10 Local Dishes You’ve Got to Try in Goa! 

Being in Goa, the land of the sun and sea truly makes you want to indulge, whether it is drinking a couple of extra cocktails, relaxing by the beach for a bit too long or just indulging in more gluttony than usual! The good part is that Goa offers you plenty of opportunities for it all! However, if you really want to get into the vibe of Goa, Things2do suggests you put the beach parties and drinking sessions on hold to explore these delicious traditional things to eat in Goa at some of the best cafes, shacks, and restaurants in Goa. 

The cuisine in Goa is a beautiful melting pot of cultures. From Portuguese inspired dishes to delicious seafood curries and out of the world desserts. Thigs2do recommends these 10 local dishes you should try in Goa and the perfect places where you can find them!  Read on. 

1A Classic Goan Fish Thali 

Something that you just can’t miss out on if you are a seafood lover visiting the sunny state! A Goan fish thali is an absolute delight and will mostly feature the fresh catch of the day, along with portions of local veggies and clams/ crabs sukkha, dried fish kismur, sol kadi, fish curry, rice, pickle, and salad. While you can find it at a lot of great places, here are some that Things2do recommends. 

Places to visit in Goa to try Goan Fish Thali – Vinayak, Spice Goa, Avos Kitchen, Copperleaf, Lay Fish, Tukaram, Konkani Canteen, Laurianas, Peeps Kitchen, Rits Classic, Fat fish. 

2The Ultimate Midnight Snack – Ros Omelette

No matter which part of the world you are in, eggs and bread are always easy to find. Goa’s version – Ros Omelette is the dish of choice for party goers in Goa, who are always looking for that perfect midnight snack, post a beach party or all nighter. This unique combination of omelettes (and quite often chicken too) cooked in a coconut based gravy, is served with pav to scoop up all that delicious masala. Made instantly and served piping hot, you can find this at a lot of restaurants in Goa, but the best ones are the random stalls you bump into and find open at 4 am!  

Places to visit in Goa to try Ros Omelette – Ravi’s Ras Omelette Gaado, Panaji; Khareband, Margao; Sirsat No1, Assagaon; Santosh, Margao. 

3Drive Spicy Street food – Chiroz Pav 

Goa’s very own version of spiced sausages, cooking Goan chorizo is an art that when done well leads you to the best flavours ever. Made with pork and a whole lot of species, Goan chorizo is cooked with a spicy masala till all the natural fats of the meat are released. This delicious chorizo masala is just stuffed between poi and served as delicious on-the-go food in Goa.

Places to visit in Goa to try Goan Choriz Pao – Valankana Fast Food, Noronha’s Corner.

4Drive Goa’s Homestyle Favourite – Xacuti 

No matter which part of Goa you are in you will always find Xacuti on the menu! A brownish coconut gravy with a lot of traditional Goan spices, Chicken Xacuti is an iconic coconut-based chicken curry that is an integral part of all festive and celebratory occasions in Goan households. You can find Xacuti made with fish, prawns, and chicken on literally every restaurant menu in Goa and everyone has their own version to make it. These however are the ones that we think offer you a delicious traditional tasting of the famous Chicken Xacuti in Goa. 

Places to visit in Goa to try Chicken Xacuti – Ashok Restaurant and Bar, Om Sai, Parra, Spice Goa, Avos Kitchen, Copperleaf, Konkan Canteen. 

5Goa’s all-day Breakfast Bread – Poi 

What pav is to Mumbai and paranthas are to Punjab – Poi is for the people of Goa. This universal favourite bread is made fresh each day and you can find it at every bakery or restaurant in Goa. Infact mornings in Goa are incomplete without the sound of the poi sellers’ cycle bell ringing in the background. Hot fresh poi is a delight and just perfect to soak up curries and sandwich delicious cutlets between! 

Places to visit in Goa to try Poi –  Most local bakeries

6Bite-sized Flavour Bombs – Danger/Cutlets  

Cutlets are a part of Goa’s indulgent yet fuss free food culture and cutlets are a hit here. From chicken and mutton to pork and buff, meaty cutlets have a prominent flavour of spices and taste great sandwiched between Poi-Goa’s traditional bread! However, the seafood cutlets are a flavour true flavour bomb! They can be made with any type of shellfish like prawns, clams, mussels, etc which really bring out the spicy and tangy flavour of the masalas. If you’re looking for the best restaurants in Goa to try these bite sized treats, Things2do has some great places that we’ve shortlisted for you! 

Places to visit in Goa to try Cutlets / Dangar – Spice Goa, Avos Kitchen, Smitas Lakeview / Local food trucks, and Bakery shops. 

7Classic Goan Curries – from Cafreal to Amotik!  

Curry and rice is a staple food for the people of Goa and they have a whole variety of curries to choose from. From the spicy Amotik Fish curry, derived from the word ‘Ambot’ which means ‘sour’ and ‘Tik’ means ‘spicy’ in Konkani to the Portuguese inspired Chicken Cafreal. The curries in Goa are a lovely balance of spices and coconut. You can enjoy these traditional Goan curries with rice or poi, Goa’s local favourite bread.

Places to visit in Goa to try Goan Curry – Florentine, Om Sai Parra, Copperleaf,  Martins place, StarLight, Spice Goa, Kismoor

8Tangy and Fiery Portuguese Inspired – Vindaloo  

Probably Goa’s most famous dish – the rich and spicy flavours of Vindaloo masala will hit your senses as soon as a plate arrives at your table. Vindaloo is a Portuguese-influenced Goan dish made by cooking meat with spices and vinegar which is also how it gets its name. It’s a heavily spiced dish that can be made using many different types of ingredients ranging from pork and mutton to chicken and even paneer and tofu! 

Places to visit in Goa to try Vindaloo – Oaido, Kismoor, Spice Goa, Avos Kitchen, Copperleaf, Just Lobos. 

9Spicy Seafood Treat – Prawns Balchao 

Prawns Balchao is a fiery dish that finds its origins in Goa. Prawns are stir-fried first and then added to a pickled curry sauce to create a dish that makes your taste buds tingle and leaves you asking for more. A bite of a comforting prawn balchao with rice or bread is just the perfect meal to get between a swim in the sea and a long nap at a beach shack in Goa. 

Places to visit in Goa to try Prawns Balchao – Kismoor, The local table, Spice Goa, Avos Kitchen, Oaido.  

10For a Great Sugar Rush – Serradura 

This one is truly unique!  Serradura (Sawdust Pudding) is a Portuguese dessert that consists of a combination of sweetened whipped cream and powdered tea biscuits. Serradura in Portuguese means sawdust, and the sawdust in this dessert is powdered tea biscuits. The biscuits are powdered to super fine and resemble sawdust. We can’t explain anymore, because it’s something you must actually eat to experience. Here is where you can find serradura in Goa.  

Places to visit in Goa to try Serradura – Cremeux, Caravela Cafe, Spice Goa, Avos Kitchen, and Copperleaf.