If food is the language of love, then consider me fluent. Once I narrow down on a place to visit, or travel to, I don’t look up the tourist hotspots or the natural wonders. I’m guilty of scoping out the food scene. For me, food and travel are inextricably linked. Exploring new places, discovering new cultures and peculiarities of its people makes me happy. So does food.
So a great trip means coming back with a belly full of food you can gush about back home, and hopefully the traditions and habits of the people that cook it.
Considering I’ve been to Leh three times, I consider myself a seasoned expert in the city at least. So if like me, you’re fluent in the language of food and want to practice some more, here are my top 5 Leh city restaurants you must visit on your trip there. (Click here to read our review of Le Mentok Wellness Resort in Leh if you’re looking for a place to set up base at).
5 Must try Leh city restaurants
Bon Appetit: Full disclosure, it’s off a tiny by lane in the market area, and on our walk there, I honestly wondered if I was going to be abducted as I walked through the small, un-lit lane. But it almost feels by design because when you enter the restaurant you’re bathed in warm, diffused light and feel like you’ve entered a whole other world. There’s an indoor seating area, perfect for colder days, and an incredibly beautiful outdoor seating that looks over the Stok mountains — it also means you can star gaze as you eat your food.
Well-known for their wood-fired pizzas, stray dogs running around and their selection of Italian and European food, Bon Appetit is definitely on the pricier side when it comes to Leh city, but as the young people say, ‘It’s a vibe.’
We started with a soup (average), but the pizza and spinach bake really came through. The icing on top was the soft as air Panna cotta bathed in fresh fruit. The place tends to get busy at night, so try making a reservation or head in for an early dinner. It’s slightly more expensive than other Leh city restaurants, but the ambience and quality of food was worth it, in our experience. Bon Appetit
Amigo Korean Restaurant: “We had the best sushi in Leh” has incited the most incredulous reactions, from everyone we’ve told that we had an incredible Korean meal in Leh city. But life without experimenting is like living the same day over and over again, so we decided to skip the mountain wali maggi and momos in favour of some hot bibimbap and ramen.
This tiny hole-in-the-wall (also in the market area) was filled only with locals (If a restaurant draws in locals, as opposed to tourists, it means you’ve picked well) and while we were too tiny a party for the Korean barbecue, which our neighbouring table seemed to be savouring, we had the most incredible Korean sushi, which had the freshest ingredients and wholesome, soul-warming bibimbap and glass noodles (all pictured below). Amigo Korean Restaurant
Lamayuru restaurant: Ok, so we caved and went for the momos, at Lamayuru restaurant, which is set in the main market. Like most cafes in North Indian tourist hotspots it offers a varied selection of food and drinks, from all American burgers and shakes, to the usual pizza, salad fare, Indian, Israeli food, a selection of local Tibetan items, and Indo-Chinese food.
It’s a lovely airy place to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee (and wifi), and the food was fresh, delicious and quick to arrive. We experimented with the Yak cheese pizza, which may not be for everyone — it has a peculiar taste (that we enjoyed). The Peri Peri fries were delicious (especially after a long hot day of exploring), and we would have liked to return to try more items of the extensive menu, but ah, too little time and too many restaurants to flirt with. Lamayuru restaurant
The Tibetan Kitchen: Arguably the most popular restaurant in the list, you’d be forgiven if you thought it was a tourist attraction in itself, just by the sheer number of tourist wagons and buses that come rolling in as you’re digging into your meal. It’s in the main market, right behind a Tibetan Handicrafts market, and has both indoor and outdoor seating.
We managed to snag a tiny table outdoors under the sun, and honestly ordered food based on the what we saw looked great, coming on to other people’s tables. Yep, we were those people and it paid off. The honey roasted chilli potatoes we ordered were only because we saw/ smelled them on their way to a neighbouring table and I highly recommend them. The pan-fried veggie momos were delicious, and so was the warm soft Tibetan bread, that we dipped in a white sauce mushroom and bamboo shoot chicken gravy.
We didn’t try any of their North Indian delicacies but they smelled great and were being ordered a dime a dozen. All of our over eating was washed down with a lemon soda (amazing). This place is honestly always busy, so unless you’re early at meal times, or manage to make a reservation you’re likely going to have to wait, but by all accounts, it’s worth it. The restaurant is affordable by Mumbai standards, but above average pricing for Leh. The Tibetan Kitchen
Chamba restaurant, Thiksey Monastery: While this isn’t one of the Leh city restaurants (it is set in Thiksey Monastery, away from the main market), it’s a great little place to stop over for a bite if you’re having a busy day of touristing or are starving after exploring the monastery.
Our hotel recommended the restaurant for its selection of Indian, Tibetan and Chinese food, and while they had a very extensive menu and the reviews are good, because it’s decently priced, we only stopped for drinks.
Special mention: The little cafe at Hemis Monastery where we had our first dose of maggi and chai and a small cafe right next to Lamayuru Cafe, Gesmo Restaurant where I tried the walnut cake and coconut cookies. Dessert options in Leh are quite limited especially if you come from big cities like Mumbai and Delhi and are used to binge eating stellar sweet dishes, but Gesmo had a few nice things, but best to eat them fresh!
Fact file
Leh is the capital city of the Union territory of Ladakh, in North India. Direct flights are easily available from major Indian cities, and it’s the easiest way to get in, and you can also drive / ride in via road. The most popular route is via Manali.
Best time to visit: April – October
Leh-Ladakh has an intense winter, with some roads shut off due to snow in some months. However, the famous frozen Chadar trek draws travellers to it between January and the end of February.