MildBai
Non-vegThe quintessential Mizo dish — assorted vegetables and greens boiled with a little pork or fermented flavourings and bamboo-shoot, simple and nourishing, eaten with rice.
₹100–250
Best around: Aizawl
Eat in Aizawl
What to Eat in Aizawl Today?
Search Aizawl dishes by craving — bai, bamboo shoot fry, mizo thali and more.
Mizo cooking is simple: rice, boiled greens, smoked or fermented flavours and very little oil. It tastes of the hills, and it is one of the lightest regional cuisines in India.
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5 Aizawl dishes found
Mild
Medium spiceBamboo Shoot Fry
VegFermented bamboo shoot (rawtuai) stir-fried with chilli and herbs — a tangy staple flavour of the Mizo kitchen.
₹80–200
Best around: Aizawl
MildMizo Thali
Non-vegA Mizo platter of rice with bai, smoked pork, boiled greens, bamboo shoot and a chilli chutney — the everyday Mizo meal, light and healthy.
₹180–420
Best around: Aizawl and Reiek
MildSawhchiar
Non-vegA Mizo rice porridge cooked with chicken or pork and herbs — a warming, khichdi-like comfort dish for cool days.
₹120–280
Best around: Aizawl and Reiek
Medium spiceVawksa Rep
Non-vegSmoked pork cooked with local herbs and chillies — a prized Mizo dish, the smoking giving deep flavour to the meat.
₹180–380
Best around: Aizawl
Rice first
In Mizo the word for a meal and for cooked rice is the same, chaw. A Mizo meal is a mound of rice with a few side dishes around it. It is not usually hot with spice. The heat comes from a side of chilli chutney, hmarcha rawt, that you add yourself.
Bai
Bai is the everyday dish of every Mizo home. It is a light stew of boiled greens and vegetables, often with beans, ferns or pumpkin leaves. Many cooks flavour it with bamboo shoot, fermented soybean (bekang) or a little fermented pork. Every family has its own version, so it is never quite the same twice.
Smoked pork and other rep
Rep means smoked meat. Vawksa rep, smoked pork cooked with chillies and herbs, is the favourite for feasts and Sunday lunches. You will see strips of smoked meat for sale at Bara Bazar.
Sawhchiar
Sawhchiar is rice cooked soft with chicken or pork, a little like a thick porridge. It is the comfort food of cold days and sick days, and good after a long drive.
Bamboo shoot
Fermented bamboo shoot gives many Mizo dishes their sour, earthy taste. Fried with chilli and herbs it is one of the few Mizo dishes with no meat. The smell is strong; try a small portion first.
The Mizo thali
The easiest way to try everything is a Mizo thali: rice with bai, a meat dish, boiled greens, bamboo shoot and chutney. David's Kitchen in Chaltlang is one well-known place to order Mizo food. See where to eat for more.
Eating as a vegetarian
Mizo food is mostly pork, chicken, beef and fish. Vegetarians should ask for boiled vegetables and rice, and ask whether the bai has fermented pork in it. Many restaurants also cook north Indian and Chinese dishes.
Things to know
Mizoram is dry, so there is no alcohol with meals. Most places close on Sunday, and many kitchens close early in the evening, so eat dinner early.
Questions
Aizawl — FAQ
Is Mizo food spicy?
Usually not. Most dishes are boiled or smoked and lightly seasoned. The heat comes from the chilli chutney served on the side, so you control it.
What is bekang?
Fermented soybeans, a common Mizo flavouring. It has a strong smell and a deep savoury taste, and it often goes into bai or is eaten as a side.
Can vegetarians eat well in Aizawl?
It takes some care. Ask for rice, boiled greens and bamboo shoot, and check that the bai was not cooked with fermented pork. Many restaurants also serve Indian and Chinese dishes.