I consciously stayed away from North Indian food in Bir, because that’s not the speciality, and North Indian is what we eat back home too. Having Tibetan food in Bir is how it should be, because the locals are mostly Tibetan and they, of course, do a fabulous job at the food they cook everyday.
I used to do all my dinners and breakfasts at my resort. You can read all about the resort here. So the only time I got the chance to eat out was either for lunch or evening. Tried a couple of places- listing them down below. In addition to these I tried a restaurant inside a monastery too, which was really bad, and I didn’t try Four Tables in Upper Bir because the place was shut all 3 days when I was there. I’ve heard great things about Four Tables from several people, so if you go to Bir, you should definitely give it a try. The trek to Upper Bir is beautiful! We got to know it was shut when we reached Upper Bir, but we loved loved loved the trek so we didn’t mind going there at all.
1. Garden Café
Hands down the best place to eat in Bir if you’re not looking for Tibetan food.The moment we reached Bir and kept our bags in our room, we ran to explore the town. The crossroad called Chougan has a road that leads you to Bir Tibetan Colony. This road has several monasteries, hotels and restaurants lined up, and it is basically THE place to find food in Bir. Right where there is a green patch of land in the beginning of this road, where you will find Tibetan flags and a view of the mountains, is where Garden Café is.
It’s the kind of place where you have great food and drinks, and you just relax. I found a painter and a sketcher sitting here, couples and families out on a vacation, a group of friends too, and the place gave an incredible vibe. The pricing is very nominal and there are no taxes. To give an idea, the pancakes cost us 180.
2. Cafe AdrukThe best place in Bir to have Tibetan food at. Period.Go here with a lot of time on hand because they make everything fresh. The best Chicken Thenthuk I’ve had in my life was at this restaurant. Situated on the first floor with a narrow staircase to lead you there, they have both indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating gives a view of the narrow Tibetan Colony road. They have a very extensive menu for Tibetan food and you must try a great deal here. I also had Fried Chicken Momos that were simply phenomenal! This restaurant is the reason why I’m obsessed with Fried Momos now. The pricing here too is very nominal. A plate of Chicken Momos are for 100-110 here. They also have flavoured fruit beer.
3. Norgay Kitchen
4. 99 Not Out
I specially took a trip to 99 Not Out because a lot of websites had mentioned that as a favourable eating joint in Bir. I say ‘I took a trip’ because the restaurant is situated at the end of the Bir Tibetan Colony road, where the road curves and turns left. So you start walking from the beginning of this road and this restaurant comes about 2.5kms-3 kms down the road. The place is a little dark for my liking, and it was absolutely empty when I went. Most places in Bir were actually, because it’s not a destination many tourists know of, and the locals obviously eat at home mostly. Every website and blogging site had mentioned their shakes are good, but they’re not. So refrain yourself from trying the shakes. I tried the Crispy Fried Chicken here, which was for 150 bucks for 8 pieces, and it was a really really good dish. Juicy chicken and a crispy coating, served with a chilli dip. I didn’t try anything else here, but I’d say the place is a good option for eating out if you’ve tried the other 4 places I’ve mentioned and don’t want to go there again.5. Café Cloud Door, Chougan
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