I’ll make no bones in saying that Sikkim is freaking awesome and now one of the favorite places on the planet! Therefore I hear you ask does that mean there is a street food Gangtok scene?
Well sadly not all that much, nor really much of a nightlife, hence why I will expand this into more of an overall Gangtok guide featuring restaurants indeed the limited nightlife.
What the Gangtok?
Gangtok is the capital of Sikkim and sits perched on a series of ridges in the Eastern Himalayas like some kind of layered weird Buddhist cake. Once a small hill station under the Namgyal monarchy, it became the proper capital after Sikkim was forced to join (I mean was liberated by) India in 1975. It has since morphed into a kind of clean, efficient and weirdly chill hybrid between India, Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan . You’ve got prayer flags, government buildings, monks with smartphones, and the constant feeling that someone just finished sweeping the street two minutes before you walked down it.
There’s also the unmistakable feeling that you are not quite in India. People speak Nepali, Hindi and English, wear both traditional and western dress, and seem more chill than your average Delhi taxi driver by some margin. It’s a city that feels like a border post to another dimension. Tourism is growing here, but mostly local. You’ll see few foreigners, but the bulk of visitors are Indian families posing in front of flower pots and pretending to love momos like I love momos!
Street Food Gangtok Lowdown
Sikkim is unlike any place in India, so thus Gangtok is also a bit of an outlier when compared to other Indian cities. This means while it is cleaner and much more ordered than India, it also lacks the craziness that contributes that makes Indian street food so good.
That though does not mean that there isn’t a scene at all, with the thongs Gangtok does well, such as the backstreet momo restaurants being truly epic. Other dishes to try are sel roti (deep fried sweet bread), and thukpa a hearty Tibetan noodle soup, which while not traditionally all that ‘street’ is bloody good.
Two other good ones you get at fast food/street food stalls throughout the country is Chinese style fried noodles (Chow Mein) with local hot sauce, as well as local ramen brand Wai‑Wai again soaked in Sikkimese spice.
Where to get street food in Gangtok
Amazingly the main street of Gangtok, namely “Gandhi Square” (like every other city in India) has next to no street food. This is for a number of reasons, such as the fact that it is heavily developed and regulated, but also the fact that Gangtok and Sikkim get bloody cold.
This means that the “street food” restaurants are generally back alley and indoors rather than on a street. And yes these places still count as street food.
Best Street Food in Gangtok
Mainline Taxi Stand (Opposite Hotel Sumitel)
So, while I was not a fan of this hotel (more on that later) its location just outside the main town meant it was next to some real gems. One of these was quite literally opposite the hotel at the car park and taxi stand. This was the only place where I saw actual street food stalls, which while looking cool seemed not have all that much food, save a few sweets snacks and drinks. Still it was street food.
Back alley Momo action on Indira Bypass Road
Just off of the main road to Gangtok and well pretty much EVERYWHERE else in the region is Indira Bypass Road, as cool street in itself, but also the gateway to some really good momo action. I discovered the first place late on my first night, namely G.D Sweet Fast Food, which also coincided with me first try of Chilli Momo. This is now one of my favorite street foods on the planet, with the fella also giving me a free coke!
Literally opposite this I was taken to the “best momo restaurant in Gangtok” by our local partner. Here we were served Baozi (big dumplings) rather than the Jaiozi (small dumplings) that are standard for momo. In fact I did even know these existed, with the extra breading of them making them really jell with the spicy sauce. And imo much better than the Chinese variety! Although the murky water soup was equally as bad.
Side streets of Mahatma Gandhi Marg
While the main street of Gangtok is pretty cool, it is also very developed and extremely touristy. This means that most restaurants along here are “proper”. There are though a huge array of back alley eateries, as well as restaurants buried away on middle floors. Alas I did not get the chance to explore these much, but if you do wanna test out the street food Gangtok scene, then on appearances alone you will not go hungry here. Shuffle Momos and Roll House (who do rolls) get high praise here.
The road to Lake Tsomgo
The road to Lake Tsomgo and well pretty much every other “countryside” place in Sikkim and even Darjeeling has restaurants that advertise “fast food”. In this context what they are actually selling is of course momo, pseudo‑Chinese noodles, as well as even western fare like French fries of course loaded with spicy sauce. I can recommend Lucky 7.
Where to Eat in Gangtok
I will delve later into Sikkimese cuisine, but you summarize it is a collection of a bunch of other foods, which is showed by the range of restaurants you get in Gangtok. These mostly consist of Tibetan, Nepalese and to a lesser degree West Bengalese restaurants.
