Manali trip is always awesome each year. No doubt every people also find Best cafes to visit in Manali for good service and great food. Continuing with the plan of enjoying the snow-capped mountains in beautiful Manali. Any trip becomes more successful when great food is also added to the itinerary.
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Both local specialties and international fare can be found in abundance in Manali. Due to the large number of visitors, the town’s restaurants provide a wide variety of cuisines.
So let’s get started; we’ll do our best to cover as much of Manali as possible, but if there’s a specific area you’d want us to investigate, please let us know.
8 best cafes to visit in Manali
1. The Lazy Dog
When discussion about best cafes to visit in Manali and “The Lazy Dog” cafe not in 1st position, that not possible. A perfect evening with good food, great music, a lovely ambiance, and the scenic beauty of the river Beas flowing right next to you. Lazy Dog is a café straight out of a fairy tale, a place where every evening is special.
It has two seating arrangements; a cozy and warm indoor café is apt for days with unbearable cold and the outdoor portion is just always there to take your breath away with its enchanting beauty. A tree sits right in the middle of this place, giving it a mystical cover.
The place is adorned with fairy lights, wooden chairs, and tables. People enjoy the grilled trout here along with varied options of Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, and Italian cuisines.
On the way to the café, you’ll cross a cute leather bag store, do stop by and check out the collection, it’s amazing but overpriced so don’t forget to negotiate a bit before you buy your goodies!
2. Café 1947
One of the most popular and oldest cafes of Manali with a stunning view of the Manaslu river. The café is known to be the first café in Manali to offer live music to its customers. Thst why it comes in 2nd number in the list of our best cafes to visit in Manali.
The vintage café serves mouth-smacking Italian dishes and small bites. If you are a foodie and you enjoy aesthetic food with a dose of beautiful scenery, head out to Café 1947 and enjoy some hot chocolate with some bruschetta.
The place is known to packed during the peak tourist season, given its popularity and super accommodative staff. The place also has an option for people to stay and that’s equally charming.
Our pro tip would be to make reservations before dropping by here if you are visiting in the peak season. here’s the website Café 1947
Do enjoy the hot fries and let us know if the place took you to the golden era of the 1940s, a time of grace and warmth.
3. Rocky’s Café
A recently popular café with the charm of mountains surrounding it. Rocky’s café is one of the highest-situated cafes in Manali and that allows its customers some spectacular views of the Himalayan ranges. The café has an artistic décor and is a must-visit for painters and poets looking for inspiration. That’s why its in best cafes to visit in Manali.
The café has outdoor and indoor seating arrangements facing the mountains, where you sit you are bound to be amazed by the view.
The café is actually a part of a guesthouse that offers cheap accommodation with a magnificent view, it’s particularly popular with backpackers, looking to enjoy the rides and adventure sports around Manali. Enjoy some good old tea here or go for something more filling like a bowl of soup and noodles.
With the culture of work vacation prevalent after covid-19, you’ll find a lot of people working in the café and enjoying the view. Strike up an interesting conversation with a stranger here and you’ll be in awe of the curves life can take.
The poster and the quotes on the wall of the café will leave a lasting impression on you, making you want to spend hours and hours together here.
4. River music garden Restaurant and German bakery
We have added this in best cafes to visit in Manali because Soulful, tasteful, and calm are the words that come to mind when the talk is about this café. The situation right beside the bridge leading you into the lanes of Old Manali, this café is a must-visit.
Imagine having a freshly baked croissant with a hot cup of coffee or hot cocoa sitting right beside the river Manaslu, well you don’t have to imagine you can visit this café to experience it.
The smell of bread baking fills the air and the sound of water hitting the rocks surrounds the atmosphere. Spending time is an experience that can’t be written down but can be just felt.
Sit here alone with your thoughts and unwind from the daily pressure or enjoy some laughs with a group of friends. This place will give you a lot of memories and baked good to cherish on.
Do try the cheesecake here, a cheesecake right beside the river will take away every worry you have.
5. The Johnson’s Café
The most Instagram-able café in the whole of Manali and trust us when we say it’s tough competition. The place starts with a grand entrance and lovely music playing in the backdrop.
