16 Best Places to Eat in Bir | Best Cafes in Bir

When I first visited Bir in 2019, I do not know how a couple of days turned into whole two weeks. But I know that I spent most of those two weeks finding my way through the best places to eat in Bir. From Instagrammable cafes to hole in the wall joints, Bir definitely has some of the best cafes in Himachal Pradesh. Since it was August and the peak of monsoon season in Bir, the tourist crowds were at an all-time low and the streets were all but empty. This allowed me to take my own sweet time, soaking in the vibe of each cafe in Bir.

I found the whole scene of this quaint little paragliding village so charming that I promised myself that I will live here one day. Two years later, I was living this dream. It has been two months since I have been here as of July 2021 and I still have no idea when I’ll leave or where I’ll go next. Such is the vibe of Bir – the bird-like gliders always there in the sky, the cafes of Bir, always open – sometimes bustling, other times quiet and its wide valley always awe-inspiring with its breathtaking sunsets over snowcapped peaks. It is a slice of heaven in itself! But it has to be said – visiting the best places to eat in Bir is the greatest thing you can do in this village – second to paragliding, of course!

🪂Visiting Bir? Here are a few quick links at a glance:
✈️Book Flights: Skyscanner for cheapest deals
🚤Book Transfers: 12goAsia
🛌Book Hotels: Booking and Expedia for best deals
🩺Global Travel Insurance: SafetyWing
🧴Sunscreen: Thank You Farmer (Reef Safe), Foxtale (SPF 70)

Also read: “Getting a Food Coma in Jaisalmer”

Silver Linings Cafe, Bir

Call me biased, but this is by far the best cafe in Bir Billing I have ever been to. Silver Linings Cafe, Bir is a quaint cafe located in Suja village, just beyond the paragliding landing site in Bir. It is the oldest cafe in Bir and was built five years ago. Run by Sanjay and Harish Bhai, Silver Linings Bir is made of mud and wood and this cosy little cafe has the most delicious iced tea that is organic and homemade and not the sugar-powdery kinds. That, coupled with their lentil burger is a match made in heaven! Silver Linings is not only the best place to eat in Bir but has long been my favourite workspace. I would usually grab a quiet corner and type away most of my days and if not, grab a book from the cafe’s excellent book collection and read to my heart’s content. Trust me when I say this – you must visit Silver Linings Cafe in Bir on your visit. Oh, and the accolades for their banoffee pie can be heard echoing every corner of this village!

Pro tip: If you visit Bir in monsoons between July and August, you will find most cafes almost all to yourselves, and the long corn stalks in front of Silver Linings add to the vibe of it!

Cloud Door Cafe

Move over Glider’s Pizza or the Himalayan Cafe and find the legit best pizza in Bir at Cloud Door. I love this cafe because it’s located at Chougan Chowk – a little away from the hustle-bustle of Bir’s main market, it’s not as crowded and noisy as most other cafes in Bir are. Cloud Door has a wonderful clay brick oven for some smoky pizzas in Bir that go so surprisingly well with their fresh, homemade mustard sauce. (I know, I was shocked too!) Also do try the fresh mint and honey lemonade when here. The vibe of this cafe is really relaxed and it’s truly one of the best places to eat in Bir. Equipped with good WiFi, it also makes a great space to work out of!

Garden Cafe, Bir

Garden Cafe is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Bir. The aesthetics of this place are very well done with bougainvillaea shrubs hanging everywhere and cheeky sparrows finding their way to the crumbs you (un)knowingly drop on the floor! Another cosy little corner to work from, Garden Cafe Bir has WiFi and the ginger lemon iced tea is my go-to order here. Their pancakes are also worth a try, definitely making it one of the best cafes in Bir.

Buransh Cafe

Buransh Cafe is one of those little gems that are hidden in plain sight. This place is named after buransh or rhododendron – a bright red or pink flower which is also the state flower of Himachal Pradesh One of the best cafes in Bir, what I love about this place is that its located right at the end of the paragliding landing site in Bir. The terrace seating at Buransh Cafe makes for the perfect spot to sip on chai as you witness the spectacular sunsets of Bir. Buransh Cafe is one of the best places to eat in Bir, especially if you’re looking to try traditional Himachali dishes like siddu in Bir. Its location by the landing site also makes it the go-to place to order a bite as you take a moment to relive the magical paragliding experience you have just had (wink wink!)

Bhoomi Cafe

If you’re anything like me and are a sucker for Korean food, Bhoomi Cafe is the place to go to! What I especially love about this place is its simplistic aesthetics, an all-women staff and vegetarian menu. Their japchae (Korean glass noodles with stir-fried vegetables) and dandanmian (wheat noodles with schezwan soya chunks) are my favourites off the Bhoomi Cafe menu. I also really like their anchan (butterfly pea flower) lemonade and this is also one of the few places serving freshly brewed kombucha in Bir. Bhoomi Cafe is also a great stop for those who are looking for vegan food in Bir. A plus side – Rigzin, the owner of Bhoomi Cafe, is also a fantastic baker and makes delicious sweet treats every day. On some days it’s a lemon tart, on others a simple decadent chocolate cake and on Sundays, pillowy soft creamy doughnuts! I think it’s fair to say that apart from being one of the best places to eat in Bir, Bhoomi Cafe is also definitely one of the best bakeries in Bir!

