With mountains covered with snow, pleasant climate, lush and allowing greenery, and breathtaking lakes, the Queen of hill stations, Shimla offers its visitors everything they can ask for. The city of Shimla and its adjacent places amazed people with its evergreen beauty for ages. Hence, this place claims itself as one of India’s most visited tourist destinations. This place has numerous spots for visit along with many good eating places for satisfying the taste buds of the visitors. Shimla tour packages include all these spots as per the duration of the trip. Get mellowed by checking out some of the most happening cafes in Shimla
Cafes In Shimla
Shimla is one of the most favorite traveling destinations among the masses. Along with the picturesque view of nature all around, this place also offers scope for experiencing delightful culinary affairs. There are many renowned cafeterias and restaurants which are some of the best places to eat in Shimla that add rich flavors to the vacation.
Following are some famous cafes in Shimla that serve a large variety of international cuisine and top-quality food.
1. Cafe Sol, Hotel Combermere
This cafe is one of the flagship cafeterias in Shimla. Located in Mall road, Cafe Sol specializes in continental food. This place is apt for people who love and enjoys international flavors. Lemon cheesecake and the Greek salad of this food place have a lot of popularity. In bright colors, this cafe looks very elegant. A pleasant fragrance and a peppy atmosphere revitalize the mood of visitors and help them create a memorable culinary experience.
2. The Devicos Restaurant And Bar
The Devicos is considered one of the popular and best cafes in Shimla. This food joint offers a different variety of cuisine ranging from Chinese, Indian to Continental. The Devicos is highly renowned for the ambiance at night and creates an atmosphere for partying right in the heart of Shimla. This food place is addressed at the Mall Road and welcomes people 7 days a week.
3. The Restaurant, The Oberoi Cecil
Right from the time of Britishers, deluxe dining has forever been at the forefront in Shimla. This tradition is carried on by this restaurant with pride and glory, for many decades now. This place can be recommended as one of the best restaurants in Shimla that offers a wide range of food items. The menu includes international cuisines and also, traditional food of Shimla. The Oberoi Cecil also offers an impressive collection of wine.
4. Indian Coffee House
Located in Mall Road, the Indian Coffee House is treated as an iconic cafe in Shimla, after the prime minister of India visited this eating place on his Himachal Pradesh trip. This place is always noticed with denizens gathering and talking about current affairs with a cup of coffee and newspaper.
5. Ashiana And Goofa
Located in the Ridge near Mall Road, this place is ideal for tasting local dishes of Shimla. With courteous staff, tasty and good quality food, reasonable pocket pinch, this restaurant Ashiana and Goofa is quite a popular restaurant in Shimla. This restaurant also welcomes visitors all through the week.
6. Honey Hut
Honey Hut is an eco-friendly cafe in Shimla. This unique cafe was started as a project conducted by a group of entrepreneurs. This cafeteria offers seating arrangements both outdoors and indoors. This eatery has recently been awarded many commendations which have made this eating place quite popular and liked among the young generation in Shimla. This food place is located near Mall Road, and it welcomed its visitors throughout the week.
7. Wake And Bake
Located near Mall Road, Wake and Bake enjoy a nice view of the busy Mall road. This eating place is a two-story building and the chef offers nice delicacies of a wide range, starting from Indian to Continental. This place is commonly known for its finely brewed coffee and hearty breakfast. For their warm welcoming and courteous staff, the travelers visit this place more than one time every time they visit Shimla.
8. Cafe Simla Times
Cafe Simla Times is popular and prized for its stylish and high creative restaurant. Opened less than 2 years, yet Cafe Simla Times has collected quite a good review and healthy reviews in large numbers. This place serves tasty food of good quality, provides a delightful ambiance, and possesses courteous staff. Cafe Simla Times is located adjacent to the Hotel Willow Bank, in Mall Road.
