July 29, 2025

Bhutanese food is unapologetically spicy. At nearly every meal, you’ll find chili peppers not as seasoning—but as vegetables. Combined with local cheeses, earthy grains, and robust mountain herbs, Bhutan’s cuisine is a reflection of its high-altitude terrain and self-sustaining philosophy.

The Heart of Every Meal: Ema Datshi

The unofficial national dish, ema datshi, translates to “chili and cheese.” But don’t be fooled by its simplicity. Green or red chilies are cooked down in homemade yak or cow cheese to create a comforting, lava-hot stew eaten with red rice.

Other popular variations include:

  • Kewa datshi (potato and cheese)
  • Shamu datshi (mushroom and cheese)

Beyond Datshi: What Else to Eat

  • Phaksha Paa: Pork cooked with dried chilies and mountain greens.
  • Jasha Maru: Spicy chicken stew, often served with rice and local vegetables.
  • Hoentay: Buckwheat dumplings filled with spinach and cheese, especially popular in Haa.
  • Suja: Salted butter tea made from fermented tea leaves and churned with yak butter.

In Bumthang, putang (wheat noodles) are a local favorite. Red rice, high in fiber and grown on Himalayan terraces, accompanies nearly every meal.

Food Culture and Dining Etiquette

Bhutanese people eat traditionally with their hands and always wash before and after meals. Hospitality is core to Bhutanese culture: if you’re invited to a home, expect to be served the best food available.

It’s common to politely refuse food once or twice before accepting—it’s a gesture of humility. Meals are typically vegetarian during certain religious observances and auspicious days.

Farm-to-Table Before It Was Trendy

Most ingredients are local, seasonal, and organic by necessity. Bhutan’s policies discourage chemical farming, and many villages grow what they eat. Markets in Thimphu and Paro are great spots to sample pickled bamboo shoots, dried cheese balls (chhurpi), and local honeys.

Food in Bhutan is not just sustenance—it’s spiritual, seasonal, and shared. It invites you to slow down and connect with the land.