Palácio do Deão
Owners Ruben and Celia Vasco da Gama serve traditional Indo-Portuguese cuisine at their exquisitely restored heritage mansion in Quepem, which was built in the 1780s. Explore the estate and then dig into a stellar five-course lunch, including fish fofos, prawn rissois, prawn caldine and chicken vindaloo. There’s also a super pumpkin pie to sweeten the deal. (Website)
Sheela Restaurant & Bar
Luize Marie’s superlative cooking competes with stunning views of River Zuari. For 30 years, regulars have been flocking here for the fish thali, stuffed crabs, chonak rechado, fried Bombay duck and house specialities like the chicken Luizmarie, which involves a triumvirate of secret masalas. (+91-8322555675)
The BOOMSHANKAR Bar, Restaurant & Resort
On Colombo beach, and open only during the high season (October–April), this resort’s restaurant is a great spot for sundowners. It serves Goan fare and excellent rose-flavoured chai. (Website)
Jila Bakery
This Loutolim bakery makes the finest old-school éclairs you’ll eat in India. The beef patties and “melting moments” are great, too. (+91-8322777224)
Leda Lounge and Restaurant
Located off Colva beach at the Skylark Resort, the restaurant offers an excellent buffet with a mix of local and international specialities. The beef steaks here are as popular as the prawn curry. There’s also a great live band, which makes for the perfect ambience. (+91-8322781458)
Pentagon Restaurant & Garden Pub
Over the past 10 years, Pentagon has upgraded from a shack to an established restaurant in Salcette, which serves classic Goan beach food such as butter garlic crab and traditional Goan xacuti and vindaloo. Come here for a relaxed ambience with quality live entertainment. (Website)
Anantashram
This Vasco da Gama institution has grown from a shack into
its current digs—with two
dining rooms that are inevitably packed at meal times. Known
for their Golden Goan fish thali that comes with five classical delights, there’s a lot more on the menu as well. Seafood lovers can satisfy their cravings with the prawn balchao, while their North Indian food will pass muster for those that want to stick with the tried and tested. (+91-8322513247)
The Fisherman’s Wharf
Every day feels like a Sunday when you eat at The Fisherman’s Wharf in Salcette. Sip a martini and skip the diet at this riverside restaurant. You will be licking
the butter garlic prawns and prawn curry rice off your fingers after your meal. Specialities
also include the prawn peri-peri and blue-cheese mussels.
The restaurant is designed as
a boat house with a little garden and play area to let the children run around. Although the
menu includes non-vegetarian dishes, the chef loves it
when people order the vegetarian options.
Zeebop by the Sea
Editor’s pick. The Utorda beach spot offers
casual all-day dining and some of
the finest seafood in Goa. Order the spicy mackerel rechado, fish curry and a large feni and enjoy the tropical milieu, replete with silver sands, swaying palms and spectacular sunsets. (Website)
Bombay Spice
This Margao restaurant, located next to the Margao Municipal Council building, serves Punjabi food and some delicious chaat. The paani puri and dal makhani are the highlights of the menu. Vegetarians love eating here, and with their make-your-own-thali option, you can put together your own meal. (+91-8326480848)
Shree Kashi Dairy
This is a one-stop shop for chaat, samosas, pakoras and
all tangy delights. The parathas here are drizzled in ghee and served in all its classic variations, from onion, to gobi and paneer. People love eating at this Vasco restaurant for the authentic Punjabi food at reasonable prices. Try their super-rich
lassi, which will give you the feeling of being in Amritsar. (+91-8322514715)
Vivenda dos Palhaços
Those who aren’t staying here can make reservations a day prior with the owners, British siblings Simon and Charlotte Hayward, to dine at their homely heritage inn in Salcette. The menu is eclectic, but some of the standard dishes are the beef steaks with dauphinoise potatoes, and chilli sorbet for dessert. (Website)
Fish Ka
On most days, you can catch Cyril the owner overseeing the orders at Fish Ka. Tender pork ribs, fresh seafood and cold beers are what customers look forward to at the rustic shack. The homely vibe, with rock
and roll music, repurposed decorations and efficient service has made it a favourite among locals and visitors alike. (+91-8332881097)
Kentuckee Seafood Restaurant
Plastic chairs, toes buried in
the sand and a cold beer—isn’t this the Goa that everyone dreams of? Kentuckee Seafood Restaurant on Colva beach is
a 24-hour eatery that has an exhaustive menu, though as its name suggests—stick to the seafood and you should be fine. (+91-8322788107)
Martin’s Corner
Editor’s pick. This Salcette institution calls itself ‘The Paradise of Goan Delicacy’. You’ll excuse this immodesty after you’ve tried the sorpotel, pork vindaloo, pomfret caldin and chicken cafreal. Pescatarians will relish Martin’s Exotic Seafood Platter, the lobster piri piri and the king crab, which—the management proudly informs you—is a favourite with Sachin Tendulkar. (Website)
Nostalgia
Chef Fernando’s widow, Margarida, takes pride in serving traditional Goan food: seafood delicacies
such as caldeirada, beef panados, rolado and feijoada. The balcao
and garden of the bungalow in Raia provide the perfect setting to savour these and the bolo sans rival, an almost forgotten, but delicious kind of cake, that was once popular but now unavailable anywhere.