Location: Goa Velha
Top Restaurants in Goa Velha
Top Things to do in Goa Velha
Goa Velha Food Guide: 10 Must-Eat Restaurants & Street Food Stalls in Goa Velha
Goa Velha is a census town in Ilhas, Goa. It should not be confused with the World Heritage Site Velha Goa (English: Old Goa). St. Andrew's is its parish church. It is well known for its yearly 'procession of saints' (Konkani: santanchem pursanv)
Things to do in Goa Velha
1. Cafe Tato Panjim
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 120 reviews
Dating way back to 1913, Café Tato continues to be one of the oldest, yet finest restaurants of Goa. We have carved our way through the culinary business for decades, and can now truly say that time has only refined our authentic Goan cuisine.
Reviewed By AAMannie - Panjim, India
This place is great for vegetarian food with good service. A popular breakfast and tea joint among locals.The mushroom bajji or xacuti is spicilicious. The Goan samosa, the batata vadda and buns are good tea time options. Service is quick and efficient.
Though i've been meaning to I've never tried the thali. I hear it's a nice melange of dals, xacutis, curd and kokam juice. I think I'd prefer it to Cafe Real's or Cafe Bhonsle's.
2. Waterfront Terrace & Bar
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 246 reviews
Enjoy the exclusive 24-hour poolside and indoor restaurant at Goa Marriott Resort & Spa. Our family restaurant's eclectic international menu offers Indian, Asian and Mediterranean cuisine, all created with a twist by our innovative chefs.
Reviewed By jimjan2013 - Southampton, United Kingdom
Excellent voice of food and service, the chef's, Ashwin Menon and Mighty were outstanding, both was ever to much for them, if you wanted anything different to eat they would do it for you. Hats off to Fauzan Shaikh and his team and to Rajeev Ranan and Kellysha.
Well done to you all.
3. Venite
Overall Ratings
4 based on 278 reviews
Reviewed By ClaireFromYVR - Vancouver
This family run restaurant (and hotel) has been in business for over 50 years, and serves traditional Goan cuisine. Here is where you can try real Goan dishes like Vindaloo, Prawn Balchão, and Bebik. And I did!
It's not a huge restaurant, taking up the upper balcony floor of the hotel, about 8 tables inside and maybe 4 2-person tables outside on the balcony. It was a hot evening, so I chose to sit inside where the fan at least moved the air around a bit. (ie no air conditioning with an open to balcony.)
The restaurant is located in the older part of town, down a narrow cobblestone street inside a colonial structure. It was a perfectly safe walk around the area, which is just downhill from the Crown Casino. (I loved walking around this part of Goa!)
We had dinner. There is a daily chalk board of what is made that day - because seafood is a big part of Goan cuisine, it's comforting to know that whatever might be in season is available - not frozen!
I had the Chef's Stuffed Crab (610 or about $12 CAD), and my husband had the Pork Vindaloo with Rice (430, or about $8.50 CAD).
The Stuffed Crab has a huge portion of super fresh, no smell, and filled with chunks of crab, tossed w butter, herbs and spices. It came with fresh made chunky chips - that were actually good!
The Pork Vindaloo was a revelation. All my life I've been afraid of Vindaloo because abroad it is always so extremely hot! Well, Goan Vindaloo, real Vindaloo, is actually very mild, lovey spiced, tender stewed meat with a rich curry gravy. Not hot at all really. I could eat it!
Portions were not small.
Service was excellent. It is a family run restaurant, so expect friends will drop by, and the host is also the father of your server, so service is a tag team, but they were both very nice and friendly and helpful - English was understood, and we could ask questions.
Even though we were quite full after our mains, and did not want dessert, they gave us some anyway for free :) - so we got to sample the very tasty Bebinca - which is a pudding/layer cake.
Mains were in the neighbour hood of 450-800 INR depending on what special market price for the catch of the day seafood. That's around $8.50-$16 Canadian - for a fabulous authentic Goan food.
The ambiance is quiet, traditional, family, authentic.
Sadly they are not open on Sundays (because most business in Goa do not work on Sundays.) So we could not go back!!!
Highly recommend - for a simple, quality, authentic Goan meal.
4. Ritz Classic Restaurant and Bar
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By samitaaiyer - Navi Mumbai, India
Yes it’s v popular for its Goan fare but a strict no no if you are a vegetarian ! ( try the Shere Punjab nearly for mixed fare!)
