15 Of The Best Vegetarian Restaurants In Goa That You Can Say "Lettuce Eat Here"

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Goa can be hard on a vegetarian and between the typical North Indian places near Baga and South Indian thali joints, options can get pretty limited. Of late though, the state's being kinder with a flurry of beautiful veggie cafes and vegan chill-out pads dishing out more than just good masala chai and pakoras. Here's are the 15 of the best vegetarian restaurants that get our vote. 

Saraya Cafe

Just off the main Chogm road in Sangolda, Saraya has a garden cafe that opens for a couple of hours in the morning and 7 pm onwards for dinner. Everything is organic and fresh, and their wood-fired pizzas are the best thing to have in the evenings. The vegetarian thali, salads and coolers are also pretty popular. Oh, and if you feel like pairing that Margherita pizza with some cheap wine, you can BYO. 

Bean Me Up

Bean Me Up is famous for its vegan food, which is innovative and includes a lot of dishes from around the world. It is set in a lovely garden, on the Anjuna Vagator road. Their organic salads, daily specials and their guacamole with nachos are a hit with the regulars. They also do a mean tofu burger! In fact, one reason for the food tasting this good is because all their condiments and dips (and even tofu) are made in-house, from scratch. 

Café Tato’s

This is another affordable and really old café, now being run by the third generation of the Dhuri family. They serve a mix of Goan and South Indian food, and both are well-loved. Of course the must-try dish here is the Paatal Bhaaji, which also tends to get over soon due to its popularity, so get there fast? The service is quick and friendly. We hear there's another outlet opening in Porvorim, so we'll keep you updated. 

Artjuna

A tried-tested-and-loved option, we can't thank the heavens enough that it's open through the year. There are many reasons to hang at Artjuna including its coffee, breakfast, granola, mezze platter and cakes. Did we mention the store that we love exploring and the little library that always holds us back? And, if Anjuna is too mainstream for you, hit up its quieter cousin in Assagao that's a delight for the vegetarian who loves the rustic, quiet side of Goa. 

P.S. Artjuna's sourdough, multigrain and other freshly-baked bread loaves go on discount every day after 5pm. 

Zest

Zest has been our go-to brekkie and coffee spot in Agonda for years. Washed in sunlight and with trippy music playing, it's just the kind of place to enjoy your morning cuppa and a glorious fruit platter. They do yummy variations of eggs and their pasta, cheesecakes and chia seed pudding are our favourite. They've got a smaller outlet in Palolem but once you find Agonda, you're probably never leaving. 

Eva Cafe

Some of the most stunning sunsets in Anjuna can be enjoyed from Eva Cafe. It's a bonus that it's also vegetarian and does bruschetta, pasta, fresh juices, salads and teas. Either plan a brunch date or head here for an early dinner (it shuts at 8pm) and we promise you that the food might not be up there in terms of the taste, but the views make up for everything. 

Prana Cafe

This isn't a 'pure' vegetarian cafe but the cafe clearly loves the leaf eaters a little more. The feel-good vibe of the cafe coupled with its location and passion for art makes it one of our favourite places in Mandrem. Their smoothies and locally sourced pasta have our heart. Prana's salads and bowl meals aren't run-of-the-mill either. 

Cafe Mira

If you're anything like us, you'll know that when the craving for chaat strikes, nothing else makes the cut. This is why, Cafe Mira is a welcome, non-touristy addition to Goa's food scene. With a cafe in Miramar, and the owners realising that a lot of homesick folks might actually be on the lookout for street food, they decided to make the menu a mish mash of snacks from Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Rajasthan. So, you'll find everything from rava dosa and sev puri to Bombay sandwich and kanda bhajia along with filter coffee to put those snack emergencies to rest. 

Sapaddu

After their wildly popular pop-up lunches across North Goa, our favourite Tamil food kitchen finally has its own place in Assagao. Whether your heart desires a wholesome brekkie or a lavish lunch served with chutneys and condiments on a banana leaf, Sapaddu will never disappoint. From podi to payasam, this has been a vegetarian’s go-to for their regular fill of homely pineapple rasam and hot sambhar. The old school charm and the cosy interiors of this place make it the perfect pit-stop for a hearty lunch with rice hoppers or appams and more than a reasonable share of pachadi and pickles. 

Mojigao

Set amidst the quiet wilderness of Assagao, this cosy cafe keeps us going back for its gorgeous green cover and killer coffee. You can easily lose track of time as you order yet another glass of fresh juice or kombucha with the yummy mezze platter. From loaded veggie burgers to sandwiches to salads and smoothies, this is just the place for an evening snack or an early vegetarian dinner with a special tapas menu and some cocktails to call it a good night. 

Cantine Indienne

A small garden restaurant in Patnem, Cantine is a true vegetarian haven. If you’re all about local, fresh produce and love yourself an experimental meal, their Tanjore thalis are just the lunch you need. From vegetarian versions of comfort food in the form of burgers and poi pockets to the usual South Indian suspects in the form of dosa, upma and uttapams, you’ll be spoilt for choice here. 

Kefi Cafe & Bistro

Light, refreshing Mediterranean food that’ll make your vegetarian palate dance with joy, Kefi goes way beyond the usual hummus and pita with its insanely elaborate food menu. Regardless of whether you’re in the mood for a smoothie and a wrap or just want yourself falafel and muhammara, you’ll need more than a couple of visits to narrow down on your favourites. Our picks here include the Lebanese style couscous salad and Arabic Pilaf. 

Gratitude Cafe

Sharing a lovely space with the Good Karma thrift store, Gratitude Cafe remains high up on the list of the most-loved vegan and vegetarian cafes in Goa. Easily accessible if you’re staying around the Anjuna-Assagao-Vagator belt, this cafe does healthy versions of pancakes, waffles and a vegan ramen bowl that everyone seems to love. Sushi, beetroot falafels to curries, there’s a whole lot of soul-satisfying food to choose from. We love their innovative take on tofu and avocados as well. 

Cafe Central

Even though Cafe Central lacks the hipster vibe of most vegan and vegetarian cafes in Goa, it still manages to do brisk business thanks to hungry travellers and regular locals making a beeline for their veg snacks and desserts. They have a takeaway outlet in Porvorim and another small joint in Panjim both of which are a hit with their fresh cakes, samosas, chai, mushroom rissoles and nachini chips that we always parcel to munch on. 

Garden Of Dreams

The goodness of healthy food combined with the most relaxing garden setting we could ask for, this cafe is everything our hippie-trippy heart loves. We’ve had some of our best afternoons here just chilling and soaking in the quintessential boho vibe of Arambol with multiple servings of buddha bowls, iced coffee and their vegan burger. Of course, if you’re up for a big meal, we cannot recommend their sandwiches that come with the side of homemade chips and salad.