Anjuna has a few restaurants that seem to make it onto almost everyone’s Goa bucket list. Babka for coffee and baked goods, Artjuna for breakfast and its garden café, Bomras for its Burmese-inspired food. These are names you’ll hear often when people ask where to eat in Anjuna, and for good reason. They’ve built their reputations over the years.
But here’s an honest confession: I haven’t been to any of these popular spots in years! And I suspect most locals haven’t. It’s not that the well-known restaurants aren’t worth visiting. Sometimes, you just want to see what else is happening around the neighbourhood – and we have the luxury of time, unlike tourists who come with an agenda, hop from “best place” to “best place” and leave.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been eating my way through a few newer additions to Anjuna’s food scene. These are places I’ve visited and featured on my Instagram page, ThatGoanGirl, and each offers something a little different. So for those looking for restaurants to try in Anjuna beyond the usual names, here’s where to start.
New Restaurants To Try in Anjuna
1. Villa Nova: A little glasshouse tucked into a garden
Villa Nova makes a charming impression before the food even arrives. The restaurant has an intimate glasshouse setting tucked into a lush garden, with just a handful of tables. It’s the sort of space that feels removed from the busier roads outside, making it a lovely option when you want to sit down for a proper meal without the fuss of a large, bustling restaurant.
I revisited Villa Nova after quite some time (the last time having been to their old location in Arpora), and what I appreciated most was the food still had that straightforward approach. The menu spans pizzas, salads, pastas and other familiar favourites, but the dishes I tried were well put together, with flavours that didn’t need much embellishment.
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I ordered the pepperoni pizza, chicken katsu, prawn gyoza and a beetroot and feta salad. The salad was a particularly nice combination of roasted beetroot, feta, rocket, orange and nuts. It brought together sweetness, freshness and a little crunch without feeling like an afterthought beside the more indulgent dishes. The chicken katsu was another one I enjoyed, while the pepperoni pizza is worth considering if you’re in the mood for something more familiar. The prawn gyoza is a must-try. Villa Nova is the kind of place where you can order a few different things for the table rather than committing to one cuisine or style of food.
We also tried the crème brûlée and lemon tart. I’d personally return for the savoury dishes before the desserts, but the mains were the highlight of my meal.
What I like about Villa Nova is that it doesn’t need to make a big production out of dinner. The garden setting is pretty, the glasshouse gives the restaurant its character, and the food is the sort you can settle into and enjoy.
2. Nova Sandwich Shop: For sandwiches that take the bread seriously
I’m going to put this out there: a really good sandwich can be a lot more exciting than people give it credit for. But it needs good bread, fillings that make sense together, and enough going on that every bite feels worth it.
That’s the idea behind Nova Sandwich Shop.
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The small sandwich shop grew out of the experiments happening at Villa Nova, where the team began exploring wood-fired sandwiches. It eventually became its own space, with a menu built around bread that’s prepared fresh and baked to order. The concept is simple, but the attention to the bread and fillings is what makes it interesting.
There are combinations inspired by different cuisines, with options such as crispy Tori Katsu, roast beef, Chicken 65 and pesto with grilled chicken. Some bring together ingredients you might not expect in a sandwich, while others take familiar combinations and give them a little more character.
The Tori Katsu, for instance, combines crumb-fried chicken with mozzarella, katsu sauce, shredded carrot, orange, radish and fried onion. The Chicken 65 sandwich takes a familiar favourite and pairs it with mozzarella, romaine and the shop’s coconut and mint chutneys. Fresh buffalo mozzarella and house-made sauces also feature across the menu, adding to the feeling that there’s thought behind the combinations rather than just a collection of ingredients between two slices of bread. I personally cannot stop thinking about the roast beef sandwich!
The space itself has plenty of personality. One detail I particularly like is the collection of rubber ducks, which gives the place a playful touch. It’s not trying to be a big, elaborate restaurant; it’s a little spot built around one idea and doing its own thing with it.
A heads-up on pricing: these aren’t the inexpensive sandwiches you’d grab from a neighbourhood bakery. The ingredients and made-to-order approach are reflected in the prices.
Sal Marinho: South Indian breakfast in a beautiful setting
Sal Marinho is a little different from the other two restaurants on this list. It’s a place I’d put on your radar if you enjoy South Indian food but want to explore something beyond the usual breakfast plate.
Located near Starco Junction in Anjuna, the restaurant has a lush setting, with an open kitchen in the middle of a koi pond. It’s an unusual detail, and one that makes the space memorable without taking away from the food. Another reason to consider it is the timing. Sal Marinho serves its breakfast menu from 8:30 am to 7 pm, which means you don’t have to be an early riser to get your dosa fix. Late breakfast, anyone?
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The menu focuses on South Indian flavours, with a few interesting variations on familiar dishes. I tried the cast-iron benne dosas, including the chicken ghee roast, mushroom paneer ghee roast and chicken Chettinad versions. The dosas arrive with those rich, buttery flavours you’d expect from benne dosa, with the different fillings bringing their own personalities to the table.
The clay-pot tatte idli was another dish I enjoyed. It comes with ghee and podi that you can pour over yourself, so you can decide just how generously you want to dress it. It’s a small detail, but one that makes the dish feel a little more interactive. And then there’s the sheera. Rich with ghee, comforting and spot on, it was a lovely way to round off the meal.
What I appreciated about Sal Marinho was the attention to the food and the sense that the team genuinely cares about what they’re serving. These aren’t unfamiliar dishes, but the presentation, combinations and setting make the experience feel different from a routine breakfast stop.
One thing to know before visiting: this isn’t the most budget-friendly way to eat a dosa. The pricing is closer to a sit-down dining experience than a quick South Indian breakfast joint. Whether that works for you will depend on what you’re looking for, but the food and setting make it an option worth considering if you’re happy to spend a little more.
Which of these Anjuna restaurants should you try?
Anjuna’s food scene doesn’t begin and end with the names everyone already knows. Sometimes, the fun is in trying somewhere new, finding a dish you weren’t expecting to love, and adding another place to your own personal list of favourites. Check out my epic guide to Anjuna if you’re looking to explore the neighbourhood more deeply.
These three are on mine – and I’ll be sure to add more as we go along!
