The mesmerizing Hunza Valley sits in the far north of Gilgit Baltistan, a mountainous territory of Pakistan filled with historical places and stunning scenery.
Living at elevations of over 2000 m, the people of Hunza have their own unique traditions, languages, and cuisines that can ONLY be experienced here.
Hunza food in particular is rich in flavor and variety, and it’s totally different from anything you can find in other parts of the country.
Aside from its tasty recipes, the Hunza Valley diet overall is blessed with organic, homegrown fruits and veggies which are fed by streams from the many, many nearby glaciers.
Seriously y’all, you’re not going to find food fresher than Hunza’s. And I don’t just mean within Pakistan, but globally as well. Even plain aloo is on another level.
Unlike traditional Pakistani cuisine, Hunza Valley dishes are typically served spice-free. While you might feel the need to add them in, try to embrace the special flavors that shine through in each recipe.
After spending months getting intimately acquainted with this majestic valley by traveling all over Hunza, y’all know I had to try every traditional food item possible. And now I’ve finally gotten around to writing about it. So without further ado:
Here’s the only guide you’ll need on Hunza Valley cuisine!
11 Iconic Hunza Valley Foods
You can’t visit Hunza Valley and miss out on these traditional and tasty dishes. Let’s get into them!
1. Chapshuro
Chapshuro is a crustless Hunza pie that’s filled with ground meat, spices, onions, and other goodies. You simply cannot visit the places in Hunza without seeing and trying this dish.
Chapshuros are often touted as “Hunza Pizza” but, personally, I find them to be more akin to Mexican tacos and quesadillas. No Italian pizza similarities here!
Chapshuros are shaped like half-circles and are stuffed with piping-hot minced beef, mutton or traditionally: yak meat.
The meat is then paired with a relatively simple mixture of chopped onions, coriander, chilies, and small tomatoes before being folded into dough and then lightly fried.
In homes, chapshuros are much more elaborate in delicious as they’re typically baked in local ovens instead of pan-fried. I’ve been lucky enough to try both and… wow!
While upscale restaurants in Karimabad (a must-visit on your Pakistan itinerary) sell these for near 1000 PKR, the tastiest chapshuros in Hunza can be found at modest street stalls.
You can also find delicious chapshuros from street food sellers near the Rakaposhi Viewpoint in neighboring Nagar.
2. Gyaling/Gral
Gyaling and gral both refer to the same Hunza food: a thin, stretchy wheat bread that looks like a bunch of pancakes.
This dish is typically served in a stack and is dipped in the much-loved ingredient of apricot oil and/or butter from local cows.
This yellow oil is expensive in most of the world, yet is just one of the many such ingredients that exist in abundance throughout Hunza.
Gyaling/Gral is typically eaten with breakfast and is always served with Hunza-style namkeen (salty) or herbal chai. It certainly will fill you up before you head off on one of Pakistan’s many hikes!
3. Buroshapik/Ghilmindi
Ghilmindi is another piece of Hunza cuisine that you certainly won’t be able to try at home! It’s one of my absolute favorites and giving it a try is something you must do in Hunza!
Wheat chapatis are pan-fried, cut into triangles, and then stuffed with a yogurty-cheese mixture straight from cows. Coriander, mint and onions are mixed in, and sometimes apricot oil can make an appearance too.
It’s also common for people to put nuts or shavings of nuts both inside and on top, all making for a very unique taste that you won’t readily find served by restaurants in Lahore, Islamabad or Karachi.
4. Diram Pitti
Like harissa, diram pitti isn’t eaten frequently and is mostly reserved for local festivals and other celebrations.
It incorporates a whole lot of wheat but is sweet overall thanks to almonds and apricot seed oil.
Diram Pitti is typically soft, brownish, and is typically eaten with breakfast or lunch.
5. Tumoro Tea
Tumoro is an aromatic plant found in the region which is used to make this delicious herbal blend.
Also known as Wild Thyme, the tea is typically yellow in color and prepared the same way any other tea is.
However, Tumoro tea doesn’t just taste good. This Hunza tea also has a host of health benefits.
From stress reduction to improved circulation AND an immune system boost, don’t miss out on your chance to try (and buy!) this tea while visiting the valley.
6. Hoilo Garma
Hoilo Garma is my absolute favorite Hunza Valley food item and one you’ll find hard not to like.
