Goa is a coastal state found on the southwestern part of India and features a scenic coastline that is sprawling along the Arabian Sea. The state is blessed with beautiful tropical plantations and a romantic atmosphere. From Dudhsagar Falls to Aguada Fort, romantic fishing villages such as Agonda, and pristine sand beaches, it is easy to understand why tourists have fallen so deeply in love with this state. What makes it even more attractive is the wide range of mouthwatering delicacies you’ll find on the streets. Read on to know more about the best street food you must try in Goa, India.
What to look forward to:
- Apart from yummy dishes, Goa also has excellent beverages to try, which you can find a list of on the Goa Tourism Development Corporation website. Try Urrak, made with the distillation of cashew, or Sol Kadhi, known to help with digestion.
- Got a sweet tooth? Try some excellent Goan desserts! According to the Goa Tourism Development Corporation website, these include Alle Belle (Goan pancakes) and Bebinca (layer cake), among others.
Tip from Trip101 local expert
On your food hunt, make sure to look out for sweet banana buns. Originally made in Bangalore, this yummy delicacy has found its place in the food culture of Goa. It is made of flour, mashed bananas, and sugar or jaggery, perfect for vegetarians. You will often find it served in local cafes paired with tea, spicy chickpea curry (rose or vatanachi bhaji), mixed vegetable curry, and potato bhaji. It is a popular choice for breakfast and lunch among the natives.
If you are looking for an explosion of flavor, don't forget to stop by the small carts selling chaat delicacies on the streets. These little carts called "Gaddo" in Goa, will allow you to indulge in the savory-sweet goodness of sev puri, pain puri, dry bhel, and so much more. The base is crispy, fried dough shaped into a ball, chickpea soup, onions, sweet and savory water, and more. It makes for a delicious refresher and a quick meal on a low budget. However, if you can't tolerate spicy food, you can ask for just the sweet version of the menu, and your preferences will be happily accommodated. The payment is also easy here and allows transactions via any UPI app if you don't have cash. My personal favorites are sev puri and dry bhel.
1. Gadbad ice cream
Is the weather around Goa hot and sunny, and you are looking for something cool and yummy to quench your thirst? Get inside one of the local ice cream shops and ask for Gadbad ice cream. This is a very colorful ice cream that comes with different delicious flavors. It is the most loved ice cream in the area not only by kids but also by grownups too. This beautifully layered dessert is prepared with tutti, mango, rose, vanilla, or strawberry ice cream and topped with cherries. You can also choose other flavors such as banana and matcha green tea.
2. Choris (Goan sausages)
Are you someone who starts to salivate upon seeing cooking meat? Well, before your vacation in Goa is over, you must try Goan sausages—popularly referred by the locals as choris or chourico. This delicacy is one of the most loved dishes in the area, and it can be prepared in different ways—such as with chili fry, choris pao, and choris pulao. The major ingredients when cooking this tasty street food include tomatoes, green chili, potatoes, and pork. You may include other spices according to your preference. If you don’t have the time to prepare choris at home, you can easily get it at local eateries.
3. Ros omelette
All over the world, different cultures have developed various ways of preparing egg delicacies, and one that has been very famous is the omelette. In Goa, the locals have their own specialty that will make your mouth water at first glance—Ros omelette. This is a very popular snack not only with the locals but also with tourists, in many streets. This meal is comprised of an omelette that has been coated with a tasty gravy made of mutton or chicken and chickpeas—sometimes coconut milk is also used. It is a meal that is mostly consumed for breakfast by the local community.
4. Pork vindaloo
Do you love spicy and hot meals? Then you should definitely check out this finger-licking Indian delicacy that is very popular in the state of Goa, the neighboring Konkan, and Kerala, among other places: pork vindaloo, also known as vindalho. This fiery, spicy meal is prepared using locally sourced ingredients from grocery stores and markets. Its main recipe contains ginger, sugar, vinegar, tomato, garlic, spice, and of course, pork meat. When you’re walking in the streets of Goa, either window shopping or sightseeing, you may hop into one of the local restaurants and try this dish. Your tastebuds will be tingling all the way home.
Traveler's tips
While pork vindaloo is the most famous version of the Goan dish, seafood lovers can try prawn vindaloo to relish equally mouthwatering flavors. The preparation is moderately spicy, with strong notes of tomato adding a zing to it. You can try this dish, along with some Goan brown rice, at Treetop Tava in Agonda. The latter is made with fried onions and cashews.
