The Best Restaurants & Bars In Panjim To Check Out On Your Next Goan Holiday

Goa memories tend to have Panjim as a pitstop. Pictures at Fontainhas, a feni cocktail at Joseph's Bar, a thali at Bombil (if you can snag a seat – going before 1 PM does the trick), and Spanish tapas at Antonios@31. And then it’s the beaches.

But the culinary scene in Panjim is buzzing, ensuring you make it more than a pitstop, stopping awhile to try out some new and some not-so-new-but-should-be-on-your-radar places.

Here's our list of recommendations:

Bar Outrigger

A bar well worth seeking out (#3 on 30 Best Bars 2025), Bar Outrigger is a rum-forward space balancing nostalgia with easy-going modern drinking. Beyond rum, there’s a tight spirits list, good beer, wine and a sharp picante, if you like. The Outrigger V2 mixes aged rum with kokum triple sec and citrus, short and refreshing, while the Tiki Negroni arrives with an inflatable flamingo. Food keeps pace: Gawti Ebi with chimichurri, and the Choriz Jam on Toast, rich, rarebit-like bites, are ones to try. Hidden Pokémon dot the room. Find them all, and you earn a free rum shot.

Must-try: The Outrigger Version 2

FTR - For the Record

An intimate vinyl bar built around the pleasure of listening, FTR plays records start-to-finish. There are no requests taken, just the mood guiding the room. Part collector’s den, part easy neighbourhood hangout, conversations unfold over inventive cocktails like the Bimli Bomb featuring agave, pomegranate and bimlis poached in toddy vinegar, alongside a standout Feni Colada. The food moves from sourdough pizzas to playful bar bites, keeping pace with the music.

Must-try: Feni Colada

L’oro Aperitivo Bar & Kitchen

Yes, it’s come up in place of Jaffna Jump (it’s the first question everyone asks), done up in shades of teal, wrought iron and wood. Order some well-balanced cocktails like the By Two Beach and Goli Soda Margarita, which make for easy drinking on hot days in Goa. The Butcher’s Charcuterie Board, Chorizo and Potato Cream Stuffed Omelette and Kokum-Cured Tuna Agua Chile are dishes to try. The semi-open level 1 section is an aperitivos and cigars space with an exclusive menu. Think drinks like the Sicilian Sbagliato with sparkling wine and vermouth or the Rib Tickler with bourbon, honey, spice and bitters. Choose from cigars like the Vedado Classic Gordito, El Viejo Continente, the Vega Toro Robusto, among others. 

Must Try: The Prawn Pil Pil with Salsa Verde and Chilli Oil 

Larder & Folk

If you love bread, you go to Larder & Folk. The Croissant Cereal is perfect to start with. Then some French Toast made richer with mascarpone, lemon curd and blueberries. Go savoury with the chicken and waffles, the portabello mushroom toastie, or the pork porchetta on ciabatta. You could go with your standard gourmet coffees to wash it all down, or try something like the burnt lemon pepper berry soda.

Must-try: Hot Honey Chicken Donut (you will be hooked for life) 

MTW Bar and Toasties

The Nao Spirits office turns into MTW come 7 PM. Ring the doorbell to be allowed inside. A shiny disco ball catches the eye, and the bar is placed to the right. The drinks are divided into the way your work day may be – Try the Chai Break for those Long Days; the Stapler (no, not one you can throw at someone) or the 7 AM Martini for Tough Days; the W.F.H for Half Days and some simple cocktails showcasing the spirits from the brand’s portfolios for those Daily Catch-Ups. 

Must-try: From Monday to Wednesday, MTW serves bowls of Samyang noodles AKA Office ‘Noods’ with customisable toppings

Oiya's Umami

Oiya’s is a marriage of Asian and Naga cuisines, creating dishes that unfold layers of flavour and texture. Try the Smoked Pork Asian Bao, the Naga Mustard Green Stir Fry, Black Sesame Chilled Noodles in any of its variations, and the Axone Chicken Karaage. Follow that up with the Naga-style Hainanese Chicken Rice. If you just can’t wait, while your order is being prepared, choose from the chicken or buff bar snacks displayed on the counters beside the pickles.

Must-try: Axone Bang Bang Prawns

Ourém

When trying out typical Goan food, one often tends to stop at comprehensive fish thalis. But here is a restaurant that is putting the spotlight on the state’s Luso-Goan legacy - food created when the Portuguese colonisers' cuisine intertwined with traditional Goan. Try the Chicken Cafreal Skewers, the thick green masala is delicious on its own or in some bread. The Assado de Língua is tongue with chunky hand-cut potato wedges. The Sannas, fermented rice cakes served up with the tangy, spicy sorpotel (pork and offal), is the perfect mix.

Must-try: Rissóis de Camarão

Padaria Prazeres

If only all neighbourhood bakeries and cafes could have the charm that this one has! Done up in yellow and blue, with beach umbrellas in the small outdoor seating area, the handwritten chalk menu board is where you will find everyone hovering. You will want to try it all; the limited capacity of the human belly is your only deterrent. The Pasteis de Nata is among their signatures. The Palmiers are large, crisp, with the perfect layer of sprinkled sugar. The BLT is a perfect, sinful breakfast dish, especially if you love your bacon crisp. Take home some brioche buns and some of the Date & Walnut Cake.

Must-try: Beef Brisket Sandwich 

Petisco

Petisco blends a Goan tavern spirit with contemporary small-plates kitchen. The menu moves compliments drinks, as the bar leans creates the smoky Smoked G&T, the house favourite Margarita, and the feni-based Fenhattan - a cocktail list that’s both familiar and inventive. Plates are made to share and keep the table ordering just one more round, giving the room an easy, chatty rhythm.

Must-try: Fenhattan

Quinta Cantina

If you are thinking of slipping quietly into this high-on-spirit bar, the really loud chorus of “look who’s here” for all those who enter will place the spotlight squarely on your head. Always ask for the Feni of the Week (same for Agave), which brings to the public, feni from various producers (some non-commercial as well), showcasing different terroirs of Goa. There is the Maracuya, made with coconut feni and the Fenicillin with a mix of alem (ginger) and dukshiri (sarsapilla root) fenis. And the Mango – combines tart raw mango with cashew feni in a chilli-rimmed glass. Pair this with flavour-filled dishes like the Pork Amsol Taco and the Quaz and Choriz Totopos.

Must-try: Mango (with coconut feni)