Goa is more than just a destination, it’s a magical experience. Goa is known for its beautiful beaches, nightlife, rich cultural heritage, and a perfect blend of Portuguese and Indian culture. Whether you explore ancient temples, enjoy fresh seafood on the beach, or dance the night away under the stars, Goa offers a unique and unforgettable vacation experience. But Goa also has a magical culinary side and in this blogpost, we’ll talk about the best food in Goa.
Goa’s history is full of influences, especially its long history as a Portuguese colony from 1510 to 1961. It’s a living festival. The capital, Panaji, has beautiful streets lined with colorful buildings. At the same time, Old Goa is home to beautiful churches such as the Cathedral of Jesus Christ of Forgiveness and the Cathedral, both of which have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage. . This unique blend of East and West creates an unfamiliar cultural landscape.
Breakfast
Let’s start with breakfast, where there is a wide variety of dishes to choose from. In Goa, breakfast is not just a meal but also a cultural experience that reflects the region’s rich heritage and vibrant culinary traditions. There are numerous places, but here are a few, that I would love to visit again.
Cafe Bhonsle
If you are craving for a known Indian breakfast in Goa, definitely head towards Cafe Bhonsle. They have multiple outlets, but we have been to the one at Parvorim. Please check the location here. They serve, among their offering of mostly South Indian breakfast items, a brilliant Poori Bhaji. And Poori doesn’t come with any Sabzi here and you need to order it separately. I would strongly recommend a Sookhi Bhaji, which is very close to our Aloo Chechki. Pricing is quite reasonable, and a meat for two would cost around 300/-. Please be ready for the heavy crowd during breakfast time.
Eva Cafe on Anjuna Beach
Known for its breathtaking sea views, This place is simply perfect for a lazy high-end breakfast, a couple of beers, or as a sundowner. It’s not a party place, but rather for enjoying some me-time with close friends. The food at Eva Cafe is very very good. And what’s better, is the presentation. Ideally, you should grab the front row and stay there for hours. We have tasted a variety of items- goat cheese and bell-pepper stuffed Burget and the Eva Cafe Breakfast platter. This platter is quite big and can easily be shared between two. Check the location of Eva Cafe here
Cafe Arjuna
Cafe Artjuna was founded by Mr. Moshe Inbar and his family, hailing from Israel. They came down to Goa long back and got settled here. Once you enter the place, you’ll be slightly confused about whether it is a cafe within an art shop or the other way around. Cafe Artjuna is a breathtakingly beautiful and “Instagrammable” place. Please check the location here. this place is known for its three-cheese omelet with bagel and stuffed pita bread, both of which are unforgettable. Don’t miss the affogato either. the pricing is a bit steep, but good for a premium place like this.
Baker’s Street
After a hearty Goan breakfast or luchi tarkari, there is nothing better than a sweet treat to end your meal. The aroma of fresh cheesecake is irresistible, especially at Baker’s Street (check the location here), known for its delicious cheesecake and custard doughnuts. Now if you remember, custard doughnut was also mentioned in our blog from Mayapur. If you would like to read that blog, here is the link. The combination of these desserts with the light and airy ambiance of Bekar’s Street makes for a wonderful experience. Bakery products are pretty decent, but the burnt cheesecake at Baker’s Street was worth mentioning.
Mr. Baker 1922
When talking about delicious food and desserts in Goa, we cannot miss out on Mr. Baker 1922, the most famous authentic Goan joint that has been serving up tasty treats for 102 years. This iconic eatery is a must-visit for anyone wanting to indulge in traditional Goan desserts and delicacies. A legendary Goan eatery with 102 years of tradition, Mr. Baker 1922 is known for its delicious samosas and Batticas. Rum ball is a common item- Right? But Mr. Baker 1922 claims that theirs are the best in the world, and the reason is, they use Old Monk Rum in it. You’ll have to decide for yourself if that’s true or not. And don’t forget to pick their famous bebinca before you leave; no trip to Goa is complete without this signature dessert. Please note, that you’ll get both beef and Pork Samosa here, but pretty average in taste.
Bebinca is a layered cake, probably originating in the Portuguese colonies. It’s primarily made with Egg, coconut milk, flour and sugar. The culinary finesse decides the number of layers here. It’s very very similar to Bengal’s own Amsatta, but is baked. This is pretty much recommended by Mr. Baker 1922. Batticas is a cake made from sooji, or semolina. You’ll need to slightly warm it to enjoy the taste.
The interesting stuff at Mr. Baker 1922 is their homemade drink named Niro. Niro is typically cashew juice and is mostly available during the summer. The first distilled version is called Urrak- Goa’s favorite drink in the summer and the final distillation is the real hard deal- Fenny. Taste-wise, it’s very very sweet and non-alcoholic.
