Quick answer
Meghalaya's food is rice-based and meat-heavy. Try Khasi dishes such as jadoh (rice with pork), dohneiiong (pork in black sesame), tungrymbai and the rice cakes pumaloi and pukhlein. Vegetarians manage well in Shillong, which has plenty of North Indian and veg restaurants, but options shrink in Sohra and Dawki. Carry snacks and ask homestays in advance.
How easy is it to eat well?
Vegetarian & Jain friendliness
5 = easy everywhere, 1 = plan every meal
Indian food availability
5 = Indian restaurants everywhere, 1 = rare
Dishes to try in Meghalaya
Jadoh
Red rice cooked with pork and spices, sometimes with pork blood. The Khasi staple, sold at small jadoh stalls from breakfast onwards.
Dohneiiong
Pork cooked in a thick, dark paste of ground black sesame. Rich and nutty.
Dohkhlieh
A salad of boiled pork with onion, ginger and green chilli, served cold.
Tungrymbai
Fermented soybean paste, usually cooked with pork. Ask whether a vegetable-only version can be made.
Pumaloi
Steamed powdered rice served as a soft cake, often eaten with curries or at breakfast.
Putharo
A soft, steamed rice-flour bread eaten with tea or curries.
Pukhlein
Deep-fried rice flour and jaggery cakes, made at festivals and sold at tea stalls.
Ja stem
Yellow rice cooked with turmeric, a simple Khasi rice often served with vegetables or dal.
Minil songa
Garo sticky rice steamed in bamboo, made especially at festivals such as Wangala.
Nakham bitchi
A Garo soup of dried fish and chilli, sharp and pungent, eaten with rice.
Shillong street momos and chow
Stalls around Police Bazaar and Laitumkhrah sell veg and meat momos, chow noodles and fried snacks into the evening.
Khasi oranges and local pineapple
Sweet mandarin oranges from November to January, and pineapples sold by the roadside in season.
Phrases that help
| Say | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Khublei | Thank you (Khasi) |
| Nga ym bam doh | I don't eat meat |
| Doh | Meat (watch for it in dish names) |
| Doh sniang | Pork |
| Doh syiar | Chicken |
| Ja | Rice |
What is Khasi food like?
Most of the food you'll meet in Shillong and Sohra is Khasi: rice at every meal, pork in many forms, fermented soybean, black sesame, local herbs and plenty of chilli. Garo food from the western hills leans on dried fish and bamboo shoot. Flavours are earthy and less oily than most Indian cooking.
A useful tip: doh means meat in Khasi, so a dish with "doh" in its name contains it.
Is it easy to eat vegetarian in Meghalaya?
In Shillong, yes. Police Bazaar and the streets around it have pure-veg restaurants, North Indian dhabas, South Indian places and cafés, and veg momos are on most street stalls.
In Sohra, Dawki and Mawlynnong, choice shrinks. Homestays and small restaurants can usually make rice, dal, a vegetable, aloo and eggs, but traditional Khasi dishes are mostly meat-based. Tell your homestay about dietary needs when you book, and carry snacks for long days.
What about Jain food?
Hard outside Shillong. Onion, garlic and root vegetables are part of almost every dish, and many kitchens share utensils with meat dishes. Carry theplas, khakhras and dry snacks, and ask your Shillong hotel to help with requests.
Indian food in Meghalaya
Shillong has a long-settled Bengali, Marwari and Punjabi population, so thalis, rotis, dal and sweets are easy to find. Elsewhere, expect simple dal-rice meals. Many restaurants in Khasi areas close or run short hours on Sundays, so plan Sunday meals in advance.
What to drink
- Red tea and milky tea at roadside stalls, often with pukhlein or putharo.
- Kwai, betel nut with paan leaf and lime, is offered as a sign of hospitality. Politely declining is fine.
Jadoh stalls open early and are a good way to try local food. Ask what is in the dish before ordering.
Plan the trip with the 6-day Meghalaya itinerary, things to do in Meghalaya, the Meghalaya trip cost guide and the best time to visit Meghalaya.
Frequently asked questions
Is Meghalaya good for vegetarians?
What is jadoh?
Can I get Jain food in Shillong?
How we checked this page
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Written and fact-checked by the Elitech Travels editorial desk in New Delhi, drawing on our consultants' day-to-day booking work and the official sources below. Rules, fares and fees change — always confirm anything critical with the issuing authority before you travel. Our editorial policy.
