Glacier Breeze Restaurant, Passu

For the past few weeks I’ve been writing about the Gojal region of northern Pakistan, home to my favourite place in the world Passu, the stunning Attabad Lake, and the Hussaini Bridge. I’ve also written about some of the cuisine of Gilgit-Baltistan in the past, which is significantly different to that of the rest of Pakistan, emphasising fresh and dry fruits, nuts, cheese, and local wine. Today, I’m taking you to the Glacier Breeze Restaurant, home of a famous apricot cake with a view of the Cathedral Range.

(Image: Facebook, Glacier Breeze Restaurant, Safar Hai Zindagi)

The apricot cake, made from local ingredients, is simply divine, and the restaurant’s popularity means that you’ll likely be served a slice of cake which is still warm from the oven. Combine that with warm chai to ward off the mountain chills and the jaw-dropping views across the valley to both the glacier and the Passu Cones, and you’ll see why this place has become an obligatory stop for travellers on the road to China.

Unripe apricots in the Hunza Valley

Not only is the cake and chai worth mentioning, but it’s also a great place to caffeinate; at least one traveller has written a testimonial about their visit to the cafe where they were greeted with their first real coffee after heading north;

Glacier Breeze Restaurant testimonial (Image: Facebook)

There are a handful of savoury dishes too, including some basic salan (curry) and dhal. Such an institution is the Glacier Breeze Restaurant that its owner was featured in the media when Brandon from Humans of New York visited Pakistan in mid-2015.

(Image: Humans of New York, Facebook)

Glacier Breeze Restaurant is not just a place to eat, but a place to stop, take in the region, and appreciate the simple things in life. When you’re sitting there with this view, you realise there are some things money just can’t buy…

(Image: Facebook, Glacier Breeze Restaurant)

Have you ever had a meal with a view? Where was it? Comment below!