For the less adventurous there is also a gaudy mall that even has Starbucks and Burger King FOR SHAME
Restaurants To Try in Gangtok
Sumi Noor – Hotel Sumitel, Indira Bypass Road, Hidden Forest, Middle Sichey
The Biryani restaurant at Hotel Sumitel which has a pretty good name and did a decent Sikkimese take on the biryani.
Nimtho – New Market, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Vishal Gaon
The best Nepalese restaurant in town, at least according to our local partners. Range of dishes such as momo which Nepalese style tasting much more communist.
Cactus Bar Gangtok – Tadong
Only opened a week when we got there and to an extent more a bar than a restaurant. Very expansive local menu, as well as a smaller international one. Fabulous views.
Momo King BBQ – Near Indira Bypass Road
The aforementioned street food restaurant that served the “big” Baozi style dumplings. Very big menu and supposedly famous for their pork momo, although it was out the day I was in.
Taste of Tibet – MG Marg, Vishal Gaon
When it rains in Gangtok it bloody pours, which is how we ended up here. Fabulous views, great ambiance and a huge menu. Lots of local dishes, but of course even more Tibetan cuisine. One guy had a chicken curry while I had the thenthuk, which is big bits of pasta in soup. It was pretty fucking epic. Click to check my Tibet tours.
And we got to have a wee drink or three here.
The Gangtok Nightlife Guide
If you thought the street food Gangtok scene was light then you will lose your shit when I tell you about the Gangtok Bar scene! I will also warn you against following Trip Advisor, or another blog claiming the “best 5 bars in Gangtok”, as from what I have seen they have clearly not been to the city.
This was something I found out the hard way when I visited the shitty city of Datong in China, where bars were quite literally made up. Oh and I will not be bloody including tea tasting for Gangtok nightlife, which while pretty fun, was also not exactly party central.
So, the nightlife of Gangtok? Essentially while people clearly love to drink the government are obviously less keen on people doing so. This means that nightlife is restricted to Restaurants Cum Bars (honestly a real term), which are basically restaurants, and secret hideaway karaoke/hostess style joints (genuinely not brothels). Oh and they close at 11 on the dot!
Bars in Gangtok
Cactus Bar – Tadong, Gangtok
The new place that I have put at 3 for dining. Decent drinks menu and while it is a little far from town (you will need a car) it actually looks like a proper bar.
Dolphin Restaurant and Bar (New Castle Hotel) – Indira Bypass Road
Went here because it was open and I found the name New Castle Hotel amusing as I was with a mackem from Sunderland. More restaurant than anything, but decent vibe and location, as well as the fact it was actually open.
Cafe Live – Tibet Road, Enchey Compound, Arithang
Really lively place in town with local bands doing covers of both Nepali rock and 90s Indian film hits. A bit of a young crowd, but not unwelcoming. Kingfisher beer and chicken lollipops are a flowing.
Pub 25 – MG Road, Gangtok
Supposedly the place to be and had multiple locals recommend it. We didn’t get the chance to go in person but seems like the one that most resembles a “real” Indian (or British) pub.
The Karaoke Bar – Off of Indira Bypass Road
My favorite because I found it by accident while looking for a drink and ended up having a great night. Karaoke style bar, over 3 floors. Has kinda hostesses here, although as the guy I was talking to informed me they “won’t go home with you even if you spend a lot”. They did though serve me double vodkas and coke until the coke ran out, as well as get me up dancing with pretty ladies.
Another funny one to sum up the nightlife of Gangtok! I was told the bar would close at 11 pm because the police would come. The bar indeed closed as the police arrived at 11:01. It appears lockdowns aren’t the done thing in Sikkim! I did though manage to get the hotel to shoot me up two cheeky beers. This made me drunk enough to make stupid phone calls, which in itself is good enough for me.
Just up from the actual bypass north of the Sumitel on Indira Bypass Road on the opposite side of the street. This was so radon I missed getting the “proper name”. I mean I was quite literally drawn simply because I could hear noise. I will though research and remedy this for the thirsty travelers looking to visit Sikkim!
In conclusion…..
And that summarizes the street food Gangtok scene, as well as the best bars and restaurants in this amazing city. OK, so Gangtok is not Vegas, but hey who needs Vegas when you are surrounded by real beauty.
I will be back to Sikkim.