Travel guide · On the ground
Bhutanese Food
Chillies, cheese, red rice and butter tea — what to expect at the table, and how we handle dietary needs.
Meals in Bhutan are built around red rice, accompanied by several shared dishes — usually a vegetable, a meat or cheese dish and a chilli relish.
The essentials
- Ema datshi — chillies in cheese, the national dish
- Momos — steamed dumplings, usually with a fiery dipping sauce
- Phaksha paa — pork with chilli and radish
- Hoentay — buckwheat dumplings from Haa
- Suja — butter tea, offered on arrival at most homes
- Ara — homemade rice or grain spirit
On your journey
Breakfast is usually at your hotel. Lunch is served at local restaurants or as a picnic, and dinner is a set meal at your hotel or a restaurant in town. In farmhouses, meals are cooked on the family’s stove.
Dietary needs
We ask about allergies and dietary requirements when you book and pass them to every kitchen along the route. For serious allergies, please tell us as early as possible so that we can plan carefully.
Read more in our journal guide to Bhutanese food.
Common questions
Is Bhutanese food very spicy?
It can be, since chillies are cooked as a vegetable. We can ask kitchens to reduce the heat and serve chilli on the side.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes. Vegetarian dishes are common, and we arrange vegan, gluten-free and other diets with advance notice.
Start the conversation
Questions? Ask us directly.
A real person from our Thimphu team will answer — usually within one working day.