5 new restaurants in Goa with gorgeous interiors

Refurbishing old Indo-Portuguese houses into new restaurants in Goa is by no means astonishing, but every time it is successfully executed, it brings back a part of the laidback state’s old soul. In the quiet lanes of Assagao, Jugnu is a new addition that beautifully restores and reimagines a 160-year-old villa to bring a contemporary liveliness to its existing heritage charm. Designed by Sketch All Studio, the multi-sensory space preserves colonial-era details with a healthy helping of open spaces, lush greens and natural light so quintessential to Goa. Four separate dining zones—an intimate, air-conditioned dining room, an exclusive 8-seater private room, a lush tropical garden and an alfresco space overlooking a gentle waterfall—encourages a sense of discovery upon arrival.

Foundry, Nagoa

Fabian Franco

Transforming a dilapidated warehouse in the village of North Goa into a bustling food lab channeling fresh vibes and bold energy, The Foundry in Nagoa is rethinking the conventional dining experience in Goa from its food to its decor. Designer Arko Saha of otherworlds celebrates the brutalist shell, keeping its industrial charm and accentuating it with minimal design interventions—such as the thoughtfully placed concrete benches along the periphery. The open kitchen underscores the open-minded approach to food, with a healthy serving of music and culture thrown into the mix. At its heart, a suspended deck made entirely of wire mesh (which doubles as a table or a DJ deck for music events) descends when required through a pulley system fixed to the original truss of the structure.

Farzi Beach, Morjim

Vinayak G

Vinayak G

For Rohit Sharma of Headlight Design Studio, it was important to establish a timeless space embodying quietness amid the flurry of restaurants Goa sees. “We wanted a design that did not burden the senses, something that doesn’t take away from the beautiful context,” he says. Locally available materials—which respond better to the climate, such as the corrosive winds and rains—were put together in their natural forms, allowing them to age gracefully. The Japanese technique of charring wood (yakisugi) was employed, while controlling it to allow patterns to emerge in the existing wood. Spread across 3 sections: an indoor seating under a wooden dome juxtaposed against a bold, black-and-white Korean bar that glows at night; a semi-covered space (earlier under a tensile canopy much like a tent) that was repurposed by simply hanging striped awning underneath it to create a stunning flowing furl in the seabreeze; and the outdoors beach section, delightfully informal with cushions in the sand and the best vantage point to watch the sun go down.

Nama, Siolim

Courtesy of Nama

“The design of Nama was deeply inspired by the idea of returning to the source; nature,” begins Nishant Desai of Umesh Desai and Associates, who drew from the cultural richness of the name across different languages: from meaning “raw and alive” in Japanese to “home” in Lithuanian. Tribal artistry, raw materiality and untouched landscapes come together here to carve out a space that feels fresh and yet, rooted in tradition. Inspired by the tropical flora, the ceiling transforms into a canvas with free-flowing cutouts and kinetic lights, while a glass dome frames lush views of coconut trees. Indian stones in patterned finishes anchor the space, with textured laterite bringing in depth and hand painted finishes punctuating the space with a tactile, human quality.