Bhutanese food is not what most travellers expect, and that gap between expectation and reality is part of what makes eating here interesting. This is not a cuisine built for outside approval. It is practical, direct, and defined almost entirely by chilli.
Amala has been bringing travellers to Bhutan since 2009. Food is consistently one of the things people remember most, not always because it was refined, but because it was genuinely different from anything they had eaten before.
Eating in Hotels vs Eating in Local Homes
The larger hotel groups, Amankora, Six Senses, Gangtey Lodge, serve versions of Bhutanese food that are refined and consistent, with international options alongside. The food is good. But it is not the same as eating in a farmhouse.
One of the experiences Amala has arranged for travellers over the years is a meal at a traditional Bhutanese home.
Aum Tshomo, whose family has cooked for the royal household, welcomes guests into her farmhouse in Bumthang, Bhutan’s spiritual heartland, with dishes prepared the way they have always been: Ema Datse from her garden, buckwheat noodles rolled by hand, and homebrewed ara, a spirit distilled from rice or wheat, served warm. It is the kind of meal that stays with you longer than any restaurant.
Ema Datshi: The Dish that Defines Bhutan
Ema Datshi is Bhutan’s national dish and its most honest cultural statement. Green chillies, not used as seasoning but as the primary ingredient, cooked down with soft white cheese into a thick, fiery stew. It appears at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is spicier than it looks, consistently. Most visitors underestimate it at least once.
Variations exist: Kewa Datshi replaces the chilli with potato, and Shamu Datshi uses mushroom. Both are milder and worth ordering if the heat of the original catches you off guard.
Ara and What to Drink
Ara is the traditional spirit of Bhutan, drunk hot or cold depending on the occasion. It is earthy, strong, and an act of hospitality when offered. Declining politely is acceptable; accepting and drinking it slowly is better.
Butter tea, churned with salt and yak butter, is an acquired taste. Most travellers try it once. A few develop a genuine preference for it in cold weather.
Beer is available at hotels and some restaurants. Red Panda is the local lager, reliably cold and unremarkable in the best possible way.
What Else to Expect on the Table
Red rice is the staple grain, nuttier and denser than white rice, and grown in the Paro and Punakha valleys. It holds up well against the richness of cheese-based dishes and is worth eating on its own.
Buckwheat features heavily in the higher altitudes, particularly in Bumthang, where it is made into noodles and pancakes. Jasha Maru, a spiced minced chicken stew, is one of the more approachable dishes for those unused to the heat levels. Pork, often dried and smoked, is common in local homes.
Soup appears at most meals, usually a thin broth with vegetables or offal. Do not skip it; it is often the most restorative thing on the table after a long day of hiking.
A Practical Note
If you are travelling with dietary restrictions, communicate them clearly before arrival. Vegetarian options are available everywhere and the cheese-heavy cuisine means you will eat well without meat. Gluten-free is harder; buckwheat is naturally gluten-free but cross-contamination is common. Nut allergies are generally manageable; shellfish allergies are a non-issue in a landlocked country.
The food in Bhutan will not be the reason you go. But it will be part of why you remember the trip as clearly as you do.
Amala Travel
23 Balmoral Road, #03-25, Singapore 259806
+65 6734 0370 info@amaladestinations.com
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TA License: TA02145
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