Cafe Bir

Cafe Bir is the place to go to for those who are true meat lovers. I personally have been a vegetarian since March 2019 but seeing the delicious meat options at Bir Cafe, I couldn’t help breaking this fast for a meal (or three!) The cafe reopened fairly recently – in September 2021 and has a limited menu, with more options being added as the owner and head chef continue with his experiments. This is the place to go to if you’re looking for bubble tea in Bir. Apart from that, the dakgangjeong or sweet crispy Korean fried chicken is worth every penny! They also have a few varieties of corn dogs, of which the cheese corn dog is my absolute favourite! Cafe Bir is also one of the few places serving an all-day breakfast in Bir including the American breakfast which features pancakes and eggs to your liking and the English breakfast featuring beans and toast and sauteed mushrooms. Both breakfast options also come with a choice of coffee – latte, mocha, Americano or espresso! Cafe Bir is definitely one of the best places to eat in Bir (especially for non-vegetarians) since their vegetarian options are quite limited and underwhelming.

Emaho Cafe – Best Tibetan Food in Bir

If you’re looking for true blue Tibetan food in Bir, hit up Eamho Cafe for sure. They have a widespread menu of only Tibetan delicacies ranging from kothey, shabaley, tingmo, shapta and more. Apart from these, they also have the typical Chinese dishes such as chowmein and spring rolls etc. What I especially love about Emahi Cafe is the complimentary black tea you are offered right at the beginning, it really helps create an appetite and enjoy the food even more. The cafe is priced very decently as well, so you don’t have to burn a hole in your pocket. This is definitely one of the best places to eat in Bir. A pro tip: ask for their dry manchurian, an off-the-menu dish that is my favourite here.

Ace of Spade – Best Barbecue Food in Bir

Ace of Spade BBQ Quest is a hole in the wall joint right by the landing site. An easily missable spot, this place only opens in the evening and serves some really good barbecue and grilled options. They mostly have a meat-based menu and the only vegetarian option they serve is potato twisters which makes for a great quick snack while passing by. They also have barbecued chicken sausages and smokey mutton. Everything is priced under 50 rupees here making this place definitely one of the most pocket-friendly places to eat in Bir! For those who are craving a quick evening snack and are on the lookout for barbecue in Bir, Ace od Spade BBQ Quest is the place to go!

Avva Cafe – South Indian Food in Bir

Avva Cafe, Bir is as close to homely food in Bir as it gets. This is one of the most popular places to eat in Bir, and rightfully so. Avva’s is a South Indian cafe in Bir run by a Telugu family. I especially love their pepper and garlic dosa. They also recently started selling kokum sharbat and if you have read my adventures from Gokarna, you know my love for kokum goes way back! When I re-visited Avva Cafe, Bir after two years, however, their prices have gone up considerably and that left me unable to eat here as regularly as I would’ve liked to.

Northern Cafe

In 2019, Northern Cafe used to be a hole in the wall kind of a place that not many really knew existed. To this day, there are no signboards on the main market street of Bir directing you to the cafe. That mysterious charm of this place would’ve still survived perhaps, had it not been for social media. Two years later, the quiet, cosy vibe of what used to be one of the best cafes in Bir was all spoilt. There was loud, trashy music being played, big noisy groups were hanging out and adding to the noise pollution and the price list for the food was inflated exorbitantly. And the worst bit? The drinks we ordered were sugary, syrupy and plain terrible. (Who charges 170 rupees for a powdered peach iced tea, anyway?!) So why, then, am I mentioning Northern Cafe in this list of best places to eat in Bir, you ask? For the nostalgia of it, perhaps. Two years ago this traditionally built pahadi house was a peaceful haunt to watch a splendid sunset as paragliders made their way to the landing site. I won’t go back here again but I miss it for what it used to be.

Meals and Kneads Bakery – Best Bakery in Bir

If there is a dearth in the eating scene in Bir, it has to be a dearth of bakeries selling fantastic deserts. As mentioned before, Bhoomi Cafe is one place where you can go to, to satiate your sweet cravings but if you’re looking for a full-blown menu with mastery in all things sweet, there is a new bakery in town and it is called Meals and Kneads. This bakery in Bir is actually located in a village nearby, called Bari. The place is co-run by the owner of Connect Bir, a beautiful campsite in Bari. My most favourite things to order from Meals and Kneads is their choco-chip, oatmeal and jaggery cookies. I know it sounds too healthy to be any good, but trust me when I say this they are worth every penny! You have the option of either takeaway from their place in Bari or getting it delivered to wherever in Bir you are staying, so make sure you check it out since it’s definitely one of the best places to eat in Bir.

