Goa’s dining scene has moved beyond beach shacks and seafood thalis, with a new wave of restaurants offering inventive menus, thoughtfully designed spaces and experiences from leisurely lunches to sundowners. While the state’s culinary identity remains rooted in its coastal produce, Portuguese influences and traditional recipes, many dining destinations are reinterpreting these influences through contemporary cooking techniques, global flavours and imaginative cocktails.
From reworking Goan classics with unexpected ingredients to pairing international comfort food with music-led evenings and expansive outdoor settings, these restaurants make dining out in Goa as much about the experience as the food. Whether you want a relaxed afternoon by the beach, a memorable dinner or a lively spot to linger over drinks as the sun sets, Goa’s evolving restaurant landscape has something to offer. Here are two dining destinations in Goa that bring together distinctive menus, inviting spaces and a fresh perspective on eating out along the coast.
Lovefools by the Sea
Goa’s culinary traditions meet contemporary creativity at Lovefools by the Sea, the beachside sibling of Mumbai’s The Lovefools. Helmed by chef Sarita Pereira, the restaurant celebrates her Goan roots by reimagining familiar regional dishes through global techniques while retaining the flavours and memories they evoke.ertising to professional kitchens. After writing to Catalan chef Nandu Jubany and training at his Michelin-starred restaurant, Can Jubany, she returned to India and started a supper club in 2015, which eventually evolved into The Lovefools. The restaurant’s setting adds to its appeal. Centred around an island bar finished in pale blue tiles, the space features tiered plant shelves, scalloped wooden pendants and a small white cottage housing the kitchen. Step past the deck and a low stone wall, and the beach is just a few steps away.
The menu draws on Goa’s foundational sauces and preparations, including caldin, recheado, xacuti, cafreal and balchao, transforming them into unexpected dishes. The ros omelette, for instance, becomes a Japanese-style chawanmushi, or savoury egg custard, accompanied by an onion-and-tomato quenelle. Other highlights include Mushroom Bebinca, a layered pâté enriched with white miso, and Scarlet Recheado Chonak, which combines balchao butter with recheado beurre blanc.
For a taste of Goa’s seafood heritage, Goa on For a taste of Goa’s seafood heritage, Goa on a Plate brings together a mackerel cutlet, prawn balchao pickle mousse and dry prawn kismur. At Lovefools by the Sea, familiar flavours find new expressions without entirely losing sight of their roots.
Address: Utorda Beach Rd, behind Royal Orchid Beach Resort & Spa, Utorda, Goa 403713
Price for two: INR 2,500
Jenny’s Coffee House
Set within the outdoor spaces of an old Portuguese bungalow in Assagao, Jenny’s Coffee House brings together speciality coffee, all-day dining and contemporary design in a relaxed Goan setting. The café is built around the idea of an unhurried day, where a morning coffee can turn into breakfast, brunch can stretch into the afternoon, and the evening can end with aperitivo and cocktails.
The coffee programme caters to both everyday drinkers and those keen to explore the craft in greater depth. Alongside classics such as espresso, americano, flat whites and cappuccinos, the menu features speciality, microlot and ultra-rare coffees, experimental processing methods and distinctive pour-overs. Ceremonial-grade matcha, cacao, fresh-pressed juices, smoothies and signature drinks round out the beverage selection.
The food menu follows a similarly eclectic approach, combining familiar café favourites with ingredients and flavours drawn from Goa and beyond. Options range from eggs, breakfast bowls and sourdough toasties to sandwiches, burgers, wood-fired pizzas, pasta, fresh bakes and desserts. Highlights include Turkish Eggs with Alleppey Chilli Butter and Toasted Poi, Goan Chorizo & Soft Scramble, Chicken Cafreal Poi and Goan Churris Pao. Tomato & Stracciatella Pizza and Slow-Cooked Lamb Ragù Pappardelle add an international touch to the all-day menu.
As the day progresses, Jenny’s transitions naturally from a coffee house into an evening destination. The drinks programme features coffee-based cocktails, classic aperitivo serves, spritzes, wine and beer, as well as non-alcoholic options. The idea is to create a space where guests can linger well beyond their morning caffeine fix.
The setting is central to the experience. Surrounded by greenery, the bungalow’s outdoor spaces feature an eclectic mix of furniture, artworks, sculptures and statement lighting. The property also houses Bentchair’s furniture store in its indoor spaces, bringing hospitality and design together under one roof. Guests can explore the furniture collection while visiting the café, making it a destination for both dining and design.
Adding another dimension to the concept is Jenny, an AI character who serves as the brand’s digital personality. Curious, warm and playful, she features in the café’s online storytelling around coffee, food, Goa and everyday moments.
