Insider’s Guide: 27 Best Vegan Restaurants & Cafes in Goa in 2023.

Are you on the lookout for some of the best vegan restaurants in Goa? Places change, open and shut so frequently that I’ve decided to update this list every year.

As a foodie, I’m always on the lookout for vegan, healthy, organic, ethically-sourced, ideally gluten free, world-inspired food. Goa is perhaps the only place in India where that’s not too much to ask for!

Over the past 10 years of visiting, and the past 3 years of living here, I’ve delightfully witnessed an explosion of vegan restaurants in Goa.

I’ve also learnt that Goa’s own Saraswat cuisine has traditionally been vegan-friendly – and features a delicious range of local dishes and flavors.

Also read: The Perfect 3-Day Goa Itinerary for Slow Travel

Best vegan restaurants in Goa – My current top 4

Since I began frequenting Goa in the monsoon way back in 2013, I’ve fallen in love with many cozy cafes, hole-in-the-wall thali joints, and fine(r) dining spots. Perhaps the biggest challenge for a vegan in Goa is that there’s an ever-growing choice of places to try.

Since I first published my list in 2022, three awesome vegan / vegan-friendly restaurants closed down. The Alternative, Nostalgia by Chef Fernando and Bodhi Greens, I miss you.

1. Cantine Indienne – Palolem, South Goa (all vegan)

Cantine Indienne is a rustic, entirely vegan, farm-to-table, values-oriented cafe in Palolem. The food is so delicious that we *almost* moved to South Goa just to be able to eat there all the time!

The French-Tamil owners, Manon and Satish, grow organic oyster mushrooms in their backyard (yes!), and serve up delicious food and homemade thalis featuring an eclectic take on the flavors of Tanjore. Think pesserattu (green mung dosa), beetroot curry, oyster mushroom pickles, wild spinach and horsegram stir fry, and even crunchy oyster mushroom ‘wings!’ My mouth’s watering just typing this.

Instagram: Cantine Indienne

2. Bloom & Brew – Assagao, North Goa (best for healthy food)

My new favorite cafe in North Goa! It’s easy to miss while driving along all the monstrous villas that have taken over Assagao, but step in to be wowed by their minimalist decor and chill cafe vibe. Now that we’re mostly living in Himachal, I make it a point to work from Bloom & Brew atleast once every visit and eat to my heart’s content.

Set up by fitness buff Sneha Desu, the menu features conscious, creative food, with plenty of vegan and gluten free options. I love their smoothies and smoothie bowls, ‘for the love of burrito’ with air-fried kale, the teriyaki bliss bowl, and ‘melt in your mouth hummus.’ I’m never left with space to try their vegan black bean brownie – but it’s always nice to have a reason to go back.

Instagram: Bloom and Brew

Also Read: Offbeat experiences in Goa

3. Tien – Vagator, North Goa

Sushi spots are popping up all over Goa, but none can compete with Tien – the second outlet by sushi chef Abhishek Thakkar.

He recently revamped the sushi menu to experiment with salad sushis made with fresh ingredients – and OMFG, they are incredible! I never imagined I’d like rocket leaves in my sushi, but I could go back every week to devour the Magic Mushroom maki roll.

There are only a few marked vegan options on the menu – of which I love the magic mushroom sushi and the crispy edamame rice paper roll. The asparagus sushi can be made vegan (ask them not to fry the caramelized onion in butter), variations can be made with tofu, and the poached edamame can be done without butter. I’m not a panna cotta fan, but even non-vegan friends rave about their vegan panacotta.

I also love their outdoor cafe vibe, and use of upcycled material in their lighting and minimalist green decor.

Instagram: Tien

4. Mum’s Kitchen – Panjim

Mum’s Kitchen is one of my favorite vegan eats in Goa, with traditional Saraswat dishes that can otherwise be hard to find.

I highly recommend trying their uddamethi (a sweet and sour curry made with lentils, fenugreek and seasonal mango or plums) and tamde bhaji (a flavorful amaranth preparation) with sanna.

Note: Avoid their Assagao outlet – it seems like a franchise and isn’t half as good as the original one in Panjim.

Website: Mum’s kitchen

Vegan Restaurants in North Goa

Besides my evolving top ones, here are some vegan restaurants in North Goa (or vegan-friendly ones) that I love, in no particular order:

5. A Reverie – Calangute

There are not many reasons to visit Calangute, but A Reverie – a seriously fine, fine dining restaurant is one of them. My partner and I are obsessed with their creative, award-winning food, and surprised to see it empty on many nights – a phenomenon that seems to happen often in Goa.

Vegan options are well-marked, and though there’s not a lot to choose from, I absolutely love their tofu with warm shoyu dressing and Hawaiian-style poke, the ‘rice variations’ for main course.

