Cafe Montagne: A unique gastronomical experience on top of the world

Few things are more comforting than enjoying a slice of freshly prepared pizza or savouring warm bread with piping hot fondue amidst the enchanting landscape of the mountains. Well, you can enjoy all this and much more at Cafe Montagne which is a quaint, classy café in the heart of the Land of Lamas aka Leh.

A unit of Montagne Hospitality, Cafe Montagne was launched on 25-July-2022. Café Montagne is helmed by the highly experienced team of Twinkle Keswani, Chef Rohan D'souza, Sandra Lobo and Irshad Khan. While Twinkle Keswani is an accomplished F&B entrepreneur and the Managing Director of Pisco By The Beach- Goa, Montagne- Leh, Toro Toro- Goa and Chop, The Freestyle Kitchen - Nairobi, Kenya, Sandra Lobo is a Goan restaurateur and a successful businesswoman with brands like Salt and Bridal and Beyond to her credit. Irshad Khan, a native of Leh owned a cafe called Coffee Culture. Chef Rohan D'souza is the culinary director and lead chef of brands like Pisco by The Beach (Goa), Chop at The Urban Eatery (Nairobi), Silver Beach Café (Mumbai), The Lazy Goose (Goa), Toro Toro (Goa), Estella (Mumbai), Nom Nom (Mumbai) and Radio Bar (Mumbai).

Marriage of French vibes with Ladaki elements

Located in the middle of Little Tibet (Leh), Café Montagne exude vibes which are distinctively French albeit with Ladaki elements at its heart. So, it is here that you can see classic native elements like the ‘shingsag’ which are Ladakhi wooden carvings above windows and door frames, combined with classical French style mouldings as seen on the coffee bar and the facade of the cafe. The overall colour palette of the space is neutral with muted tones of beige and cream with a shade of merlot on the upholstery and wallpaper. A classical fireplace seating with comfortable high back chairs and a traditional Ladakhi carpet is the highlight of the cafe and the perfect place to sit back and enjoy your cuppa.

The sixty-seater space boasts of a large outdoor upper deck with a capacity of 30. This one offers a panoramic view of the spectacular Stok Mountain range in the distance as well as of the eclectic local market below. A large part of the furniture and fixtures including the woodwork has been crafted using local pine and poplar wood from Ladakh. The ambience exudes warmth and an obvious sense of comfort.

Heart-warming Fare

The thoughtfully curated menu includes specialities like pickled Ladakhi peach bruschetta, spicy fried chicken kebabs, tempura fried prawns with sea-buckthorn (native ingredient to Ladakh) dressing along with classic pizzas, fondue and coffee. The menu complements the cosy interiors and is just what you need to warm your soul at an altitude as high as 11500 ft above sea level. “While Leh boasts of a burgeoning tourism scene, there is a dearth of top-notch eateries serving good quality food. Cafe Montagne aims to bridge this gap and we hope to enhance the experience of tourists visiting this utterly beautiful destination. Cafe Montagne caters to a diverse palate as it offers a good mix of local and global cuisine” say the partners at Cafe Montagne.

Details

· Address: Café Montagne, D manzil, Zangsti, Leh, near Leh Market, Ladakh - 194101

· Operational hours. 8:30 am to 11:30 pm, 7 days a week

· Breakfast: Up to 12 noon

· Indoor/ Outdoor seat bifurcation: 30 outdoor -30 indoor

· Average meal for two with drinks and without alcohol: INR 1500