Food · Ravangla

Thukpa and momos on Ravangla's main street

A warm evening crawl along Ravangla's single market street for steaming thukpa, momos, shapale and butter tea in small family-run restaurants. Cheap, filling and exactly what a cold ridge town night calls for.

Ravangla2,050M

Photo: m-louis from Osaka · CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Ravangla's evenings are cold, and its food answers that. Thukpa, a noodle soup brought by Tibetan cooks, comes with vegetables, chicken or pork in a peppery broth. Momos, steamed dumplings, arrive in plates of eight or ten with a fierce tomato-chilli sauce. Shapale, fried meat-filled bread, is a Tibetan favourite found in some kitchens.

Walk the main street and pick the busiest places, which are usually small family restaurants with a few tables and a steaming kitchen behind. Ask for butter tea, salty and rich, to warm up. Many places close early, around 8–8:30 pm, so eat by 7:30.

Expect to pay about ₹250–500 per person for a full meal with tea. Most places take UPI. Vegetarians will find vegetable momos, thukpa and aloo dum everywhere. This is our favourite way to end a day of monasteries and forest walks.

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Questions travellers ask

Before you book

What should we eat in Ravangla?

Try thukpa (noodle soup), momos (dumplings), shapale (fried filled bread), and butter tea. Local homestays also serve Sikkimese and Nepali dishes such as gundruk, sel roti and churpi soup. Most restaurants serve North Indian dishes too.

Do Ravangla restaurants close early?

Yes, many close around 8–8:30 pm, earlier in winter. Plan dinner by about 7:30 pm. Hotels serve dinner later, often until 9 pm, if you prefer to eat in.

Is butter tea an acquired taste?

For many, yes. It is salty, not sweet, made with tea, butter and salt, and is very warming in cold weather. Try a small cup first. Regular milk tea is always available if you prefer it.

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The Ravangla guide

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