t forget to wear the dress of Darjeeling and click some good pictures of you and your family.
Where to drink: Nathmulls Tea Bar serves the best Darjeeling tea that is located at Chauk Bazaar.
Pocket Pinch: You will get a regular cup of tea starting from Rs. 25 to Rs. 400.
And there you have it.These are the 15 Darjeeling famous food you must try. These are the food I had on my Darjeeling trip. I hope this Darjeeling food blog has helped you to have an idea about the food culture of Darjeeling. So, when you will take yourself to the ‘Queen of Hills’ Darjeeling, be sure to sample these traditional food items in Darjeeling.
Do let me know in the comments what’s your take on these Darjeeling foods.
As I am planning to go for a trip to darjeeling, your food choices are making me more hungry. Nice job. I will definitely try shaphalay.
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