The proliferation of trendy eateries and new restaurants in Goa has sparked a national culinary revolution and is hastening the arrival of a new era. The state currently boasts some of the most innovative, daring, curious, and awe-inspiring food and drink options, and with each passing month, the best new restaurants in Goa are always piling up on our bucket list! From seductive, low-light bars to charming eateries and beyond, here is a knuckle-full of the best new restaurants in Goa you must try this April!
Janot, Panjim
Janot is Avinash Martins' third venture and his first release outside of his home in South Goa.
What’s on the menu: The cuisine-neutral menu at Janot, run by Avinash, has an emphasis on high-quality products from all over the world, including microgreens and vegetables produced on-site, as well as foreign meats like Norwegian salmon, Belgian pork belly, and Australian lamb. In keeping with this attitude, he provides a chef's tasting meal away at his farm. The Spanish word for grace, janot, has given him the freedom to explore cuisines outside Goan.
USP: With a focus on global flavours and ingredients, Janot's cuisine draws from a variety of sources, including the Caribbean, Latin America, and Europe and France. Appetisers, entrees, and desserts are available at Janot. There appears to be a vegetarian option for each item on the menu. This is one of the best new restaurants in Goa!
Zeno by the Sea, Vagator
Zeno by the Sea in Vagator is an absolute must-visit if you're in the mood for some world-class cuisine and breathtaking vistas.
What’s on the menu: Famous chef Nishant Chaubey oversees the cuisine, which features culinary fusions with dishes like Korean Chicken Wings, Truffle Mushroom Cream Cheese, and Mini Koobideh.
USP: Indian classics like Nihari and Galouti Kebabs are perfect for when you're in the mood for something a little more exciting. Cocktails like Purple Rain and Blind Date, among others, mirror the daring cuisine.
Anar, Anjuna
Chef Rishabh Law, renowned for his work at Big Fat Sandwich, introduces the robust and fragrant aromas of the Middle East to Goa at Anar, another new place in Anjuna.
What’s on the menu: He has created a menu at Anar that features traditional kebabs, such as the mouth-watering Persian Kebab Koobideh, the aromatic Turkish Adana, and the house speciality, pomegranate molasses-marinated kababs. The rich walnut and pomegranate stew, Fesenjoon and the substantial stew Ghormeh Sabzi bring to mind traditional Persian cuisine, while the decadent Baklava and Kunafa are the dessert standouts.The paintings combine the opulence of the Middle East with the carefree spirit of Goa, and the hand-picked brass serveware creates an air of modern warmth.
USP: Drinks like the Anār (gin, pomegranate molasses) and the Zalabia Walk (tequila, grapefruit za'atar shrub) are available on the Mashrub cocktail menu, which goes well with the meal.
LouLou Cocktail House, Assagao
Nitin Wagh and Shubham Setia co-founded Loulou, a cosy speakeasy in Goa's ASSA House with 18 seats.
What’s on the menu: Under Chef Kalpesh's direction, the cuisine features innovative small plates that harmonise with the cocktails, including the Kozhi Kari Sandwich and Bombay Pâté. Inviting guests to become a part of its story, Loulou also embraces community via its vibrant events, partnerships, and feeling of camaraderie, and is one of the best new restaurants in Goa!
USP: Bar patrons may enjoy a one-of-a-kind mashup of Goan and worldwide cuisines thanks to the innovative use of both local and global techniques. The interior has an air of warmth and nostalgia thanks to its old furnishings, including an antique piano, brocades, and velvets. Ingenious cocktails like the Bimbli Spritz and the Truffle Reverie are created with local spirits on the menu, which is designed with sustainability in mind.
Mizu Izakaya, Siolim
With the same authentic Japanese izakaya fare, Mizu Izakaya, a smash success in Mumbai, has opened a second location in Goa at 8 Boheim Avenue, Siolim, next to the Siolim Bird Sanctuary.
What’s on the menu: In Goa, Mizu continues to serve many of the same dishes that made it popular in Mumbai, such as Hokkaido mentai grilled scallops with miso corn mousse, Matsuzakaya shumai, and Maguro No Taru Taru, but it also takes advantage of its new beachfront setting. Delicious dishes have been created using the plentiful local ingredients in Goa, such as coconut-kokum ponzu, chonak cooked over hibachi, brown butter citron kosho teesrya served with crispy rice, and seaweed that has been gathered only moments ago. The 14-seat glass-encased counter for a bespoke, immersive eating experience is the showpiece of the Goa outpost's omakase area.
USP: Guests may have a fifteen- to twenty-course meal here, highlighting seasonal and unusual foods such as shirako, baby eels, uni, and Japanese bluefin tuna. Because the cooks make and plate everything as they go, going with their gut, every meal is unique and personal, and this has quickly become one of the best restaurants in North Goa!
Jolene by the Sea, Anjuna
Chef Suvir Saran, together with Amrita Arora, Shakeel Ladak, Amrita Arora Ladak, Gaurav Batra, and Ankit Tayal, have just brought the newest big ticket item to the busy Anjuna stretch: Jolene By The Sea. Over the last 20 years, Saran's restaurants—including New York City's Devi—have garnered Michelin stars while raising the bar for Indian cuisine.
What’s on the menu: With its picture-perfect beachfront location, easygoing tropical ambiance, and creative food and drink menu, Jolene by the Sea is the ideal seaside hangout. The menu that Jolene has put up is an eclectic mix of people, places, and stories. Traditional Indian fare serves as an inspiration for many recipes, which then undergo transformations to become both familiar and daring. Consider Ed's Brooklyn to Bombay Wantons, a memorial to the late chef Ed Schoenfeld, who was well-known for his work at Red Farm, a prominent Chinese restaurant in New York City.
USP: The chef's mentor, Schoenfeld, had a profound effect on Suvir, teaching him the ins and outs of Chinese cuisine and the restaurant business. The wantons served at Saran's are a recipe that Suvir inherited from his teacher. The Madrid to Morjim Prawns, for example, are a sophisticated take on the traditional Goan prawn curry with poee that exemplifies how tapas-style dining can be enriched with the warming seafood aromas of India's Konkan coast.