Breathtaking landscapes, colossal mountains, luxurious valleys, quirky, fun, eccentric cafés and restaurants, Shimla has everything to charm you with it's timeless beauty and delightful culinary experience.
The famous Mall Road is the local hangout spot for everyone coming to Shimla. It is filled with delicious dining options, where residents and tourists can enjoy a vast array of diverse cuisines. Chic ambiance, cosy interiors, gorgeous views, scrumptious food and a well stocked kafe - these places have it all. Highlighting the best of these lively eateries, here is our take on the Shimla's 5 best food places!
Cafe Simla Times
Enjoy the perfect weather with good food, chilled beer, live music and outdoor garden lounge seating at Café Simla Times. Known for it's Indian, Italian, Mexican, Chinese and Thai cuisines, the place is relatively new but has gathered lots of positive reviews. This beautiful cafe has classy and visual appealing decors, with plenty of hanging lanterns. The restaurant serves some of the best wine in Shimla and have music nights to make your trip more fun. There is also an outdoor seating arrangement where you can take in the breathtaking view of the beautiful town. It's mostly crowded during peak dinner hours, still, the wait time isn't usually more than 15 minutes. I'd recommend a reservation if going with more than just a couple people.
We tried their famous woodfried pizzas, smoothies and cocktails.
Cafe Sol
Located amidst the busy street, Café Sol is certainly one of the best places to eat in Shimla. Offering the exquisite variety of Mexican, Thai and Italian dishes, it's a beautiful restaurant with well decorated interiors. Whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner, it's a perfect spot to sit back, relax, and converse over food and drinks. A part of Hotel Combermere, it provides an incredible sight of the beautiful landscapes of Himachal.
Greek salad and lemon cheesecakes are a must try at Cafe Sol.
Embassy
Cafes in Shimla are endless but Embassy is our top pick. Run by an old couple, this quirky cafe has got something for every foodie. It's one of the oldest cafe in town, and serves some of the best coffee and delightful munchies on Mall Road. This place has prominent and beautiful wooden interiors. The vibe is very warm, cosy and upscale rustic, perfect for relaxing with a good book or chilling with a good company. It has hundreds of handwritten messages and posters, stuck all over the walls. The open balcony gives you a view of whole town and looks mesmerizing at night when the town lit up.
Eighteen 71 Cookhouse & Bar
The Eighteen 71 welcomes you with classy interiors, an extensive hidangan complimented with cheerful smiles on the staff's face. It's among my favorite dining option in Shimla with good food, live music and drinks. Portion sizes are good and so is the quality of food. For people who want to have a drink with their friends, this top notch restaurant also has a well stocked bar. With options of Indian, Continental, a live food counter and fresh in house bakery products, they serve guests with lip smacking food and cocktails.
Their tantalizing variety of vegetable focaccia, mushroom galouti kebab, and interesting cocktails cannot be missed.
Cecil
Rich with history, the Oberoi Cecil embodies old-world elegance with its opulent ambiance and rich decor. The beautiful ambiance complimented by chandeliers, bay-windows, wood paneling, floral arrangement will remind you of the British era. With comfortable seating, a glass wall gives you a stunning view of the entire city outside. Besides serving the exquisite range of international, pan-Indian and local Himachali cuisines, the chefs are always willing to prepare the other dishes on request. Each dish is creative, producing bold and complex flavors. You can make a prior reservation or just walk in, if you are a house guest at the Cecil.
We had a taste of falafel and pita in addition to dham and madra, the traditional Himachali cuisines and recommend it to all.
The list of best 5 food places doesn't end here. These were just my personal favorites which I would highly recommend to anyone visiting Shimla.
We had a taste of falafel and pita in addition to dham and madra, the traditional Himachali cuisines and recommend it to all.
The list of best 5 food places doesn't end here. These were just my personal favorites which I would highly recommend to anyone visiting Shimla.