Goa (State) Tour Guide
Nibedita Sen
A hearty WELCOME to our page Happiness Activist. We are here to solve the problems of foreigners who come to explore India. Firstly, we suggest them to stop visiting the wonders and mundanes of social media advertisements about overrated traveling. We provide them the basic needs and guidelines that the audience requires when they first step into an unknown land which we have already explored. ... Read more
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Goa (State) Tour Guide
Narender Kumar
I have been a tour guide/ escort for more than 10 years and have guided tourists pan India to historical and cultural heritage sites, national parks & bird sancturies, monuments places like- Delhi , Agra, Jaipur, Khajuraho Exotic Temples, Ranthambore National Park, Mumbai, Nashik , Aurangabad ( Ajanta Rockcut Caves & Ellora Rockcut Temples ), Goa etc. I am proficient in English, Rus... Read more
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5. Cutlet bread
Are you planning for a special occasion, like your kid’s birthday or a family picnic, and don’t have any idea what to treat people with? Well, it’s a good thing that you’re enjoying your vacation in Goa, because this option is locally available in the streets—bread cutlet. This is a very tasty Indian bread that is loved by children very much and would be fantastic as a party snack or for a family picnic. Some of the main ingredients in this bread include bread crumbs, potatoes, green peas, green chili, and garam masala powder. Indeed this would be a nice surprise for your kids.
6. Beef croquettes
If you’ve stayed in Goa for some time, then you might have noticed that the locals have a habit of gathering at local teashops around midday for a bite. The reason is because of beef croquettes—a savory snack that is so addictive. These treats have a crispy surface, are tender in the inside, and are so delicious that one bite will leave your taste glands confused. It’s an easy recipe that you can prepare at home. The ingredients include lean ground beef, garam masala, semolina, eggs, and vinegar, all of which are sold in local grocery shops. These snacks are perfect as party appetizers.
7. Vada pav
Goa is a place that has a beautiful culture of populating its corners with food joints so as to ensure that locals and tourists don’t walk the streets on hungry stomachs. If you’re a vegetarian, you might be worried that almost every snack you come across has some meat in it. Don’t worry because there is a special snack for you as well—vada pav. It is a vegetarian delicacy, more like a vegetarian burger, that will make your mouth water at first glance. The main ingredients used to prepare this wonderful dish include chili pepper, garlic, ginger, and deep-fried mashed potato patties.
8. Jumbo frankie with eggs and mayo
If you’re planning to take your family out for a picnic and are not sure what snack to pack for the trip, just head to one of the food joints in the streets and order a jumbo frankie with eggs and mayo for everyone. You must try out this finger-licking snack that will leave your tastebuds tingling with excitement. It is an egg roll stuffed with different fillings. The ingredients for this lip-smacking dish are wheat flour, eggs, stuffing, garam masala, bell peppers, and mayonnaise. For a wonderful dining experience, you may buy your favorite drinks to go with your jumbo frankie egg roll.
9. Misal pav
Whether you’re planning to take your family out for lunch or dinner around Goa, there are many colorful dishes you can choose from, but one exciting option that stands out from the rest is misal pav. This is a special Indian food that is very popular with the locals and comprises of misal and pav. If you wish to prepare the meal at home, the ingredients to buy are sprouts, mutter, chickpeas, and chili powder gravy. The aroma coming from the kitchen will have everyone running to the dining table. To enjoy this delicacy even better, it is spiced with sev, onions, lemons, and coriander.
10. Shawarma
For someone who has spent some time in Goa, you must have come across the name shawarma. This is a colorful, mouthwatering dish that is popular in Middle Eastern places. It may also be known as chawarma, shaurma, or showarma by different cultures who prepare this dish locally. The ingredients used to craft this meal include pita bread, chicken thigh fillets, smoked paprika, lettuce, and olive oil. Thin slices of meat are stacked in a cone-like configuration, then slowly roasted on either a spit or rotisserie. If you don’t like chicken, you may try mutton, beef, turkey, or veal, whichever suits you better.
11. Samosas
Also referred to as samoosa, samosa is a savory triangular snack that is loved by not only the Indian people but also other cultures in the world. The main mode of cooking this treat is frying or sometimes baking. If you’re a vegetarian, you can use fillings like spiced potatoes, peas, or lentils; otherwise, most people use meat. The main ingredients needed to prepare this snack are meat, wheat flour, potatoes, onions, spices, condensed milk, peas, and chili pepper. Depending on where the samosa is being prepared, it can also take the shape of a half-moon or a cone.
