Places to Eat and Shop from in Darjeeling

Reasons I go to Darjeeling          

“But you must write about these places!” TT’s voice rises adamantly over the buzz in Joey’s Pub. It is around 7.30 in the evening, and we both are, rather predictably, slightly tipsy. Joey’s to me isn’t the same without Puran Daju, but hey, life goes on, I see his pictures all around me, and if I close my eyes I can still hear him hum Michelle. Incidentally, they are playing more Beatles, and I settle deeper into my seat as TT looks at me pleadingly.

“You need to. How will I tell others what places to go to?”

“You do realize all these places are probably the commonest, and if you ask a local they will probably scoff at me for being so predictable.”

She nods her head imperceptibly, but her eyes are distant.

“You know, I think this trip was much better with you taking me places and showing me things. I never knew half of the things out here, and I am sure most people don’t either. Plus, you have a way of ordering things, which makes things simpler. I wish you’d tell people that.”

And there I was, sitting with a glass of alcohol in Joey’s Pub, thinking about my favourite places to be in Darjeeling. But before I begin, let me warn you, the places I actually love are many, and I will also add some honorary mentions – but ultimately, it comes to five or six places that I absurdly love, and return to.

My Favourite Places to Eat in Darjeeling

Breakfast at Keventer’s

If you are a Bengali, and you don’t know about Keventer’s, you should actually be ashamed of yourself. No, this isn’t the same as the Delhi Keventer’s, because the milkshake should be the least of your concern here.

The sausages, salami, bacon, ham, meatloaf, and platters of mixed meat should be your aim, and I personally love their Hot Chocolate more than any other place in Darjeeling. That said, you must stir the chocolate thoroughly to ensure the chocolate powder is fully mixed in. I personally like going half ‘n half – which basically means I try to mix half of it in, and keep the remaining half as-is – in a small, chunky heap on one side of the cup, so that I have the pleasure of dipping my spoon in to scoop some of it out and enjoy the guilty hit of sickeningly sweet chocolate-sugar concoction.

In the cold cuts region, ham, bacon and chicken meatloaf rules my planet, and my ideal breakfast is a side of bacon and meatloaf, two eggs sunny side up, and a pair of ham sandwich, to be concluded by a cup of hot chocolate. The meal would roughly cost you INR 500 (as of August 2018), and despite the fact they have raised their pricing, its one meal that can keep you full for hours. Perfect for a day’s outing with not much to look forward as lunch.

Afternoon Tea in Mayfair Resorts

Admittedly one of the prettiest places to be in Darjeeling, the restaurant at Mayfair Resorts, Darjeeling, is open to all for meals, and one of my favourite things to do is to walk down to the resort for a pot of tea, and a plate of chicken sandwiches. While the tea and sandwiches are hearty and filling, what attracts me the most is the beauty of this particular property, and also the view, because Mayfair faces the side of a cliff, and the view is breathtakingly beautiful on a clear day.

What I also love is their huge mirror on one side of the walk, the library that’s sort of easy to get inside and check out, and the giant dining room. Also, their staff, on all occasions I’ve been there, was super nice and completely okay with people walking about shooting things (WITH THEIR CAMERA, OF COURSE).

Early Lunch at Kunga

Kunga was introduced to me by R’s father’s friend, who went by the name “Kancha babu”. One afternoon in 2008, the 7 of us and Kancha Babu, shivering from the cold and the light drizzle, just arrived from Kolkata, were promised with ‘juicy momos’ and hot thukpa, and we were sold.

However, one of the things that I found strange then, and I find strange even now, is the lack of salt in their dalle chilli paste that they serve with their momos. It was later told to me that the locals who eat there don’t like salt and it is supposed to be mixed into your paste as per your liking. So, if you’re ordering their rather excellent pork momos, then you must ask them to do that.

My favourite things to eat in Kunga must include their momos – the pork ones often can come with a little bit of chhurpi on top, while the chicken cheese momo has a little dollop of processed cheese on top of the chicken stuffing. What I tend to do is to bite into the skin of the momo, make a puncture, suck out the juices (because the oozing juices are half the fun), and then proceed to add some hot chilli paste and demolish them. A word of warning: one plate has about 10 rather heavily stuffed momos, so if you aren’t a big eater, sharing would be a good idea, or at least that’s what TT found out soon!

The other thing that I love here is their phing – glass noodles cooked with broth, tomatoes, herbs, spinach and other vegetables, and it is chewy, slightly crunchy, and very, very satisfying. I particularly like the dry phing, although the stuff that arrives in soup is also quite good. But, if you are ordering soupy noodles, I would suggest the Thenthuk over the Thukpa, because I like thicker, hand-cut bits of fresh noodles over thin ones anyday. The soup often is heavily underseasoned (and deliberately so), so don’t hesitate to ask for the salt.

Hot Stimulating Café

If you’re walking to the zoo from the mall, you might just come across this little gem of a place. Whether you want to take shelter from the rain or you’re just wanting a cup of tea with a view, this place is best when you’ve come to Darjeeling without a plan, and all you want to do is sit somewhere and watch the world go by.

