Last updated on May 31st, 2025
Out of so many places in the world, some steal your heart in a way that you never wish to leave. One such place is The Birdhouse Cakery in Dharamkot.
It was my last day in Mcleodganj. There is always a longing to hold on to a place a little longer during the last day of the trip. I think you would agree if I say that feelings of day one are completely different from those of the last day. Gripped with same feelings, I felt a need to indulge in some sweet savoury. My way of dealing with few kind of feelings.
I opened up my google, shortlisted a bakery, went through some random reviews and started my journey towards it. The GPS guided me through Dharamkot, an upper part of Mcleodganj and a haven for slow travellers and nature lovers alike.
You might want to read – Mcleodganj or Dharamkot? 6 Reasons Why Slow Travellers Skip Mcleodganj and Visit Dharamkot
It was almost noon and we walked through a long stretch of the main road lined up with sky- touching pine trees on either sides. The only sounds I could hear were of the occasional vehicles that passed us.
After walking for about 20 minutes, the path split into two — one continued straight ahead through the main road while the other veered downhill. The latter looked a little isolated yet out of curiosity, we took the downhill one.
What awaited was a hidden world. You can imagine a little village tucked into this small stretch of upper Dharamkot, lined up with cozy cafes and tiny shops on both sides along the way. The trail was filled with a gentle, free-spirited, hippie energy. I would’ve completely missed the place if I hadn’t decided to check out the bakery.
The Birdhouse Cakery sits at the top corner of this little lane. The path to reach the cafe is a little steep but not that hard.
I Was Literally In The Birdhouse
At first glance from a distance, it didn’t even look like a bakery. I rather felt like I’m going to invade someone’s abode. But I wasn’t mistaken, not as a whole at least.
Because the bakery WAS a part of a cosy house — a bakery on the ground floor, with the owners living upstairs.
A vibrant blue gate welcomed me into a quiet porch with some jazz playing softly in the background. The place smelled heavenly!
The cafe has limited seating and so it was all packed up. The place seemed to fill up with artists, travellers, readers, writers, painters alike- you name it.
Because of the seating limits, I myself had the opportunity to share a table with a woman painter, engrossed deep into her sketches. To my side was a man working with his camera. At my backside I could hear the people talking about different cultures and the colourful traditions India has. Indeed, I thought!
In the front, I could see the clouds drifting away with the green landscape of Dharamkot in the background and pets (3 dogs) lazily basking in the sun.
Apart from all the things that this cafe had to offer, there was one that stole my heart – which was being surrounded by little sparrows. The birds kept on flying in and out into their hanging nests clipped through the roof of the bakery. To my amusement, their chirping was far from over which undoubtedly is a good thing!
For those who live in India know that not quite long ago, sparrows were on the verge of extinction. While they were once known as ‘common birds of Indian household’ sadly today, they are not. It had been long since I’ve seen one in my home.
But this place definitely has its heart in the right place!
About The Food
The food was delicious. I ordered myself a waffle and Kombucha (a fermented drink)- both of which were served with utmost love by the staff. I later came to know their must try is the Sourdough they make. I kept it for some other time.
Final Thoughts
A nature lover myself, I found the place to be thoughtfully curated. Animals, birds and humans striving together in nature itself.
The Birdhouse Cakery is a beautiful example of the fact that it is one thing to own a place in nature and is completely different to bring the nature close to you – on their terms, not ours!
I admired this little bakery in Dharamkot because of many things – starting from its mouth-watering delicacies, cozy ambience, to its happy owners and for their love of nature.e
Good To Know
This cakery is closed during afternoon, it will be good to confirm the time before you decide to give a visit.
The owners have also recently started their homestay at certain locations. I haven’t yet stayed so can’t review the place but you can check it out yourself through the website link : https://thebirdhousehospitality.com/
Have you ever been to a place similar to this one? How was your experience? I would love to read your story. You can write to : aditi@thephototravelblog.com