India on Winter Plates

It is around mid-January that we must finally resign ourselves to the inevitability of failed New Year resolutions and begrudgingly make peace with the fact that perhaps 2026 isn’t going to be spectacularly different from the year gone by. While the festive season is largely considered over, January is the month when winter is still lingering, we’re still wearing our boots out, and hot chocolate hasn’t entirely abandoned menus yet. As a tropical country, we may not have snowflakes falling outside our windows, but what we do have are uniquely playful, deeply local ways of enjoying the winter sun and the nip in the air, and we are looking at how India does winters on its plates.

Chill Scenes
Mumbai residents are now willing to make peace with about four days of winter and pull all stops to wear the cute hoodies we own. Restaurants roll out winter-friendly menus with hot cocktails and spiced infusions— because even if the city doesn’t have a winter, we certainly won’t be denied winter menus. Toscano Mumbai warms things up with Hot Maple Buttered Rum and a cosy Golden Turmeric Latte, while Luna Et Sol promises an alpine escape with pine cones, pumpkins and flickering candles, paired with Spice Apple Strudel or Maple Frangipani Pecan Pie for dessert.

Across Goa, winter months call for local dishes with an extra serving of spice. The zaad kanga (Chinese potatoes) is a seasonal dish that finds itself incorporated into the year-round favourite usal. Khaaje, a jaggery-and-sesame-seeds sweet, is found at winter fairs around this time of year. Of course, hot toddy becomes the cocktail of choice, delivering on the experience while also soothing throats. If indulgence calls, Bonita at the Heritage Village Resort and Spa offers limited-edition dishes, chef-led grill pop-ups and spirited craft cocktails. Meanwhile, Taj Fort Aguada adds warmth to the season with robust cinnamon- and peppercorn-laced concoctions.

Bengaluru, of course, needs no convincing that it has the best weather in the country. And winter or not, the climate is generally crisp and just right for elaborate spreads. At the Mulberry Shades Bengaluru Nandi Hills, where the lamb pie takes center stage, a delicately spiced recipe makes it perfect to be paired with winter-inspired cocktails and desserts.

Art and the Artisanal
Further south, Fort Kochi in Kerala revels in what the locals call winter— what others might call the less warm season. But you cannot deny them their favourites. Around this time, seasonal menus pop up across eateries, but Kashi Art and Cafe—where art meets artisanal fare—plans special dinners featuring elevated plates like lobster and octopus cooked in Kerala masala.

Kolkata remains unmatched in the art of infusing cultural nuance into each season. While the city quietens down after the Christmas festivities, the cold certainly sparks camaraderie. Park Street continues to draw a crowd, and local fare with an extra serving of spice finds plenty of takers. Those in a celebratory mode turn to one of Kolkata’s best-kept secrets—the chhanar cake from J.N. Barua bakery—a delicate slice of Anglo-Indian history. Sadly, the next generation seems reluctant to carry the legacy forward, leaving this icon on uncertain footing.

In Mizoram, the crisp mountain weather allows for outdoorsy picnics and food that warms the cockles of the heart. Nunui Hnamte of Crumble Café, Aizawl, says pork momo remains a beloved staple, always served with rawt, a fiery chutney of charred tomatoes and chillies that adds both depth and aroma.

The New Year has been rung in, and it might be business as usual in other parts of the country, but Delhi knows how to party and has plenty to show for it. The cold demands innovation, and new bars oblige. At No Vacancy, the menu gets a seasonal makeover, including a wild yet warming Hot Chocolate with Mulled Wine cocktail— rum, cognac, white chocolate, honey and winter spices like nutmeg, rosemary and basil coming together in a surprisingly elegant hot wine.

Did You Know?

• Chhanar cake is one of the last living relics of Kolkata’s Anglo- Indian baking tradition, made with fresh chhana rather than flour-heavy batters.
• Rawt, the Mizo chutney served with momos, is traditionally prepared fresh each morning, never stored overnight.
• Hot toddies across India vary wildly: from spiced rum versions in Goa to whisky-laced brews in the north and herb-heavy local infusions in the hills.

Your Winter Glossary

• Zaad kanga- Chinese potatoes, available briefly in winter and prized for their nutty texture.
• Khaaje- A jaggery-sesame sweet associated with fairs and cold-weather gatherings in Goa.
• Khad Paneer- A Rajasthani slow-cooking technique where food is sealed and buried, allowing heat, smoke, and spice to work gradually.

Sweet Escapes
If city life isn’t quite delivering on its promise, perhaps it’s time to literally head for the hills. At Araiya Palampur in Himachal Pradesh, guests can settle into a winter-perfect Alpine pop-up degustation menu featuring herb butter fondue, juniper-roasted vegetables, an indulgent winter cheese board and spiced hot chocolate paired with mulled wine.

For those feeling experimental, Bir offers a retreat straight out of a Pinterest mood board. Japleen Kaur— better known as ‘The Millennial Ladki’— hosts women-only workshops that include gingham-topped picnics with local wines, gingerbread-decorating sessions at a neighbourhood bakery and, if luck allows, a meteor shower (sadly not part of the official itinerary, but a magical bonus nonetheless).

A desert with dunes that stretch into the horizon isn’t exactly the winter wonderland movies promise, but Rajasthan quietly delivers some of the most atmospheric escapes. At Sangam Farms, the Mewar Farm immersive dining experience blends crisp winter evenings, star- studded skies and live Rajasthani folk music with hyper-local produce and dramatic culinary rituals. The Khad Paneer ceremony is a highlight—guests gather around a pit as the pot is unearthed, its lid lifted to release a swirl of spice, smoke and anticipation before everyone tucks into the irresistibly tender paneer within.

We may not build snowmen or breathe pine-scented air (or, occasionally, even breathable air), but India’s winter comes with its own flavour—warm, chaotic, inventive and deliciously ours.