Mr. Rumba, who asked me to write down something in his journal ages ago, taught me how to make vegetable momo on a rainy afternoon back in 2016 when I had nothing much to do and a  cat to keep me company.

Another time, I sat there for hours, writing and reading, and he offered me a cup of coffee and his friend gave OB and I pretty flower berets, crocheted dexterously within minutes from start to finish. You don’t come here for the food. You come here because it’s the right thing to do when you’re in Darjeeling, giving your inner nomad a reason to be.

Drinks at Joey’s

Joey’s isn’t the place you go to eat. It is unapologetically a pub, with one single flavor of chanachur served with all their drinks, and that’s about it. The menu is short, the music is mostly 50s and 60s, with a heavy inclination towards The Beatles, and it was one of the places that I go to, despite missing Puran Daju. I remember crying when the news of his death came, and singing Michelle to myself to ease the pain. At Joey’s, you can encounter loud people, spiders on the bar, or a simple port wine that will taste fantastic because of the company.

Washington Restaurant

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In case Joey’s is closed, then head over to Washington restaurant, right below Penang, on Ladenla Road, for their chilli pork, momos and alcohol on the sly. The prices are cheap and the chilli pork has a good meat to fat ratio and crisp edges that go really well with a glass of rum and coke.

Although not as happening, fancy, or known as most of the others in this list, Washington restaurant is neat, clean, has private cabins, and is a lovely place to relax after a spirited bout of shopping in the market.

Glenary’s

You can’t really ignore Glenary’s if you’re in Darjeeling. I tried to, once, and it resulted in me getting cursed. Seriously, you don’t. Not just because Glenary’s makes really good Cheese Pie, which is ideally to be had on a cold afternoon, with a cup of hot chocolate cooling gently by your side, or because their dried beef pickle is perfect for carrying back home and eating in the middle of the night while bingeing on your favourite TV show.

Glenary’s is also not just about the view, or the food, or the people, but rather, it’s that one place that sort of remains a constant while the world goes by. If you ask me, I won’t call it my favorite food in Darjeeling, but it is the place I would like to go back to over and over again because when you’re sitting upstairs, eating a plate of Pork while the musicians play Stevie Ray Vaughan, it makes you not want to miss out on the experience.

Honorary mentions: Penang for their Nepali pork thaali, The Park because its cosy, has a rather interesting Thai menu, and great for a slightly spendy dinner, Sonam’s Kitchen for a quick coffee and omelette breakfast, The Pink Mountain for staying open till 9 and taking our orders (try their hot and sour soup) and Himalayan Java Coffee on the way to the Mall (keep an eye out for it because its got a small board, and the place is on the first floor) that V swears by.

Where to Shop in Darjeeling

I will add a short list of a few places I like shopping from in Darjeeling, because TT WILL have my head if I don’t. To be fair, a lot of the things available in Darjeeling can also be found in Kolkata, but I was pretty surprised to realise that a good few things that I couldn’t find in Kolkata I could get in the hills. Like Samyang Ramen, the Korean fire noodles that I had desperately searched for in Kolkata with no luck. So, without further ado, here are the places I like shopping from in Darjeeling: 

1. Nepal Curio House. If this store is open, get the owner to not only show you some interesting items, but also talk about the history of Tibet. I picked up an azure pendant made by Nepali Muslim artisans and got to know about their history the last time I was there. Also, Satyajit Ray mentions this place in Feludar Goendagiri.
2. Dragon Market: Right beside Rink Mall, you would find the tiny dragon market, where I found fantastic metal and classic rock t-shirts and hoodies, and this time around, I picked up a Dire Straits T-shirt. They also stock smart outfits and you can get larger sizes for both men and women – which is a major blessing. 
3. Darjeeling Market behind Mahakal Market Complex: Okay, so I really don’t know the name of the third market, but I can give you directions of this place. I found it on one of my random Darjeeling visits, and I was pleasantly surprised to see a lot of things at dirt cheap prices. So, you walk down to Dragon Market, and opposite it, you will find Mahakal Market. Note that there’s a small lane going past Mahakal Market complex. Take that and walk down. You will see several shops selling Korean Ramen here, but continue walking and you will hit a market with really cool things you don’t generally get to see. From K-Pop merchandise to warm pants, umbrellas and packages of noodles of all kinds, this would be a great place to explore around 3.30 pm or so, when you don’t really want to sleep in your hotel. 
4. Tea Emporium on Laden La Road: This has to be my favorite place to buy tea from. I can of course go to Nathmull’s, but the prices as well as the really good conversations I’ve had with the people here makes it my go-to place for buying tea.
5. Glenary’s: Yes, I know, I have already covered Glenary’s. But seriously, if you don’t buy the liquor filled chocolates, or the mint chocolates, or the jars of meaty pickle from Glenary’s, you ARE doing yourself an injustice. 

Also, honorary mention to Habeeb Mullick & Son, the jewellery shop and curio shop located at the Mall, not because I personally love it, but because D does, and I love her. She adds: “Go through everything carefully, and you might come across a really good find!”

Hopefully, the next time you’re in Darjeeling, you will try some of these places out and let me know what you think!