Top 10 Veg Restaurants In Shillong To Savour Delicious Meals & Cosy Ambiance

Cosy interior of Jiva South with brown wooden tables, chairs, and a bookshelf, one of the top veg restaurants in Shillong.

Nestled in the heart of Meghalaya, Shillong is often referred to as the “Scotland of the East” for its stunning scenery, rolling hills, and pleasant weather. Beyond that, the city boasts an equally vibrant food culture to satisfy different tastes, and Veg Restaurants in Shillong offer a variety of veg dishes to fulfil the cravings. There are a number of vegetarian restaurants and cafes in the city that offer various types of food, including authentic traditional flavours, modern cuisine, and international dishes, making it one of the most diverse cities to eat out in.

10 Best Pure-Veg Restaurants In Shillong For Food Lovers

If you want to relish a wholesome meal or try something fancy in the name of vegetarian cooking or fusion fun in a local ambience, Veg Restaurants in Shillong will never disappoint.

1. Jiva Veg

Butter chicken with naan served at Jiva Veg, one of the top veg restaurants in Shillong.

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Jiva Veg is one of the most popular names when it comes to vegetarian food options in Shillong. It is located within a police bazaar and is very active for visitors and locals as well as families who would like to make their way for pure meat-free dining. The place is simple in essence, but it is inviting, with neat interiors creating an easy setup for dining, making it all the more suitable for groups of all types, including families. The most popular are the Thalis, which are sought after by those wanting a wholesome meal in themselves.

Location: Police Bazar, Shillong
Top Food To Order: Thalis with paneer butter masala, dal tadka, variety of breads (rotis, naans, kulchas)

Suggested Read: Best Street Food In Guwahati To Let Your Taste Buds Savour

2. Madras Cafe

Dosa served with chutney and sambhar at Madras Café on a traditional plate.

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Madras Cafe in Shillong is a pure vegetarian restaurant that has made a name for itself by offering traditional South Indian delicacies from Tamil Nadu. The interiors are simple, more like an at-home canteen than a fine dining restaurant, but the food more than makes up for it. Particularly famous for its breakfast items, Madras Cafe serves crispy dosas, steaming hot idlis, fluffy vadas, and uthappams served with flavorful sambar and freshly ground coconut chutney. Another speciality is that they have filter coffee, which is said to be the best in town.

Location: Shillong
Top Food To Order: Crispy dosas, idlis, vadas, uthappams, filter coffee

3. Mithaas

Samosa with two chutneys at Mithaas, popular among veg restaurants in Shillong.

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With delicious sweets, chaats, and North Indian vegetarian cuisines, Mithaas is a favourite among many in Shillong. The restaurant, mithai shop, and cafes combine to offer a long list of home-made sweets: gulabjamun, rasgullas, kajukatli, and laddoos are always in stock. Apart from its sweet counter, Mithaas offers savoury vegetarian meals and snacks. The chaats, samosas, and kachoris here are particularly loved by the home crowd looking for a quick snack. The restaurant serves North Indian thalis and a variety of dishes, including paneer, dal, and seasonal vegetables, accompanied by soft roti and paratha, during both lunch and dinner.

Location: Shillong
Top Food To Order: North Indian thalis, chaats, samosas, kachoris, paneer dishes, seasonal vegetables

Suggested Read: Discovering The Best Food In Gangtok

4. Southern Taste

Idli served with sambhar and chutney at Southern Taste restaurant.

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Southern Taste finds a good share of fans in Shillong for authentic South Indian cuisine. Well known for the traditional thalis, the restaurant provides rice, sambar, rasam, vegetable curries, papad, and chutneys, often served on banana leaves just for that touch of authenticity. The ambience here is informal, reminding one of no mess or canteen service, while rich flavours take charge in the food. Breakfast is quite popular, served with soft idlis or crispy dosas, aromatic upma, and piping hot filter coffee.

Location: Shillong
Top Food To Order: Traditional South Indian thalis, idlis, dosas, upma, filter coffee

5. Shree Monami Marwari Bhojnalaya

Indian thali with dal and naan at Shree Monami Marwari Bhojnalaya, famous veg restaurants in Shillong.

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Shree Monami Marwari Bhojnalaya is a little jewel for the North Indian and Rajasthani food lovers in Shillong. The restaurant serves authentic-style thalis and Marwari-style enriched, wholesome meals that are thoroughly reminiscent of home. The typical thali here comes with dal, roti, sabzi, rice, papad, and pickle, with a strong focus on simple, yet flavorful vegetarian food. The ambience is modest but warm, and means that most families, folks, and travellers within Jain and Marwari communities who search for familiar tastes are there.

Location: Shillong
Top Food To Order: Authentic Rajasthani thalis with dal, roti, sabzi, rice, papad, and pickle

Suggested Read: Best Foods In Guwahati

6. Extra Butter Pure Veg Restaurant

Veg biryani served at Extra Butter Pure Veg Restaurant in a traditional style.

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Extra Butter Pure Veg Restaurant is a trendy and modern outlet serving vegetarian cuisine in Shillong, keeping in view the increasing number of people opting for modern vegetarian food. This is not like a very traditional place; instead, it has fashionable interiors, warm lighting, and a very youthful appeal, making it a favoured place among couples, families, and groups of friends. An extensive multi-cuisine menu covers all elements: Indian curries and thalis, pizzas, pastas, and Indo-Chinese favourites. Some of their signature dishes are paneer tikka, veg biryani, pasta arrabbiata, and their must-try mocktails.

