It’s always café season in Goa but come summer and you’ll find everyone flocking to their favourites so here’s my pick of the top 5 cafés in North Goa. Don’t miss out on what you should try out in each of them!
I LOOVEE cafes and I’ve frequented soo manyy over the years. Right from picturesque to quaint to boho to ones with a great view, they all have my heart.
Tip: As you might be aware, places might open or close from one season to the next so be sure to check out if they’re currently open or if the timings have changed.
FYI, this post isn’t sponsored, I’ve visited these cafés, tried out their stuff first hand and paid for everything myself after which I thought I’d write this guide of my personal favourites to help all of you out while picking your next café visit.
The list is in no particular order. So here goes…the Top 5 Cafés you should explore in North Goa for a great experience are:
1. Caravela Café & Bistro
27, 31st January Road, Sao Tome, Panaji
Open from 8 am – 8 pm on all days (yes, even on Sundays!)
Zomato – 4.7/5
Google – 4.6/5
TripAdvisor – 4.5/5 and it tops the list of cafés in Panjim
After reading the ratings, you know I’m not kidding when I say this café is actually that good and also why it tops the list of Best Cafes in Panjim on TripAdvisor. The fact that this café & bistro is situated in one of the most Instagram popular areas right in the heart of the capital city, Fontainhas or Latin Quarter as it is popularly called, is a plus.
As soon as you enter through the glass door of this café, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee greets your nostrils. The vibes of this cosy and welcoming café are reminiscent of a café on the streets of Europe.
I can proudly claim that I’ve tried almost all of their offerings except for the pizzas and I’ve yet to find something that I don’t like here. Everything is freshly made and they’ve consistently maintained their quality.
Apart from a largely continental fare, they also serve traditional Goan household evening staples like Rissois, Croquettes and Chops so if that’s something that you want to try out then you know where to head to. And if you are someone with a small appetite who likes desserts like me then grab a friend along because some of their portion sizes might be more than you can have.
If you’re a coffee lover then you should know that apart from serving a variety of coffee blends, they make their own blends as well. They have a light and strong variant – Latin Quarter Regular and Latin Quarter Premium, respectively. You can sample them for yourself and then buy a packet if you like it.
P.S. They even host a homestay so you can stay in the heart of the Latin Quarter of Goa.
Edit: They’ve recently opened an outlet in Candolim.
2. Café Basil
Estrocio Residency, Tonca
Open from 11 am-3 pm, 5-9 pm on all days except Sunday
Zomato – 4.4/5
Google – 4.5/5 from a whopping 1500+ reviewers
TripAdvisor – 4/5
Started by three brothers, Café Basil is a popular college hang out. To get a table here during peak lunch hours is practically impossible. That’s why sometimes my friends and I have had to alter our lunch hours to eat here. I’ve frequented this place ever since it opened in the first location so I’ve literally seen it grow.
Their burgers are so good, really filling and come with a side of fries and dip. They have quirky names for most of their fare. You’ll find burgers called GMC, MCR, Bubulaé and the Holy F*%$. Since their inception, they’ve slowly added to their roster – each item better than the previous.
Apart from the burgers, their milkshakes are a hit too, especially the XXXtasy shake which is a thick chocolate shake with chocolate bits mixed in and chocolate shavings on top. Gosh! Heavennn! It is so thick that apart from the straw, they provide you with a spoon because they know the straws just won’t cut it. They also make really good fresh lime juice and “mo-jee-to” (mojito) as they call it.
3. Kefi Café and Bistro
House No 460, Tembar, Anjuna Mapusa Road, Assagao
Open from 8:30 am – 10 pm on all days
Zomato – 3.9/5
Google – 4.7/5
Kefi is a relatively new café that’s only about a year old (at the time of writing this). It is located in the quaint and quiet neighbourhood of Assagao in North Goa.
This place specialises in Mediterranean fare but unfortunately, I haven’t tried those out yet. Honestly, I’ve been there only once and haven’t tried most of their fare. However, I do plan on going there to give you a more detailed review.
For now, the reason it features on my list is solely for their chocolate mud pie. It’s a decadent, layered slice of pure indulgence if you ask me and soo good! So, if you must, make a trip there just for the mud pie especially if you’re a chocolate lover like me and I promise you won’t regret it.
I tried the cheesecake and orange juice as well. The cheesecake is not overly sweet and the orange juice was thankfully not the carton kind. It was citrusy and tangy to taste so I’m guessing it is prepared in-house. Their staff is courteous and will always greet you with a smile.
Tip: The café is great for people who want to work out of a workspace that isn’t an office and is away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Unlike most cafés in Goa, this one has positioned itself in that space by providing several plug points on its peripheral walls.
P.S. They also have live music sessions in the evenings at least twice a week.
4. Pastry Cottage
Ground floor, Sapna Sea Mist, Caranzalem
Open from 9 am – 9 pm on all days
An average rating between the 3 outlets is as follows:
Zomato – 3.5/5
Google – 4.0/5
TripAdvisor – 4/5
Pastry Cottage has been a family favourite for decades and was among the first bakeries to serve the people of Goa. It started as a family-run bakery with the primary outlet in the heart of Panjim. But their outlet in Caranzalem (at the address listed above) is the crowd puller since it is aesthetically pleasing and makes for a good photo-op for the ‘gram.
They serve savouries and desserts alike. You’ll find midday snacks like patties and rolls, teatime cakes, pastries and a bunch of other items.
Pro tip: I would recommend you visit any of their outlets between 11 am and 12 noon for the freshest snacks and pastries.
All of their offerings are delicious. But the most popular, back in the day, was their custom-designed cakes because not many places were doing those. They had a catalogue of designs that you could choose from apart from providing your own. They still have this but most people now have a fair idea of what they want or they take inspiration from social media.
My family has been their loyal customer ever since the proprietors themselves would man the place and all of my childhood birthday cakes were from here for almost two decades, I think.
They’ve maintained the quality of their food throughout and that’s why people frequent the place. Plus, they’ve been around long before the bakery bug hit the city and a multitude of custom cake bakers sprouted.
5. McCafé by McDonald’s
3rd Floor, Mall De Goa, NH 66, Porvorim
Open from 10 am – 11 pm on all days
Zomato – 3.9/5
Google – 4.3/5
This is an unconventional choice but hear me out. Every time you go to McDonald’s your usual order consists of burgers, fries and/or meals. If you didn’t already notice, the drinks are handed out by their McCafé division.
They have a wide choice of hot and cold drinks. The warm ones include a variety of coffees (which I haven’t tried yet). The cold ones range from the regular fizzy cold drinks to my favourite iced teas to shakes to the colder varieties of coffees and their once-popular floats as well.
But all the above are not the reason this Mc division has made it to this list.
Some time ago, due to a craving, I ordered their vanilla muffin. The other choice they provide is a chocolate muffin. Both come with chocolate chip chunks in them. I suppose because the smell from that area was dominated by it.
And boyyy! That muffin is the SOLE reason this café has made it the 5 best North Goa cafés list!
The muffin is quite big with a generous helping of chocolate chips and not like those tiny-barely-there ones that people sell under the guise of a muffin. It was so delicious and so soft that it literally melted in my mouth. It was very indulgent and I sat there in silence enjoying every bit of it. The result: I even forgot to take a picture!
It makes for a really good dessert after your McD meal so don’t forget to try it out the next time you’re there.