What to Eat in Bomdila Today?

Everyday dishes

• Momos — steamed dumplings with pork, chicken or vegetables and a sharp chilli dip. The quickest warm meal in town.
• Thukpa — noodle soup with vegetables or meat. Ideal after a cold morning at the viewpoint.
• Zan — a thick porridge of millet, buckwheat or maize flour, eaten with greens, meat or a cheese stew. The Monpa staple.
• Monpa thali — rice or zan with meat or vegetable gravy, greens, cheese and chilli.

Cheese and dairy

Monpa cooking uses a lot of cheese. Churpi is hard, dried cheese made from yak or cow milk, chewed slowly as a snack. Soft fermented cheese goes into chilli sauces and stews and has a strong, sour smell. Butter tea, churned with salt and butter, is offered in homes and some cafés.

Fruit and trout

The slopes around Bomdila and Dirang grow apples and kiwis, with the harvest usually in late summer and autumn. Walnuts and oranges appear too. Dirang is known for trout from its cold rivers, grilled or fried.

For vegetarians

Vegetable momos and thukpa, zan with greens, and dal-rice are easy to find. Some stocks and sauces contain meat or dried fish, so ask.

Local drinks

Home-brewed millet and rice beers are part of Monpa hospitality. Take it slowly, especially on your first night at this height.

Eating on a cold day

Soup and tea do more than warm you up at this height; they help you stay hydrated, which eases the headaches some people get on the first night. Breakfast is often bread, eggs and tea, or a bowl of noodles. Lunch is the main meal for many locals, and dinner is early.

Where to eat

See where to eat in Bomdila for places by dish.