Location: Shillong
Top Food To Order: Paneer tikka, veg biryani, pasta arrabbiata, Indo-Chinese dishes, mocktails

7. Bistro Pure Veg

Burger with fries and dipping sauce at Bistro Pure Veg, among best veg restaurants in Shillong.

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Bistro Pure Veg is a casual yet elegant restaurant in Shillong for vegetarians. It presents a very cafe-like atmosphere and serves a wide array of Indian and continental vegetarian food, which helps to entice the younger audience and tourist crowds that get attracted by the variety. Sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, pasta, and basic Indian staple foods like curries and parathas feature prominently on the menu. Their drinks collection, comprising coffee, milkshakes, and smoothies, is also high on popularity. Interiors are quite modern and vibrant, friendly but relaxed enough to catch up with friends or spend a relaxed family time on a weekend.

Location: Shillong
Top Food To Order: Sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, pasta, Indian curries, parathas

Suggested Read: Shillong Travel Guide

8. Jiva South

Vada served with sambhar and chutney at Jiva South restaurant.

Photo: Jack Baghel / Pexels / Image For Representation Only

This restaurant has its own Jiva branch, well known to consumers, called Jiva South, which gives authentic South Indian cuisine. Specialising completely in the craft of dosa, idli, vada, uttapam, and rice with various riveting sambar and chutneys, this is the entire focus of the restaurant. Not very fancy in decor and quite family-friendly, the place promises fast service and always delivers fresh food. Congestion during breakfast and lunchtime, with locals and tourists flocking here to enjoy the original flavour of the South. The feature that pulls most people to Jiva South, apart from their crispy dosas, is the aromatic smell of filter coffee that finally complements the two.

Location: Shillong
Top Food To Order: Dosas, idlis, vadas, uttapams, sambar, chutneys, filter coffee

9. N Thongni Pure Veg Hotel

Naan with Indian veggies and side at N Thongni Pure Veg Hotel, one of the veg restaurants in Shillong.

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A simple and inexpensive eatery for vegetarian delights, N Thongni Pure Veg Hotel is a safe bet in Shillong. This Veg Restaurant in Shillong is famous for its homely food and serves North Indian-style thalis with rice, dal, roti, and seasonal vegetable curries at very reasonable prices. Not much atmosphere, a little more than a canteen; just simple, stimulating food and satisfaction. Most of their visitors are students, locals, and budget travellers. The restaurant, however, keeps the flavours simple and very real, serving large portions at a reasonable price.

Location: Shillong
Top Food To Order: North Indian thalis with rice, dal, roti, and seasonal vegetable curries

Suggested Read: Top 10 Places To Visit In Shillong

10. Coffee Sandwich Corner

Cold coffee served at Coffee Sandwich Corner café.

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With an impressive atmosphere, the Coffee Sandwich Corner is a vegetarian eating cafe well known for its fast food options in the city of Shillong. Suited for students, young populations, and travellers, the restaurant serves an assortment of sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, fries, and other café-style snack items. Their strong coffee and refreshing beverages are the best sips for a casual hangout. The arrangement is casual, vibrant, and good for people who want a light meal rather than a full-course restaurant experience.

Location: Shillong
Top Food To Order: Sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, fries, strong coffee

Shillong offers diverse vegetarian options from hearty thalis to café-style meals, ensuring great taste and variety. Visit Veg Restaurants in Shillong like Madras Cafe and Southern Taste for authentic South Indian dishes such as dosas and idlis. These eateries provide more than food—they offer a cultural experience connecting travellers with local traditions and flavours. For Marwari cuisine, try Shree Monami Bhojnalaya. TripXL helps plan your visit and find the best vegetarian spots in Shillong.

Cover Photo: Sung Jin Cho / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only

Frequently Asked Questions

Jiva Veg is a famous and integral part of the category of quick service restaurants and offers a yummy mix of North and South Indian dishes nestled in a homely ambience.
Yes, Madras Cafe, Southern Taste, and Jiva South are known for authentic South Indian delicacies like dosas, idlis, vadas, filter coffee, and other food items as well.
Like Shree Monami Marwari Bhojnalaya, grocery stores also store Jain food as per customers' requests for onion or garlic. Gopal Namkeen supplies Jain food items without onion or garlic. So you may like to check out Shree Monami Marwari Bhojnalaya, which uses no onions, garlic, or the like.
Most provide meals within an affordable range, like Mithaas, Southern Taste, and N Thongni Pure Veg Hotel. Extra Butter and Bistro Pure Veg are slightly priced up, but are still reasonable.
Coffee Sandwich Corner and Bistro Pure Veg are the places for grabbing sandwiches, pizza, coffee, and having a casual hangout. These two places offer perfectly grilled sandwiches that are also suitable for kids' savoury cravings.
Harshita Lal

Harshita Lal

Harshita Lal is a travel writer who finds inspiration in the winding roads of hill towns, crisp mountain air, and the quiet stories hidden in everyday journeys. With a soft spot for the Himalayas and small-town simplicity, her writing blends personal discovery with practical travel insights. She enjoys writing pieces that help readers feel more connected to nature, to adventure, and to themselves. When she’s not writing, you’ll likely find her planning her next trek, journaling in a hillside café, or chasing the sunset.
Harshita’s Top Travel Highlights:
Harshita’s travels include memorable treks and quiet hill escapes, offering experiences of nature, peace, and simple moments that stay long after the journey ends.
1. Treks That Stay With You:
Completed treks like Triund, Kheerganga, Tosh, and Malana, each offering its own lesson in resilience, stillness, and the quiet power of nature.
2. Offbeat Hill Escapes:
Explored peaceful spots like Jibhi, Shoja, Barot Valley, and Mashobra, where there’s more pine than people, and every corner feels like a postcard.

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