The Namgyal Cafe: the best “Pizza Popeye” in town!
This little cafe is one of our favorites. It has a great atmosphere especially in the evenings, with mesmerizing sunsets as the setting sun slowly loses its glow as it creeps over the distance hills and enveloping the café with an aura of peace and tranquility.
The café is situated on the basement level of the Tsuglagkhang Complex, the monastery of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, which makes it even more special. The pizzas here are simply excellent, and once you discover your favorite, you don’t want to try anything else! If you have a sweet tooth, don’t miss the chocolate-vanilla-rum macaroons!
Behind the counter, stuck on the wall, an amazing patchwork of banknotes from all over the world proudly displayed by the café manager as evidence of his very cosmopolitan clientèle. And near the door, photographs of the Dalai Lama as well of the Buddha. And on prominent display a photo of the well known celebrity, American actor Richard Gere, posing with the smiling Tibetan café manager. Richard Gere is a familiar and regular visitor to McLeod Ganj and has a very close relationship with His Holiness.
We are very fortunate indeed. McLeod Ganj is a great place for eating, and visitors have their choice of simple but very good restaurants to chose from: Indian, Tibetan, Italian, French, Thai, Japanese and even Korean! It is unlikely that one will be able to find such diversity so closely located anywhere else in India, not even in Delhi.