Darjeeling and Sikkim Restaurants

Both Darjeeling and Sikkim showcase some fine Chinese and Tibetan food cooked with quite some finesse. They're probably better quality than what you will find elsewhere in India. In Gangtok you can dig into some unusual Sikkimese food, with Indian, Nepali influences, that is big on greens (nettle and bamboo), chhurpi (yak cheese), phitig (glass noodles), and pork/beef dishes but includes dal and rice. Plenty of Indian food is available and runs to the usual (but not sub-standard) hodgepodge of dal makhnis, butter chickens, and navratan kormas. Continental food is dished out with some skill, too, especially in some of the traditional hotels and eateries. Dishes you've probably only heard about in Raj era novels, like steamed jam pudding and beef bolognaise can be sampled here. Most restaurants are reasonably priced and stay open post lunch so meals can be had throughout the day.