Novotel Vijayawada Varun is expanding Vijayawada’s culinary landscape by bringing a mix of global and regional flavours to the city through thoughtfully designed food festivals and immersive dining experiences. Hosted at The Food Exchange, these special showcases aim to introduce guests to authentic food traditions and culinary stories from across the world.

Bringing together flavours from the Mediterranean coastline and the coastal kitchens of Goa, the hotel continues to create experiences that allow guests to explore different cuisines without stepping out of Vijayawada.

From 15th to 19th May 2026, The Food Exchange will host The Great Mediterranean Feast, a five-day food festival inspired by the vibrant cuisines of Southern Europe and the Levant. Guests can expect a specially crafted menu featuring soups, tapas, mezzes and desserts that reflect the region’s fresh ingredients and bold flavours.

Mediterranean cuisine is known for its focus on vegetables, grains, legumes and olive oil, and the festival menu has been curated around these principles while blending traditional cooking techniques with modern presentation.

The line-up includes dishes such as Minestrone alla Genovese from Italy, Turkey’s Cigar Böreği, Spain’s Patatas Bravas and Spinach Fatayer from the Levant. The experience concludes with Kunafa, the popular syrup-soaked dessert that remains a favourite across the region.

Sharing his thoughts on the festival, Chef Shivaramakrishna, Executive Chef at Novotel Vijayawada Varun, said, “Vijayawada has an incredibly vibrant food culture, and we wanted to complement that spirit with something new. The sun-drenched flavours of the Mediterranean like the Turkish börek, Italian minestrone and a show-stopping Kunafa, every dish on this menu tells a story. We can't wait for our guests to experience it.”

Adding another culinary experience, Novotel Vijayawada Varun will also present "The Goan Cuisine" on 17th May 2026, a one-day special showcase celebrating authentic Goan flavours at The Food Exchange.

Curated under Culinary Voices, Lost Cuisines Edition, the showcase forms part of the hotel’s six-month initiative focused on reviving traditional recipes and highlighting the stories and heritage behind regional cuisines.

The menu features dishes inspired by Goa’s coastal roots and Portuguese influence, including Sopa de Crab, Pineapple Sasav, Chicken Xacuti, Prawns Curry, Raw Banana Fry and Kokum Mojito among others. Each dish has been designed to bring out Goa’s signature spice blends, coastal ingredients and traditional cooking styles.

Speaking about the concept, Executive Chef Shivaramakrishna, Novotel Vijayawada Varun, said, “Goan cuisine is a celebration of the sea, the spice jar and centuries of cultural exchange. For this Lost Cuisines edition, we’ve gone beyond the usual favourites to bring back recipes you don’t easily find today. Slow-cooked gravies, tangy kokum notes, roasted masalas and comforting coastal curries. If you’ve ever wanted to ‘taste’ Goa the way families have cooked it for generations, this one-day showcase is your boarding pass.”

With these culinary showcases, Novotel Vijayawada Varun continues to position itself as a destination for food discovery, offering guests opportunities to experience diverse cuisines, regional stories and authentic flavours under one roof.