With its speciality coffee programme, all-day menu and laid-back setting, Jenny’s Coffee House offers a space to enjoy everything from a leisurely breakfast to an afternoon coffee or evening drinks.
Address: House No. 293, Survey 113/2, Socol Vaddo, Bouta Waddo, Assagao, Goa 403507
Timings: 9 am to 8 pm
The Forresta Kinaro
Jaipur-based The Forresta Kitchen & Bar has brought its signature blend of food, drinks and entertainment to Goa with The Forresta Kinaro, a sprawling 35,000-square-foot destination along the Ashwem–Mandrem stretch. Designed around coastal colonial architecture, the space features tall arches, colonnades, tropical landscaping and expansive verandah-style areas. Multiple dining zones, a sea-facing section, an open terrace and an outdoor performance stage allow the venue to transition from leisurely lunches to sunset cocktails and lively late-night gatherings.
The menu, led by Chef Vikas Singh, follows a gThe menu, led by Chef Vikas Singh, follows a global approach to comfort food, spanning fresh seafood, sushi, dumplings, grills, Indian favourites, pastas and pizzas. Highlights include Kingfish Ceviche, Prawn Tempura Koliwada, Butter & Chimichurri Prawns with Poi and Crispy Chilli Chonak. The cocktail programme, titled The Plan Was Different, takes inspiration from Goa’s spontaneous, unhurried rhythm. Music shapes the experience through the day, beginning with relaxed lo-fi sounds before building into sundowner sessions and energetic, Bollywood-led evenings. With Kinaro, the 15-year-old hospitality brand extends its Jaipur roots to Goa, creating a coastal destination where dining, drinks and nightlife come together under one roof.
Address: Ashwem Beach Road, Mandrem, Goa 403527
Price for two: INR 2,800
Fireback And Barback
Bringing together Thai cuisine and the spirited drinking culture of Bangkok’s Chinatown, Fireback and Barback offer a dining experience that moves from dinner to cocktails and late-night conversations. Located at At Irada Home in Siolim, the two concepts come from EHV International, the hospitality group behind Indian Accent, Comorin and HOSA. Fireback has returned to Goa for the season following a residency in Perth and the launch of its Hyderabad outpost, while Barback makes its Goa debut alongside it.
At Fireback, the focus is on the bold, fire-led traditions of Thai cooking, with Michelin-starred chef David Thompson as Culinary Director and Kaustubh Haldipur as Brand Chef. The menu brings back signature dishes alongside new additions, balancing traditional Thai flavours with refined techniques.
Highlights include Miang Kham, betel leaf parcels layered with pomelo, toasted coconut and roasted peanuts; Pineapple Som Tam, a sweet-and-sour take on the classic Thai salad; and fire-grilled pumpkin and sweet potato, glazed with gorlae sauce. Larger plates include Jungle Curry of Grilled Pork, made with house chilli paste and turmeric, and Red Curry with Soft-Shell Crab, flavoured with ginger and lime leaves. An open kitchen adds to the experience, while a private dining room accommodates up to 15 guests.inspiration from Yaowarat, Bangkok’s iconic Chinatown district, with a menu of Chinese bar bites, small plates and Southeast Asian-inspired cocktails.
The drinks programme incorporates ingredients such as pandan, yuzu, kaffir lime, tamarind, hojicha, guava and lemongrass. Signature cocktails include the Tom Yum Gimlet, which combines lemongrass, ginger-guava cordial, kaffir lime and chilli; the Pandan Negroni; and the Guava Chilli Margarita. Mango Rice, made with rum, mango, rice cordial and pineapple fino, offers a playful interpretation of familiar flavours.
The food menu is designed for sharing over drinks, with options ranging from Chilli Oil Dumplings and Khanom Jeeb Chicken Dumplings to Salt & Pepper Rock Shrimp, Chongqing Tofu, Mapo Tofu and Spicy Mala Lamb Noodles. While Barback retains a connection to Fireback, its warmer palette of rich burgundy, soft gold and layered textures gives it a distinct identity.
Together, the two venues offer a progression from a Thai dinner to an evening of cocktails, small plates and conversation, bringing the flavours of Southeast Asia to Goa’s dining scene, and ending the list on a cohesive note that reflects the range and energy of these new arrivals.
Address: At Irada Home, House No. 60/1 A1, near St Anthony’s Church, Vaddy, Siolim, North Goa 403517
Price for two: INR 2,400 (excluding taxes)
Timings: Monday to Friday, 4 pm to midnight; Saturday and Sunday, 12 pm to 4 pm (for lunch) and 7 pm to 11:30 pm (for dinner)
