Vaarta Opens in Goa, Bringing Interactive Indian Street Food to a 160-Year-Old

Vaarta Opens in Goa, Bringing Interactive Indian Street Food to a 160-Year-Old

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on February 28, 2026

In a quiet corner of Sangolda, Vaarta has opened its doors inside a beautifully restored 160-year-old Goan home. The restaurant brings a fresh way of experiencing Indian street food, where flavours, memories, and conversations come together in an intimate setting.

Vaarta is not designed like a typical street food spot or a nostalgia-themed café. Instead, it slows things down and gives street food the space and respect it deserves. Set within a heritage home that already carries decades of stories, the restaurant allows food to unfold as an experience rather than a quick bite.

One of the most distinctive elements at Vaarta is its interactive dining style. Guests are welcomed by a live Puchka counter, where each puchka is prepared fresh. Diners can choose fillings such as Aloo Masala, Aloo Dum, Dahi Aloo, and Churmur, paired with house-made waters ranging from Sharp Jaljira and Tangy Tetul to sweet Saunth and cooling Pudina. The experience recreates the excitement of a street-side ritual, now placed within a calm and personal environment.

Adding to this sense of play is the ‘Make Your Own Barf Ka Gola’ cart, brought straight to the table. Guests can customise flavours, textures, and spice levels, turning a childhood favourite into a shared moment that naturally sparks conversation.

The setting plays a major role in shaping the experience. The 160-year-old home has been carefully restored, keeping its original arches, aged flooring, and vintage windows intact. Interconnected lighting flows through the space, while vintage round bakelite power switches have been retained to preserve an old-world charm. Rather than reshaping the house to fit a concept, Vaarta allows the home to guide the atmosphere, creating a space that feels warm, unhurried, and deeply connected to Goa.

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“Vaarta was born from a simple longing, the kind of food that carries memory and invites conversation. I didn’t want to recreate street food; I wanted to give it the space and respect it deserves,” says Neha Mehta, Founder of Vaarta.

The menu draws from Indian street food traditions across regions, prepared with care and restraint while staying true to their roots. It moves from chaat favourites like Palak Patta Chaat, Jhal Muri, and Tokri Chaat to comforting dishes such as Chelo Kebab, Suz Ke Seekh, and Aloo Ki Taheri. Bar bites include Spinach Chop, Tujj Tikka, and Chicken Roast Kulcha, while main courses highlight regional flavours with Dalcha Gosht, Gavran Chicken, Bharwaan Karela, Moti Pulao, and Cholar Dal. Desserts such as Bhapa Doi, Patishapta, Payasam, Shahi Tukda, and Basundi bring the meal to a nostalgic close.

The bar follows the same philosophy, reworking familiar Indian flavours into creative drinks. Cocktails like Pani Puri Popper, Kala Khatta Kamikaze, Masala Chai Martini, Nimbu Mirch Margarita, and Aam Panna Sour sit alongside refreshing options such as Shikanji Sparkler and Rose & Cardamom Lassi, keeping the experience playful yet comforting.

Vaarta appeals to a wide audience. For locals, it brings back flavours tied to everyday moments and memories. For long-term settlers, it offers a comforting reminder of home. For travellers, it becomes a quiet discovery, where Indian street food feels thoughtful and personal.

In a region known for beach shacks and global cuisines, Vaarta offers something different: a return to Indian flavours that shaped childhoods and cities. Here, street food slows down, conversations stay longer, and every dish carries a story.


Seoul Dak Expands Footprint with First Mall Outlet at Phoenix Marketcity Mumbai

Seoul Dak Expands Footprint with First Mall Outlet at Phoenix Marketcity Mumbai

By Hariharan U

Published on June 30, 2026

Seoul Dak has marked a key expansion milestone with the launch of its first-ever mall outlet at Phoenix Marketcity in Kurla, Mumbai. Known for introducing authentic Korean flavours to Indian diners, the brand has previously built its presence through high-street locations and now enters a high-visibility retail environment for the first time.

The new outlet has been designed to bring the energy of modern Seoul into a mall setting, blending neon-inspired interiors, youthful design elements, and a vibrant ambience suited for both quick bites and relaxed dining. With this launch, Seoul Dak aims to make Korean cuisine more accessible to Mumbai’s growing base of K-culture fans, families, and young professionals.

As interest in Korean entertainment, fashion, and food continues to rise in India, the brand is focusing on offering an immersive dining experience rooted in authenticity while reflecting contemporary Seoul’s cultural identity.

The menu continues to highlight Seoul Dak’s signature offerings, led by its popular Korean Fried Chicken available in flavours such as Volcano, Hot & Spicy, Ganjang, and K-BBQ. The outlet also features Korean staples including Ramen, Tteokbokki, and Korean Corn Dogs, along with refreshing K-Pop Coolers and indulgent Bingsus.

To mark the launch, Seoul Dak will host a grand opening event on 10th July featuring interactive games, live entertainment, and themed experiences including a photobooth inspired by Korean pop culture. The celebration is expected to bring together food lovers and fans of Korean culture in Mumbai.

