Shillong is an inviting city. The people are friendly, the landscape is verdant with tall pine trees, the hills and valleys around the city are draped in calming green, and it has a pleasant climate all year round. Kicking back with some good coffee at one of the city’s pretty cafés is a great way to take in this lovely atmosphere. So, if you’re visiting the town of Shillong, you must try to visit one (or all!) of the cafés mentioned below.
1. Dylan's Café
Dylan's Café is a dreamy and cozy café featuring delicious food and paying homage to the memory of music legend Bob Dylan. Dylan's Café isn't just limited to scrumptious food; here you can play board games, listen to excellent live music, and even paint tiles to adorn the ceiling. Some recommended food items for you to try here are chicken wings, Mississippi mud pie, and more.
Address: Tripura Castle Road, Dhankheti, Malki
Price for Two: INR 1,000
Timings: 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
2. Cafe Shillong Heritage
Café Shillong Heritage is a well-known cafe and is located in the summer villa of the royal family of Tripura. It has beautiful surroundings, excellent food, and a relaxing ambience that draws in tourists from all over the world. It offers open-air seating, and you can have your meals under the clear blue sky during the day and the night sky in the evening. You can have Pan-Asian, Mediterranean, Continental, and North-Eastern specialties here.
Address: Cleve Colony, Banasree
Price for two: INR 800
Timing: 12 a.m. - 10 p.m.
3. Bread Cafe
Bread Cafe is a quiet and peaceful cafe located in the downtown area of Shillong. It is known for its delectable pastries and huge glass windows that allow natural light into the café. Bread Cafe serves yummy sandwiches, pasta, fruit shakes, and even mocktails, in addition to pastries.
Address: GS Road, Broadway, Opp. Hotel, Police Bazar
Price For Two: INR 400
Timing: 9:30 a.m.- 8 p.m.
4. Café Shillong
This elegant café serves a variety of European meals with live music and can surely transform your evening into a well-spent one with its wide choice of food. The live music here often calms down customers after a tiring day. So, if you're in Shillong, you should visit here and have their roasted pork ribs, Irish coffee, etc.
Address: Don Bosco Technical School, Shillong, LP Building, Nongkynrih, Laitumkhrah
Price For Two: INR 800
Timings: 12:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
5. You & I - Arts Cafe
You & I Arts Cafe is a stunning-looking cafe here with lavish furnishings and seating. All the food here is served on banana leaves, a standard dining style in Shillong. Most of the items on the menu are local specialties, making it a wonderful location to eat. You should try the authentic Khasi dishes, especially the smoked beef, which is a must-try dish.
Address: Mawroh-Mawtawar Road, Umshing-Mawkynroh
Price For Two: INR 900
Timing: 11:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. (Shut on Sundays)
6. ML 05 Café
Every aspect of ML 05, from the decor to the service, is distinct and unique from that of other Shillong cafes. It's located a little bit away from the city center, but the moment you step inside it, you’ll feel like you're entering a garage. The dazzling Harley Davidson bike in the middle of the cafe and biker stuff of all kinds adorning the walls and tables are all reminders of the rich biking culture of Shillong. Some food recommendations for you to try here are Bombay chicken wings and pasta. Fried rice, etc.
Address: AH 1, Mawsynram-Shillong Rd., near Eastern Air Command.
Price For Two: INR 1,000
Timings: 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
7. Munchies Shillong
Munchies is situated near Don Bosco Square in Latumkhrah and is a favorite locale for students from surrounding colleges like St. Edmund's, Anthony's, St. Mary's, and Women's College. Munchies has a shack-like structure and is known to provide inexpensive items. The restaurant provides excellent beef burgers, fries, wraps, and Tang in a pocket-friendly amount.
Address: Rani Villa, Laitumkhrah Main Rd., near Don Bosco Square, Laitumkhrah
Price For Two: INR 300
Timing: 10:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.
8. Swish Cafe
Swish Cafe is a new cafe here but has grown in popularity over the years. It is a really nice place to unwind, chill, read a book, or just soak up the Shillong breeze. Stop by and have a cup of piping-hot coffee with a sandwich. The fillet of fish here is superb, as they use fresh focaccia bread for the sandwich.
Address: Laitumkhrah Main Rd., Near Beat House, Nongkynrih, Laitumkhrah
Price For Two: INR 800
Timing: 11:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
9. Little Chef Cafe
Little Chef Cafe in Laitumkhrah satisfies all your sweet cravings while seated in a beautiful and warm ambience. The cafe's prices are inexpensive, which attracts budget travelers and backpackers galore. You should head over here if all you want is to have a chit chat with friends over a cup of coffee or tea and some delicious cake and pastries.
Address: New Colony, Laitumkhrah
Price For Two: INR 1,200
Timing: 12:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
10. Open Up Cafe
In Shillong, this café is famous for its distinctive motifs that incorporate comic characters like Batman. The cafe is located in Mawroh, Mawlai. It serves super delicious hotdogs and hamburgers, as well as tangy and spicy dips and other usual snacks and coffees. Momos and hotdogs are the must-try items.
Address: Mawlai, Mawroh, and Pdengshnong
Price For Two: INR 1,400
Timing: 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.