Other traditional Goan dishes
It’s best to head to a restaurant to relish these dishes, but who knows, maybe you can find these with some street vendors if you’re lucky!
12. Chicken xacuti
This spicy Goan delicacy is made using poppy seeds, dried red chilies, and coconut. The ingredients are cooked with chicken until it absorbs the flavors of the curry. Chicken xacuti, full of its spicy goodness, goes best with bland and well-steamed rice. This is an easy recipe to try at home.
13. Fish curry
This is the most common dish cooked almost at every Goanese home. Fish curry and rice is a favorite in every household. Marinated pomfret is added to a curry of local spices with ingredients such as garlic, ginger, coconut, Kashmiri chilies, raw mango, and fenugreek. The raw mango adds a tangy flavor that is truly insatiable. If you love fish you will love this recipe too.
14. Goan squid batter fry
Among all of the famous Goan dishes, one of the most notable is the traditional Goan squid batter fry. It’s a great dish to go with a glass of beer or any other drink for that matter. Soft and spongy pieces of squid are fried to make it crispy with a golden brown crunch. This dish is a medley of veggies and spices. Share a plate with your friend over a relaxing stein.
15. Bebinca
Among traditional Goan food, is the sweet and satisfying Bebinca dessert. Prepared mainly from jaggery and coconut milk, this tantalizing dessert was first brought to Goa by the Portuguese. The Goans added their own flavors to enhance the dish. It consists of many layers made from varied ingredients and is, without doubt, one of the best edibles that you can find in Goa.
Tip from Trip101 local expert
Bebinca is one of my favorite Portuguese desserts in Goa. It is a nostalgic dessert, consumed usually during Christmas. While traditionally, Bebinca includes eggs and milk, I have found some vegan variety in local cafes, too. I would recommend Cafe Morango's vegan Bebinca. It is usually served with a scoop of ice cream to up the deliciousness, but Bebinca slices can individually be served. Bebinca by Cafe Ave Maria is also highly related, although it is not vegan.
16. Prawn balchao
This is a pickle made of dried prawns. It is a spicy dish that usually goes on the side with most meals. Many traditional spices are added along with preservatives to ensure the pickle can be preserved for a long period of time. Prawn balchao is one of the most distinct tastes that you can take back from Goa. It can be eaten with roti (Indian bread) or with curry and rice.
17. Sanna
Sanna is the traditional Goan bread. When you order a curry dish and want to skip rotis, sanna would be the way to go in order to experience an authentic Goan meal. Sanna is made of coconut and rice that is fermented and steamed. This is definitely a healthy dish.
18. Fonna kadi
If you’ve ever tried ‘Kadi’ in Northern India and if you liked it, the Goan variant of this dish known as Fonna Kadi will not let you down. Fonna Kadi is made from coconut milk and kokum fruit is also added to give it the Goan character. The dish is garnished with coriander leaves and mustard seeds. This dish goes very well with steamed rice.
19. Rava fried fish
This is probably one of the easiest side snacks to cook. The Goans savor this dish with beer for starters. Fillets are coated in a spicy rava (semolina) mix. The paste is made using garlic, red chilies, salt, turmeric and of course, rava. The fish is covered in the paste to marinate and finally fried until crispy. This is the perfect Goan dish to choose for starters.
Traveler's tips
Fried fish is a quintessential Goan starter or snack to munch on while enjoying a refreshing drink. The most popular dish that you can try is kingfish fry, where thin fillets of fish are marinated in local spices and deep-fried to perfection. Check out the masala kingfish fry at Treetop Tava to experience a burst of flavors in your mouth!
20. Goan nevri
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
This is one of the popular dishes you will find during the festival of ‘Ganesh Chathurthi’ or other major state festivals. Nevri is made from coconut, cardamom, almonds, and sugar for the filling. The filling is placed in balls made of flour. This is then fried and served ready to eat. This is a must-have sweet for those who visit Goa and want to experience its true flavors.
Explore the exciting Indian culinary culture
Apart from the beautiful beaches and romantic atmosphere that make Goa such a paradise, the place is also known for its exciting culinary culture. There are so many dining options in the area that will definitely make you fall in love with the state.
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