At the huge complex run by the Directorate of Handicrafts and Handloom, on the National Highway north of the center, visitors can watch rural Sikkimese making carpets, handloom fabrics, thangka paintings and wooden objects. Curio shops on MG Road and near the Tibet hotel on Paljor Stadium Road sell turquoise, coral jewelry and beads. Share jeeps and taxis are a faster alternative to commute. One can savor all delicacies in Gangtok-from Tibetan to Chinese, Indian to Japanese. Continental dishes, banana pancakes, chicken-fried rice and the famous momos are the hot favorites.
Rice is a staple, and dal is readily available.
Gyakho is a traditional soup served on special occasions. Most restaurants serve alcohol. One can also look out for tomba, a traditional drink consisting largely of fermented millet, with a few grains of rice for flavor, served in a wooden or bamboo mug, and sipped through a bamboo straw. Gangtok also offers a wide variety for accommodation. From budgetary accommodations to five-star hotels, one can get every sort of rooms.