The capital city of Goa is pretty vibrant. It has an active life and great places to sit, chill and kick back. I’ve been meaning to put a series of posts on the different places to eat in Goa together for so long and have only gotten down to it lately.
Talking about places to eat, there are loads of cafes in Panjim. The café scene is really active and you will find that you can catch a bite of different types of cuisines here. Plus, most of them have some pretty good coffee too.
I’ll be honest, I have my favorites when it comes to the cafes in Panjim. I mean who doesn’t. Padaria Prazeres is my absolute favorite.
There are a couple of other cafes in Panjim that are also super popular. Luckily for us (me included!) my brother and sister in law always know the best ones in town.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. Read my disclaimer for further information.
Cafes In Panjim: Table Of Content
Old School Classics
1. Padaria Prazeres
Padaria Prazeres is one of the best cafes in Panjim.
Timings: Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 6:30pm. Closed on Saturday and Sunday.
Location: Celeste Plaza, Ground floor, opposite Models Celebrity, Caranzalem, Panaji, Goa 403002
Padaria Prazeres is my all time favorite when it comes to cafes in Panjim. This amazing quaint little café not only has a great ambiance but it has some of the best baked goods in town. Trust me! Once you’ve had a bite of their pasteis de nata you will keep coming back. They are as good as the ones I’ve had in Portugal.
In fact, we always land up stopping here for a bite to eat if we have time on our hands. If not, we catch a take away and lug it back down to south Goa for everyone at home.
The downside is the food sells out really fast. If you have a particular favorite at this bakery, make sure that you call in advance! They will make sure that a batch of your favorite goodies is packed and ready for you.
Padaria Prazeres has both an indoor and an outdoor seating space. The indoor space is air conditioned and has limited seating. The outdoor seating space is pretty chill but it can get really hot during the Goan summers.
2. White Balcao
Timings: 9am – 6:30pm
Location: 4/162/1, next to Bookworm Trust, Fontainhas (quarter), Mala, Panaji, Goa 403001
If you are looking for cafes in Panjim that are great as coworking spaces then White Balcao should be right at the top of your list. This really cool café is in a renovated old Goan house. This means that not only do you get a chance to catch a nice quiet spot to sit, you also get to experience an old Goan house too.
They don’t have a really extensive menu but whatever is on their menu is really good. Honestly if I had to list all the good things about White Balcao, the service would be right at the top alongside the great ambiance.
White Balcao is also a great place to stay if you need a place to crash in the city. The rooms are gorgeous and very comfortable and the location is very central. Parking can get a bit difficult in the peak hours. We haven’t had too much of an issue though whenever we have visited.
3. Teal
Timings: 8:30am – 6:30pm
Location: H.No E-365 Rua Miguel Vicent, Abreu, Panaji, Goa 403001
Teal is one of the prominent cafes in Panjim. It is located in the heritage area of Panjim. The quaint cafe is attached to a clothing store called OMO aka On My Own.
Despite being right in the heart of the city, Teal manages to retain an old school, susegad vibe. It has an indoor air conditioned area which is great on hot days. The outdoor seating area is pretty quaint too. It is relatively shaded and makes for a great spot to sit and chat with your friends.
In fact, Teal is one of the best cafes in Panjim if you want to host a party or an event. It has enough space to move around and yet is small enough to remain cozy.
The one place where Teal really stands out is its coffee. It makes some of the best coffee in town. If you are looking for a nibble then try their chicken on toast.
4. Starbucks
Starbucks is one of the most popular cafes in Panjim.
Timings: 8am – 11pm
Location: Unit No. G2, Ground floor, Magsons Towers, 707, Dayanand Bandodkar Marg, Miramar, Panaji, Goa 403001
You can’t really go wrong with Starbucks. I remember the excitement when Starbucks opened up for the first time in Goa. Everyone from all around wanted to head there and catch a drink. The excitement has certainly died down now but Starbucks is still one of the cafes in Panjim that people really love to head to.
You can’t expect all your usual Starbucks drinks here. You can even catch some of their quick bites in case you want a meal.
5. Bubble Café
If you are looking for cafes in Panjim that serve bubble tea then Bubble cafe is the place to be!
Timings: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 10:30am -11pm, Wednesday: 11am – 11pm, Sunday closed.
Location: Pereira Building, St Inez Rd, Santa Inez, Panaji, Goa 403001
Bubble café isn’t a place where you can sit down and catch a bite to eat. It specializes only in bubble tea or boba tea. For those of you who haven’t tried this cool drink yet, the boba little tapioca pearls. They are put in the tea or milk shake and you sip them up. They add a unique taste to the drink.
The boba comes in different flavors. Some even come with a fruity filling inside. You can mix and match according to the drink that you choose. Since this is Goa’s first authentic Thai boba cafe, it is pretty popular. The drinks here are perfect. Not overtly sweetened and really delicious.
6. Cremeux
Timings: Open everyday from 9am – 10:3pm
Location: Falcon Apartment, MG Road, opposite Customs House, Altinho, Panaji, Goa 403521
Cremeux is one the best cafes in Panjim (and in Goa at large.) It has multiple outlets across the state. I found myself at Cremeux in Margao after a brief hiatus and the food is still pretty good. In particular we found ourselves in love with the chocolate mousse.
The kids love the doughnuts but honestly, I feel that they could be a bit better. If you are scouting for something to take back home for tea, think about the different cookies that they have on offer. We loved this with a hot cup of coffee/tea.
