What to Eat in Ranikhet Today?

Kumaoni everyday food

Most restaurants in Ranikhet serve North Indian and Chinese food first. The local dishes are there if you ask, and a Kumaoni thali is the easiest way to try several at once.

Bhatt ki churkani is a dark, thick curry of black soybeans, roasted and then simmered with spices. It is eaten with rice and is filling rather than fiery. Madua ki roti is flatbread made from finger millet. It is brown, dense and slightly sweet, and best eaten hot with ghee and a green vegetable.

A snack with tea

Aloo ke gutke is the Kumaoni answer to spiced potatoes: boiled potato pieces tossed in mustard oil with red chilli and jakhya, a small, crunchy hill seed used instead of cumin. Order it as a snack with tea or as a side with lunch. It can be quite spicy, so ask for it milder if needed.

Sweets to take home

Bal mithai is Kumaon's best-known sweet: brown roasted-milk fudge rolled in tiny white sugar balls. It comes from Almora, but shops in Ranikhet sell it too. Singori is fresh khoya, a thickened milk, wrapped in a cone of maalu leaf, which gives it a faint green scent. Singori does not keep long, so eat it within a day; bal mithai travels well.

Fruit from Chaubatia

The government orchards at Chaubatia have long grown apples, peaches, plums and apricots. In season, usually from about June to September, look for fresh fruit there and in the market. Out of season, jams, squashes and juices from the orchards are sold as souvenirs.

Practical notes

Kitchens in Ranikhet close early, often by about 9.30 or 10 pm, and earlier in winter. Food is mostly simple and vegetarian-friendly, though non-vegetarian dishes are easy to find in town. There is little to eat out at Bhalu Dam or Majkhali, so carry water and snacks. For places, see where to eat in Ranikhet.