Goa takes you on a veritable culinary ride, offering not just local favourites, but incorporating modern twists and international flavours to the cuisine. And, if plant-based food is something you have been craving lately, read on, we have some suggestions.
A lifestyle choice of replacing meat and dairy with only plant-based food can be a difficult one, but not with these eateries that have offerings that are both healthy and delicious.
GRATITUDE GOA
Located along the serene bylanes of Anjuna, in a 200-year-old Indo-Portuguese house, Gratitude Goa, since its opening back in December 2019, has gone on to become quite a popular name among vegans.
An offbeat shanti space with a minimalist setup, Gratitude Goa serves up vegan satvic food that’s homemade with more gluten free options, omitting anything with too much oil.
Speaking about the eatery, Jeet who’s been vegan for the last 15 years says, “Gratitude Goa is a vegan café, a yoga shala and boutique. Our goal all along has been to not just be profitable, but also socially responsible and environmentally sustainable. We host a couple of events at our space too.”
Jeet has been running the space along with Gunjan for the last five years.
WHERE: Gratitude Café, House no 958, Pequeno Peddem, Anjuna
TIMINGS: 10 am to 9.30 pm (Off beat space, prefers walk-ins only)
RECOMMENDED DISHES: Tofu curry wrap (made from millet), Ramen bowl, millet pancakes, gluten free dim sum, quinoa sushi, tempeh curry (homemade tempeh), gluten free chocolate mousse cake and gluten free cheesecake.
JARDIN D'ULYSSE
Sometimes wellness can be achieved deliciously, and it’s done best at Jardin D'ulysse. If you are heading to Morjim beach and craving something healthy, you need to make a quick stop at this garden restaurant.
Overlooking the Chapora river, Jardin D'ulysse has a cosy ambience and offers food that suits tastes from across the globe. But their menu also lists a variety of vegan smoothies and dishes to choose from.
“Our tropical blast and passion fruit mango smoothies are a must try. The roasted sweet potato boat with caramelised onions and fresh rice paper spring rolls are great to start with. For mains, the tofu katsu curry and black bean burger is highly recommended,” says Ryan, from the restaurant’s team.
WHERE: Jardin D'ulysse, along the Turtle Beach Road, Temb Vaddo, Morjim
TIMINGS: 8.30 am to 11 pm (open all days of the week)
RECOMMENDED DISHES: Tropical blast and passion fruit mango smoothies, tofu katsu curry, rice paper spring rolls.
OKAPI KITCHEN
If eating in the comfort of your space is something you want, well, Okapi Kitchen should be your pick. A haven for vegan delights, Okapi Kitchen is a delivery kitchen, known for their delicious, healthy desserts.
Founded in 2019 by Aarti Sinha, the driving factor behind Okapi was to make plant-based food accessible and exciting. “What started as a tiny 16-inch OTG (on-the-go), Okapi Kitchen is now a semi-industrial kitchen with a 10-member team,” says Aarti.
As a brand, Okapi Kitchen stays true to their values of sustainability and compassion. With vendors who are mostly locals and an all-women team, primarily from the neighbourhood, the outlet has been on a constant mission to reduce carbon footprint on the planet.
“Our subscription-based tiffin service offers an exciting multi-cuisine menu with zero waste packaging, and we have our bespoke catering services for private events and gatherings,” Aarti says, adding that everything is available on a pre-order basis.
WHERE: Okapi Kitchen, Quitula, Aldona
OKAPI LUNCH SERVICE: Tiffin Subscription (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) 8 lunches per month at Rs 2960, 12 lunches per month at Rs 4080
CONTACT: 7666646049