9. Eighteen 71
Eighteen 71 is another fresh cafe that serves good and famous food in Shimla. Established for only 1 year, this eating place provides a wonderful dining experience. This place serves dishes of all cuisines. They mainly aim at curating the food to cater to the exuberant travelers and youngsters visiting Shimla. The visitors have always appreciated the effort of the chef in preparing a delectable dish. This place is located on Mall Road.
10. Himachali Rasoi
With globalization in food culture, promotion, and popularisation of cafes with international themes and decors, finding a place for fully local cuisine has become quite tough for a traveler. Himachali Rasoi puts an effort to revive and bring forward authentic Himachali cuisine. This place serves travelers who have had enough of international and fusion taste in Shimla. This eating place is located in the middle bazaar, Baljees Stairs.
Shimla relishes some typical dishes. This includes meethe chawal made of red rice. Another dish is short which is yogurt flavored with cumin and coriander. Other dishes include patore which is a remoulade of steamed rye leaves with besan and then fried, chaa gosht that is lamb processed and cooked with gravy of yogurt, murgh anardana that is chicken cooked in a paste of pomegranate.
Visiting Time In Shimla
Shimla is such a tourist destination, that can be visited any time of the year. The summers are pleasant and colorful. It allows a perfect ambiance for exploring the outdoors and river rides. Winters cherish worthy snowfall, skiing, and festivals. Monsoon paints a lush and misty character of the greenery all around the place.
From October to March, the average temperature varies between -2 degrees Celsius to 8 degrees Celsius. December and January experience heavy snowfall and these months are ideal for honeymoon couples.
April to June are summer months and the average temperature remains at 15 degrees Celsius. These months are apt for family trips. The weather conditions are highly favorable for trekking, paragliding, and camping. Tour operators in Shimla encourage this period since this place can be explored the best in these months.
July to September are monsoon. Generally, people avoid this time for a trip to a hill station for the risks of landslides and avalanches. Though the green meadows become most attractive with the clouds floating everywhere.
The Train Route Of Delhi To Shimla
The train journey from Delhi to Shimla is one of the best things that people should choose to visit the hills of Northern India. The new Delhi to Shimla train distance is around 342 kilometers. There are no direct trains from Delhi to Shimla. One has to change the train when they reach Kalka. This is the only way.
The trains that run from Delhi to Kalka are the board gauge trains while the trains that run from Kalka to Shimla are narrow gauge trains. Toy trains run over the latter track. The intermediate stations between Delhi to Shimla are Karnal, Sonepat, Panipat, Ambala, Chandigarh, and then finally you reach Kalka. In Barog you have to cross the longest tunnel that stretches over one kilometer. It is said that the ghost of the tunnel engineer, Colonel Barog, after whom the tunnel is named lingers here in the night. The scenery changes from Barog. The pine and oak trees look amazing and encircle that station.
Names Of Trains Between Kalka to Shimla
Mainly three different trains run from Kalka to Shimla. The guide of trains between Delhi to Shimla provides these train names:
1. Shivalik Deluxe Express
This train is a premium express. It has cushioned seats, large glass windows, ambient music and carpeted floors. It can accommodate around 120 passengers from Delhi to Shimla. One can also choose to get food on the train.
2. The Himalayan Queen
Some people like to get down on specific stations and take pictures around the stations. You won’t get food on this train but you can buy it anywhere from the nine stops.
3. The Rail Motor Car
This looks like a bus and can accommodate fourteen passengers. This has a transport roof stops at Barog. It is hard to get tickets for this train, therefore, it is advised that you get tickets in advance. Here on this train, you will get Indo-western food.
You can get Delhi to Shimla train timetable online and learn about the arrival and departure of this train. Book your tickets at least a month before from the Delhi to Shimla IRTC site and you are good to go.
Conclusion
Good food adds color to the vacation and makes it even more memorable and enriched the experience of the holiday. Shimla offers good, fashionable, and popular cafes of every price range that fits the budget of every traveler.
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