Restaurants in Agonda, Goa

Agonda is worlds away from the Goa in your head. A few weeks ago, we headed to Agonda in South Goa to celebrate Puneet’s birthday. Walking around the palm-tree-lined lanes in the late afternoon, relishing beautiful fresh fish in a restaurant with sand between our toes and watching the pink sun streak the evening sky with light, it was perfect!

Agonda, unlike the commercial beaches of North Goa, is a quiet beach where you feel a close connection with nature and proximity to the local life of Goa. There are no five-star luxury resorts or noisy beach bars, but a clean beach where you can experience the Susegad life. We weren’t expecting too much from the restaurants but were delightfully overwhelmed with the goodness of fresh food in Agonda.

Blue Planet Café

We had read so much about this place, that being an organic food lover, I couldn’t give it a miss. Blue Planet Café is a lovely organic vegan cafe owned by a couple. They offer tasty treats, everything vegan but cooked with love. Urmila and Pravin Desai have a passion for creating healthy meals and they have new dishes on the menu all the time. Their menu changes daily depending on fresh ingredients available on that day.

I tried their Spinach Lasagne served with a mixed vegetable stir fry, organic green leaves, bean hummus, brown bread and vegan mayonnaise. The dish was fresh, full of flavour and prepared to perfection. This scrumptious meal was teamed with a chocolate avocado smoothie – I can go back to Blue Planet only to have this drink! A chocolate lover will drool over this drink.

Blue Planet Café is located on a hill between Palolem and Agonda, very easy to miss. A narrow road in the woods will lead you to this wonderful eco-retreat. We walked about 5 km to reach here not knowing that it is this far. But, it was well worth the effort for what awaited us was a lovely meal prepared with love.

Romya’s Inn

Another beautiful café on Agonda Church Road became our regular breakfast joint. We love to begin the day with fresh food and Romya’s is a great place for fresh juices, salads, eggs and coffee. Smiling faces greet you as you enter this cosy café, delightfully eyeing the fresh cakes, cookies and bread displayed on the glass counter.

The coffee here is absolutely wonderful. A lot of places in Agonda serve Lavazza coffee to cater to international travellers, but I would particularly recommend trying the coffee here. We tried the mushroom omelette, scrambled eggs, the ABC juice and a chocolate ball sprinkled with coconut flakes. The chocolate ball was made of organic chocolate and wasn’t too sweet – just perfect for breakfast.

A signature breakfast dish here is the Avocado Sandwich – fresh lettuce, red cabbage, carrots and thin slices of avocado neatly stuffed in organic multi-grain bread.

Madhu Bar and Restaurant

Madhu is a beach bar and restaurant, perfect for a romantic candlelight dinner in Agonda. All tables face the beach and you can enjoy fresh seafood and beer while watching the waves lash against the shore. The seafood here is very fresh and cooked to perfection. Service is quick with friendly staff and they make very good cocktails.

I generally don’t have fish, but this place served one of the best fish tikkas I’ve ever had. They used Shark fish, barbecued with a mix of Indian spices. Portions are huge and they have accompaniments like chips and salad. Puneet also tried the prawns and Goan fish curry.

Fatima’s Corner

You can’t miss this popular joint, loved by locals and visitors alike. This place is located directly opposite the HDFC ATM, the only ATM in Agonda at T- junction road. They have a tasty menu with great tandoori food and seafood. The staff here is very polite and the service is quick.

The best butter chicken and tandoori chicken that you can have in Agonda. Request the staff to prepare a special iced tea with mint to go along with lovely flavours of spices. Along with great meals, their breakfast is worth a try. Ask for a cold coffee or fresh pineapple juice to go along with your egg preparations. The best part about eating at Fatima’s Corner is that you get wonderful food without hurting your wallet.

Do ask for the special catch of the day – red snapper, Kingfish, mackerel, tiger prawns or crabs.

Sand Sapphire Restaurant

We stayed at Sand Sapphire and loved relaxing at the beachfront restaurant watching the sun go down. This is a great place to chill with some beer and snacks. The food is reasonably priced and a 650ml bottle of beer will cost Rs 100.

We tried different dishes throughout the stay and I particularly loved the Goan Fish Curry with steamed rice. We also liked the fish fingers, Chinese noodles and spaghetti. The chefs can prepare great Goan cuisine along with catering for continental food.

What I loved about Agonda’s restaurants is that the food here is prepared with fresh ingredients, whether it’s seafood, meat or vegetables. Most of the restaurants have open kitchens, polite and friendly staff and free wi-fi. An average meal for two should cost between Rs. 600-800.

Agonda is a secret of Goa where food, company, and setting combine for a truly transporting and delicious experience.