At Viva Panjim restaurant, customers can enjoy al fresco dining
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Goa is a gastronome’s delight, serving up umpteen tempting varieties of seafood and other dishes, created using just the right mix of ingredients. Plentiful are the places where you can enjoy traditional Goan delicacies in a unique ambience.
Viva Panjim is one such spot, where connoisseurs can relish great food in cosy environs. Not just that, but the owner, Linda D’Souza is by all means the hostess with the mostess, treating customers like her own personal guests.
Viva Panjim restaurant is located in a 150-year-old heritage home
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It is a family-run restaurant in a quaint, heritage home, offering authentic Goan specialties and seafood with a splash of old-fashioned Goan hospitality thrown in for good measure. Recipes of some of the dishes — Vindaloo, Balchão, Xacuti, Recheo, Sorpotel, Cafreal, Cabidela and more — have been passed down through the generations.
The restaurant has been recommended by several international travel guides, including Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Foot Prints and Routard’s, and bagged numerous awards such as the Times Food Award for Best Goan Food (2010), Times Food Award for Best Goan Portuguese Food (North Goa) (in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019) and Life Time Achievement Award at the International Cuisine Conference (2007).
AMBIENCE & INTERIORS
This 150-year-old ancestral home, tucked away in the alleys of Panjim, was once the parlour of the home of Linda and her late husband Michael. With the Goan feel of the furnishings in the breezy restaurant, it is a homely and friendly place to dine. Although a little small, it has options to dine indoors or enjoy the outdoors.
There is an AC room, non-AC room and a small seating area near the restaurant. Outdoor seating is especially popular with foreigners, while the air-conditioned room is perfect for small celebrations.
In spite of its size, it is frequented by tourists as well as locals, and often gets crowded at lunch and dinner time, and it is not uncommon to find the restaurant spilling onto the street in front of it.
Goan seafood is one of the specialties of Viva Panjim
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FOOD & HOSPITALITY
A good range of Goan dishes dominate the menu. The seafood dishes and seafood platter are customer favourites, while the menu has a whole page dedicated to pork dishes. You’ll also find starters (veg, non-veg, seafood), Continental and, of course, Goan cuisine.
The owner Linda D’Souza is a great chef and is very friendly, instantly making customers feel comfortable and at home, and personally sees to it that each guest is treated warmly. She has also been featured on the Times of India (Goa Edition) under ‘Grannies of Goa.’
Viva Panjim is definitely worth a visit if you happen to be in Panjim.
MUST TRY: Pork Feijoada (₹ 300), Sea Food Pulao (₹ 350), Prawns Stuffed Papad (₹ 180), Chicken Stuffed Papad (₹ 180), Chicken Chilly Fry Goan (₹ 270), Vegetable Caldinha (₹ 240), Squids Chilly Fry (₹ 320), Brinjal Chips (₹ 200), Chicken nuggets (₹ 220), French Fries (₹ 140)
WHERE: Near Mary Immaculate High School, Panjim
TIMINGS: Monday to Saturday (11:30 am – 3:30 pm & 7 pm – 11pm); Sunday (7 pm – 11 pm)
CONTACT: +91 9850471363