This simple but still tastefully decorated restaurant in Dadar has some of the most delicious Goan food in the city. To add to that, it is very affordable. The seafood is one of the highlights – try the crab masala, the bombli fry or the pomfret fry to be truly impressed. The chicken sukka and mutton chop masala are particularly popular, as are their thali meals. The restaurant is usually packed during weekends, so you may have to wait 10 to 15 minutes for seating.
This tiny eatery in Colaba is nothing short of paradise for the meat-lover. With a range of pork, duck, chicken and fish offerings – all rich with the hearty, flavorful tastes of Goa – the restaurant is always packed with loyal patrons who cannot get enough. While the menu does change slightly on a daily basis, the chicken pulav is a classic you can dig into any day. The pork vindaloo and prawn pulav are just as scrumptious. They have limited seating capacity, so you may need to wait a little while to get seated or share tables with other patrons.
Perhaps the fanciest of eateries featured in this list, The Goa Portuguesa Restobar in Mahim is a must visit for seafood lovers in the city. With funky, colorful décor reminiscent of a Goan bar, the restaurant features a menu rich with Goan and other south Indian delicacies. The Goan seafood curry, a favorite among patrons, lets you choose from a variety of seafood to be cooked in coconut-heavy, yellow curry. If you’re looking to try more than just seafood, check out the chicken or mutton shagoti – a traditional Goan delicacy where meat is cooked in a rich gravy of roasted coconut and spices – or the classic vindaloo featuring chicken, mutton or pork in a spicy, vinegar-based red masala.
One of the best canteens in the city, Goa Bhavan in Juhu serves authentic Goan delicacies in a modest, no-frills setting. Their fish thali is a classic and every bit as flavorful as a thali you would have at a small restaurant by the beach in Goa. The prawn thali and fish fry varities are just as delicious. Goa Bhavan doesn’t really have a fixed menu, rather a set of specialty dishes and meals that keep changing by the day.