Another bakery in Bir worth mentioning is Bakeri From Bari run by Avni Rastogi. She does some fantastic deserts herself and their monsoon special wild mushroom quiche is worth trying!

Shere Punjab – Best Dhaba in Bir

For those who have been staying in Bir for a while and are fed up with the everyday cafe-hopping – or just plain ol’ backpackers on a shoestring budget who cannot afford to eat in cafes, Shere Punjab comes to rescue! It is the best dhaba in Bir, with their menu changing every day. Shere Punjab does dine-in, as well as takeaways and deliveries and is the perfect place to go for a wholesome home-like lunch and dinner. Definitely do check this place out on your next visit, as it is definitely one of the best places to eat in Bir!

Tiffin Services in Bir

Since a lot of non-Himachali people come and live in Bir either to learn paragliding, to work from home or to just get a taste of the simple mountain life, there is always a need for tiffin services that can provide wholesome home-cooked meals on a budget for your daily needs. For this, there are a lot of home kitchens that have popped up in Bir that provide simple homely meals at a reasonable cost available for delivery or takeaway. Some of these tiffin services in Bir include Sparrow House Cafe that offers veg thalis for 100 rupees and non-veg thalis for 160 only! Another home kitchen in Bir is Grandma’s Cook Station that has healthy, wholesome meals – and even offer South Indian food in Bir like idli and vada! There is also a new venture as of October 2021 that does late night food delivery in Bir from 10 pm to 2 am. It’s called The After Hour Kitchen and you can contact them at 7876865391.

Best Laphing in Bir

If you come all the way to Bir and don’t try out the many Tibetan street food available here, did you even come to Bir!? For the uninitiated, laphing is this heavenly goodness of soya chunks in chilli garlic powdered wrapped in a mung bean wrap. I was introduced to this spicy snack during my college days, in Majnu ka Tilla. But when I saw signboards indicating that laphing in Bir was available as well, I couldn’t (and didn’t) resist. My go-to place for laphing in Bir is the tiny shop just below Zhim Zhim Guest House or Kuckie’s Cafe as many might know it. It is a massive yellow building in the main market and every time you cross this place, you must grab a plate. Trust me, it’s that good!

Best Momos in Bir

Speaking of Tibetan street food in Bir… I was surprised to see there isn’t a very heavy momo culture in Bir. I expected the place to be lined up with stalls selling piping hot plates of these goody dumplings like they do in Delhi. Perhaps it was because the lockdown took down many businesses, or this culture never existed in the first place, I don’t know. However, there are still enough places selling momos in Bir and my favourite of them is Ram Bahadur Cafe. It is located at the very beginning of the Bir market and sells both chicken and vegetarian momos in Bir, with a killer chutney to go with! One can even try the thukpa and other Tibetan street food here.

Best Street Food in Bir

Now that we’ve covered Tibetan street food in Bir, I want to quickly touch upon this shack that I literally stumbled upon one evening while returning from a swim. This shack sells delicious bun tikkis and is not located in the main Bir region, nor has a name so read this very carefully. When you exit Bir to go towards Chauntra and further head to Ahju, there is a railway crossing that comes on the way. You can ask anyone where the railway “faatak” is and they’ll direct you to the right location. Right beside the crossing is a small shack with a garden umbrella and a few chairs selling samose and bun tikki. This is arguable one of the best places to eat in Bir. for 30 rupees you get a saucy, sour, chilli combo that is just as close to perfect as it gets!

Best Places to Eat in Bir – FAQs

Is alcohol in Bir Billing available?

Alcohol in Bir Billing is easily available. There are several fruit wine shops in Bir lined across the main market. I especially love Barna wines, especially their Rhododendron and Honey Apple wines. Another thing to look out for is the Gold Home Apple Cider. For a regular beer and wine shop in Bir Billing, head over to Chougan Chowk.

Nightlife in Bir is another aspect that must be explored while here. Moonshine Madness Cafe and the Vairagi Cafe near Zhim Zhim Guest House are the most famous places to go and enjoy the nightlife in Bir as they both have BYOB.

What to eat in bir Billing?

There is so much to explore when it comes to places to eat in Bir. From Tibetan street food like laphing, clay oven pizzas, traditional Himachali food like siddu, and of course – the iced tea at Silver Linings are all some of the best foods to eat in Bir Billing.

Where to eat in Bir Billing?

Silver Linings Cafe, Cloud Door Cafe and Bhoomi Cafe have long been my go-to places in Bir. Laphing in Bir is the best at Zhim Zhim Guest House and traditional Himachali food is a must-try at Buransh Cafe. These are some of the best cafes in Bir, and you must not miss out on them!

For more stories and adventures from Bir and elsewhere, follow me on Instagram!