What to Eat in Kalimpong Today?

Momos and thukpa

Momos are the everyday snack here, steamed dumplings with pork, chicken or vegetable filling and a hot tomato-chilli chutney. Most places also serve them fried. Thukpa is a noodle soup with vegetables or meat, and it is what locals eat on a cold, wet afternoon. Both are on almost every menu in town, from market stalls to sit-down restaurants.

Kalimpong cheese

The cheese was first made by Father André Butty, a Jesuit priest in Kalimpong. It is a small, semi-hard cheese with a mild tang and a firm rind, made in small batches. It is not always in stock, so ask in the bazaar grocers and cafés and buy it when you see it.

Lollipops

The chewy milk lollipops sold in wrappers all over town are a Kalimpong speciality. Children love them and adults buy them by the bag as gifts.

Nepali home food

Sael roti is a ring of fried rice-flour batter, crisp outside and soft inside. It is made in large batches at Tihar and eaten at breakfast with tea. Gundruk is fermented and dried leafy greens, cooked into a sour soup or a pickle. Churpi comes in two forms: a soft cheese cooked into curries and a hard, dried block that is chewed slowly for a long time.

Where to find it

The Haat Bazaar on Wednesdays and Saturdays has momo stalls and sellers of churpi and pickles. The Main Bazaar has the older momo houses. See where to eat for the restaurants that do each dish well.

Eating times

Kalimpong goes to bed early. Many restaurants close by 8 or 9 pm, and very few serve after that. Eat your main meal at lunch if you are out on the hills in the evening.