Heritage Cafe 1938
An Italian restaurant and espresso bar in Shimla — 800 m from Mall Road. Open 11 am–10 pm daily, to everyone.
An Italian restaurant in Shimla, in a glasshouse among the Deodars
Heritage Cafe 1938 takes its name from the year the palace was built. Glass on every side, creeper over the frame, and a garden that runs down to the pines — it is a room made for long lunches and slow coffee.
The kitchen is Italian and unhurried. Neapolitan dough is hand-stretched to order and finished in the wood oven. Pasta and gnocchi — pappardelle, tagliatelle, ravioli — are rolled and shaped in-house each morning, never from a packet. The rosemary focaccia is baked fresh at dawn and pressed into sandwiches through the day, and breakfast is served from open to close.
Alongside it runs a proper espresso bar — single-origin beans, ground to order, an 18-hour cold brew, and ceremonial-grade Uji matcha whisked by hand for lattes, lemonades and our Dirty Matcha.
Calzone
Folded & wood-fired · our pizza dough, sealed and baked · served with tomato sugo
Vegetarian
ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, parmesan
fresh mozzarella, tomato sugo, basil
mushroom, peppers, onion, mozzarella
Chicken
grilled chicken, mushroom, mozzarella
spicy chicken, jalapeño, mozzarella
Hand-Stretched Garlic Breads
Our Neapolitan dough, stretched to order and finished in the oven
slow-roasted garlic butter, mozzarella, parsley
sun-dried tomatoes, black olives, basil, mozzarella
garlic-and-onion sautéed mushrooms, thyme, mozzarella
our quattro formaggi blend over garlic butter
Focaccia Sandwiches
On our house rosemary focaccia, baked fresh each morning · served warm & pressed
Vegetarian
grilled zucchini · roasted peppers · onion · romaine · pesto mayo
rocket · sun-dried tomato · basil pesto · fresh mozzarella
mozzarella · cheddar · gouda · parmesan · smoked cheese
burrata · confit cherry tomato · basil pesto · rocket
roasted mushrooms · truffle oil · parmesan crema · rocket
Chicken
smoked bbq chicken · smoked cheddar · caramelised onion
grilled chicken · basil pesto · fior di latte · confit tomato
tandoori chicken · mint-yogurt crema · onion · coriander
chicken pepperoni · mozzarella · jalapeño · chilli oil
Desserts
Sweet endings from the oven & the bar
mascarpone, savoiardi biscotti, cocoa, coffee · contains egg
warm chocolate brownie, vanilla gelato
brioche, cinnamon, maple, seasonal fruit
boat-shaped, wood-fired · Nutella & toasted dry fruits
The Coffee Bar
Single-origin beans, roasted for the hills · brewed hot & cold
Hot Brew
espresso, steamed milk, a cap of velvet foam
espresso ‘marked’ with a dollop of foam
equal parts espresso and warm milk
a single or double shot with a thick crema
espresso lengthened with hot water
hand-poured filter, bright & floral in the cup
a hot shot of espresso over vanilla gelato
double ristretto under silky microfoam
espresso, dark chocolate, steamed milk
slow-melted dark chocolate, steamed milk
Cold Brew & Iced
Slow-steeped 18 hours · served over hill ice
18-hour steep, chocolate & citrus, no bitterness
our cold brew softened with fresh milk
a double shot shaken over ice
espresso, cold water, plenty of ice
espresso, tonic water, citrus peel · bright & fizzy
double espresso, cold milk, ice
Vietnamese-style dark roast over condensed milk
single-origin brewed straight onto ice, crisp & clean
Lactose-free, oat or almond milk in any coffee + ₹ 60
Glass, Garden & Deodar
Finding us, and what to expect
Heritage Cafe 1938 sits in the grounds of Woodville Palace on Raj Bhawan Road, about 800 metres from Mall Road — a ten-minute walk downhill, or a short taxi ride if you would rather not climb back up. You do not need to be staying at the hotel. Most of the tables on a given afternoon belong to people who drove up for lunch.
The room is a glasshouse: four walls of window, a creeper growing over the frame, and a lawn that runs down to the Deodars. In summer the doors open onto the garden. In winter the glass holds the light and the wood oven does the rest. It is a good room for a long lunch, and a better one for coffee while it rains.
Parking is free on the estate — there is room for eighty cars, which in Shimla is worth saying out loud.
Good to know
- restaurantFully Italian menu — pizza, pasta, risotto, salads and desserts. Vegetarian and chicken preparations are made on separate boards; there is no beef or pork on the menu.
- scheduleOpen 11 am to 10 pm, every day. Breakfast is served all day, so an omelette at four in the afternoon is a perfectly reasonable order.
- local_parkingFree parking for 80+ cars on the estate.
- groupsSmall groups are welcome. For larger parties we will usually seat you in the House of Royals next door.
- paymentsCash, cards and UPI all accepted.
Before you come
What are your opening hours?
Every day, 11 am to 10 pm. The wood oven runs right through, and the coffee bar with it — so a late pizza or an eleven o’clock espresso are both entirely possible.
Can I eat here if I am not staying at the hotel?
Yes. Heritage Cafe 1938 is open to everyone. You do not need a room booking, and there is no entry charge to walk into the grounds for a meal or a coffee.
Where exactly is the cafe in Shimla?
In the grounds of Woodville Palace, Raj Bhawan Road, Chotta Shimla — roughly 800 metres from Mall Road, 3.3 km from the Old Bus Stand and 4.4 km from Shimla Railway Station.
Is the pizza actually wood-fired?
Yes — a real wood oven, not a deck oven. The dough is Neapolitan, hand-stretched to order at 12 inches, and it takes a few minutes at the oven. We would rather you waited than served you something par-baked.
Do you have vegetarian and vegan options?
Most of the menu is vegetarian, including eleven of the seventeen pizzas. The Marinara is vegan as it comes. Vegetarian and chicken preparations are made on separate boards.
Is the pasta really made in-house?
The hand-made section is — pappardelle, tagliatelle, ravioli and potato gnocchi are rolled and shaped in the kitchen each morning. The penne and spaghetti dishes use good dried pasta, which is what they are meant to use.
Do I need to book a table?
Not usually, but the room is small and fills up on weekends and through the summer season. A call on +91 80915-67606 saves you standing in the garden.
What is the Dirty Matcha everyone orders?
A shot of espresso poured over an iced matcha latte, made with ceremonial-grade Uji matcha whisked by hand. It is the drink people photograph, and at ₹425 it is the one they come back for.
Reserve a Table
Open 11 am to 10 pm, every day, to both house guests and visitors. Reservations are recommended for evenings and weekends.