Best Street Foods in Darjeeling: A Local’s Ultimate Guide

Tucked away in the rolling hills of the Himalayas, Darjeeling is a picturesque town that embodies the essence of natural beauty, rich history, and cultural heritage. Dubbed the “Ǫueen of Hill Stations”, this Indian hill town has been a popular destination for travelers and tea enthusiasts. When we travel to a new place, especially a one with a different culture and history, there’s one thing that is always on our search list – the local street foods. Now, Darjeeling offers a variety of street food options like Momos, Thukpas, Chowmeins, Puchkas, Chaats etc., but today let us not indulge in these delights as they are already well known, and the locals don’t consider momos and thukpas the street foods anyways as we prepare them at home every other day. Today, let me take you to some new places and introduce to you the actual street foods of Darjeeling.

Unique Street Foods You Must Try

Aalo Mimi: Famous among the school and college students,Aalo mimi has become an emotion. At Rs.15 per plate (per pouch most of the time), this is the quickest way to satiate your craving for something spicy and different. This snack is prepared by mixing nepali-style aalodum(or dumaalo) with a packet of bhujia(Mimi). You have the option of taking a bowl of aalodum and mixing the bhujia on top, but I would recommend you to open the packet and put the aalodum along with its gravy and enjoy straight out of the packet. For the best aalo mimis in Darjeeling, first get to the Rink Mall (Inox) and find the shops lined up on the opposite site of the road.

Laphing: You may find this dish cold, but the spices will definitely pack a punch. Originally from Tibet, this street food has gained a widespread recognition in these parts. A cold noodle dish made from potato starch,wheat flour, or mung bean starch and the sauce is a combination of soy sauce,vinegar,sesame oil,chilli oil etc. The sauce is spread over the cold noodles,rolled and cut in square pieces. It is definitely worth a try. You will find various restaurants selling laphings like Kunga,Penang Restaurants but there is one hard working individual with a small stall near the Fancy Market, who i guess sells the best laghing in Darjeeling.

Tingmo(Tmomo) with Beef/Chicken Syapta: Most of the tourist may not have heard about or tried this dish as this is a pure Tibetan dish served mostly in Tibetan restaurants. This is a traditional tibetan bread (or bun) which is soft, fluffy and spongy served with beef/chicken syapta( a spicier version of chilly beef/chicken), along with a bowl of hot soup and tomato chutney. There are several restaurants in Darjeeling that sell this mouthwatering delicacy but my personal favourite is ‘The Choks’ at the Fancy Market.

Roasted Corn (Bhutta): Absolutely not a new concept. We are all familiar with the taste and health benefits of a Bhutta and is sold on almost every corner of India as a street food. But when you enjoy freshly roasted corn served hot with a sprinkle of salt and lemon juice in the cold and crisp weather of Darjeeling, you will feel that the only place to try the Bhutta is here. So next time when you go out for an evening walk in Darjeeling, don’t forget to try this healthy snack as you roam around the streets of Chowrasta.

Sya Phale or Phale or Sha Phaley: We still haven’t figured out the correct pronounciation and who cares, as long as we get to try is delicacy.This is originally a tibetan dish but has gained a huge popularity in these parts and also Sikkim. Sya Phale is prepared by stuffing the bread with seasoned meat (mostly chicken) and then the stuffed bread is fashioned into a circle or semi-circle before deep frying it. It is served hot with red or green chilly chutney. The crunchiness of the bread outside and the tenderness of the meat inside together with hot chutney is definitely a must try street food in Darjeeling. Every fast-food stall on the way to Chowrasta sells this delight during the evening.

Darjeeling’s street food scene is a fusion of Tibetan, Nepali and Indian flavors reflecting our cultural diversity. Although I may not have mentioned the usual Kings of Darjeeling’s street food- the momos, the chowmeins, puchkas, chicken wings etc., they have a huge fan base among the tourists as well as the locals and each dish offers a unique taste experience.  But it was important to let you know about some of our hidden gems. So, come and indulge in the flavors of Darjeeling – your taste buds will thank you.

Author: Saugaat Subba

Saugaat Subba is a travel writer and food lover based in Darjeeling, passionate about exploring India’s diverse cuisines. With a special fondness for Darjeeling, he uncovers hidden culinary gems and shares local stories to inspire others to embark on their own adventures. When not writing, you can find him enjoying street food or planning the next trip.