They say ‘home is where the heart is’. Miles away, three Italians united by their shared passion for food, have discovered Goa’s warm embrace in their journey that led them to birth their restaurant 'Goodfellas' and find a home away from home.
Nestled in Goa’s Benaulim village, in South Goa, what initially began as a seasonal escape, Goodfellas has today evolved into a culinary destination, bringing the heart of Italy to Goa’s shores all year through.
From traditional antipasti to creatively-crafted pasta dishes, the Italian restaurant seamlessly blends rustic charm with contemporary flair.
“The project came together beautifully as we always aimed to create not just a business but a ‘home’,” says Nicholas Compagnone, one of the owners.
Along with co-partners, Fernando Colledanchise (the chef) and Davide Stampini (the pizza maker), the trio established the restaurant in 2016, where guests could sit, eat and share a bottle of wine just the way it’s done in Italy in the summertime.
It began back in 2014, when Fernando and Nicholas found themselves working alongside their Italian friend Lorenzo Siclari's fresh pasta factory in Goa.
“It was newly established and we weren’t making too much money, although we were working hard,” says Fernando, who then began looking for opportunities and found Italian cuisine notably absent.
“After a couple of years of missing our home food, we decided to open an Italian restaurant in the area where we were living,” shares Nicholas. “By chance, one evening in South Goa, we met Davide who was a pizza maker, working with ‘Magic Italy’.”
Finding a team in themselves, the trio's vision became tangible. All they needed was the ideal location.
As if by fate, their paths crossed with Teresa (the landlady from whom they rent their restaurant space) and her family, who not just believed in their dream, but went on to support it.
“So, we started out simple, with a small budget, and managed to open the restaurant after a couple months of hard work. You can say we made the place by ourselves,” Nicholas adds.
“Nico suggested 'Goodfellas' inspired from the film as we were three Italian guys – of course, nothing to do with the mafia!” reveals Fernando, quickly adding, “In Italian, it sounds much better - 'Bravi Ragazzi' meaning 'The Good Guys'.
Noticing a shift in Goa’s tourism during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, with domestic tourists too making their way to explore the quietude of South Goa and businesses picking up, the trio decided to invest in their then open air restaurant, and build a roof to accommodate customers all year through.
Today, the restaurant is famed for its pizzas, with Chef Fernando spending hours modifying and improving the pizza dough recipe, making it light, easy-to-digest, with crispy edges, soft and tasty.
Goodfellas also serves traditional classic Italian food like Spaghetti al Pesto, Lasagne al Ragu, Bruschette, Tiramisu and have introduced dishes like Tagliatelle al Porcini (freshly rolled tagliatelle pasta cooked in creamy porcini mushrooms), Spaghetti Carbonara with fresh salmon, seasonal asparagus and pecorino cheese topped with black garlic.
The restaurant’s a cosy retreat, its glass roof allows natural light to seep through, the greenery brings the occasional butterfly flitting in, all while the diner is indulging on gourmet pizza or the savoury speciality of Lunigiana (in Italy), Sgabeo, that’s stuffed with chicken cooked in white wine to balance the crispy golden brown bun.
Reminiscing the initial days, Fernando smiles and says, “It's been an adventure for sure. Chaotic! I didn't even speak English back then, it was our hard work and enthusiasm. We made everything using our own hands; piece by piece the place came together.”
The warm reception from the local community and tourists alike has been overwhelming from day one, with some loyal customers, too.
As for Fernando, Goa is home. “It’s been 10 years since I've moved here. And, Mama India has created a special place in my heart.”
Not forgetting their dynamic team that’s become family, Nicholas feels both proud and humbled to have given an opportunity to many young people, who are a long way from home, to learn and enter into a new profession.
“Even for us, owners, it is the same – it gives us a chance to have a feeling of 'home', even if home is 1,000 miles away,” he says.
DETAILS
LOCATION: Goodfellas Italian restaurant, Vasvaddo, Benaulim, South Goa
RESERVATIONS: +91 9657531631
RESTAURANT TIMINGS:
Lunch (Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday): 1 pm to 3.30 pm
Dinner (All working days): 7 pm to 11.30 pm
CLOSED ON: Wednesday
SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLE: goodfellasgoa (Instagram)