Places Included
- Landour Bakehouse
- Emily's The Rokeby Manor
- Clock Tower Cafe
- Tip Top Tea Shop
- A. Prakash And Company
There is hardly any dearth of options when you’ve got to pick a place to spend the weekend in the hills. The good part of living in India is that you get to experience the sands of the sea and the breeze of the hills within the same continent. The vast diversity of culture, history and landscapes is what brings the best of our country on large canvas. As a kid, I would eagerly read up about the hill stations in India and my first tryst with the hilly terrains was through the books of Ruskin Bond. The bibliophile and little traveler in me was very eager to explore the town of Mussourie through the eyes of someone who has lived the latter half of his life there.
It was decades ago that the famous children’s writer decided to pack his bags and set up his abode in the foothills of Himalayas. Digging a little deeper would take you to a place which is a slight uphill from Mussoorie where Ruskin Bond lives and pours his heart out on paper, Landour. While Mussoorie might be the touristy place that most people have on their vacation list, Landour rarely finds a mention. And aren’t we glad? With a unique cozy vibe that is atypical of cantonment regions, Landour is a cutesy little town from the British Raj era.
Although we’ve moved past the colonial rule, you would still find traces of their presence in this humble hill station in the Queen of Hills. Walking you through these cafes and restaurants, we wish to transport you to the European culture of the British Raj and give you a lifetime of experiences.
1. Landour Bakehouse
If you say that you returned from Landour without paying a visit to the famous bakehouse, we suggest you take a U-turn right away. The rustic and homely vibes of this bakery and pastry shop located in the Sister’s Bazaar has a distinct golden signage with a bold green background. Nothing too lavish yet heart-warming, their sweet buns, madeleines and chocolate croissants wave an irresistible aroma.
Where: Shop 152, Sisters Bazaar, Landour Cantt.
Timings: 8 am-8 pm
Cost For Two: ₹500
Cuisines Offered: Bakery, Desserts
2. Emily’s- The Rokeby Manor
The beautiful wooden carvings and the vintage interiors of Emily’s will surely transport you to a British tea-time affair. Giving you all the classic English vibes, their menu might surprise you with the range of Indian delicacies along with the usual Continental fare. Either you can take a tour of the tea garden adjacent to the place with a cup of tea or indulge in their popular Rokeby’s Sticky Coffee Pudding.
Where: Rokeby Manor, Landour, Mussoorie
Timings: 6:30 am-10 pm
Cost For Two: ₹1,500
Cuisines Offered: French, Italian, North Indian
3. Clock Tower Café
Have you witnessed the iconic ghanta ghars in different parts of India? The clock tower is a rather British emblem of that. Converted into a tiny and comfy café, the clock tower stills holds the legendary status in Landour. You’ll find a mix of Chinese and Italian fare at this restaurant so it is possible that someone’s hogging a pizza while the other one is slurping on noodles.
Where: Clock Tower Main, Landour Bazar, Landour, Mussoorie
Timings: 11 am-11 pm
Cost For Two: ₹1,000
Cuisines Offered: Coffee, European
4. Tip Top Tea Shop
Those who have read Ruskin Bond, would we familiar with the Char Dukan concept of Landour. Four shops lined up together create a market of sorts which is called char dukan. One of the four legendary shops includes Tip Top Tea Shop. Banana and chocolate waffles, vegetable maggi and ofcourse, the classic bun omlette will win your hearts at this humble tea shop that is decades old.
Where: Chardukan, Landour Cantt.
Timings: 8:30 am-8:30 pm
Cost For Two: ₹300
Cuisines Offered: Fast Food
5. A. Prakash And Company
This may sound a little odd at first but we couldn’t help but share it with you when talking about Landour. Get an extra bag pack because you’ll have truckloads of jam, peanut butter, honey and cheese to take back home when you get here. Not a café, but a fabulous store that you must visit.
Where: Sister’s Bazaar, Landour, Mussoorie
Timings: 10:30 am-7 pm
Cuisines Offered: Jams, Butter, Honey