Two Cafes in Morjim You Won’t Find in Travel Guides

With Kalindi’s arrival into our lives, things have become a bit more special. We feel like celebrating everything – first steps, to first words, complete sentences, and of course birthdays. For Animesh’s birthday this year we decided to head to Goa for a quick getaway. Kalindi loves sun, sand and sea, and we found a new Greek-style property in Morjim Beach. Over the next few days we also discovered two unexpected cafes in Morjim, Goa that ended up becoming the highlight of our trip.

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve visited Goa. One of the most memorable being the trip I did with my mother in law and her friends in the early days of my pregnancy, when it was too early to share that there was a tiny life growing inside of me. Now that life grows wonderfully in front of our eyes, making even the most exhausting days that little bit more special.

 

The Delhi Cafe

The first day we were at Anemos, Kalindi spent the entire day on the beach, playing in the sand and chasing the receding waves. We hoped all that activity would ensure that she would eat well, and then sleep on time.

We couldn’t have been more wrong.

Not only did she get over tired and stimulated, but she also refused to eat! As time creeped painfully on, Kalindi devolved into a fit of crying, screaming and kicking. She didn’t want to change, refused all food and didn’t even seem excited about a scooter ride, which is one of her favorite things.

We managed to cajole her into it, and drove around looking for a grocery store where we could pick up some food for her. During the drive we wished for a some plain white rice and curd for Kalindi. As luck would have it, we saw a nondescript restaurant, little more than a shed really, with a huge board that said ‘Delhi Cafe’. We carried Kalindi, still in the middle of her meltdown, and asked the restaurant if they’d be able to give us some boiled white rice and curd. They said yes. We climbed a steep step of rickety stairs to the first floor and sat in that makeshift restaurant.

The restaurant faced the busy main road, across which there was a parking lot. Behind the restaurant was an empty plot of land beyond which there was what could have been a residential building. Russian music from the karaoke next door drifted across, and once she was reasonably satiated, Kalindi even broke into a happy jig! We’ve never had a better time during a meal in Goa.

 

This is the location for this simple, friendly and warm restaurant.

 

D Cafe – A Nepali Cafe

Inspired by the magic of the Delhi Cafe, we hunted for more such cafes. We actually drove around ducking in and out of restaurants that looked too busy, trying to find the uncomplicated, cozy vibe we had experienced the day before.

The D Cafe is an unpretentious establishment, with really really good Nepali food.

We sat at a table outside, until we discovered a small enclosure where there was floor seating. We decided to move in there, thinking it would be more convenient with Kalindi. Sure enough, Kalindi made friends with the only other kid in that enclosure, a boy who was reclining and watching his iPad. Kalindi watched along with him for a while and after that started to crawl around the space. She was happily occupied and we had some amazing thukpa and soup so it was a win-win for all of us.

Satiated, we drove back to our hotel where Kalindi promptly fell asleep, lulled by the sounds of the waves just outside our room.

 

If you’re looking for unpretentious cafes in Morjim Goa, these two spots are worth seeking out. Also, if you’re a new parent, here’s a blog I wrote about our trip to Hampi which has some tips for how to travel with a newborn.