9 Top Local Food in Leh Ladakh to Try

The city of Leh Ladakh nestled amidst the Great Himalayas is equipped with numerous aspects to give you goosebumps. Be it trekking, cycling, camping, safaris and so forth; Leh Ladakh is a one-stop destination for a perfect vacation. But a perfect vacation is incomplete without quenching the taste buds with the local traditional food.

The same goes for food in Leh Ladakh as well. This place is very well known for its diverse cuisines dishes that are definitely going to attract you to visit this place again and again.

The above discussion triggers the need to list down the cuisines in Leh Ladakh. All these cuisines are surely going to give you a lifetime experience. Let’s have a look at these staple dishes in Leh Ladakh and get a better picture to taste them for sure once you are in Leh Ladakh.

9 Food in Leh Ladakh that is a Must for Your Taste Buds

1. Thupka

Often referred to as the staple food of the Leh, Thukpa is a delicious cuisine in the local area. Thukpa is basically a noodle soup with boiled veggies, chunks of chicken, pork and beef. The blend of all these mouth-watering ingredients is served with spicy chutney to enhance the overall zing of this dish.

• The best place to try– Chopsticks Noodle Bar, Leh

2. Khambir

Khambir is a traditional bread preferred by the locals of Leh Ladakh in most of their dishes. This bread is brown in colour with a thick crust baked in a pan.

The bread is served with a butter tea which is prepared by adding a pinch of butter and salt. The unique taste of butter tea with a loaf of Khambir is the best thing you will ask for in Leh Ladakh.

• The best place to try– The Tibetan Kitchen

3. Tigmo/Teemo

Loaded with almost all the vegetables and fermented bread pieces, Tigmo or Teemo is yet another superb cuisine you must never miss in Leh Ladakh. The best part of this dish is you can mould it as vegetarian or non-vegetarian.

The sweet and spicy taste of this dish is going to add more to your taste buds. This dish is a flavoured stew and can be consumed as a snack and also as a meal.

• The best place to try– Lamayuru Restaurant

4. Momos

This particular dish is definitely not a new one to all the readers but its taste in the mountain covered area of Leh Ladakh gets further intensified.

A steamed bun with a superb stuff embedded in it will make your day and eventually your vacation a memorable one. The Ladakhi Momos are definitely going to allure your taste buds and you will just hate having them in any other place.

• The best place to try– The Momos centres on the street side

5. Mokthuk

Marking its existence in the list of most preferred dishes in Leh Ladakh, Mokthuk is a superb blend of momos and soup, to be peculiar.

The added vegetables in the curry and some unique spices from the hills are enough to give your vacation a tasty curve. It is a delicious concoction and the dish promises a superb experience overall.

• The best place to try– Gesmo Restaurant

6. Skyu

Now, this is definitely a cuisine with a Kashmiri touch that will make you go spellbound. This is almost a daily dish for the locals of Leh Ladakh and is usually accompanied by momos or dumplings.

The preparation involves root veggies like carrot, turnip and potatoes together with soft wheat dough that is kneaded into small balls. The entire mix is cooked with meat and fresh vegetables.

• The best place to try– Summer Harvest Restaurant

7. Chhupri or Yak Cheese

This cheese is somewhat different from what we consume on a regular basis. Made from Yak’s milk by churning it and adding lime and other citrus fruits, this cheese is available in the local bakeries.

The use of this particular cheese just adds on to the taste; for instance, a layer of this cheese on momos is the best thing ever you will taste.

• The best place to try– The local vendors in Leh Ladakh

8. Paba and Tangtur

Paba and Tangtur is a nutritious dish of Leh Ladakh and is said to be the staple food of Leh Ladakh. The ingredients involve peas and wheat which is very healthy and offers a sumptuous taste altogether. Tangtur is basically the buttermilk which is served along with some veggies to make this cuisine even tastier.

• The best place to try– All over Leh-Ladakh in small cafes

9. Chang

The local beverage prepared by fermenting miller with yeast is what actually Chang is. The mixture is stirred a number of times until the miller loses its strength and the end result is a phenomenal drink which is the local brew, Chang.

• The best place to try– Amigo Korean Restaurant

What’s important now is to know your experience if you have been to Leh Ladakh and tasted these cuisines. How you rate them, do let us know in our comments section below. Also, please let us know if we have left on something in the above list.