Food Options in North Goa : Recommended by IMers

evilpoodle

Can't say I do. Is it on the road that runs up from the beach and to the main Arambol bus-stop junction?

Another recommendation - Fernando's Nostalgia in Raia. A fair way off the beaten track - though not too far from Loutolim, so if you're in the area looking at all the old mansions, you may want to make the detour for lunch.

Authentic Goan cuisine, including lots of veggie dishes you don't find everywhere else. And over-the-top decor. Plus a homicidal goose in the backyard (if it hasn't ended up in a stew by now). Pretty cheap too, if I remember right. And they seemed to have a really well-stocked bar for a place so far out of the main tourist areas.

old man

A must is AHAH Goa just on the Nerul Road, riverside resturant, wonderful food, tranquil way to spend an afternoon away from the maddening crowd. On Sundays they do a BBQ 350 with music and a half hour boat trip.

Cheap and cheerful Riverside Resturant, just over the bridge at Nerul.

Le Fenice fantastic, as is Rising Waves.

smtwl69

the last time i went 2 india...(goa)...ws 3 yrs bak n just remember 3 places...zanzi bar on baga..and also brittos..2 of the best shacks..zanzi is known for its really amazing snacks..not really expensive can spend the whole afternoon there jus drinkin beer..and brittos..the best for lobsters..very tasty..though the owner talks a lot and can be very irritating..but thts ok...best lobsters also expensive..me n friends had 2 lobsters 2 prawn curry rice i guess 1 sizzler and lots of beer..payed arnd 4K...
and the best place i guess in goa is UJJWAL BAR..owned by nepali brother and sister..very cozy place ..dim light..ordered almost half the stuff on the menu..n loads of beer..payed only Rupees 645..this place is straight ahead from PRIMROSE..and left frm the T-junstion..dunno whre it ws exactly..i guess vagator...if u knw primrose then its very easy to find...
cheers !!

clb

Can't believe that Shivers in Candolim has not already been mentioned, but it is fabulous. Food is delicious and the restaurant ambience is great, tourist prices though, but well worth it if you feel like a decadent dinner. The waiters cant do enough for you.

Its down the track opposite the Kingfisher villa, it is also billed as a sports bart as well but dont be put off, when we were there the other week it was a pool table and tv under a gazebo with curtains and comfy chairs, well away from the restaurant. They had a sitar evening also a jazz night, both of which we thoroughly enjoyed.

smallchop

Some of my favourites:

Over the Flames in Candolim. Excellent Mughlai food, lovely decor - plus George, the most over-attentive head waiter ever.
Kebabs and Curries in Candolim opposite Holiday St. Better food that Over the Flames, but without George (not necessarily a bad thing). Small portions but very high quality.
Flambe on the Candolim - Sinquerim Rd, south of Bomra's. Really great food but awful American rock music.
Plantain Leaf in Calangute for the veg thali, dosas or anything Indian really. Can't believe no-one has mentioned this one, it's an institution.
For real posh nosh, Fiesta in Baga does great Italian food in amazing surroundings - but at a price!
Xavier's in Mapusa market is great for snacks. A portion of Pao bhaji and a large cup of chai makes a great breakast. They do takeaways too.

I second Navtara in Mapusa, and also the branch in Panjim next to the old municipal market. Brilliant, cheap South Indian food. And I love Cafe Churchill too, even if it does show my age.

rajesh.p

Wherever you guys go,please do not try these lonely planet recommended places.I have had a very bad experience not only in Goa but other places as well.
At calangute there is this place called cat..something...cant even remember that name.They served us stale fish which was literally smelly....on top of it bloody cats roaming all round the place...
So avoid such 'recommended'kind of places...these might be ok for firangs...but not for us!!

johnny five

Couldn't agree more Rajesh, good advice!

I do think the was a bit nasty and unnecessary? Just because we are not Indian doesn't mean we have to eat cr*p!

Most of Smallchops list were ok, and I think they manage to be popular with FN's without serving stale food. Plantain Leaf was the notable exception, the quality of the food has not been good for years and it does not justify a mention on the same page as the wonderful Navtara.
St Francis Xavier's cafe in Mapusa is good, also clean. Bahji Pao and in my case Nescafe did make an excellent breakfast, yesterday, shame they cant charge the same as the (outdated) menu!
At least there was no mention of Souza Lobo's near the steps at Calangute - the ultimate "Guide-book supported" rip off.

smallchop

Yes, on reflection I should have left out the Plantain Leaf now that their standards have dropped and there are so many other places that do much better South Indian food - Navtara, Shiv Sagar & Rajdhani in Panjim and the branch of Navtara in Mapusa to name a few. In my defence I think I was swept along on a wave of nostalgia, I had my first ever thali in the Planatain Leaf many years ago on our first visit to Goa and was an instant convert. On the other hand it's where my friend also had her first ever thali in 2006 and was laid up in bed for the next 4 days - as was my hubby in 2007 after eating the curd. Don't know what I was thinking of in recommending it really, especially as I've never been since!

I totally agree with Johnny Five about Souza Lobo, it's been completely overhyped by the guidebooks for years - the food is poor and the service is awful.

johnny five

Which all goes to show "Nostalgia's a thing of the past!"

But I know what you mean, we started eating in Plantain Leaf from the day it opened...........and it was good! Echo-ie, poor service, no beer or smoking (good we thought, even though at the time we enjoyed both)and most of its clientelle were Indian as most foreigners at that time found it rather intimidating. Sadly those standards did not last for long, and the beer and fags soon crept in, and the waiters uniforms got smarter and the service got slower, and all the time the food got worse. Then other, much better places cropped up, like the much missed Sagar Kinara almost opposite Lumar and down a bit which then moved to near the post office, and others. Especially Shiv Sagar in Panjim on Mahatma Ghandi.........again, we used it from day one and it was excellent, then about four years ago the slide started and now, in new ownership, its rubbish.
To be honest, as someone living here (but not for much longer I hope) I am often asked to recommend a restaurant. Because local restrauteurs are incapable of maintaining standards, I rarely do unless I ate there during the past week!

smallchop

So Shiv Sagar's gone down the tubes too has it? You're right, standards change so quickly it's hard to recommend places that you haven't experienced recently - although given that they're part of a chain I'd like to think that Navtara and Rajdhani are fairly safe. But who knows? And that's what makes it so interesting I suppose, unless you live there you have to look for new places every visit. Bet Souza Lobo's still rubbish though!

Why the move from Goa then, if it's not prying?

rajesh.p

I apologise if it was seen that way.All I meant was that as foreigners would not be able to make out the difference between authentic Goan food and 'suppossed to be Goan',such 'recommended' places continue to be given high ratings by them which in turn causes these places to take everything for granted.
Sorry again for not making this clear before

shilajit

coquero-- good prawns curry [chicken cafreal was good but now not so good as chef is changed], also if intered in pork try roasted pigling

alua menses [panji] --best for fish rushedo

hotel mandovi -- a bt expensibve but very good prawns curry and fish cafreal

Jane01

Hi, u cud also try "Viva Panjim" in Mala, Panjim for delicious Goan cuisine..Its an old heritage home that has been converted into a restaurant while retaining its yesteryears charm!!

M also suprised that "Martin's Corner", Betalbatim has not been listed... Its a little hard to find but definitely worth the effort as it serves awesome food!!

johnny five

Martins Corner was probably omitted as the title of the thread is "Food options in North Goa" and Betalbatim is very much South!

Jane01

Ok,.. my mistake..sry..

Would like to add "Dandey's Grill House", Sangolda to the list 'coz their sizzlers are superb!!