Of growing up in Northern Goa, Siddharth Kerkar recalls when the town of “Calangute only had the Taj hotel and a few small businesses. It was just a road I used to cycle on.” While the seaside Indian state still retains a low-key spirit, it’s buzzing with places to eat and drink: mixology bars, vinyl listening rooms, and kitchens serving various cuisines. In the village of Assagao, where he lives, there’s Burmese restaurant Sopó, experimental cocktail space Room One, and art-forward bar Drop Dead Sexy—all run by Kerkar, who is the son of renowned painter and sculptor Subodh Kerkar and an internationally recognized artist in his own right. Here he recommends the best spots for art, craft, and really good sushi in Goa.
Where to go in the morning in Goa
North Goa reveals itself just after sunrise, when even the busiest beaches—Calangute, Baga, and Candolim—are empty until about 7 a.m. For some serenity visit Parra’s coconut tree road, now Instagram-famous but quiet at daybreak, says Kerkar, “when the fields are misty.” Then take the cliff walk at Fort Aguada: A trail winds past trees and stone outcrops before opening onto a dramatic headland where the Mandovi River flows into the Arabian Sea.
