Food Options in North Goa : Recommended by IMers

shashank.aggarwal

I am off to Goa tomorrow morning , was browsing the forum making a list of places recommended by members on IM. I thought since I have already compiled a list, why not share it on the forum as a consolidated source.

Mods can consider making it a sticky if its worth it.

Disclaimer : The information has been contributed my various members of IM, I have just 'lifted' the same including the quotes, have not corrected the spellings or grammer.

• If you don't mind spending freely then I-95 which is in Calangute is an excellent French restaurant.
• La Fenice which is more affordable serves excellent Italian food.
• Florentine which is just outside Calangute serves excellent authentic Goan cuisine.
• Navtara which is located on the Calangute-Mapusa road is much better in my opinion and far cheaper as well.
• Krishna or Chop Sticks on the Baga road which were really local restaurants are very good and cheap. I prefer Krishna.
• La Plage, Aswem Beach - a great French restaurant for lunch only. Check out the lobster and fondant chocolate dessert. A kingfish dish with roast potatoes is about 180 Rs. Nice beach too.
• Basilico, North Anjuna beach road - the pizzas are proper thin crust and the pesto pasta is fantastic. Always full of Italians who know where the good food is.
• Midas Touch - Near Calangute, very upmarket and has a very wide choice menu wise everything from Goan to European.
• Sublime - Not far from Midas Touch, food that looks fantastic and tastes even better. A sort of nouvelle quisine type experience but the portions are bigger.
• Tosigo's - Candolim not far from Bob's inn, Great steak and good entertainment on a Tues night.
• Kim Fa - Calangute, VERY good chinese.
• Golden Eye - Shack on Asvem beach, eggs biriani mmmmmmmmmmmmm.
• MoJo's - Arpora, when you are fed up of curries, lobster, pasta, crispy duck etc you can go here and get proper cottage pie with chips and mushy peas. Can also get home made cider by the jug to wash it down.
• The Third Eye, Calangute - behind the bus station place, run by a Scottish lady so there is good Scotch and great kingfish with lemon and thyme sauce. Also best veg spring rolls in Goa.
• Citrus - very well presented and cooked veggie food from around the world, including North Africa, get a table in from the road though as this is only drawback of the place - being on busy road again same road as Fiesta.
• AFLATOON 'HOTEL', near the masjid alongside Alankar cinema in Mapusa. Be prepared to share tables with the scruffiest of characters and dig into tasty mutton biryani (Rs 40), beef biryani (Rs 20), soft parathas (Rs 5), seekh kababs (Rs 10) and the rest...This is Muslim-style food.
• Le Poisson Rouge in Baga, near the creek. Better setting than their old location opposite the Cavala. Lovely dessert - which is all I had this time round, but the food is great too. They do a set four course meal for a great price.
• Soumyen's Kitchen in Calangute/Candolim. Dull and boring looking, with a hideous, shack-like signboard, but the food is super. Not nouvelle cuisine, just very well executed European stuff. Soumyen used to be the chef at After Seven.
• Casa Manolita in Candolim. Can't really recommend the food, but a really nice setting for a drink or two - in the verandah of an old Portuguese house. Two large, mostly well-behaved boxers will keep you company.
• We can we also add La Plage in Morjim to the list of nice places.
• Cafe Chocolatti in Candolim. Nice garden setting, super service, excellent chocolate-type and breakfast-type thingies on the menu. If only it wasn't so close to the noise of the main road, it would be better still.