Instagram: A Reverie

6. Vanakkam – Morjim

Finally a place for foodies to seek an authentic taste of South Indian food in Goa! After an evening of working out, we often feast on ragi puttu with kadala curry (millets and black chickpeas), crispy dosa with homemade chutneys, and soft masala idlis. Such joy.

Instagram: Vanakkam

Also Read: The Joy of slow travelling through Goa

7. Who said food – Arpora

We became hooked to chef Priyal’s food delivery during the pandemic, and still seek her out whenever possible. Using local and seasonal ingredients, she whips up the most creative, flavorful food – available for home delivery and on pre-order at a dine-in space at Arpora.

Instagram: who said food

8. The local table – Candolim

This small, rustic, easy-to-miss joint in Candolim lives up to its name. We dropped by for an early breakfast of patal bhaji (typically white or black chickpeas in a spicy coconut-based gravy) and pao. I hope to try their veg thali soon!

Website: The local table

9. Izumi – Assagao

A sister outlet of the one in Mumbai and the latest Japanese haunt in Assagao, Izumi’s partially outdoor location in a Goan-Portuguese house is breathtaking (better than any garden resturant you’d find). And so is the food, with clearly labelled vegan options. I love their miso soup and seaweed salad, though for sushi, I’d pick Tien anyday.

10. The Rice Mill – Morjim

Jazz with a side of Goan-style kidney beans or a grilled eggplant poi is why I love The Rice Mill, a neighborhood cafe and bar set in an old rice mill in Morjim.

Instagram: The Rice Mill

11. Ankita’s Classic – Pernem

Some of my favorite thali joints in Goa have either shut down (Wood’s Inn) or lost their authenticity (Vinayak’s). But Ankita’s Classic, despite its random, faraway location in Pernem, remains a classic. It is packed with locals at mealtimes, so be prepared to wait around a bit.

Their veg thali is mostly vegan (ask for it without curd or the dessert), and comes with seasonal veggies, curries, rice and kokum. Mighty satisfying.

Website: Ankita’s Classic

12. Sakana – Anjuna

Sakana offers a calming, semi-outdoor, diner-style vibe with an authentic Japanese menu. My go-to order is a wakame seaweed salad, with a veg set consisting of a miso soup, teriyaki tofu (check which tofu dish can be prepared without honey), rice and salad. Pair it with a Japanese whiskey from their unique bar selection!

13. Sappadu – Assagao

An eclectic combination of Tamil and Gujarati food, served up on banana leaves on a floor seating! I’ve only been for their pop-up meal back when it wasn’t a full-fledged restaurant, but can’t wait to try it again.

14. Karma Kitchen – Delivery only

Karma Kitchen, with its kitchen in Siolim, has been making menus across Goa more vegan-friendly. I loved their vegan chocolate and french vanilla ice creams, and grated vegan parmesan – stocked at various supermarkets and cafes. They now offer home delivery with an extensive menu featuring a cheese platter, plant-based burger and mock chicken biryani that I’m yet to try!

15. Voltaire – Delivery only

I was shattered to hear that Voltaire, one of my favorite Goan food joints off the Reis Margos Fort, shut down during the pandemic.

But in 2023, they’ve resurfaced as a delivery-only resto. It’s here that I’ve had some of the best uddamethi in Goa, served up with a local bread une, and seasonal urakh – a local cashew brew, more flavorful and less potent than fenny.

Vegan restaurants in Panjim

16. Gourmestan (perhaps the only gluten free restaurants in Goa)

Panjim doesn’t have a ton of vegan-friendly places, but Gourmestan, a new addition to the city’s food scene, is worth a try. Vegan dishes are well-marked. I enjoyed their smoothies, tofu akuri on sourdough, and hummus and roasted bell peppers sandwich. It’s also one of the few places (somewhere between a restaurant and a cafe) to grab vegan and gluten free focaccia and burger buns in Goa!

Instagram: Gourmestan

17. Cafe Bodega

Cafe Bodega has a reputation of being fussy about vegan options or customizing their dishes, but in the past year, their menu refresh always seems to feature vegan options (sometimes marked, sometimes not), along with atleast one vegan dessert.

It’s also one of the nicest cafes to work from, set in an old Goan house, around in open, green courtyard, in a lovely neighborhood in Panjim.

On my last visit in September 2023, I loved their roasted carrot hummus and vegan almond berry cake!

Instagram: Cafe Bodega

Vegan restaurants in South Goa

Cantine Indienne – Palolem (all vegan)

As mentioned above, Catine Indienne remains one of my favorite places to eat, not just in South Goa but all of Goa!

See vegan / vegan-friendly cafes in South Goa below.

Best Vegan Cafes in Goa

18. Bean Me Up – Vagator (all vegan – best for vegan burgers)

Bean Me Up is not just a vegan cafe in Goa, it’s an institution – and one of the oldest, most successful vegan spots in all of India. It offers a laidback ambiance under tree canopies, and a vast selection of comfort vegan food. It also remains open all day, every day, with no usual siesta hours!

