Chaar Dukan — literally "four shops" — is a cluster of small restaurants and tea stalls at a crossroads near the top of Landour, well above the main town bustle. The setting is the main reason to come: wooden benches, valley views, cool air, and the village character of Landour rather than the tourist strip of The Mall.
The food is straightforward — omelettes, toast, maggi noodles, chai, parathas — but it is fresh and the portions are generous. The real point is sitting here in the morning with the hills below and the snow peaks visible to the north. It has been a favourite of writers and artists associated with Landour for years, and Ruskin Bond is said to take his tea here. Prices are low; quality is consistent.