Did I mention that the Cremeux in Panjim has a gorgeous view of the Adil Shah Palace? Definitely one of the cafes in Panjim with a cool view.
7. Sanofe
Sanofe is one of the best upcoming cafes in Panjim.
Timings: Tuesday to Sunday: 10am – 9pm
Location: Rego Bagh Rd, Alto, St Cruz, Goa 403202
Sanofe is located out of the main city so you definitely need to have transportation to visit it. I find that Sanofe is one of the cutest cafes in Panjim and oh so worth the drive. The two floored cafe has an indoor seating area which is air conditioned and an outdoor seating area which is not.
The cafe is also pet friendly which is a great bonus for anyone like us who travels with their pet. For those of you who don’t know, we travel with our cat Jynx. She explored the whole place on her lead and harness in absolute safety. They did mention that they usually get mostly dogs visiting though.
The eclairs in Sanofe are really really good. They literally melt in your mouth. I loved the lime soda which was the perfect refresher from the heat.
8. Tea Trunk Tea Room
Timings: Tuesday to Sunday: 9am – 6pm, Monday closed
Location: 169, St. Sebastian Chapel road, Fontainhas, Fontainhas (quarter), Altinho, Panaji, Goa 403001
This is another one of the cafes in Panjim that I have not personally been to. It however was recommended by my brother who stays in the area. He loves cafes that have a quiet area where he can sit and work. According to him Tea Trunk is one of the cafes in Panjim that hits all the right notes where this is concerned.
You’ve probably guessed by now, Tea Trunk is really popular for its tea. They have a variety and almost every single one of them is good.
The decor of the café is also pretty cool. It feels as if every single corner of the café was thought about and decorated. It is one of the instagrammable places in Panjim that you should not miss.
Old School Classics To Add To Your List
There are a couple of places that I can’t really classify as cafes in Panjim. They are however some iconic spots that people used to and still head to for a cup of coffee and a dose of falooda amongst other things. If you want to head off and explore some of these, I highly recommend them.
9. Navtara Veg Restaurant
Timings: 7am – 10:30pm
Location: Municipal Market Area, Panaji, Goa 403001
Navtara Veg Restaurant is one of the old favorites. People headed here after shopping in Panjim market in order to cool off from the heat.
It has a non ac area and an airconditioned area which is on the higher floor. The air conditioned area does get full during the peak hours of the day.
Like the name suggests, expect to catch only vegetarian food here. Top favorites here are their lime soda and the falooda. Highly recommended if it is a hot day.
You can catch the usual south Indian food here too. Think idli, dosa and puris.
10. Cream Centre
Timings: Open everyday from 10am – 8pm. Sundays are closed.
Location: Shop No 5, Falcon Apartment, Helidoro Halagado Road, opp. Poshak, Panaji, Goa 403001
Very close to the Navtara Veg Restaurant is another iconic spot called the Cream Centre. This spot is famous for its falooda and milkshakes. It doesn’t have the same sitting area as Navtara does but it is great if you want a quick refreshing drink.
We unfortunately did not catch a drink here this time round because we filled ourselves up on falooda at Navtara and with the kids we usually prefer a spot where we can settle them in. It is definitely on our list for the next time we are in the area.
11. Geeta Bakery
Timings: Open everyday from 8am – 9pm except Sundays when it is open from 8am – 1:30pm
Location: Rua Heliodoro Salgado, Panaji, Goa 403001
If you are looking for a spot to catch old school classics in terms of patties, croquets and cakes. Everything is usually hot and fresh.
There are loads of different options to choose from. You can either munch on them as you hang around Geeta bakery or do what most do, a nice parcel for everyone at home.
Note that the Geeta Bakery has no seating area. This is a place where you will have to stand and eat. It is more of a takeaway kinda spot.
12. Café Bhonsle
Timings: Open everyday from 7am – 10pm
Location: 403, Cunha Rivara Rd, near National Theater, Altinho, Panaji, Goa 403001
If you are searching for one of the old school classics in Panjim that serve up a mean Goan breakfast then you really should try Cafe Bhonsle. I’ll be honest. I haven’t had a chance to eat here. This is solely on the recommendations of my sister in law and she hasn’t been wrong yet. She has after all spent her life in this city so I will trust her with my stomach any day of the week.
If you head to Café Bhonsle expect to find the working crowd swinging in and out of the café. It is a place where you can get a good breakfast at a reasonable price. The service is really quick so you can get in and out of Café Bhonsle really quickly.
If you visit Café Bhonsle make sure you try their iconic pav bhaji. I feel like it should be necessary to mention here that the pav bhaji in Goa is very different from the Bombay pav bhaji. Here the bhaji is made with coconut gravy and the dry bhaji is made of potato. It is a well loved breakfast staple.
13. Café Tato
Timings: Monday to Saturday: 7am – 8:30pm, Sunday closed.
Location: Souza Towers, No. G3, Dr RS Rd, Near Municipal Garden, Altinho, Panaji, Goa 403001
Tatos may not really be a café but it is one of those places that evokes a sense of nostalgia. You really can’t go wrong with visiting Tatos in either Panjim or Margao. Here you can hope to have some of the standard Goan breakfast fare. Think pav bhaji and tea or coffee. You can also get your fill of south Indian food.
For me Tatos is pretty symbolic with puri bhaji and dosa. They also serve up some amazing lime soda, falooda and milkshakes.
Tatos is located right in the heart of Panjim too. This makes one of the old school restaurant /cafes in Panjim that people find really accessible.
