With the number of cafés emerging in the city, Krittika Rani Owary captures the essence of Shillong’s burgeoning ‘café-culture’.
Shillong in Meghalaya is a well-known place to every ear in North East India, often referred to as the “Scotland of the East”. Graced with musical energy, misty hills, and scenic colonial period charm while being draped with beautiful waterfalls, Shillong is a timeless emotion to millions; being one of the most chosen tourist attractions for decades. However, the city has been witnessing a significant transformation in recent years; quiet but powerful enough to remould the society of Shillong and also catching the attention globally with the rapid unmistakable rise in café culture.
Shillong is now perking up with its heavy waves of cafés in every corner of the city, blending its own produced coffee brands like 7000 Steps with immense creativity and global cuisines. This has come to stand as a revolution in lifestyle, one that appeals to visitors and locals, offering people a vibe that is much more than just a drink. “It is the trend currently,” says the Times of India, however, at its core it is the youth in Shillong boosting this culture. With the presence of a huge student population in the city from a number of schools and colleges, there is an evident appetite for spaces that can provide connectivity, creativity and comfort providing these youths the go-to spots for relaxation, study sessions or even open-mics to unwind themselves.
Reimagining the Local Aroma
Unlike the different urban chains that often lack a touch of home, many of the cafés in Shillong have incorporated a touch of culture into the modern decor. For instance, a rooftop cocktail bar, Shad Skye in Shillong integrates seasonal indigenous fruit picks, stone flowers etc into their cocktails, representing the states of the North East within each drink; hence, portraying the tagline— “Why be generic, when it can be Unique”. Moreover, the rise in popularity of Shillong within the country and also internationally is due to its social media presence and the land being a breeding ground for musical talents. The “Instagram Effect” is very real, cafés with aesthetically pleasing decors have been perfect for Instagram leading to wide popularity and massive footfall. Travellers from across the country coming for sightseeing have stayed longer for the slice of the city’s lifestyle and experiences put forward by the different Cafés.
Blooming Opportunities for Business
The brewing café culture in Shillong has also brought along opportunities for locally owned businesses. The city has shown great entrepreneurial spirit with cafés on every other block, the competition is really high but every café is more than just a business, it is a creator of a community. People have met in cafés and have actually remained connected with musical night meetups, cosplay events and also pop-up thrift stalls—however, running a business within the terrains of Shillong has presented certain risks especially while dealing with frequent power cuts, timely sourcing of inventories and shortages in finding a properly skilled staffs.
Grasping the buzz: The Stories behind this Culture
The rise in the culture of café hopping in Shillong is not only rising but has been evolving as it is driven by friendships and stories that need more than a warm cup of coffee. A quick chat with a 23-year-old Dalton in Laitumkhrah has highlighted that cafés are more than just a weekend escape—it is rather considered as a creative sanctuary. “I love to spend some me-time with my sketch book and just hang around by The Grub after classes or almost the half days on weekends.” He says holding up his sketchbook. “Cafés are my go-to when I need a creativity flow, I sketch or write down some poems and lyrics. There is no pressure that I need to buy almost everything on the menu to sit for hours—I’d say that is what makes Shillong different, I can take a couple of snacks and a drink or two and sit for hours while I just create.” This is supported by students too, a 21-year-old student from Shillong College has added to how Cafés help her de-stress, “After classes, my friends and I head to different Cafés. The ambience, vibing music and the soothing foods truly relaxes us. I think we won’t find this peace and the chill vibes in bigger cities.” Conversations with many others have indicated that café experiences found in Shillong are found nowhere else, the netizens of Shillong have expressed that café life in metro cities are felt rather rushed. However, conversations with café owners have unmasked the reality behind this charming culture. “It is really tough being an owner of a café in Shillong, every other month there is a new café popping up and presenting something new. Café business is extremely competitive even though it is fun” says Benedict, the co-owner of Fine Foods’ Café, 
specialising in Japanese-Korean cuisines. He further added “Opening a café is not a difficult task, remaining relevant in this competitive environment is what sustains a café. There are all kinds of places now such as cloud kitchens and concept cafés that are loved and are overflowed by the youngsters. Customers have so many choices, to keep the business running we need to keep evolving the menus, follow the trends and also redefine the interiors. It is exciting but also very exhausting as an owner.” Many of the café managers have also added that running cafés in Shillong amidst the constant power cuts and delay in inventory supplies are a real hurdle when social media has spiked the expectations of the café goers. The cafés in Shillong are not only about caffeine and catch-ups, it has become a cultural capsule. The growth of café culture in Shillong is more than a trend, it is an expression of the city’s changing identity; young will and persistence to redefine the meaning of connection.
Every cup of coffee has its tale; every café is the soul of Shillong screaming out loud that the city isn’t just waking up but is bringing a quiet reinvention to lifestyles.
