Nestled around the natural freshwater Naini lake, Nainital is a popular hill station that is as famous for its breathtaking views of the mountain and water bodies. Being a popular tourist destination, the place also has a very happening food scene consisting of contemporary restaurants and old favourites.
In today’s episode Anubhav we have embarked on an enchanting food tour across Mallital with two young food entrepreneurs Aishwarya Bisht and Aparajita Kotlia who are the founders of Nainital’s first cloud kitchen named Ashtrogastronomy (https://tinyurl.com/kkd22wma). The Mall Road part in Mallital is lined with buzzing cafes, restaurants and fast-food outlets right beside the lakeside while the Bara Bazar is the old market area that has fruit and vegetable shops, bakeries, handmade candles and cloth shops.
In due course of the tour we have covered some eateries that are a huge hit with the locals.The first stop was the renowned jalebi shop called Naini Jaleba Bhandar. Their hot, fresh and crunchy jalebis are a craze with the residents and from the first bite we could figure out why it was so.
Next destination was the adjoining namkeen shop named Bawari Namkeen. This is a go to place for a stunning array of zesty savoury treats. We loved their namak paare and mixture. A few steps ahead was Narayan and Sons pastry shop. This humble confectionery is one of Aishwarya's childhood favourite stops that he frequented for a bun cream. The fresh bun stuffed with a cloud of whipped cream and jam was pure indulgence.
Next we headed to the narrow lanes of the Tibetan Market (Bhutia Market) to have momo from Sonam Fast Food. The crowd in front of this small outlet was a testimony of its insane popularity. We settled for a plate of veg momo which was quite decent.
After that Ashwarya and Aparajita took us to Heart Rock Restaurant which was once a popular tea stall named Gullu Ki Chai Ki Dukan. Their tibetan menu is a hit with the young crowd. We gave dry thukpa and mutton momo a try. The latter one was easily a great momo.
The next destination was an old restaurant called the Machan Restaurant. After a quick deliberation over its North Indiana and Chinese menu we decided to try their mutton masala. It was rich, non spicy and flavourful.
The penultimate destination was Sakleys which is one of the best places to have pastries in Nainital. At our hosts’ recommendation we tried their signature Chocolate truffle and chocolate cheesecake. They were fresh and decadent.
After the sweetmeat we went ahead to wrap up the tour with a paan. For all drooling details do watch the video till the end.