A Vegetarian's Guide To Goa

There’s more to experimenting with vegetarian fare than butter paneer and chilli potato, as is clear at these 25 hotspots in our sunshine state.

- Krutika Behrawala

With its choris sausages and beef curries, Goa is a carnivore’s paradise. The flipside of this is the notion that the state has little to offer vegetarians. But Goa’s food landscape is getting greener, with a growing tribe of mindful eaters and vegans flocking to its shores. There’s something for every vegetarian traveller, from regional Indian cuisines to international fare.

North

MOJIGAO

For a feast in the forest

Set apart from the crowded beach-shack scene of north Goa, Mojigao is an oasis of solitude with groves of pink ginger flowers and prime conditions for a digital detox (the network’s sketchy). The 1.5-acre eco-village—with six cottages and a yoga shala—is managed by Israeli owner Moshe Inbar and his wife Anastasia, who run two Artjuna cafés, here and in Anjuna. Inbar grew up eating a lot of vegetarian food, and this is what gets preference on a menu full of salads, juices and raw foods. You’ll find Artjuna favourites like the signature boreka (cheese, mushroom and spinach puff pastry), a Mediterranean thali of hummus, tahini, and baba ganoush with homemade pita, and excellent coffee. Stay back for tapas evenings in the wilderness: these mindful eating experiences include dishes like blue cheese arancini and mashed yam with tomato sauce. mojigao.com

KEFI CAFÉ & BISTRO

For Lebanese fare with an international touch