Please check the location here
The main course in Goa
Brittos
Brittos on Baga Beach, is an iconic spot where the food is as amazing as the sea views. And on the beach means, you have sand inside the restaurant. Brittos has an in-house tattoo parlour and in the late afternoon, chairs are led on the beach for guests. Here you can enjoy a wide range of catholic cuisine, from succulent prawn and fish curries to international classics, all in a relaxed beach ambiance. They offer a truly personalized dining experience. One of the unique features of Brittos is that you can choose the size and type of fish you prefer and they will cook it to perfection. Brittos prepares typical Goan Catholic food.
But whatever you do at Britto’s, do not miss their Serradura. It’s a pudding, that originated in Portugal and became famous in Macau. The word Serradura means Sawdust. And it’s simply brilliant. The top layer tastes like biscuit dust and the rest is like a super-soft mousse. Have it chilled- in fact, frozen and thank me later.
Ritz Classic Gymkhana
In 1978, one gentleman named Mr. rohidas Dedai moved to Panjim and wanted to showcase his wife’s culinary skills to the world. One small restaurant was opened by the name Ritz Cafe and today it’s one of the most well-known chains for Goan fish and seafood thali. We went to their Gymkhana outlet and I’d strongly suggest checking their open air section, beside the swimming pool. I tasted their seafood thali, along with some beer. But I’ve heard good things about their Squid Rawa fry as well.
Let me try and explain the items in the thali below.
- Sol Kadhi
- Dried shrimp sukkah (the yellow one)
- Crab claw curry (in a coconut-based gravy)
- watery prawn curry- they give big shrimps. And though it’s quite runny, the taste is good.
- A nice chanok fish (similar to our Bhetki) rawa fry
- Some vegetable- I skipped it- sorry
- Brilliant oysters, cooked in Indian style
- Rice and papad
The price was around 450/- and it’s a fixed portion thali. but if you take some more rice, it can satisfy 2 hungry souls.
Please check the location here
Cafe Florentine
Cafreal is a very very well-known dish in Goan cuisine. And whenever the name comes up, one place pops up and that’s Cafe Florentine. And this place is famous for one item- chicken Cafreal. It’s a Portuguese dish- but done in Indian style- in a coriander, green chilly-based gravy. Brilliant is an understatement for this dish. It’s hot, but not fiery- if you know what I mean and is supposed to be had with the local bread Poi. They serve it by a quarter of Chicken and the pricing is quite pocket-friendly (around 170/- for a quarter of chicken). Do check the location and try Chicken Cafreal at Cafe Florentine.
During the 1600’s, the Portuguese used to get slaves from Mozambique. And the legend goes, that somebody from there invented this dish. One officer named it Cafreal. And probably, it has originated from the word “Kafir”.
Kokum Curry
In a nutshell, you get Goan Hindu cuisine at Kokum Curry. Saraswat’s traditional vegetarian cuisine has evolved to include seafood and, more recently, red meat. Kokum Curry (the brainchild of Ms. Sapna Sardesai) Restaurant is known for serving authentic Saraswat dishes such as Sahar Bhat, Silvolillo, and Mugachi Ghati. These dishes showcase the delicate and complex flavors that are characteristic of Saraswat cuisine. I would like to mention 2 items here…
- Churchurit Bombil- this is Bombil (similar to our anchovy) crisp-fried and tossed in a fiery sauce- goes very well with some chilled beer
- Shirvolyo- this is the dessert- steamed rice noodles with coconut milk. Once mixed, the entire item is topped up with grated and roasted coconut
Please note, Kokum Curry is not a pocket-friendly place, but the food makes up for it. Please check the location of Kokum Curry here.
Goan food can be divided broadly into two cuisines- Catholic and Saraswati. Goa’s Catholic cuisine, with deep roots in Portugal, delights the palate with dishes like vindaloo and sorpotel, known for their bold flavors and spicy vinegar-based spice blends. Saraswat cuisine, on the other hand, focuses on fresh local seafood and vegetarian dishes seasoned with coconut, tamarind, and a spice blend that highlights the richness of the region. Saraswat cuisine has evolved from the brahmins, who used to live near the Saraswati river and hence the name. The main difference between these two, is firstly, the use of Vinegar. As a souring agent, Catholics use vinegar and Saraswat cooks use Tamarind. And secondly, Pork and beef are not used in Saraswat suisine.
But what is Goa, without its boozy side? And that will need some more time to be updated on this blog post. Till then, watch this blog post here.
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