It’s almost impossible to not think of the pristine blue beaches, late night parties and sumptuous food while thinking of Goa. Goa has all the ingredients for a perfect holiday recipe and since I visit north Goa every year (at least once) so I put together a list of best restaurants to eat at in your next visit! Goan cuisine has much more to offer than the quintessential Goan curry and prawn so here is a sneak peek of my gastronomic adventures in this tropical paradise. Quick Tip : always call up restaurants and book in advance during peak seasons. Also, if you are going to shacks, find out if they are still open because some are temporary and shift locations regularly.
Vinayak : if you want to try Goan cuisine, this is your place! Located in Assagao, this place serves the most authentic Goan cuisine. Recommended for it’s seafood, Pomfret curry, crab masala, Goan Thali. The ambience is very homely and the food is fresh and reasonable. You will be very satisfied with the quality of food. Quick Tip : check restaurant timings before going!
Titlie : Located in Vagator, North Goa, is a multi cuisine restaurant and bar. Titlie which means butterfly is true to its name and gives a very vibrant vibe.The beautiful interior is a perfect proportion of earthy yet sophisticated décor. During the day, the place is flooded with natural light. The bamboo lamps give a soft
amber light in the evening creating a great ambience. Add to that the breathtaking view of the Orzan beach in Vagator. There are exclusive outdoor seating arrangements too. The collaborative cuisine menu of the restaurant will leave you spoilt for choice. The restaurant being relatively new, it is yet to get its crowd favourite dishes. So
you can actually experiment with dishes without the baggage of ordering the people’s favourites. We stuffed ourselves with all the sea food available, you will like all of them. It also has an extensive bar menu to choose from – Titlie specials, and classics with Titlie twist, and also a few local favourites like Goan feni. The price is approximately 1800INR for two. Imagine watching the sun setting in the horizon with a light musical performance going on in the background. Perfect, huh?
Thalassa : perched on the edge of a cliff in Siolim, with gorgeous views overlooking the Arabian Sea, this Greek taverna offers one of the most picturesque sunsets and delectable Greek fare. This open-air restaurant styled entirely in white will immediately transport you to Santorini. It’s the best place to gorge on some yummy dishes. The live performances make the place a whole lot more happening. I tried a lamb burger and white sauce pasta
and for desert I had a choco blast and was left totally swooning over it.
La Plage : this stylish shack in Ashvem Beach area offers appetising French cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere. The moment you step in you’ll fall in love with the decor, the colourful,vibrant muslin curtains give an electric mix of funky and elegant. The fish souffle that I ordered was exceptional and the desserts too were lip smacking but I loved their Belgian chocolate ice cream the most. I enjoyed the view and vibe under palm trees with mellow tunes in the background. The place is both funky and sophisticated. The place is too busy so service can be a problem! Quick tip: pre book because this place is usually crowded. 
Antares : set on the shores of Vagator, the beach club is one of Antares’ prime gathering places. Here one can
find lavish day beds, woodfire Pizzas, tasty share plates and refreshing cocktails to break up the dips in the ocean all whilst listening to live music played by internationally renowned artists. The exotic food with that charcoal grill flavour and it’s popular sea food make it a hard to miss. The ambiance is hard to beat with a structure built into a cliff with a brilliant view of the beach that sets an amazing mood through sunset. I had Arancini balls and cheese croquettes for starters and simple lasagnia for main course and I truly savoured every bite.
Baba Au Rhum : quaint French cafe in Anjuna , north Goa, Baba au rhum needs no introduction. The unusual name is actually refers to a popular French food with a quite interesting history of its own. Surrounded by green plants and supported by tree trunks the place gives a rustic vibe. The quirky art works on the walls only adds to
its eclectic taste. The ambience is great and definitely something to look out for. DJ nights and live performances take place every evening and are definite crowd pullers. Their freshly baked croissants and breads will not disappoint. It is a favourite place for breakfast. The place serves exclusive and extensive Italian and French
delicacies. You can order vegetarian, vegan as well as gluten- free meals here. Check out the desserts. The bar menu is equally impressive. Sangria happens to be quite popular here. The price is 1000INR for two people. It is a fun place to hang out with both family and friends. It has a separate smoking area. The restaurant offers free Wi-fi. Book a table in advance because usually the footfall is high. However the place closes by 10pm.
Olive Bar and Kitchen : is located in Vagator. The décor has an urban charm to it. The outdoor seating with the backdrop of the vast blue sea is breathtaking. Lined with palm trees and pretty white furniture, it’s a place you would want to come back place again and again. With the gentle music in the background it certainly creates a lovely ambience. Keep an eye on their acoustic sundowner performances. The place serves Mediterranean and Italian cuisine. The restaurant has some great fusion food – Greek and Goan flavours. The drinks here are definitely to look out for. Chorizo Mary is much recommended choice and it has their own twist to it. Try out their curated dessert menu.The cost is 2000 INR for two. Free Wi fi is available. Quick tip: pre book if you hope to find a table. This place is usually crowded. 
Burger Factory : Burger Factory located in Anjuna, is a small set up with cozy interiors and provides some of the most palatable burgers. It’s a perfect place that will quench your taste buds and the staff is friendly and quick in service. It promotes everything recycled, with inexpensive baskets used as lamps with the menu written on the wall. They serve only burgers and nothing else and still manage to keep the taste of each of them unique and addictive. I am not a burger person at all but had to give it a try and I will go back again! The open air restaurant is an ideal place to sit back, relieve the stress and get rejuvenated.
Sublime : this hidden gem for food lovers in Assagao has won the best restaurant in fusion food by Times Food awards for 3 consecutive years. From the plating to the variety of meat, it’s bang on. Started with the perfect chicken dimsums, medium rare starter along with a fig and strawberry mixed salad. Ambience was earthy, presentation was on point and top marks to taste, goes without saying. Also, they have a tiny little shop inside which has a beautiful collection. The place lived upto our expectation in every way.
Tiger Bay : Goa is one of those places where you just chill and watch the sunset, and I’m a sucker for such moments. We didn’t really plan to go here but while roaming around in Morjim and finding no place open we sat here and simply watched the sunset. We ended up catching an unobstructed panoramic view of the sunset while devouring on some delicious food. We started with butter garlic prawns and snacked on chicken pizza. Surprisingly we quite liked this place!
W : We were completely awestruck by the ambience of W, it’s handsdown one of the best in Goa so far. The colourful and vibrant cafe made me fall in love with it instantly.The restaurants in W offer a diverse menu consisting of Continental, Italian, European style dishes and much more. We had the crispy fish and chips, Barrah and a sweet delectable orange cheesecake for dessert. The food possessed a brilliant combination of exotic flavours. The entire place is a luxurious delight for the ones who wanna get pampered in the morning and party all night.
Bomra : Situated in Candolim, this place set up by Chef Bomra 14 years ago has transformed itself into a popular hub and made it to the it list of Goa. The food is influenced by various aspects of the Burmese ancestory. A stickler for
quality and authenticity, passion shines through in the food. The slow roasted crab meat salad that we ordered was-to die for! For dessert we had this unique and out of this world Coconut pannacotta, the tender coconut-y, wobbly with crunchy passion fruit seeds-was the perfect way to end the meal.
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