Worth trying are Bean Me Up’s acai berry smoothie bowl, cheesy vegan nachos, succulent black bean burger (though its consistency can vary), tempeh tacos, Mexican Buddha bowl, and the melt-in-the-mouth dark chocolate mousse.

Website: Bean Me Up

19. Saraya – Porvorim

I’ve been frequenting Saraya for years, and love their thin crust, mud oven pizzas on gluten free or sourdough base. They make inhouse cashew and tahini cheeses for vegan pizzas (ask for these vegan options, and make sure it’s not the stretchy dairy cheese), topped with vegan pesto, seasonal veggies and some farm-to-table produce from their inhouse garden.

In 2023, they introduced mud oven-baked millet nachos with guacamole, salsa and vegan sour cream (or request), and vegan ice creams sweetened with jaggery. Oh so good.

Instagram: Saraya

20. Earth Mama – Anjuna (all vegan)

I love my daily green and fruit smoothies, but Earth Mama’s smoothies are something else! Indulgent, creamy, decadent, well-worth putting up with the Anjuna crowds for. I love their cacao and berry smoothies, and their open-face chickpea mayo and two-bean hummus toast.

Instagram: Earth Mama

21. Bibhitaki – Palolem (among the best vegan cafes in South Goa)

Meaning “fearless of disease” in its ancient Ayurvedic translation, Bibhitaki is an all-vegan cafe that offers healthy-ish comfort food with an Ayurvedic twist. The ice cream-like tropical smoothie bowl is perfect to ward off the afternoon heat, the Mexican bhel is an indulgent take on nachos, and the hearty Mexican and Japanese Buddha bowls are immensely satisfying.

Instagram: Bibhitaki

22. Hoop’s Coffee – Morjim

I guess I was first drawn to Hoop’s Coffee by its charming, minimalist cafe vibe. And totally taken by surprise to see only waffles on the menu – with a vegan option! Plus vegan desserts and the option of coconut, almond and soy milk for coffee and hot chocolate.

Over the months, I landed up at Hoops many times, seeking a quiet, creative space to work from with a hot cuppa, tucking into vegan waffles made with oats and wheat and topped with peanut butter and maple syrup, and just to while away a breezy evening with a book.

(These days, the road in front is dug up and a bit of a mess though).

Instagram: Hoop’s Coffee

23. The Mill – Palolem

Not to be confused with The Rice Mill in Morjim (featured above), The Mill in Palolem is a stunning cafe set within a Goan house, with multiple areas to chill, work from, and feast on some indulgent smoothies, smoothie bowls and burgers.

Website: The Mill

24. Gratitude cafe – Anjuna (all vegan)

I frequented Gratitude Cafe during the pandemic, and loved its courtyard vibe in a refurbished Portuguese house in a quiet part of Anjuna. The founder Jeet quit his cushy job in Canada, and moved to Goa in search of a slower life. This is his attempt to offer comfort food while bringing together Goa’s growing vegan community!

The menu feels inspired by Bean Me Up – Goa’s OG vegan hub – but the vibe is quite different. I’ve spent breezy afternoons there with my laptop or book, indulging in everything from vegan pancakes served with a berries compote and whipped cashew cream, to their take on the Vietnamese Bahn Mi, to the flourless dark chocolate mousse cake.

Website: Gratitude Cafe

25. Moka Desserts and Cafe – Siolim

We LOVED the dates and nuts chocolate tarts at Moka, back when it just a home kitchen in Saligao. Their cosy little cafe in Siolim serves up a creamy hummus pesto tartine, and the tarts of course. All salads can be made vegan too.

Instagram: Mokadessertsgoa

26. Okapi Vegan Kitchen – Moira (all vegan)

Gone are the days when there was nothing and nowhere vegan to eat in the Aldona-Moira area. Okapi has revolutionized the vegan and social scene in the quiet village of Quitla, with its setting in a gorgeous Goan house. Their homely thali with daily specials is worth a try!

Instagram: Okapi Vegan Kitchen

27. Hippie Paws – Mandrem (all vegan)

Goa’s first vegan, oil-free kitchen is here! I’ve only been once, and enjoyed their dosa and lasagna.

Instagram: Hippie Paws

Bonus! The first entirely vegan store in Goa: Gras – Assagao

Thanks to Instagram, I was excited to step into the newly opened Gras – Goa’s first all vegan store. Aparna, the passionate vegan founder, makes fresh cashew-oat milk, vegan butter, and soft and stretchy vegan cheeses (sans preservatives) on order, under the brand name Saorsa.

She also stocks a curated selection of vegan products that are otherwise hard to find in Goa, like the dates-sweetened Benalato ice cream!

What are your favorite vegan spots in Goa? What are you most excited to try?

Also read: My Alternative travel guide to Goa