• Martha's in Anjuna, off the flea market road. Extensive breakfast menu featuring slightly off-the-beaten track items such as eggs on spinach and avocado shakes, plus all your regular stuff.
• If you want a spectacular view over the sea while you drink your beer, Zoori's in Anjuna is right up there. Alcove in Vagator is pretty good too.
• I really enjoyed the whole eating & chilling out in Sebastians next to Lagoa Azul in Arpora, great apple pie.
• We are not veggie but really enjoyed the food there. I think it's called Sharanam Green, it's on the left hand side as you go from Calangute to Candolim.
• 'Bean me up'(near Vagator petrol pump) & 'Blue Tao' in Anjuna which also both have many vegan options.
• Travel bar opposite tarkars ice factory is very good, a few of us from IM had a meet up there a couple of nights ago, lovely food non veg/veg.
• The best English Breakfast I have had in Goa is at Corrin's Bar, opposite the bread shop near Calangute circle. I also cant remember the price, but it was very reasonable and had black pudding as well. Very Nice!
• Best english breakfast, egg, bacon, sausage, mushrooms, beans, tomato, toast is at 'orangeboom', on the road to flea market in Anjuna, 180 rps.
• I ate at Hungry Hourse Restaurant in Calangute, where an English Breakfast sets you back Rs 225. While the food was very nice, the coffee was very thin. It was a huge mug though, which was great, but you could see the bottom through the coffee. ;-)
• Curlies: There we tried the Middle East Breakfast (Rs 110) and the English Breakfast (Rs 120). Both were quite nice, although the bacon of the English Breakfast tasted expired/off and no coffee/drink is included in this price, so you have to add another Rs 30-40, depending on what kind of coffee you like. She coffee shakes/lassies are cool. And the view was great, though!
• Our favourite to date is Ruffles in Candolim - about Rs. 250
• I've always succumbed to the full English at Bernards Place, down the CSM road in Baga. Fruit juice, corn flakes or porridge, with eggs, bacon, heinz beans, tomotoes, Oxford sausage, black pudding, fried bread. then toast & jam with tea or coffee for 250 /-.
• Another addition, the Nirvana Bar and Restaurant in Candolim, in the same beach road like Goan Heritage and Jardin's - they charge Rs 200 for a full-blown English breakfast with beans and all, including coffee or tea.
• Why Not bar round the corner from the Sportsman opposite Falcon Resort has a good reputation for breakfast.
• Shiva Valley beach shack, just left from Curlies, offers great breakfast options for small money: They start with an Israeli Breakfast for Rs 90, the Special Israeli Breakfast costs Rs 100, they have something for Rs 100 and 110 (forgot the details). All those come with a juice (mango, guava, orange or similar). Their English breakfast costs Rs 120 including coffee or tea and they have a Shiva Valley Special Breakfast for Rs 130, although I forgot again, what was included (no coffee though!).
• The Stone House Restaurant in Candolim, Goa. Chicken Tikka Masala does not exist in Indian cuisine, but I had it anyway. Chicken Tikka Masala with Kashmiri Nan & Kashmiri rice....Pina Colada to accompany it. TO DIE For
• I will add Souza Lobo's restaurant in Calangute. This is one of the oldest and the seafood is the freshest.
• Kenny's Place for Breakfast opposite just down the road from Vrundrun hospital on your left.
• Rising Waves - opposite fruit market Candolim - best steaks
• Bistro down by the Sunset Hotel, Candolim - best steask and real salads.
• I would also suggest Steak Burger and Chips at Big Banana on Calangute/Baga Beach - So nice and only 110 Rs/-
• All Spice in Apora has very good food - Anything done in the Tandoor is especially nice

