Garden Cafe — Restaurant in Himachal Pradesh

You are on a vacation want to eat something good, simple, have all the time in the world to savour a quick bite, then garden Café is the place. A must eat place if you are in Bir, Himanchal Pradesh. The eatery is well developed in a bungalow. You can sit in the garden, as well as inside till the time you want to. Everybody is at ease, the guests as well as the hosts. If you are in a hurry, want to grab something and move on then you have entered the wrong place. It is a very beautiful, warm and cosy home away from home. Books of all genres are stacked in shelves to delight over coffee. There is an open kitchen on the right at the entrance. You can place your order by writing it over a chit of paper. The paper slip is hanged in the queue at eye level of the aunty preparing the dish. The orders served to you are ticked and at the end when you are done with the eating it is used to calculate the bill. Serving size is big. One dish for a hungry individual is enough. We ordered chicken sandwich, chicken wrap, Veg wrap, Cold coffee, mango shake, Banana shake, cheese omelette, butter toast, chocolate shake and banana chocolate shake. The best part is food is simple, tasty and authentic, prepared with love at a slow pace with no aim to match any standards, same as we cook at our homes. Each order is exclusively cooked only for you. We ordered two mango shakes with time difference of 5 minutes, both had a different yellow colour and taste, but both were great. This also happens at home with us, isn’t it? Cheese omelette with butter toast is heaven. The amount of butter in toast can also silent a butter boasting Punjabi. No hurry, cool and calm place to savour quick bites...

When I arrived at the café, it was buzzing with people, each group engrossed in lively conversation, which added a warm, energetic vibe to the place. The seating options are versatile, offering indoor, outdoor, and terrace setups to cater to different preferences. Inside, you can choose between high tables for a more formal feel or lower seating arrangements with cozy mattresses, giving a casual, relaxed option.

One unique aspect of this café is the ordering process. Instead of the staff taking your order at the table, you jot down your selection on a piece of paper and bring it directly to the kitchen. It’s a small, quirky twist, and while unusual, it adds to the charm of the place and encourages a bit of interaction.

I did just that and handed in my order. Since I was in a bit of a rush to catch a bus, I asked the staff if they could expedite my pasta. Even though the team was clearly swamped with orders, they made an effort to speed things up, which I really appreciated. Shortly afterward, my pasta arrived, and while it was good, it could have used a little extra flavor or seasoning. But given the quick turnaround they managed, I can’t complain—it was enjoyable and just right for the moment.

Overall, this café offers a lively, unique dining experience with its self-service twist and diverse seating options. The staff is accommodating despite being busy, which adds a personal touch to the experience. If you’re in the area, it’s a great spot to unwind, grab a quick bite, and soak in...

This place is fantastic, healthy, delicious.

The fruit salad is one of my favorites. They use multiple fruits - papaya, mango, grape, orange, and maybe one or two others, which adds a lot of variety. They're all very fresh and the mixture as a whole is so delicious and healthy.

The masala omelette is great. It comes with vegetables which make it just a bit spicy which is fantastic. I usually order it with one piece of Tibetan bread, which I enjoy.

The chicken salad is good but the vegetables it comes with are raw. This might be fine for most people but upsets my stomach. I'm told the pasta salad is the same except it has pasta instead of chicken. The chicken did taste good, but I may not order it again because of the raw vegetables. Others may enjoy it, though.

The ginger lemon honey tea is great, too. I like that the ginger is more powdered than other places. Similar to other places, though. I think maybe other places don't use real honey and use sugar instead? Here you can definitely see the honey, and you want to be sure to stir your drink so the honey gets mixed in well. It's great.

In the future I'd like to try the fruit juices (perhaps substitute them for my usual ginger lemon honey tea) and some of the soups, especially the chunky vegetable soup.

Sorry my photos are lacking. This place is great, and the prices are great too. I paid only 280 rupees for a masala omelette, two Tibetan breads, a honey ginger tea, and a fruit salad, and was...