Shillong, Oct 6: Two Shillong restaurants have been featured among India’s Top 50 restaurants for 2026 in the Condé Nast Traveller x District Top Restaurant Awards.
The awards ceremony was held at The Grand Hyatt in Bambolim, Goa, on October 5.
Rynsan was ranked 32nd, while Nonna Mei was ranked 44th in the 2026 list released at the ceremony. Shillong was one of the smaller cities represented, but secured two spots in the national ranking.
Taking to social media, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma congratulated Rynsan and Nonna Mei.
In his congratulatory message, Sangma said Meghalaya’s flavours were “making their mark on the national culinary map”.
He said the two restaurants showcased the “diversity, creativity and sophistication” of Meghalaya’s food culture, highlighting their distinct approaches — from reinterpreting traditional flavours to combining local ingredients with Italian cuisine.
Rynsan, located in a restored Assam-style bungalow, draws heavily on Garo, Khasi and Jaintia food traditions, while also taking influences from Nagaland, Mizoram, Burma and Thailand. The restaurant was ranked 49th in the 2025 edition and has moved up to 32nd this year.
Nonna Mei, meanwhile, has taken a different route, marrying Italian techniques with Meghalaya’s produce. Chef Niyati Rao spent nearly two years researching local ingredients and building links with farmers and a local cheesemaker. Its menu includes dishes built around Meghalaya tomatoes, local herbs, fermented ingredients and other seasonal produce.
The recognition comes as Meghalaya’s food and cuisine are gaining more attention as part of the state’s tourism. In May, Condé Nast Traveller described Shillong as an emerging food destination, pointing to the growing interest in local ingredients, indigenous food and new takes on Meghalaya’s traditional cuisine.
The 2026 Top Restaurant Awards were based on voting by a 105-member jury comprising chefs, food writers, designers, entrepreneurs and other voices from the food and culture sectors.
The jury voted in two rounds, with Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India LLP acting as process advisers.