The porch is decorated with beautiful wildflowers and maintained like those flowers have been woven into a maiden’s hair. As aesthetic as the place sounds, the food is that great.
The JOHNSON’S Café is known for the pizzas it served amongst other dishes offered. The options for dessert will make a non-sweet tooth drool. The place hosts a lovely menu will healthy options like salads and every other dish you could look for. That’s why its in best cafes to visit in Manali.
The Jhonson’s Café has a lively and breezy ambiance, you’ll be charmed by the cottage look of the place and the glass panels for the door. The aura of the place is as bright and positive as one can hope for.
Do indulge in ordering some hot beverage and sit by the window just to reminisce and get engrossed in the beauty of the place. The charm of the place is enhanced by the live music that goes on here by the artists.
A recommendation would be to walk around in this area as the place is just asight to behold and relive in the memories over and over again. The sitting arrangement of the place quite unique as there are straw sheets on the ground with colorful pillows that are too soft to hold.
You can slip on the ice teas that the cafe provides and just indulge in long conversations with friends or with the special someone you are with.
6. Drifter’s Café
The Drifter’s café is a hidden treasure that may be found on the road leading to the Manu Temple. It’s the perfect spot to kick back with some board games.
The portions are huge and the prices are low, so you won’t have to worry about being hungry. You may rent scooters and bicycles from a number of local shops and explore the valley at your own pace.
In the evenings, when the karaoke machine begins playing, the whole establishment comes to life. Visiting different cafes and flowing with the flow allows you to play with several fingers at once.
7. Dylans Toasted & Roasted Coffee House
A cozy café with hosts as kind as the coffee they serve can be found in the heart of Old Manali.
There are a lot of visitors from other countries at this café because the smell of fresh coffee draws even those who don’t enjoy coffee.
Don’t let the small size of the shop deceive you; they likely offer some of the best coffee you’ve ever tasted.
The establishment not only provides the liquid gold, but also pastries and cheesecakes, so you can indulge in all your sinful cravings in one convenient location. The proprietors manage the cafe, and the care they put into making each cup makes coffee taste even better.
You may talk to the couple and learn about how they came to create the café.
Please come here and report back to us on whether or not you gone completely insane.
8. Il Forno
It is the most popular café and on the list of almost every traveler coming to Manali. The café is known for its Italian cuisine, (check out its website- http://www.ilforno.co.in/).
The garden seating arrangement of the café adds to the vibrance of the place. The indoor arrangement of the café gives a vintage feel.
The homely feel of the place will make you feel straight at home and the food is as soul-pleasing as the place sounds to be.
Conclusion
All in all, when we talk about best cafes to visit in Manali, Manali offers variety in scenic beauty as well as food. All the cuisines that one can wish for are here. We have mentioned just a few gems out of many others that are present in Manali.
We hope that we have done justice to the kind of food that is offered in Manali and to the restaurants that are present there.
If there are any other restaurants that you want us to write about, please let us know so that next time I list can be more informative.
Before heading to the conclusion about best cafes to visit in Manali, let’s even give a shout-out to the amazing local food that Manali offers. You can find most of the listed items listed at places in and around Manali, especially tourist destinations.
Khatta
It is a Pagari dish made from pumpkin and is one of the most famous street dishes here. It’s a traditionally made dish that tastes sweet and sour, it’s usually enjoyed with rice.
Bhey
It’s a dish made from lotus stems. The stems are thinly sliced, boiled, and then stir-fried with gram flour and spices. The crispy snacks can be enjoyed roaming the streets of Manali with friends and family.
Siddu
It is the most popular and loved local dish made by kneading wheat flour, and filled with spiced mutton. Siddu is rich with stuffing and is enjoyed by most non-vegetarians. The vegetarian variant of Siddu can also be found because of the popularity of the dish.
Mitha
As the name suggests it’s a sweet dish and a popular one prepared using saffron rice and raisins. The dish is rich in authentic Pagari flavors.
With this, we come to the end of this flavourful blog but not at the end of the different flavors Manali has to offer so keep exploring and keep tingling your tastebuds.
Also see – Places to Visit in Manali
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