The delicious and nutritious dish consists of dough made with organic flour, which is then mixed with locally grown spinach and aloo.
It basically tastes like the alfredo pasta dish you didn’t even know you needed.
What really makes hoilo garma so special for me is the fact that it’s usually sprinkled with chopped apricot seeds, which give it a cheesy taste without even a speck of cheese being used.
If you’re traveling to Pakistan from abroad, definitely give hoilo garma a try if you’re missing Western eats!
7. Buttering Doudo
Buttering doudo is a traditional Hunza soup primarily eaten during winter. What makes this dish extra special is its incorporation of dried apricots.
The apricots, which are famous in the region, are combined with sugar water and lemon to prepare this unique soup. While there are other versions of doudo, none conjure up flavors quite like this.
Hunza Valley apricots are famous all throughout Pakistan, and they add more than just taste.
Buttering doudo in particular is revered for its assistance in improving constipation and colds, while also being an immune system booster. You can grab a bowl in Karimabad after visiting the Baltit Fort, one of the most iconic landmarks in Asia.
8. Harissa
Typically prepared for both marriages and deaths, harissa is one of the rarer items on this list as you deff won’t be able to come across it every day. Even so, from Chapursan Valley to Karimabad, you can find it anywhere there is an event.
A filling combination of wheat, rice, and lentils, harissa has an unusual taste and is sometimes served with chunks of meat mixed in.
I’d say harissa has similar vibes to haleem but gives off a very distinct wheat-y taste.
9. Molida
This traditional Hunza Valley food is popular in both Central Hunza and Gojal and is slightly similar to macaroni and cheese.
Molida is made by mixing small pieces of wheat shapik (the local word for bread) with milk, butter, and apricot oil which really gives the dish its special flavor.
The many pieces of shapik end up tasting like noodles, and the milk, apricot oil, and butter are mixed right up and served hot, making for an ideal comfort-food meal.
10. Yak meat
I had been wanting to try yak meat for YEARS, so you can imagine my excitement when I discovered it’s a staple in Hunza’s food. The best time to visit Pakistan (and therefore Hunza) for yak meat is in the fall/winter though many restaurants and butchers supply it year round.
Yak is very similar to beef, but bursting with a bit more flavor. I guess that makes sense since yaks are just extra-special cows 😂
You can find yak meat in dishes like chapshuro, and also in bbq form paired with naan and dahi. You can even enjoy yak steaks and burgers at my fave restaurant in Hunza, the Yak Grill.
If you don’t want to eat yak but want to encounter them, the remote Shimshal Valley has a LOT of these furry friends.
11. Pitti
A staple in any Hunza household, pitti is simply wheat bread baked in a traditional stove known as bukhari. Bukhari are small, portable fireplaces that can be used for baking, as well as any other type of cooking.
The bread itself has been eaten for nearly 2000 years and is typically made simply from buckwheat flour.
Pitti is rich in nutrients, and gives people fuel for hours. Historically, this was (and still is!) particularly an energy booster for field or animal work.
What makes this Hunza bread unique is that it’s not typically eaten hot. It’s usually baked early in the morning, and let to harden before it’s eaten throughout the day.
The Hunza Valley Diet
The people of Hunza are known for their impressive health and long lifespans. There are many reports of Hunzukutz living to over 100, and while the clean mountain air definitely has something to do with it, it’s all about diet.
I’ve now spent months residing in Hunza, and let me tell you that their diet is LEGIT. The cuisine is free from the poisons that plague Western diets. Yup, we’re talking added sugar, fat, and preservatives.
None of which you’ll find in the food of Hunza. Instead, Hunza Valley is blessed with organic fruits and vegetables–which are fed by glacier water no less–extremely fresh meat, along with plenty of nuts and herbal teas.
It’s no surprise that Hunza is the most beautiful and safest place in Pakistan then!
If you’re lucky enough to get to experience a meal in someone’s house, sincerely appreciate the hospitality as Hunza food in the home can’t be beaten!
Hunza Dried Fruits
Most people visiting Hunza have heard something about its iconic dried fruits. And let’s be real–you shouldn’t leave Hunza without a bag or two!
The most popular dried fruits include the local favorite, Hunza Valley apricots. If you could pick one thing Hunza is known for (besides mountains, that is) it would be apricots!
They typically are at their peak in July, though the dried version can be purchased year-round for around 300 PKR.
