It’s time to welcome the world back to Goa with the start of yet another tourist season in the sunshine state. In the past, Goa had two very specific seasons when it came to tourists visiting the state. The off-season between June and September and the actual tourist season from October to May. Off-season saw most restaurants in North Goa and a few in the south shut down for the duration. Beaches also wore a deserted look for the most part. But it’s not the case anymore and Goa gets visitors throughout the year now.
The monsoons still saw a lot of Indian tourists make their way to Goa. That being said, hotels closer to the beach somehow stayed open through the onslaught of the rains. Some restaurants that would have normally shut down, stayed open to welcome guests for a meal. Therefore it’s become quite clear that the tourist season doesn’t really end after foreign tourists have returned to their respective homelands.
The beginning of a new tourist season in Goa
People have been coming to Goa for years. What started out as a hippie destination, soon gave way to other curious visitors to the state. In those days and even now, the main attraction was Goa’s beaches. Slowly, restaurants and beach shacks began to open up, nightlife became popular with clubs opening up in various places in North Goa. Some of these are still popular to this day.
As the new tourist season for this year is set to begin, the beaches of North and South Goa have shacks being set up. Restaurants are in the process of reopening after perhaps having had renovations. Some hotels have gone through entire refurbishment to welcome a brand new set of tourists as well as people that have visited the state regularly through the years.
Restaurants to visit this season
So a few new places have opened up in Goa in the last few months. And of course, there are the favorites that everyone heads to without hesitation just because the food has always been that good. Check them all out when in Goa.
The Lazy Goose Goa
The Lazy Goose Goa is a new entrant on the list of restaurants to try in Goa. It’s the baby of one of Goa’s very own, Chef Rohan D’Souza and his partners. The Lazy Goose Goa serves up some wonderful continental and signature dishes that have delighted all that have dined there. Nestled along the Nerul backwaters, just under the Nerul bridge, this place epitomizes the peace and calm feeling that you get when visiting Goa. The food, the drinks, and even the entertainment are fantastic. Stay up to date with the goings-on at the restaurant on their FB page.
Toro Toro Goa
Yet another venture by Chef Rohan D’Souza, it recently opened and is already making waves in Goan society. Located close to the Baga creek, the menu leaves you spoilt for choice with more signature dishes from Rohan and his team. Toro Toro Goa is also located close to the popular Tito’s Lane which is a 5-minute drive away. More details about this great new place, it’s food and entertainment are available on Facebook.
Wok n Roll Candolim
If you’re driving up to the famous Fort Aguada and the lighthouse for some sightseeing, pop in at Wok n Roll. Offering up some of the best South-East Asian cuisines in Goa, it’s also located to one of Goa’s very famous clubs, Cohiba Goa. Started by Asheen Lobo, Alwyn Mascarenhas, and Joseph Dias, the restaurant is a great place to visit. The menu boasts of fantastic, flavorful dishes and specialty cocktails.
They even celebrate dishes from different regions of South-East Asia. Most recently, they had a Soup festival which included soups from exotic destinations like Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore and more. This was followed by the Mountain Food Festival with a mouthwatering menu of food from the mountain regions of Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Korea, and others. A must visit when in Goa. Check out their Facebook page for more.
DIVA at Andores Resort & Spa
Goa has cuisine for almost every palate. Italian is yet another favorite for people that visit the state and now Goa has its own authentic Italian restaurant in the form of DIVA at the beautiful boutique resort of Andores Resort and Spa in Calangute. The DIVA brand of restaurants is best described as a dash of flavor, a pinch of creativity and ounces of passion for food! And that’s exactly what they deliver. Make sure to visit this warm and homey restaurant when in Goa. For reservations and other information, look up their Facebook page.
Craving Goan food
So there you have it. Four restaurants that have some of the best choices in cuisine in Goa for the adventurous palate. Of course, for those craving Goan food, head to old favorites like Martins Betalbatim, Ritz Classic in Panjim at Campal and 18th June Road or in Porvorim at the Mall de Goa, Peep Kitchen in a swanky new location in Taleigao among so many more.
ItsGoa/OCT/KDGP
