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The natural beauty of Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya, draws visitors from all across India. The city’s culture, music, and tasty Khasi cuisine are among the reasons why visitors flock here. Shillong’s delicious food, particularly the slow-cooked chicken with a handful of fresh herbs, chilies, and bamboo shoots served with steaming rice, is unique. If you are going up a misty, cloudy mountain in Shillong, remember to eat a plate of steaming momos. Pork and beef are among the most popular meats used in the cuisine here. In this city, momos are an indispensable part of the diet.
The hill station's cuisine is predominantly influenced by Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo tribes. In Shillong, the best vegetarian food is cooked on the street stalls by women from the mountains, who spice it up with fiery ‘ghost chilies' or exotic green herbs. In Bura Bazaar and Police Bazaar, Khasi women dress in their traditional garb and sell pineapples, pears, and apples in small stalls. They will cut large chunks of pineapples and dip them in their secret sauce of chilies and salt for you to eat, which is one of the must-eat treats in Shillong.
Taste Trails of Shillong
Aloo muri (Near Don Bosco Square, Hopkinson Road)
Aloowallas sell aloo muri, an immensely popular street food, in painted wooden stands near schools, tourist attractions, and the All India Radio station at Hopkinson Road. Potatoes are boiled with puffed rice and raw cabbage, then seasoned with spices, salt, mustard oil, and tamarind water. A thick yellow potato gravy is garnished with finely chopped onion, peanuts, and bhujia, or crispy fried gram flour, to one of the most popular variations. The sellers stand near Don Bosco Square, Hopkinson Road, or at schools and create a refreshing variation of aloo muri.
Momos (At Police Bazar)
Shillongers love Momos filled with shredded cabbage and pork, and you can easily find them at Police Bazaar, known as PB. Laimu is the best place to find Tibetan dumplings, whether you eat at a walk-up booth or sit down at one of the many small momo stands along Laitumkhrah Main Road. There are sit-down restaurants like The Wok nearby the Fire Brigade that consistently draw large crowds for momos, but have them at the temporary momo stands along Laitumkhrah Main Road, you will enjoy them.
Jalebis and Samosas (At Delhi Mistan Bhandar and Palace Restaurant)
Hot, sticky, spiral jalebis eaten on the cool hills of Shillong is the best experience ever. In Shillong, the Delhi Mistan Bhandar stores make the best jalebis, which are fried by a man who meticulously does them every day. Palace restaurant, just around the corner, serves spicy samosas and tea. Grab one of the most desirable tables to eat them and watch the world go by while you enjoy your meal.
Authentic Khasi food (At Jadoh)
An excellent Khasi meal can be had at Jadoh at Laimu Point, including the restaurant’s namesake, Jadoh- a very popular local delicacy made from red rice and pig’s blood. Doh Thad is another popular Khasi dish which is pork or beef fried with onions and chilies. Doh Snam is a type of blood sausages, or intestines seasoned in blood and cooked for 45 minutes, which is the most unique.
Red Rice (At Police Bazaar)
Red Rice is a restaurant in the Police Bazaar area that serves Chinese and Khasi cuisine. You can savor a bowl of the Khasi cuisine’s Doh Kleih that is steamed pork stir-fried lightly with onion and green chili. This distinct salad-like preparation will make you love it.
Cafe Shillong Heritage near Tripura Castle
Bastenga and Adi Bastenga, are two dishes you will love at Café Shillong Heritage. Adi Bastenga is a steamed chicken curry flavored with fermented bamboo shoots and spiced up with Bhoot Jolokia, the fiery chili from Nagaland. Douse the fiery spices of the chicken curry with some ice cream after that.
Dylan’s Cafe (10-minute walk from Laitumkhrah)
Dylan’s Cafe off the highway is an old dance floor turned cafe in honor of Bob Dylan. It is a hip and happening place to visit in Shillong. Old Polydor albums served as lamp shades and Dylan album covers as wall decorations. Lean back in your chair and enjoy apple pie, sandwiches and pastries over hot cups of tea.
Eating in a Meghalaya village is another great experience that you can have while driving through the hilly countryside. Make sure to stop at rice and tea shops and eat rice and lentil stew with chicken or pork curry, steamed lai leaves, or boiled lai leaves.
