The Grand Dragon Restaurant

Operating here on Old Road in Leh is quite different from running a restaurant anywhere else. We are located in the Sheynam area, and the air is thin and the winters are long. We’ve been part of the community here for a long time, serving both the locals and the trekkers who come through Ladakh. The building is solid, built to keep out the cold, and inside it’s usually quite warm and buzzing with talk. We don't go in for fancy decorations or anything that feels out of place in Leh. It’s mostly just heavy tables and local touches that have been here since we started. Our kitchen staff knows how to cook for the climate, making things that stick to your ribs. We get our supplies when the passes are open, which takes some planning. It’s not a perfect system, but it works for us. During the peak summer months, the place is full of people from all over the world, all sharing stories about their travels. In the winter, it’s much quieter, mostly just the neighbors stopping by to escape the wind. We don't have a big marketing plan. We just keep the doors open and the tea hot. People find us by walking down Old Road or hearing about us from someone else in town. It’s a simple, honest way to make a living in a place that’s as beautiful and tough as this.