* Floyds (the original) in Candolim opposite sanjays jewellers man size portions of excellent food and the stakes are the best in India.

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jyotirmoy

Thanks Shashank bhai for consolidating.
I will add Souza Lobo's restaurant in Calangute. This is one of the oldest and the seafood is the freshest.

poipleshadow

I would also suggest Steak Burger and Chips at Big Banana on Calangute/Baga Beach - So nice and only 110 Rs/-

Also

All Spice in Apora has very good food - Anything done in the Tandoor is especially nice

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Honey Bee

Kenny's Place for Breakfast opposite just down the road from Vrundrun hospital on your left.

Rising Waves - opposite fruit market Candolim - best steaks

Bistro down by the Sunset Hotel, Candolim - best steask and real salads.

Worst place this season Havaili Candolim near Magnum resorts. Refused to pay for food.

johnny five

If this is my friend Chris Agha Bee's Sublime, it moved from there several years ago, first to Baga, and for the last few years, Anjuna.
The Rough Guide describes it as "one of the top places to eat in North Goa, though it's still refreshingly informal and affordable"
It is, and as a recommendation, we almost never eat out as I enjoy cooking and am OK at it. When we do go out, always to Sublime!
The phone number in the book is wrong and its best to book. The correct number is 9822484051. Last Tuesday 10th Feb it was full!

Hi Honey Bee! (no relation to Chris, innit?)

lez

Floyds (the original) in Candolim opposite sanjays jewellers man size portions of excellent food and the stakes are the best in India.

birds

A new place above Corinne's in Candolim, on the Terrace is called Les Romantiques. Run by a very nice Belgium guy, only for dinner and it is best to phone before hand because there are just a few tables.

Also missing is an old time favorite Bomra's in Candolim (next to night club Butter), excellent Burmamese food.

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old man

Tiger Trail - Candolim (side of Newtons)
Riverside - Nerul just over the bridge from Candolim.

old man

Himalaya Resturant - Candolim near the Taj.

evilpoodle

Casa Portuguesa in Baga. Stunningly atmospheric restaurant in an old house and its garden. The food's not bad either. And if he's in the mood, the owner, Francisco Souza, sometimes gets his guitar out and treats guests to a bit of fado, the traditional Portuguese song form, and a couple of glasses of port on the house.

GxMx

throwing in my 2 cents or should i say paisa..

Bobby's Shack on Baga Beach- great food and superb service,have been going there for years now and i have always got the freshest seafood,great curry,chilled Kings and always service with a smile!

Bharat Bar on Baga Main Road- a great place to relax in the evenings and play the "watcher"!chilled beer available till you want to sit up(last time till 3 a.m!)nice food and super prawn spring rolls.

evilpoodle

Can't believe Lila Cafe hasn't been mentioned yet. Beside the creek in Baga. Excellent breakfasts and lunches. They make their own water-buffalo ham. Perhaps the only place around there that serves goulash and spaetzle. Also very good breads and chocolate. Close at 6, unfortunately.

nomad4ever

The Krishna restaurant was great - good food and cheap - but they now have a serious problem. That toilet smell. Or can you still say smell? It's more like a terrible sewage stink.

There must be something like a broken pipe or septic tank right in their vicinity. It's like that for the last 2-3 weeks now and it's simply horrible. I can't eat there anymore without getting stomach cramps, tearing eyes or feeling like wanting to throw up. Simply disgusting!

Even just waiting to get the food in a parcel isn't possible. When asking them, where that smell comes from, they didn't smell anything and looked at me like I'm an alien.

So yeah, as sad as it is, but Krishna is gone up in smoke for me.

And I would always vote for Oasis Restaurant in Anjuna, not only for their breakfast, their pizzas, cheap but tasty Indian Food, best sandwiches (try the Bookmaker sandwich for Rs 70), cheap lassies and fruit juices.

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evilpoodle

Le Bluebird in Vagator is worthy a try for reasonably good French grub cheap-ish. Open only for dinner. Near the Nine Bar.

In other French restaurant news, I hear Le Restaurant Francais in Baga has closed down. Can anyone confirm? Shame if it's true.

nomad4ever

A nice alternative to now stinky Krishna restaurant is right opposite the road, about 20 meters further direction to Baga.

It's called Glen's Fast Food Corner and offers some nice dishes - clean, friendly and affordable. Most Indian dishes around Rs 80, Chicken Tikka Rs 120, small Kingfisher Rs 30. We've been there now 3 times and I'm yet to run into a meal that doesn't taste good.