Gilgit's food scene is functional rather than memorable, but there are good options if you know where to look. The main bazaar area has numerous small restaurants serving Pakistani standards — karahi, daal, rice, fresh naan from tandoor ovens. For a town of its size and remoteness the variety is reasonable. Hygiene is variable; stick to places with visible turnover and freshly cooked food.
Gilgiti cuisine has its own character. Chapshuro — a flatbread stuffed with spiced minced meat and herbs, cooked on a griddle — is the local snack worth seeking out. Harissa, a slow-cooked wheat and meat porridge eaten for breakfast in winter, appears in the cooler months. Fresh mulberries, apricots, and walnuts from the surrounding valleys are sold in season and are exceptional.