MC Travel Special | Best places to eat in Shillong: both old favourites and new

Those who grew up in Shillong in the noughties will likely have memories of their first dance at The Evening Club. But Shillong's culinary offerings have expanded of late, especially after young chefs returned home during the pandemic. (Representational image: Zakaria Zayane via Unsplash)

There is a quiet culinary revolution happening in Shillong right now. The capital of Meghalaya is known for its cafés and the odd nightclub, but as young Shillongites returned home from different parts of the country and the world in early 2020, it became clear to them that their city needed some new places to dine.

As the lockdowns lifted and the bazaars of Shillong began opening up, so did the enterprises of these young women and men. Hailing from well-off homes, these enterprising chefs and entrepreneurs moved away from their family businesses to pave their own path. The result is a bunch of exciting new cafes, restaurants, and even a quirky pop-up that’s bringing the world to Shillong.

Here are some of the best places to eat in Shillong: both old favourites and new:

Cocoon Supper Club

Daphihi Tariang, Ben Wankhar and Reuben Khonglah launched the Cocoon Supper Club to introduce a variety of cuisines to the people of Shillong.

Tariang and Wankhar are both trained chefs and bring their culinary experiences from their travels – Tariang studied and worked in the UK, Wankhar aproned up on a cruise ship soon after he graduated in hotel management – to the pop-up.

Cocoon Supper Club serves cuisines as diverse as German, Polish, and Italian. Every so often, they prepare Khasi meals too, albeit with a contemporary twist and aimed at a more urban and refined palette.

Whatsapp +91-9962251461 or +91-700544-4409 for their schedule. They will typically accommodate you even if they don’t have a scheduled pop-up.

Roma Eatery

Rida Tariang comes from a hospitality family – almost everyone either runs a hotel or a café. Rida, along with her husband, Sahil Majaw, launched Roma Eatery in early 2020. Very 'grammable and therefore a hot favourite among Shillong’s Gen Z and teens, Roma also boasts of an eclectic menu. From Fish-n-Chips to Mexican Bowls and pastas to Japanese pork, Roma doesn’t let its name restrict what it serves.

Olivia’s Kitchen

Uttam Thangkiew graduated from the Indian Institute of Hotel management (IIHM), before training under Top Chef finalist Doug Adams in the US. And it shows. His new restaurant Olivia’s Kitchen serves everything from short ribs and burgers to burritos.

Olivia’s Kitchen also promotes local ingredients, but attempts to deliver an elevated experience. Meats in Meghalaya tend to be hard and served with the sole intention of satiating hunger. At Olivia’s Kitchen you can expect them to be succulent and packed with flavour.

At Olivia's Kitchen, rice - a local staple and a must with every Khasi meal - often traded in favour of mashed potatoes, fries, or wedges, which sometimes takes you by surprise… but in a good way.

You & I Arts Café

One of the best-known cafés in Shillong is also one that serves traditional Khasi cuisine. Everything at You & I Arts Café – from the menu to the ambience – is a hat-tip to the local culture.

Larger-than-life murals tell the story of the origins of the tribe, a traditional Khasi kitchen is recreated in a small corner of the restaurant, and the menu includes a wide range of local herbal teas and meals.

Note that You & I Arts Café has moved from Police Bazaar into a much larger space at Mawroh, a neighbourhood on the outskirts of Shillong, that allows them to introduce more activities, such as Khasi board game nights.

Pizza Barn

Also relatively new - and often unnoticed due to its location - is Pizza Barn. Located further down the road from You & I Arts Café, the restaurant takes its name rather seriously. This barn-themed pizzeria may seem like an oddity at first, but has a decent selection of pizzas, sandwiches, calzones, burgers, and pastas.

The Hatton Tearoom

Daphihi Tariang of Cocoon Supper Club also runs The Hatton Tearoom out of her family home (read: mansion) that’s been converted into a nine-key boutique hotel.

The Tearoom serves comfort soul food – think Polish pork meatballs, Chicken katsu curry, slow-cooked pork/chicken goulash, etc. – in a relaxed ambience.

Hatton Tearoom is the newest addition to Shillong’s cool café culture, and one that comes highly recommended.

Whatsapp +91-9962251461 or +91-700544-4409 for reservations and directions.

The Evening Club

We end the list with Shillong’s old favourite. This underground club has been the place to be and be seen in Meghalaya’s capital. Every aspiring musician hopes to perform here, and every kid growing up in the noughties has likely had their first dance, first kiss, or first karaoke here. The food at The Evening Club may not necessarily be top-notch, but it’s familiar and isn’t that what one always looks for at the end of a long, tiring day?