Food · Jorethang
Thali, momos and sel roti in Jorethang bazaar
A practical, tasty stop in the market around Jorethang's taxi stand: a rice thali or momos at a busy local eatery, sel roti and tea from a stall, and seasonal fruit for the road. The kind of lunch that keeps long Sikkim drives cheerful and cheap.
Photo: Swapnil Acharya · CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Jorethang's bazaar feeds a constant flow of jeep passengers, drivers and shoppers from the villages, so food is quick, fresh and cheap. Simple eateries around the taxi stand serve rice thali with dal, vegetables and pickle, plus momos, chowmein and thukpa.
Look for sel roti, the ring-shaped, slightly sweet rice-flour bread fried in oil, eaten with tea or a potato curry. It is everyday food here and festival food everywhere in Nepali households. Fruit stalls sell local bananas year round and Sikkim mandarins from about November to January.
Choose busy places where food is cooked in front of you, and carry small notes, though UPI is widely accepted in town. A full lunch costs about ₹150–350 per person. Drivers know the best spots: ask yours where they eat.
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Questions travellers ask
Before you book
What is sel roti?
Sel roti is a ring-shaped, slightly sweet bread made from a rice-flour batter and deep-fried. It is a traditional Nepali food made at festivals such as Tihar and Dashain and sold daily in Sikkim's markets. It is eaten with tea, yoghurt or potato curry, and keeps well for a day's travel.
Is there vegetarian food in Jorethang?
Yes. Rice thalis with dal and vegetables, vegetable momos, chowmein, puri with potato curry and sel roti are easy to find. A few eateries are pure vegetarian. Ask whether momo dough contains egg if you avoid it. Fruit stalls add bananas and, in winter, oranges.
How much does lunch cost in Jorethang?
A simple thali or a plate of momos costs roughly ₹100–200, and a full lunch with tea and a sweet about ₹150–350 per person. Prices are indicative and lower than in Gangtok or Pelling. UPI payments are accepted in most shops and eateries.
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