The definition of a pleasant morning differs from person to person. For some, it is a day full of sunshine and opportunity, and for others, a pleasant morning looks like rain drops racing down a windowsill, competing to reach the edge first.
For Tania Bath, a day is pleasant when she is seated at Greenr, a community-driven café that opened its doors to Goa on December 6, 2023.
Although this is the first outlet in Goa, Greenr started back in 2015 in the quaint lanes of Shahpur Jat in New Delhi by co-founders, Mohit Yadav and Nitin Dixit.
Hidden in plain sight in the quiet lanes of Fontainhas, the signboard reading ‘Greenr,’ does not shout from rooftops and marketing agencies, but rather, stands in poise – knowing that once somebody notices, they will not be able to resist stepping in.
“The philosophy behind Greenr is to be able to give people clean, wholesome, global, plant-based food along with the aim of building a community and space that feels like home where you can meet and interact with like-minded people,” smiles Tania who is the business partner and person-in-charge at Greenr Goa.
Housed inside the old Goan ‘Gonsalves House’, setting foot into Greenr will give you the feeling of coming home after a long tiring day.
Tall bookshelves, cosy corners, colour pencils and crayons, Greenr has a little something for everyone.
Right from the rustic touch of the Goan roof-tiles to the earthy colour pallet, plant-laced corners and simple yet charming architecture, the interiors of Greenr are a statement that less is always more.
All good things take time, and before becoming the homely space that we see today, Greenr was a construction site for nine months.
“The place was in shambles when we first laid eyes on it. There were just two different rooms, no floor and nothing outside. We really built it from scratch,” recalls Tania, who remembers the night she decided to say goodbye to her media career and move to Goa like it was yesterday.
“I was on a sabbatical in Goa and I found this place which is so beautiful, right? And that too, in Fontainhas!” Tania says excitedly. For her and team Greenr, the idea wasn’t about taking this old house and changing it completely, but rather retaining the character of the place.
“We’re not just another Delhi brand in Goa. The idea is to respect where we are, the city, the neighborhood, the space and the people,” she adds. Greenr also has some of its other outlets in Delhi and Mumbai and is looking to open yet another outlet somewhere around Goa in the near future.
As for the food, “majority of our customers are non-vegetarians,” smiles Tania as she explains that Greenr is a standing example of how vegan food does not translate to limited options and the claim of not being delicious.
“We make 98 per cent of the food in-house. We make our own plant milk, coconut milk, almond milk, nut butters, almond butter, cashew butter, peanut butter, dips and sauces,” she says.
Goa always brings out the best in everything. And, as for Greenr Goa, the menu has a few fresh additions to it that you will not find at any other Greenr outlet because these dishes are made using local spices and Goan ingredients.
Quirkily named, the Goan additions to the Greenr menu include dishes such as ‘Toddy Poie’ which is made using in house poies, ‘Jackfruit Cafreal’ which is a cheesy sandwich and ‘Calangute Caldin’ which is a coconut based sauce with a lot of vegetables.
Apart from this, Greenr also prides itself on great coffee, thin crust pizzas, risottos and plant-based vegan desserts such as chocolate ganache and eggless tiramisu. As for beverages, the health bar menu includes smoothies made of in-house plant-based milk, and more.
“It’s been a great journey so far, and it is so heart-warming to see the love that we have been receiving from the Goan locals that visit us, the settlers that have made Goa their home, and the travellers that stop by to say hi,” explains Tania, who enjoys visiting the beach on weekends and chilling with her dog who is in close competition with Greenr, who she evidently loves very much.