The Ladakhis like their food mildly flavored and lightly cooked or steamed on the whole. Cuisines of Ladakh are anchored in the farming practice and the accessibility of crops in the high altitude land which results in a distinctive food habit.
Various kinds of beverages are popular amongst the Ladakhis, the famous being the Chang’ and the Gur-Gur Tea, which is also recognized as the butter tea. Various delicacies made up of potatoes, pumpkins, beetroots, and beans are cooked a variety of ways with a tinge of Ladakh by using local spices such as Thangyar, The Yellow Chilli and Kurnyot. When it comes to meat, you have two choices – mutton or chicken, but their cooking styles …ah…That’s another story altogether.
When you are here, you must try Thukpa, a thick soup with vegetables that is a complete meal and delicious Momos (steamed dumplings) stuffed with meat or vegetables served with a fiery chili sauce!
Your taste buds would be awestruck once you experience Ladakhi food such as Sku, Pava, Tsampa, Kurnyot and Khambir. From soups to Korean kimchi, from butter tea to Mutton sausages, the Ladakh has food options that are sure to delight your taste goblet. Assorted restaurants that are a must- go include Bon Appetit, Chopsticks, Penguin Garden, Old Town Café, Norlakh, Gesmo, etc.
We also recommend freshly baked bread with the locally made apricot jam. Leh has quite a few fine dining restaurants that serve international cuisine as well.
Although the gastronomy of Ladakh has a distinctive characteristic, globalization has facilitated the Ladakhis to entwine their cookery skills with that of other regions which has resulted in an innovative cuisines and local food culture.