Famous Food in Kotdwar: Where Locals Actually Eat
Kotdwar doesn't have a single famous dish the way Mathura has peda. What it has is a little bit of everything: plains-style chaat and chhole, hill sweets that come down from Garhwal villages, a growing cafe scene and some very good momos.
The places below are ranked the way UK15 ranks everything: Google rating weighed against how many people have reviewed it. A 4.9 from a hundred people beats a perfect 5 from three.
Start with something Garhwali
Arsa
Arsa is the Garhwali sweet you'll see at weddings and festivals: rice flour and jaggery, deep fried, chewy in the middle. Families carry boxes of it back to Delhi. Gusain Arse in Motor Nagar specialises in it.
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Gusain Arse (गुसांई अरसे) कोटद्वार गढ़वाल
Motor Nagar · Padampur Rd, Motor Nagar, Kotdwar, Kotdwara, Uttarakhand 246149
Pahadi home food
Dishes like kafuli (a leafy green curry), jhangora kheer (made with barnyard millet), gahat dal and mandua roti are mostly cooked at home. Restaurants that serve them change often, so ask your hotel or taxi driver which dhaba is doing pahadi thali this season. If you find a good one, tell us and we'll add it.
Sweet shops
Kotdwar's mithai shops open early. Negi Sweet Shop in Jhanda Chowk opens around 5:30 am, early enough for a breakfast of jalebi and chai.
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Negi sweet shop
Jhanda Chowk · Badrinath Marg, Jhanda Chowk, Kotdwar, Uttarakhand 246149
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Gusain Arse (गुसांई अरसे) कोटद्वार गढ़वाल
Motor Nagar · Padampur Rd, Motor Nagar, Kotdwar, Kotdwara, Uttarakhand 246149
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Arjun Mishthan Bhandar
Gadighat · Vikas Nagar, garighat, Kotdwar, Uttarakhand 246149
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Dabral Sweets
Dugadda · Gandhi chowk, Anmol Nagar, Dugadda, Uttarakhand 246127
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Kamlesh Prasad
Devi Road · 11, Kotdwar, Uttarakhand 246149
Restaurants people keep going back to
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Nikhil Ninety Six
Kumbhichaur · Jeetpur, Kumbhichaur, Kotdwar, Uttarakhand 246149
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DHARAVA JUICE & DOSA POINT
Shivpur · Shivpur Rd, near hotel crown residency, Kotdwar, Shivpur, Uttarakhand 246150
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THE TERRACE A FAMILY RESTORENT
Kura Range · Kura Range, Uttarakhand 246155
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Ghar Ki Rasoi
Gadighat · near laxmi wedding point, Vikas Nagar, garighat, Kotdwar, Uttarakhand 246149
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The Momo Guys Kotdwar
Najibabad Road · Najibabad Road, opposite Kandari Colony, Kotdwar, Uttarakhand 246149
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Rasoi Restaurant
Balbhadrapur · Kandi road, near IHMS and petrol pump, Balbhadrapur, Kotdwar, Uttarakhand 246149
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Corbett Cultures
Giwai Srot · Buddha Park, Giwai Srot, Kotdwar, Uttarakhand 246149
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Kwality Delights
Devi Road · Devi Rd, near Kwality Store, Kotdwar, Uttarakhand 246149
A few notes from the reviews:
- Nikhil Ninety Six in Kumbhichaur gets consistent praise for family meals.
- Dharava Juice & Dosa Point in Shivpur is the go-to for South Indian breakfast.
- The Momo Guys on Najibabad Road opens in the evening only, roughly 4:30 to 10 pm.
- Corbett Cultures has the most reviews in this group and makes a good stop on longer drives.
See every restaurant in Kotdwar.
Cafes
The cafe scene has grown fast. Café Radix on Badrinath Marg is the most reviewed and stays open till about 10:30 pm. Smaller places like NŮBO in Tariyal Chowk have very high ratings from regulars.
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NŮBO: Beverages & Bites
Tariyal Chowk · tariyal chowk, Near Kay Pride Mall, Kotdwar, Uttarakhand 246150
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Café Radix
Badrinath Marg · PGWC+JFG, Badrinath Marg, opp. Budha Park, Kotdwar, Uttarakhand 246149
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Beetals Cafe & Restro
Kotdwara Range · near bridge, Kanvashram, Kotdwar, Kotdwara Range, Uttarakhand 246149
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FROGMAN’S FUEL
Padampur Sukhro · Devi Rd, near UCO Bank, Ratanpur Sukhro, Balasaur, Kotdwar, Padampur Sukhro, Uttarakhand 246150
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Musafir Cafe
Rothan Bhilangi · Kotdwar - Lansdowne Rd, near 7 Hills, Fathepur, Kotdwar, Rothan Bhilangi, Uttarakhand 246155
All cafes in Kotdwar.
Pizza, burgers and quick bites
For a quick bite, Hot N Crisp in Ghamandpur and Baline Pizza in Balasaur are rated highest. Domino's in Balasaur stays open the latest, till about 11 pm.
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HOT N CRISP
Ghamandpur · Haridwar Rd, Ghamandpur, Kotdwar, Uttarakhand 246149
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Baline Pizza, Kotdwar
Balasaur · Balasaur Rd, near sukhro school devi mandir, Balasaur, Kotdwar, Uttarakhand 246149
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Welcome Bakery & Fast Food restaurant
Haridwar Road · Padampur motadhng haridwar road umrao nagar, Kotdwar, Uttarakhand 246149
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Domino's Pizza | Pauri, Garhwal
Balasaur · Ground Floor, Khet No. 161, Khata/Khatoni No. 72, Village-Shibunagar, Tehsil- Kotdwar, Uttarakhand 246149
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Authentic pizza
Shibu Nagar · Devi Rd, Amsour, Shibu Nagar, Kotdwar, Uttarakhand 246150
All fast food in Kotdwar and bakeries.
Eating on the Lansdowne road
If you're driving up, the roadside cafes in Kura Range and beyond have views worth stopping for. The Terrace has a big following. More in our Kotdwar to Lansdowne guide.
Common questions about food in Kotdwar
What food is Kotdwar famous for?
Kotdwar is known for Garhwali sweets like arsa, the mithai shops of the Jhanda Chowk bazaar, and a mix of plains and pahadi food.
Which is the best restaurant in Kotdwar?
By Google rating and review count, Nikhil Ninety Six (Kumbhichaur), Dharava Juice & Dosa Point (Shivpur) and The Terrace (Kura Range) are among the highest rated right now. The live ranking is on the UK15 restaurants page.
Which is the best cafe in Kotdwar?
Café Radix on Badrinath Marg has the most reviews. NŮBO in Tariyal Chowk and Beetals Cafe have some of the highest ratings.
Where can I buy arsa in Kotdwar?
Gusain Arse in Motor Nagar specialises in arsa, and many sweet shops in the main bazaar keep it, especially around festivals.
Spotted a wrong number or a place we missed? Email kotdwarauk15@zohomail.in and we will fix it.