What To Eat In Leh

Having an intense craving for maggi, I asked as many locals as I could on where the best maggi and momos could be found in Leh. Without pausing, every single one pointed me towards Tibet Cafe. Unassumingly perched inside the entrance of a small mall in the main market, Tibet Cafe was so busy by the time we finished our food that people were waiting along the street just to place an order. From military men to families, shopkeepers and vegetable wallas, even families enjoying their Sunday lunch, you must make a stop by this little side cafe.

Rumoured to be run by students, this cafe was minimally staffed and had that authentic hole-in-the-wall cafe vibe that often sells the tastiest snacks. As the cafe filled and people began to queue, service became a little difficult as locals began shouting orders from across the corridor. Don't be afraid to push your way to the front counter to check out the menu or place an order.

Tibet Cafe is a little tricky to find, search for the Himalayan Cafe on Google and you'll find Tibet cafe sitting on the ground floor.

What a surprise this restaurant was. Just near the famed Chopsticks restaurant (that I am yet to visit) Lamayuru was the perfect lunch spot during my shopping. They literally have everything on the menu at this place, from biryani to momos to green smoothies to Indian breakfasts to western breakfasts - everything!

The spinach and cheese momos (pictured) were nice and juicy, but what I truly enjoyed was the Veg Thukpa just bursting with spices and flavour. There were also some fried noodles with egg and veggies, which sounds underwhelming but tastes like something I have never been able to find outside of Leh.

Definitely try to avoid this place during peak hour, there's a few trinket shops outside to pass the time while you wait. But believe me, it is worth the wait.

I would argue that coming to Coffee Culture is a bit of a tradition for travellers to Leh. It was my first cafe when I arrived, I was drawn in by the promise of a cappuccino and good wifi, and almost everyone I speak to who has visited Leh has come here at least once. With big wide windows, a modern interior, and butter croissants, Coffee Culture seems to be the main tourist cafe in the market.

Their coffees are pretty decent, and whenever I ordered my usual cappuccino I happily drank it without complaint. It seems as though Coffee Culture is the main hangout for a lot of travellers and hikers, so expect to find a social crowd looking to have a chat about Leh.

The go-to restaurant for hip travellers, big groups of friends, and those looking for a romantic dinner spot, Bon Apetit is your place in the hills. Finding this place can feel like you're about to end up being human trafficked- it's down a series of back alleys and between houses and fences and if you go at night like I did you may get a little spooked, but when you arrive at the gate for the restaurant you'll know you did well. Wood-fire pizza, a bonfire, open seating, a view of the mountains, and a diverse crowd from locals to mountaineers, tourists to monks, and huge groups of cool kids are waiting to greet you.

A wide range of Italian and Mediterranean dishes are on offer, and you'll be delighted to kick back and admire the sunset (and the local fluffy mountain doggos) with a beer and some wood-fired pizza. The Greek Salad was my side dish of choice with my pizza, and although the Indian group I was travelling with said something was wrong with it, it was just the taste of balsamic vinegar in the dressing that they weren't accustomed to. Luckily, this meant no one tried to eat my salad.

I came here on my last night in Leh, and immediately regretted not coming here for dinner more often. High quality ingredients, delightfully helpful staff, and seating under a huge trellis adorned with bougainvillea, I had a wonderful dinner and vowed to return.

Fronted by a studio showcasing traditional and bespoke Ladakhi clothing,  dinner was put on hold while I gently touched every single item for sale in their clothing store. Silks, handmade garments, kurtis and kurtas, intricate embroidery on winter coats - if I wasn't hungry I would've sold my left kidney to shop here.

Dinner was a treat, on the advice of others I tried the Vegetable Hargow which was made from locally sourced vegetables and spices, and the Yarkandi Pulao. The waiter informed us that the Yarkandi Pulao’s recipe was traced back to the time of the Silk Route when travellers from Yarkhand, now China, made the trek across Leh to get to Srinagar. The momos were the only part of the meal I wasn't in love with, but perhaps that's because they came at the end of the meal and I was already stuffed. Like I said, I must go again and try more.