With our social lives finally back on track thanks to a very low number of Covid-19 cases, the F & B industry in Goa is finally getting a much-needed boost. For foodies, it’s back to dining out and exploring new restaurants and new cuisines. The beautiful village of Anjuna, which is known for its electrifying nightlife, lively beach parties, and high octane music festivals has seen a number of new bars and restaurants setting up shop in the recent past. For all you youngsters out there looking for new places to hang out with your friends and enjoy some delicious food and drinks, here is a list of new bars and restaurants in Anjuna.
Maka Zai
First on our list of new bars and restaurants in Anjuna is Maka Zai. This restaurant, with a very bright yellow exterior, is located in a quiet corner near the Anjuna roundabout point in Anjuna village. The interiors of the place are very rustic and have an old-world charm. The ambience of the place is simply amazing and the beautiful music playing in the background adds to the vibe of the place.
Maka Zai (Konkani for ‘I want’) offers mainly Asian food with a few components inspired by the cuisines of Goa and other coastal regions. A must try at this place is the restaurant’s exclusive culinary innovation called “Baoee”. It is a mashup of a Goan poee and a Chinese bao, stuffed with mince or Thai seafood. Other items that are highly recommended at this place include veg cheese balls, prawns cooked in coconut curry, cheese-filled mushrooms, Thai green curry, and Goan fish curry.
O’Aido
Next on our list of new bars and restaurants in Anjuna is O’Aido. This latest entrant on the culinary landscape in Goa is situated right opposite the Anjuna Football ground at Mazal Vaddo in Anjuna. The restaurant is a culinary venture of four friends: Mayuri Nigam, her husband Prateek Pandey, Arnab Banerjee and his business partner Doreen Soans.
It is not a formal restaurant but more of a neighbourhood joint where people can come, have a few drinks and snacks and enjoy the beautiful sunset over the football field situated opposite the restaurant.
The restaurant’s simple five-page menu features delicious Goan fare that is presented in a slightly different style by fusing it with other cuisines. Must-tries at this place include the creamy Caldin risotto with pickled cauliflower, beef steak served with tongue roast wrapped in pasta, poi pockets, poi toasties, and pork chops.
The restaurant’s bar menu features a wide range of cocktails and mocktails. The cocktails that are must-tries over here include the spicy watermelon margarita and the ‘Pommo’ Cafe’, a unique concoction of rum coffee liqueur and fresh pomegranate juice. Both of them are light and very refreshing.
Lush By the Cliff, Anjuna
This is an all-white, open-air restaurant surrounded by plants all around. Set on a high cliff overlooking the Anjuna Bay and the vast Arabian Sea, this place is one of the best restaurants in Anjuna to enjoy spectacular views of the beautiful sunset along with some good food and exceptional cocktails.
It is also a perfect venue to enjoy a beautiful evening dancing to some enthralling hit numbers. Run by a group of 4 dynamic individuals named Anurag Andrade, Sherwyn D’Souza, Amey Deshprabhu and Neal Lobo, Lush By the Cliff offers dishes from various cuisines. The restaurant’s well-curated menu features items like kebabs, curries, sizzlers, steaks and salads. Items that are a must-try at this place include cheese-stuffed mushrooms and butterfly prawns. They also have a separate menu for their breakfast offerings.
Mosaic
This is a tapas bar located just around 3 km away from the beautiful shores of the Anjuna beach. The bar has flooring made up of mosaic tiles. The interiors of the place are dressed in hues of mustard and blue. The comfortable seating arrangement as well as the lightning-fast Wi-Fi makes this place an ideal spot for people to work remotely in a nice and peaceful environment.
The bar was founded by cousins Ashley Lobo and Marcelo Lobo. Their passion for good food and good conversations led to them joining hands to start a place where people could hang out together and have a nice chat while munching on some amazing late-night bites and refreshing drinks.
The menu is super interesting with some delectable fusion dishes like grilled cheese poee, prawn ros omelette tacos and nachos and the finest prawn pil pil you can find anywhere in Anjuna. Their Chicken fusion taco is also a must-try! The owners of the place are very warm and welcoming and the staff is very kind and friendly. It is the best place for late-night drinks in Anjuna and stays open till 5 in the morning.
Earth Mama Smoothie Bar and Kitchen
And last on our list of new bars and restaurants in Anjuna is Earth Mama Smoothie Bar and Kitchen. This little cafe, tucked away in a quiet corner in Anjuna, serves plant-based food and is a paradise for vegetarians. The menu mainly features vegan and gluten-free dishes. It was started in August 2020 by Malavika Manay, a former fashion stylist based in Delhi, who shifted to Goa just before the whole country went into a lockdown in March 2020. The smoothie bowls offered here are probably the best you can find anywhere in India. Made with almond milk or coconut milk, every smoothie bowl has a punch of granola and lots of fruits to go with it, ensuring you’re full in no time. The cafe makes all its nut milk, nut butter and granola in-house. All the smoothies and smoothie bowls are freshly prepared and taste very nice. Smoothi bowls that are a must try include the acai bowl and the black vanilla bowl. Both are very tasty and come topped with gluten-free brownies and vegan chocolate along with delicious granola and dragon fruit. You must also try the savoury gluten-free toasties topped with delicious umami-filled toppings like smoked tofu and vegan cheese !
With this, we conclude our list of the top 5 newest bars and restaurants in Anjuna. So, if you find yourself feeling very bored and lonely during the weekend, gather some of your closest buddies and head down to one of these amazing places to enjoy a night out exploring some yummy new recipes that are now available in the tourist village of Anjuna. Hurry! Make your reservations now!