You can also try Hunza apricot seeds, which are actually safe to eat here and are filled with nutrients.
Other dried fruits you can find in Hunza include my personal favorite, walnuts, along with dried mulberries.
As for regular fruits, delicious cherries can be found all throughout Hunza in June, and apples are at their best in October-December.
Hunza Tea
Just like in the rest of Pakistan, chai is life in Hunza Valley. But Hunza Valley tea is just a little bit different than what you’re used to.
Like the rest of GB and Upper Chitral, the people of these majestic mountains prefer namkeen (salty) chai to the sugary variety Pakistan is typically known for. The taste reminds me of soup, but it’s certainly energizing!
You can also try tumoro tea as aforementioned, as well as bozlanj tea, which is another herbal blend primarily found in Gojal (Upper Hunza.)
All About Hunza Water
What’s up with Hunza water? Allow me to explain.
Hunza water refers to two very different types of water: one is glacier water known for its health benefits and a local moonshine made from fermented fruit.
The glacier water has been said to have many health benefits, and numerous scientists have spent DECADES studying it.
The gist of what makes Hunza water so special is that it contains negatively charged ions and a ton of minerals. The water is mainly served in May-August when the glacier runoff is at its peak.
The moonshine, on the other hand, is made from either fermented apricots or grapes and is much stronger than you may think.
Keep in mind that while locally popular, “Hunza Water” is technically illegal and not sold in stores. If you want to give it a try, ask your hotel owner for a connect.
Best Local Restaurants for Hunza Food
If you’re really looking to sample Hunza cuisine, it doesn’t get any better than in a local home! Not that many restaurants serve the dishes, and many that do charge outrageous prices.
But never fear, good options do exist!
Here are some of my favorite Hunza restaurants that serve traditional food while keeping rates reasonable.
Yak Grill (Passu)
I don’t think I can do the Yak Grill justice, but I’ll try. As an American, I’ve eaten a LOT of burgers. Like a whole lot. And not a single one of those even comes close to the culinary magic of the yak burger served at the Yak Grill.
Opened in 2020, the small restaurant packs a big punch. Aside from their famous burgers, they also make yak steaks, and yak alfredo pasta.
And while it might not be as cheap as some of the other places, but y’all, this flavor is worth every single Rupee. It is no exaggeration the best burger I’ve ever tried in my entire life!
Highland Cuisine (Karimabad)
Most people know about the Hunza Food Pavillion (which I’ll get into) but did you know there’s another woman-run food business in Hunza?
Highland Cuisine is a small, relatively new restaurant run by a local woman and her husband.
They’re not always open, but when they are, hoilo garma, chapshuro, doudo and more are all on the menu!
Hunza Food Pavillion (Karimabad)
The Hunza Food Pavillion, located right next to the Baltit Fort in Karimabad, is the most famous Hunza food joint around.
Run by a Hunzai woman named Laal Shehzadi, all food is prepared fresh and you can sample all cuisine on the cheap.
My personal faves here are the molida and the berekutz, which are fried cheese dumplings.
Bozlanj Cafe (Gulmit)
In Gojal, also known as Upper Hunza, lies this delicious restaurant that is also run by badass women!
The Bozlanj Cafe is located in the village of Gulmit, and has slightly different food names and offerings than the Central Hunza eateries.
Prices are very reasonable, and taste is delish. Try out the gral and ghilmindi here!
Hunza Foodie Guide Wrap Up
I hope you’re hungry now after reading all about the delicious cuisine of Hunza Valley!
While I’ve covered almost all of the dishes of the valley, you should now know that there’s a lot more Hunza food out there than just “Hunza pizza.”
Hunza Valley food is very much traditional and undoubtedly made to be so special because of the abundance of organic ingredients present all throughout the region.
So next time you take a trip North, skip the biryani and karahis. The food of Hunza Valley is absolutely worth getting to know!
Have you ever tried the food of Hunza Valley? Let me know in the comments!
Samantha is the founder of Intentional Detours. Originally from the USA, she’s been backpacking the world since 2017, and is passionate about slow, adventure travel that puts local communities first. She has visited 19 countries and has been living in the Karakoram Mountains of Asia’s Hunza Valley since 2021. She’s super passionate about helping people get off the beaten path anywhere (on a budget of course), and her travel writing has been published in the likes of BBC Travel, CNBC, Business Insider, and more.
This was so enjoyable to read.