Landour is a beautiful small (cantonment) town, tucked a few kilometers ahead of Mussoorie and away from its hustle-bustle. I got to know about this place from an article in a newspaper that was about Mr. Bond (Ruskin Bond) living in Landour and visiting Cambridge bookstore every Friday/Saturday for the book signing. The name stayed with me, and I wanted to visit the place since then. Not just visit this place but also to stay at Doma’s which is an old hotel in the vicinity and is next to Mr. Bond’s home. And not just that. Vishal Bhardwaj Sir’s home is just above it. So, you know, Doma’s is a perfect place to stay at Landour. Na na! Don’t go to search about it now. Stay with me for some time and let me walk you through the roads of Landour.
Landour, an old town that once served as a cool summer destination in the British India. And, as one walks through its roads, its colonial style architecture reminds of the bygone days of the British Raj. We were there in the monsoon and the mist played hide and seek with us. It was like watching all the seasons in a day. We were welcomed to Landour with a blanket of mist over it, soon after it started drizzling, followed by the music of the downpour on the tin roofs, and the sun playing peek-a-boo with the clouds making the valley glow like a newly wed bride. No, I’m not exaggerating it. It looked very stunning under the mountain sun. Well, before we explore it more, here’s a piece of advice for you; Do Not…absolutely do not plan to go there on weekends if you are coming for a peaceful time in the mountains. It’s full of people, cars, honks, and more honks. I think hill stations should put a sign for weekends and long weekends – BEWARE! Beware of people, you people. No, I’m not Christopher McCandless from Into the Wild who will sing “Society you are a crazy breed”, but yeah, we are definitely a crazy breed in many ways. I would love to listen to your thoughts on it!
Okay, coming back to my Punjabi roots, let’s dive in to exploring food, umm…I mean, its cafes 😊
Chaar Dukaan – The very first in the list goes Chaar Dukaan for obvious reasons. If you have ever searched about Landour or things to do in Landour, visiting chaar dukaan tops the list. So, chaar dukaan is an area in the Landour where there were four shops, and it has served the foodies since time immemorial. Well, now there are five shops because of some family dispute but it continues to be called as chaar dukaan. Visit this place early in the morning before tourists start coming in. The cool breeze, smell of the deodars and rustling of the pine are perfect to start the day, along with the beautiful view of the Himalayas, pahadon vali Maggie, aur chai (tea). I’m longing to go back here.
Café De Landour – It is just opposite to the chaar dukaan area. The café offers great food with even greater views. I think the view has more weightage than the food for me. It looks gorgeous at night with all the lights lit up. They also have musical performances often. Though we didn’t get a chance to experience one there.
Landour Bakehouse – It’s a bakery and cake shop in the Sisters Bazaar. Sisters Bazaar is an old market with few shops to buy souvenirs from. There is also Prakash & Co store, famous for its fresh jams and different kinds of cheese. Okay, so a piece of advice again, go here early in the morning. It’s a small quaint café in the morning but after that one must wait to get into the café. Gorge on their delicious, lip-smacking cakes and enjoy the charm of the history of the café.
Doma’s Inn – Doma’s inn is everything about Tibetan culture, food, history, architecture, and is run by a Tibetan family. This was also the place where we stayed. The walls are done nicely with vibrant colors and posters of old movies. The staff at Doma’s is young boys mostly from Uttarakhand. They are very polite, helpful, and courteous. Head here to relinquish the authentic Tibetan food.
Lotte’s home baked Goods and Café – This quaint little café is quite a new café in the town and so you will not find it in recommendations. It’s kind of a hidden café, situated on your way to Landour Gurdwara…a must go for coffee lovers. They serve best coffee in the town. They have their own blends and serve freshly brewed coffee. They have plethora of coffee options with their delicious cookies and cakes. This place is run by a couple from Holland and the name of the café is on the wife’s name. You can also devour on Dutch Stroop waffles here.
Paprika Restro & Café – This was closest to Doma’s where we were staying. We happened to visit this place after hearing someone performing live and then most of the nights we spent here listening to the melodies of a young performer and overlooking the valley lit at night. You may also get to see magnificent sunset from here. Food was also good.
Emily’s – Emily’s is not just an old but a very famous restaurant in Landour. It’s in Rokeby Manor, a luxurious accommodation in the town. It’s surrounded by tall deodars and pine trees, overlooking Doon Valley. It has colonial style architecture and has an old-world charm. The seating in the balcony under the open sky is beautiful and highly recommended. We ordered North Indian. I’m not a huge fan of North Indian and so food was okayish for me as compared to its prize. However, the quantity was good. We were too tired to try the cakes here, but I have heard cakes are lip-smacking here.
Café Ivy by Devdar Woods – Devdar woods is a hotel just before the Sister’s Bazaar. And café Ivy is now shifted here. It’s a little café serving really good food. Everything we ordered was good here. Head to this place if you are a fan of Hot chocolate.
Kairos Café – This café serves Naga and Korean food. We didn’t get chance to visit this café, but we heard that it serves good and authentic Naga and Korean food.
The Traveller Kaur 