Sikkim food and the peoples behind it

Four peoples at one table

Sikkim's food reflects who settled here. The Lepchas, who call themselves Rong, are counted as the earliest inhabitants and eat forest greens, river fish and fermented foods. The Bhutias came from Tibet and brought butter tea, barley and meat dishes. Limbus share the west with Nepal and drink tongba. Nepali-speaking communities, who settled in large numbers from the 19th century, brought rice, dal and pickles, and today form the majority.

This mix is why one meal can include a Tibetan-style momo, a Nepali dal and a Lepcha greens dish. In homes, rice and dal are daily. In restaurants, Tibetan and Nepali dishes lead, with Chinese-influenced and North Indian food for visitors.

• Lepcha: forest greens, fermented foods, millet
• Bhutia: butter tea, thukpa, meat dishes
• Limbu: tongba, kinema
• Nepali-speaking communities: dal, rice, achar

What to eat and what it is called

Start with momos, steamed or fried dumplings filled with vegetables, chicken, pork or buffalo, served with a hot chilli sauce. Thukpa is a noodle soup, and phagshapa is stir-fried pork strips with radish and dried chillies. Gundruk is a fermented leaf soup, sour and earthy, and sinki is a similar fermented radish dish. Churpi is a hard cheese made from yak or cow milk, chewed slowly or cooked into soup.

Tongba is millet beer served in a wooden or bamboo mug with hot water poured over it; you sip it through a bamboo straw. Sikkim is also India's largest producer of large cardamom, and it appears in tea and curries. Temi Tea Garden in South Sikkim produces Sikkim's best-known tea.

A few other names are worth knowing. Sel roti is a ring-shaped rice-flour bread made at festivals, kinema is fermented soybean eaten with rice in Limbu homes, and chhang is a local millet beer, closely related to tongba. Tea is usually milky and sweet, and in Bhutia homes you may be offered salted butter tea. Ask what an item is; hosts like to explain.

city · 1,650 mGangtoktown · 2,150 mPelling

Eating well on a budget and as a vegetarian

Vegetarian food is easy: dal-bhat with vegetables, vegetable momos, thukpa with vegetables, and gundruk soup. Ask in advance in homestays, because the family cooks for the group. In the north, expect limited vegetables in winter and more eggs and potatoes.

Street food in Gangtok is safe if you choose busy stalls with hot food. Carry a refillable bottle and a cloth bag, as plastic bags have been banned in Sikkim since 1998, and respect the local campaign to avoid disposable plastic. Alcohol is available in towns but rare in villages, and some festival days are dry; check current status before you travel.

Eating out follows a simple pattern. Breakfast is often tea with bread, eggs or puri-sabzi, and a plate of momos is a common mid-afternoon meal. Dinner is early, since many small kitchens close by 9 pm, and in the far north they may close earlier. If you are on a permit tour, lunch is usually at a roadside dhaba, with rice, dal, a vegetable and sometimes egg curry. Pay for tea and snacks in small notes, because change is hard to find in villages.

Festivals worth timing a trip around

Losar, the Tibetan new year, falls in February or March and is observed at monasteries such as Pemayangtse with masked cham dances and prayers. Saga Dawa, in May or June, marks the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death, with processions in Gangtok. Pang Lhabsol, around August or September, honours Kangchenjunga as guardian deity with warrior dances.

These dates follow the lunar calendar and shift each year. We list them in our festivals pages; check current status before you travel. If you attend, ask before photographing, keep a distance from dancers and monks, and avoid blocking the courtyard.

If you arrive during a festival, expect crowds at the main monasteries and higher prices for rooms in Gangtok and Pelling. Book early, arrive early, and keep a respectful distance from rituals. If you are invited into a home during Losar or another festival, bring a small gift such as fruit or sweets, and take off your shoes at the door.

Monastery and village manners

Remove your shoes and hat before entering a prayer hall, walk clockwise around stupas and prayer wheels, and do not touch images or ritual objects. Photography is often banned inside halls, so ask before you raise a camera. A small donation is welcome, but never insist on a photo with a monk.

In villages, ask before you photograph people. In Lachung and Lachen, the Dzumsa council sets rules on grazing and conduct, so follow guidance from hosts on noise, litter and where to walk. Dress modestly, remove shoes in homes, and accept tea if offered; saying no politely is fine.

Children and first-time visitors often find monasteries calm after a busy day, but silence is part of the place. Keep voices low, turn phones to silent, and do not step over offerings or sit with your back to the main image. If a ceremony is under way, stand at the back and watch quietly; ask a monk or caretaker if you may stay. Visits during prayer hours are often the most memorable, and a short stay is polite.

A few words to use

Language helps even in small ways. Nepali is the common tongue, Hindi and English are widely understood, and Bhutia and Lepcha are spoken at home in many villages. Saying namaste or tashi delek, a Tibetan greeting, is welcome in most places. Learn thank you in Nepali, dhanyabad, and offer it with a smile.

Take your time with meals, because food is made to order and kitchens are small. Ask for less spice if you need it, since local chilli can be strong. And never refuse a cup of tea in a homestay without explaining why; it is the usual start of a conversation.

Crafts and what to buy

Sikkim has a quiet craft tradition. Lepcha and Bhutia weavers make wool and cotton fabric on looms, and thangka painters work in Gangtok and around the larger monasteries. Carved wooden choktse tables, a Bhutia speciality, and brass and silver ritual objects appear in handicraft centres. Prices vary widely, so look at quality first and bargain politely.

Large cardamom, Temi tea and churpi are easy food souvenirs. Buy from established shops or cooperatives, and check that cheese and tea are sealed for travel. Avoid buying items made from animal parts or antiques, which are illegal to export. Pay by cash in small shops, ask before photographing a craftsperson at work, and remember that a small purchase made with respect is worth more than a large one made in a hurry.