Guide · Food

Himachali Food to Try in Manali: Siddu, Dham, Trout and More

By Troovle · Siddharth & Anshul

Manali has more cafés serving pasta than Himachali food, but the local cooking is worth seeking out. It is simple, warming and made for cold mountain days, which is exactly what you want after a trek.

• Must-try: siddu, a steamed wheat bun with a filling, eaten with ghee
• The feast: dham, a traditional festive meal served on leaf plates
• From the rivers: trout, farmed in the Kullu and Manali area
• Where: local dhabas, Old Manali, homestays and small Himachali restaurants
• Tip: ask your homestay or trek team where locals eat

Siddu

The dish most people try first. Siddu is a soft steamed bun made from wheat dough, often stuffed with a filling such as poppy seeds, walnuts or lentils, and served hot with ghee and chutney. It is filling and perfect on a cold evening. Many places in and around Manali serve it.

Dham

Dham is the traditional festive meal of Himachal, cooked for weddings, festivals and temple occasions by specialist cooks called botis. It is served in courses on leaf plates while guests sit in rows. Dishes vary by region, but often include rice, dal, rajma, kadhi, a sweet rice and a yoghurt-based curry such as madra. If you get invited to a dham, say yes.

Madra

A rich, slow-cooked dish of chickpeas or beans in yoghurt with spices and ghee, especially associated with the Chamba region. It is a highlight of many dham meals, and some restaurants serve it on its own.

Trout

The cold rivers around Kullu and Manali have trout farms, and fresh trout, usually fried or grilled, is on many local menus. It is one of the best things to eat in the valley.

Babru and other snacks

Babru is a fried bread, often stuffed with a black gram filling, a bit like a kachori, eaten with tamarind chutney. Look out too for local red rice, buckwheat dishes and homemade pickles and preserves.

Chha gosht and meat dishes

Himachal’s meat dishes include chha gosht, lamb cooked with gram flour and yoghurt. It is less common in cafés, so ask at local restaurants or your homestay.

Eating well around a trek

• The day before: a proper hot meal, plenty of water and an early night. Skip alcohol.
• On the trek: simple, warm, carbohydrate-rich food. On Troovle Trip 001 you help cook at camp; cooking at altitude is one of the skills we teach.
• After: this is the time for a big siddu, trout or a dham, if you can find one.

Plan the rest of your Manali trip with our trek budget guide and short hikes near Manali.