Food in Leh

Leh has diverse geographical features including snow-capped mountains, green valley, glistening waterfalls, swift flowing rivers. Like its diverse physical features and numerous interesting spots to visit, Leh has multiple mouth-licking delicacies that attract foodies throughout the year.


Leh Ladakh cuisines are delicious and healthy and they are made of the ingredients that are abundant in this region. The foods of Leh are loved by foodies for its aroma and taste. This article will enrich you about different cuisines of Ladakh.

Local Delicacies in Leh

The main occupation of people of Leh is the agriculture and agriculture significantly affects the lifestyle and economy of this region. Different agricultural products of Leh are used as the main ingredients of different Leh Cuisines. Vegetables like pumpkin, beans, potato, pulses, beetroots etc. are very widely used ingredients in different dishes prepared in Leh. For preparing non-veg dishes, chicken and mutton are used. Different types of spices like cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, saffron, aniseed, asafetida, dry ginger, and chillies are used for preparing varieties of Leh Food items. Dry fruits like raisins, almonds, walnuts etc. are also used for preparing sweet dishes or desserts.  Foods in Leh help the residents of Leh and the tourists to combat with the extreme climatic conditions of this region.



For the tourists, Leh Restaurants, hotels and other eateries offer varieties of other cuisines like Tibetan, Chinese, Korean, Italian and continental cuisines.  Popular vegetarian dishes you can get in Leh are vegetable momos, lotus roots, saag, apricot jam, and dam aloo. The popular non-veg dishes served in Leh are non-veg momos, thukpa, rice balls with meat and sauce, methi korma yakhni, skieu, Marchwangan Korma.

The staple foods of Leh are Thukpa, Skieu, pava and Khambir. Khambir is a kind of local bread having brown color, thick crust and is prepared with whole wheat.

Momos in Leh

Momo is prepared with flour and water. Dough is prepared with dough and water and stuffing is done. Momo can be steamed or fried. Stuffing can be made with vegetables and cheese for making vegetable momos or it could be stuffed with chicken or mutton in order to make non-veg momos.



It is served with soup and sauce. When steamed momo is fried it is called Kothey.

Thukpa in Leh

Noddles are called Thukpa in Tibatan. This dish has its origin in the east Tibet.  Later on Thukpa became very much popular in areas like Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Leh-Ladakh and in some other north eastern states of India. Thukpa is basically noddles served in soup. The dish is prepared with chicken and different types of vegetables.

Thenthuk in Leh

Thenthuk is prepared in almost every house in Leh Ladakh. The major ingredients of this noddle soup are vegetables, wheat flour dough and mutton or meat of yak.  Wheat flour dough is mixed with Thenthuk noddles and is then cut into big pieces. Thenthuk is served in lunch and dinner.

Sku in Leh

Sku is a popular traditional dish of Leh. It is staple food for the residents of Leh Ladakh. To prepare this dish, wheat flour is taken and kneaded properly. Small pieces are taken from the kneaded wheat flour and then it is prepared with meat and different types of vegetables.

Paba & Tangtur in Leh

Paba & Tangtur used to be the staple food of Leh. Paba is made with peas and wheat and thereby is very nutritious. While making the dough for Paba, roasted flours of wheat, barley, buckwheat, peas and black beans are mixed together. Bread is made with this dough and it is then eaten with Zathuk and Tangtur. Tangtur is delicious buttermilk that is served with local vegetables.

Chang in Leh

It is special drink that is made with fermented miller kept in porcelain pots. The pots have warm water kept in the top which is changed many times till the potency of miller is lost and liquid is extracted from it. Liquid extracted from miller in this way is named as Chang, a local beer very popular among the residents and the tourists of Leh.

Gur Gur Tea in Leh

It is delicious salt butter tea offered on almost all occasions.  This tea is made by mixing yak butter, salt, soda, milk, and Zarcha tea leaves into the boiling water. The butter helps in keeping the body warm during extreme winter season.  Gur Gur tea is offered during cultural programs and festivals too.

Restaurants of Leh

Many restaurants of Leh offer special dishes. Here is the list of restaurants and eateries in Leh offering special food and tourists never forget to try out these places to enjoy some authentic good food and friendly ambiance.

Himalayan Café

Famous for Tibetan Cuisines

Shangri La

This place is famous for Tibetan cuisines. You can also get special Korean cuisines here.

Budshah Inn

Famous for Kashmiri and Chinese cuisines

Dreamland Restaurant

An ideal restaurant for the families as it serves cuisines like Indian, Tibetan, Kashmiri and Italian

Mentokling Restaurant

It is a place for the people who love Italian foods especially authentic pizzas as they are cooked on traditional oven

Bakeries in Leh

Apart from the above mentioned restaurants in Leh you can even enjoy your breakfast at the bakeries in Leh. You can try out lasagna and carry your picnic meals during your excursion in and around Leh.



You can try out local bread and apricot jam a the bakeries of Leh:
Imperial Bakery & Confectionery
Address:
Gonpa Complex,
Main Bazaar,
Leh HO,
Leh Ladakh - 194101
Phone no.: 1982 253 135 / 9906 992 777
Opening Hours: All days in a week 08:30 am to 09:00 pm

Penguin Garden Restaurant & German Bakery
Address:
Leh HO,
Leh Ladakh - 194101
Phone no.: 9419 178 630 / 9469 049 658
Website: www.penguinrestaurant.co.nr
Opening Hours: All days in a week 07:30 am to 10:30 pm

Pumpernickel German Bakery
Address:
Leh HO,
Leh Ladakh - 194101
Opening Hours: All days in a week 10:00 am to 09:00 pm

Ladakhi Bakeries
Address:
Old Town,
Leh HO,
Leh Ladakh - 194101
Opening Hours: All days in a week 09:00 am to 09:00 pm

Fast Food Centers in Leh

The fast food outlets in Leh are the best place to seat back and try out the every tasty and famous snacks of Leh.

Forno Pizza
Address:
Zangsti Road,
Leh HO,
Leh Ladakh - 194101
Opening Hours: All days in a week 10:00 am to 09:00 pm

Samyas Restaurant
Address:
Khaltsi,
Leh Ho,
Leh Ladakh - 194101
Phone no.: 9469 048 567
Opening Hours: All days in a week 07:00 am to 10:00 pm

Chinese Bowl
Address:
Changspa Lane,
Leh HO,
Leh Ladakh - 194101
Opening Hours: All days in a week 09:00 am to 09:00 pm

Amdo Restaurant
Address:
Main Bazar,
Leh HO,
Leh Ladakh - 194101
Opening Hours: All days in a week 09:00 am to 10:00 pm

You will not get disappointed at all with food available in Leh rather you will get a chance to enjoy dishes from the famous Tibetan cuisine.