With India striding through its 75th year, here’s a look at seven eateries in Goa that are as old or older than independent India.
Known for its interplay with sun, surf, and sand, Goa is also famous for its cuisine. Whether fine dining or cosy cafés that dot the beaches, food is big in Goa. Now add to that a slice of history. A serving of eateries that are as old or older than independent India. Walk down nostalgia lane with these seven restaurants that define independence in more ways than one.
1. Café Tato (1913)
Image: Preeti Verma Lal.
It was in 1913 that Keshav Dhuri — originally from Asoli village in Maharashtra — founded Hindu Upahar Griha to serve tea and bhajis to the locals. The queues got longer and the usual day-time chorus was “let’s go to Tato’s for bhajis and tea”, Tato being the sobriquet for Keshav Dhuri. Soon, the name stuck and Hindu Upahar Griha became Café Tato’s. Now, fourth-generation Pranav Dhuri runs the 109-year-old eatery that remains a food lover’s haven.
“My great-grandfather probably opened the food joint in 1905 but there is no written record until 1913, hence we say the café was established in 1913,” says Dhuri.
Image: Pranav Dhuri.
Tato shut its bakery in the 1980s, but the original offering of Sukhi Bhaji with Puri/Pao and Samosas are still the hot favourite. To keep pace with the times, Tato’s has introduced variations of Sukhi Bhaji as well as Samosas. If you are looking for childhood nostalgia, order the Bournvita Shake.
Address: Souza Towers, No. G3, Dr RS Rd, Near Municipal Garden, Altinho, Panaji.
2. Café Bhonsle (1920)
Borrowing its name from the founder Rama Bhonsle, in 1920, Cafe Bhonsle was one of the first cafes to pop up around the periphery of the Panjim Church, the origin point of the city. The menu header describes the restaurant as Non-AC Cafe Bhonsle and the footer mentions that Kadak Chapati is only served until 9 am. Plus, shakes with ice cream will be charged Rs 30 extra.
Image: Preeti Verma Lal.
The cuisine is varied — Goan, Panjabi (that’s how it is spelt), Chinese — and the price extremely reasonable (tea/coffee (single) for Rs 10, Thali for Rs 110, Bhaji with bread Rs 40; Mushroom Samosa only served between 3.30 pm and 8 pm single/double for Rs 20/30). Specialties here include Mix-Bhaji with Chapati, and Mirsang (batter-fried hot chili pepper).
Address: Near Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church, Panaji; Chogm Road, Porvorim.
3. Mr Baker (1922)
You do not need to ask Mr Baker its age. It carries its birth certificate as a name suffix: Mr Baker 1922. Small, with simple interiors, Mr Baker is known for its delicious Bebinca (seven-layered cake), Batica, Perada (guava cheese), Doce (a Goan fudge made with chana dal and grated coconut); Bolinhas (coconut cookie with semolina), Beef Croquettes and Rissois (prawn pockets), and farm-fresh Nero.
History is writ on the wall with old photographs and if you bump into Nathan Fernandes, the owner, he will tell you of its beginnings and of his grandfather who brought cake moulds from Germany. Perhaps a first for Goa. Listen to him when he says: Calories do not count.
Address: Dr Dada Vaidya Road, Opposite Municipal Garden, Panaji.
4. Confeitaria 31 de Janeiro (1930)
Popularly known as On the 31st, this 92-year old bakery can be difficult to find. Housed in a waif-thin lane in Fontainhas, it was founded by Andre Mascarenhas in 1930. It still does everything old-fashioned with wood-oven fires: Pastries, Goan sweets (Bebinca, Dodol, Doce, Pinag), patties, croissants, biscuits (fan, wine, flower), and bread (Paezinhos, Forminhas, buns, dinner rolls).
Image: Preeti Verma Lal.
The cake options are many: Bolo Sans Rival, Vanilla gateaux, Bolo Madeira Sponge Cake, Rum & Date Plum cake, Choco Truffle. Do not miss their Pasteis de Nata.
Address: January 31st Street, Fontainhas.
5. Souza Lobo (1932)
In 1932, Joao and Valentina Lobo opened Pavilhao Souza Lobo, a hotel with a few rooms sitting smugly by the Calangute beach. The hotel was functional until the 1960s, till their son Joao Martires Lobo and his wife Maria Santana took over. Maria’s family recipes gave the hotel’s restaurant unprecedented fame. In 1994, when Jude Lobo, their son, took the reins, he tore down the rooms and turned Souza Lobo into a restaurant and bar.
Image: Preeti Verma Lal.
Now, Souza Lobo can seat nearly 300 with the covered and open space. The menu has been faithful to the recipes of Maria Santana, but new items have been added. The Souza Lobo specials include Seafood Mix Grill, Seafood Tower, Lobster Thermidor. Since the beginning, the Souza seafood has been the crowd favourite. If you are in the mood for quirky, try the Sol Kadi Gol Gappa.
Address: Calangute Beach.
6. Café Central (1933)
Founded in 1933 as a sit-down café by Atmaram S Gaitonde, Café Central originally served Bhaji Puri, tea, Bun Paav, etc. After a popular run for over three decades at its Panaji Municipal Garden location, in the 1960s, Cafe Central shifted to its present location and was converted into a bakery. The menu was changed, and the bakery now serves cakes, patties, makhanpeda, etc. Today, the Mushroom Samosa, Chocolate Cake, Cheese Rissois, and the newly-introduced Eggless Chocolate Chip Cake are the most sought-after.
Café Central is currently managed by four partners: Ravindra S Gayatonde (grandnephew of the founder), Abhijit R Gayatonde (great grandnephew of the founder), Kedar D Bandekar, and Rahul D Bandekar.
Address: Ishan, Dr Pissurlekar Road, Panaji; Sapna Sagar, Chogm Road, Porvorim.
7. Geeta Bakery (Early 1940s)
Established in the early1940s, Geeta Bakery is so small that even five can be a crowd here. Unpretentious and absolutely old world, the bakery has about 12 different kinds of cookies/biscuits stacked neatly in large glass jars. The Plum/Chocolate cakes have several loyal buyers but it is the Veg Patties that bring locals and tourists to the blue bakery. It is a takeaway joint, no seating is available.
Address: Near HDFC Bank, Panjim.
Goa’s first elevator in Hotel Mandovi in 1952
When the Vatican along with the Portuguese government decided to invite dignitaries from around the world to mark the 10th solemn exposition of the Sacred Relics of St Francis Xavier in Goa, there was a housing problem. Goa did not have a hotel good enough to host the mighty. That’s why Hotel Mandovi was built in Panjim.
Owned by the Quenim family and designed by England’s Marryat and Scott, when the hotel opened in December 1952, the locals curiously queued outside the gate to see what they had never seen before: An elevator. It was the first elevator installed in Goa and there was a rush to experience going up and down the hotel floors in an electric cage. The electric-cage experience was much sought-after and even school trips were organized — ‘lift-trip’ — and students were given a ride in batches of six. Exactly 70 years later, Goa’s first elevator is no longer a curiosity, but old-timers have still not forgotten their first ride in an electric cage.
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