Patialjee

You can find us in Shimla, tucked away below the gaty thertre at house number 30. Being in a place like Shimla, the weather changes all the time, and so does the crowd. We’re right in the heart of things, but being below the theatre gives us a bit of a different feel. It’s not a huge space, but it’s ours. We started Patialjee because we wanted a place that served the kind of food we liked to eat at home. The stairs and the old buildings here have so much character, and we try to fit into that. It gets cold in the winters, so we make sure the place feels warm when you walk in. We don’t have a massive menu, just a few things we know how to make well. The staff is small, and we mostly do everything ourselves. On weekends, the Mall Road area gets packed with tourists, but we also have our regulars who live nearby. Sometimes the service might be a little slow if we’re hit with a sudden rush, but we do our best to keep everyone happy. We don't use a lot of fancy equipment; it’s mostly traditional cooking. The views around here are great, though from our spot, it’s more about the cozy feeling of being inside. We’ve been here for a bit now, learning what people like and what they don't. It’s a simple life running a food spot in the hills, and we wouldn't have it any other way.