Speaking on the launch, Sean Lee, Founder of Seoul Dak, said the Phoenix Marketcity outlet represents a new chapter for the brand as it expands into mall formats. He added that the goal is to offer not just authentic Korean food, but also a cultural experience that reflects the creativity and vibrancy of Seoul.

With this opening, Seoul Dak continues its growth journey in India, focusing on expanding its footprint through new locations, menu innovations, and culturally driven dining experiences that bring Korean flavours closer to Indian consumers.


Third Table Redefines Goa Café Culture with a “Third Space” Built for Long-Stay Living

Third Table Redefines Goa Café Culture with a “Third Space” Built for Long-Stay Living

By Hariharan U

Published on June 29, 2026

Goa’s evolving café culture is no longer just about holiday stops and beachside breaks. A quieter shift is underway in areas like Porvorim, where cafés are beginning to reflect a more permanent way of living rather than a temporary escape.

At the centre of this change is Third Table, a new café founded by Anjali Gupta and located between Panjim and the busy Candolim–Calangute stretch. The neighbourhood itself has seen a steady rise in expats, remote workers, and creatives over recent years, particularly after the widespread adoption of flexible and work-from-anywhere lifestyles. What was once a transitional space is now becoming increasingly rooted in everyday living.

Third Table is built around the idea of a “third space”, neither home nor work, but something intentionally in between. It is designed as a place where mornings are unhurried, work feels less transactional, and time is experienced at a more natural pace. The café reflects a broader behavioural shift in Goa, where longer stays are reshaping how people interact with food, community, and public spaces.

This philosophy extends into the experience itself. Rather than fixed meal formats, the menu features customizable breakfast boards, allowing guests to build their own plates depending on their pace and preference for the day. The offering is complemented by design-led desserts and freshly brewed canned coffee, blending a sit-down café experience with a more flexible, contemporary format suited to hybrid lifestyles.

Inside, the space is defined by natural light, greenery, and a calm aesthetic that encourages guests to stay longer than planned. The atmosphere is intentionally unhurried, aligning with the café’s core idea that it is not a stopover, but a place to settle into.

Third Table also reflects a wider transformation in Goa’s identity. As the state increasingly becomes a long-stay base rather than a short-term vacation destination, cafés are evolving into anchor points in daily routines. Spaces like Third Table are emerging not just as food and beverage outlets, but as essential parts of how people structure their everyday lives.

For founder Anjali Gupta, the concept draws inspiration from European café culture, where cafés function less as transactional spaces and more as places of ritual, familiarity, and community. Third Table brings that sensibility into a Goan context, blending global influence with the region’s inherent “susegad” approach to life.

Rather than positioning itself as just another café in Goa’s growing hospitality landscape, Third Table is attempting to redefine what a café can represent in a place that is steadily shifting from tourism-led rhythm to lived-in experience.

At its core, Third Table is not just responding to Goa’s café scene, it is responding to how people now choose to live there.


Kinya Coffee Introduces Weekend Breakfast Experience in Bengaluru's Indiranagar

Kinya Coffee Introduces Weekend Breakfast Experience in Bengaluru's Indiranagar

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on June 28, 2026

Kinya Coffee is bringing a fresh take on Bengaluru's growing breakfast culture with the launch of The Weekend Breakfast, a curated morning experience designed for those who enjoy good food, exceptional coffee and unhurried conversations.

Hosted every Saturday and Sunday at its Indiranagar café, the initiative celebrates the idea of slowing down and making breakfast an occasion rather than a routine. Inspired by the café cultures of cities such as Paris, London and Melbourne, the experience aims to create a welcoming space where guests can gather, connect and enjoy their weekends at a relaxed pace.

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Located in one of Bengaluru's most vibrant neighbourhoods, Kinya Coffee is tapping into the city's evolving appreciation for breakfast-focused dining experiences. As more people embrace leisurely mornings, breakfast is increasingly becoming a social and cultural experience rather than simply the first meal of the day.

The menu brings together a selection of globally loved breakfast dishes, including Eggs Benedict, Turkish Çılbır, Shakshuka, Japanese Tamago Sandwiches, breakfast boards, pancakes and French toast. Each dish has been thoughtfully prepared to offer familiar flavours with attention to detail and quality.

Complementing the food menu is Kinya's specialty coffee and matcha programme. Guests can choose from espresso-based beverages, pour-over coffees, cold brews and ceremonial-style matcha, all crafted to enhance the overall breakfast experience. The focus is on creating beverages that encourage guests to linger a little longer and enjoy the moment.

Beyond the menu, The Weekend Breakfast is designed as a gathering space for Bengaluru's diverse community. Whether it's entrepreneurs catching up before the week ahead, families enjoying quality time together, friends reconnecting over coffee or travellers exploring the city's café culture, the experience offers a setting that brings people together.

In a fast-paced world, Kinya Coffee's latest offering embraces the simple joy of slowing down. With comforting food, carefully crafted beverages and a warm atmosphere, The Weekend Breakfast aims to become a go-to destination for Bengaluru's weekend mornings.

  • Location: Kinya Coffee, 12th Main Road, Indiranagar
  • Date: Every Saturday & Sunday
  • Time: 9 AM – 1 PM

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