SILVER TRIANGLE OF INDIA TOUR

Places to Eat

Shimla - Manali - Dharamsala

SHIMLA

Shimla offers a wide range of cuisine - oddly enough, though, there's only a few offerings of authentic Himachal fare. Still, Shimla has many small restaurants and local shacks along with modern hotel restaurants with most of them found near The Mall.

The Devicos (5 The Mall) - Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Serves good South Indian vegetarian food, kebabs and snacks.

Baljees (26 The Mall) - Among the town's oldest eateries, Baljees offers delicious Western and Indian fare as well as fantastic desserts.

Cecil, Chaura Maidan (in the Oberoi) - Open 24 hours serving a good selection of European and Asian dishes. Chandeliers and wood-paneling add to the old-world elegance. The perfect setting for a quiet dinner.

Silver Oak (Circular Road) - Serves Mughali and Chinese. Although the food is not highly recommended, it has a nice decor in a comfortable atmosphere.

The Lutyens Room, Springfields, Chota Shimla (opposite Tibetan School) - Continental and Indian food.

Ashiana & Goofa (The Ridge) - Open for lunch and dinner. One of the few restaurants to serve authentic Himachali cuisine - run by Himachal Tourism. The food is cheap and served fresh and hot.

Restaurants at The Mall:

Cafe Coffee Day
Barista Coffee Bar
Embassy
Fascination
Himani
India Coffee House
Nalini
Solitaire

MANALI

Manail offers a vast selection of dining options. Manali Market (opposite the Manali Bus Stand) is the easiest place to find restaurants. The Mall Road, another good place to find food, offers a variety of eating options ranging from stalls and dhabas to fancy restaurants. Deeper into the lanes of the town, one can find more local/special type fare catering to special tastes and habits ranging from Tibetan food to Vaishnavi Dhabhas.

Old Manali is one of the best places to hang out in the evening. It has a great collection of restaurants/bars and shops and is less-frequented than the busy Mall Road while also being a favorite among the foreign traveller.

Bob Dylan's Cafe a.k.a. Roasted and Toasted - in the heart of Old Manali - serves delicious cookies and sandwiches. With a great menu and reasonable prices, it remains one of the most popular evening time destinations. But the added plus - a free and comfortable movie theater - movies to enjoy with your food. Considered a "Must Visit"

Pizza Olive - Old Manali - serves "the best" pizza in town but known for its tiramisu

Green Forest Cafe - Hadimba Temple Old Manali Road - a very popular destination for both locals and foreigners who come to snack on Tibetan soups and momos, sandwiches, etc.

Drifters' Inn and Cafe - Old Manali - great food, wi-fi access, friendly atmosphere

Lazy Dog - Old Manali - great food and ambience, multi-cuisine menu

Moondance - opposite Bob Dylan's - a multi-cuisine menu with good food and ambience

Apple Blossoms - Manali Heights Resort (near log huts area) - offers local Himachal menu along with multi-cuisine fare

Johnson's Bar and Cafe - The Mall Road - a great place to hangout in the evening with good food and service

Chopsticks - opposite the Bus Stand - great Tibetan food

Valley View Restaurant - Snow Valley Resorts - valued for the beautiful views and tasty buffet

Madras Mess - South Indian meals

Il Forno - ~100 m beyond the Hadimba Temple toward New Manali - original Italian pizzas prepared by an Italian cook. Prices are higher than Indian average but still cheap for Italian pizza

Cafe Zeppelin - Kothi village (13km from Manali en route to Rohtang Pass) - the last Cafe once you leave Manali heading toward the Rohtang Pass. They serve good pizzas, pastas, sandwiches and momos

DHARAMSALA

Brimming with places to eat, you'll have no trouble finding something to your liking. Here's a few suggestions:

Common Ground Cafe - great Taiwanese food and a great place to sit and relax with your shoes off on the raised seating area. The cafe serves as a meeting place between Chinese and Tibetans and holds many discussions, shows etc. in promoting harmony and understanding between the two cultures.

Namgyal Cafe - in HH Dalai Lama's Main Temple & Monastery Namgyal - pizza is regarded as the best in town, salads are also tasty and the atmosphere is cozy. All food is prepared by monks from the monastery who are in training for cooking.

Shangri La Restaurant - a great little cafe run by monks and with all proceeds going to Gyudmed Monastery. Try the Shangri La Sandwich for breakfast!

Himalaya Restaurant - all Tibetan menu - barebones eatery full of plastic chairs and hungry Tibetan monks.

Jimmy's Italian Restaurant - a real treat with great salads, pasta, and pizza

Le Vrai Café - European continental food and atmosphere. Run by a Franco-Tibetan couple serving top quality coffee. Play chess and take in the local life.

Lhamo's Croissant - offering French pastries, Tibetan herbal teas, and pretty good Western food and desserts

Lung-Ta - excellent Japanese food - pay attention to the daily specials

Maza Falafel - good falafel

Momo Cafe - best momos in town and great chai

First Cup - great coffee and a nice area out front to sit and watch the world go by