Namchi bazaar food trail
Start in the morning with sel roti, a ring-shaped rice bread fried in oil, with aloo dum or a cup of milk tea from the stalls near the plaza. Later, look for steamed or fried momos, thukpa and shapale, a fried bread stuffed with meat. Market stalls sell churpi, a hard cheese made from yak or cow milk, and gundruk, fermented dried greens.
On market days farmers bring in local produce such as squash, beans, ferns and chillies, including the round, fiery dalle khursani. Ask before photographing vendors, and eat where locals queue.
Questions travellers ask
Good to know
What is sel roti
Sel roti is a ring-shaped bread made from a batter of rice flour, sugar and milk or water, deep-fried until crisp outside and soft inside. It is eaten in Sikkim, Darjeeling and Nepal, especially at festivals such as Dashain and Tihar, but stalls sell it for breakfast all year. It goes well with aloo dum or milk tea.
Is street food in Namchi safe to eat
Generally yes, if you choose busy stalls where food is cooked fresh in front of you and eaten hot. Avoid raw salads and cut fruit that has been sitting out, and drink bottled or filtered water. If you have a sensitive stomach, start with steamed momos and thukpa before trying fermented foods.
Can I buy local produce to take home
Yes. Look for dried churpi, Temi tea, large cardamom, dalle khursani pickle and local ginger in the market. Pickles travel well in sealed jars. Check airline rules for liquids and pickles if you are flying. Prices are lower in Namchi market than in tourist shops in Gangtok or Pelling.
Also in Namchi
More hours to plan around