The smell emanating from the dim lit closely placed tables will overwhelm any pure vegetarian!
A Mecca for the non-vegetarians who can eat away oblivious to the bones kept few inches away from you on the adjoining table.
More for eating and running rather than a relaxed meal !
Meal for two rs 1000/-
5. Mum's Kitchen
Overall Ratings
4 based on 636 reviews
Since 1997, Mum’s Kitchen has progressively served rare examples of the cuisine of Goa; it’s a growing movement striving to save the Goan cuisine from extinction. This place is also a tribute to “Mothers” from far flung corners of Goa for having contributed In compiling exclusive traditional recipes, the result being a range of food so exquisite it’s a testimony to the rich Goan culture.
Reviewed By RolandDSilva - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Cannot go wrong with this place if it's authentic Goan food you're looking for. Every dish seems to have been thought about carefully and presented beautifully.
Staff were super helpful especially considering we were a large group.
Tried an assortment of classic Goan dishes and every single one was outstanding.
6. Peep Kitchen
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 268 reviews
Goan, Seafood, Multi-Cuisine Restaurant with Bar. Fresh seafood. Traditional Goan cuisine. Mothers recipes. Few of our signature dishes are Butter chicken, Tandoori chicken, Biryanis.
Reviewed By 3813SEY - Preston, United Kingdom
We were big fans of the food at the previous location. The new location revealed a bright and airy restaurant and food which surpassed our expectations. Over the past two weeks we have visited this restaurant 5 times each time trying at least one new dish and we have never been disappointed. The reason for visiting 5 times ...... we cannot find anywhere in the greater Panjim area that we like as much as this restaurant. The Malai chicken is sublime- words cannot express how delicious this is. The restaurant itself has been furnished with high specification furniture and fittings and the staff are extremely good. We simpily cannot fault it .
7. Maracas
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 143 reviews
Maracas specialises in Tapas-style or small plate cuisine from around the world. The bar, with a fish tank running through it, serves great cocktails and there are fun events such as quiz night on Thursdays!
Reviewed By Shah-ji_ki_Advice - Mumbai, India
The place is known for its non-vegetarian food. So when 3 vegetarians & 1 non-vegetarian turn up for a late lunch on a rainy afternoon, there is some bit of chaos to be expected.
The place has two entrances & we missed the *main, grand* entrance. Did not matter because to our good fortune, the place was just getting empty as the last diners were leaving. We literally had the entire place to ourselves.
We started with the Tamarind Margarita - it was interesting, but we weren't tempted to ask for a refill.
Food was good with two bumper surprises!
First surprise was the Pesto Eggplant. Suitably cheesy, buttery & full of tasty pesto, the eggplant set the bar high for other food to match up. It was so good that it was polished off before a single picture could be taken!
The Exotic Mushroom Risotto was the next surprise - it was unbelievably great. So good, that we could have traded one more serving instead of dessert. It took its time to come though - and boy, the wait was worth it!
The Thai Veg Curry was good.
For dessert, we tried the Serradura & Ice Cream with Salted Caramel Sauce. They were both interesting, but not the greatest. The sauce definitely needed some work we thought, it just did not taste yum!
All in all, this place has repeat value for the eggplant & the risotto - simply outstanding!
8. Chulha
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 291 reviews
Reviewed By magrodosreis - New Delhi, India
We have spent 5 days in this lovely resort and loved it. The room was spacious and clean, the staff without exceptions friendly and competent, the food in the different restaurants very good and the pool and Gardens outstanding. The beach is big and private and you can walk for hours during low tide.
The only strange thing happened on Sunday when a rowdy crowd of men appeared and monopolized the pool. The staff tried with not much success to prevent them entering the water with their clothes. And as sudden as they appeared they were gone...
The sunset was delightful and the whole experience very relaxing.
All in all a great 5 day experience. Highly recommended.
9. Claudis Corner
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 96 reviews
Reviewed By Bhuvanesh P
Went for dinner with a local who promised us fresh-off-the-boat seafood Goan Style. And boy, did he live up to that promise. We had fresh baby squid, clams, bombay duck, red snapper, shrimp.. all of them were so fresh to taste & cooked to perfection. The ambience is perfect, the service is fast.
What more could you ask for - all this and some beer and gin came to roughly Rs 800 per head. Well worth it.
10. Joet's Bar And Restaurant
Overall Ratings
4 based on 293 reviews
