Zest Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurant — Restaurant in Goa

If you are in Agonda, Goa, you cannot, I Repeat, you CANNOT miss visiting Zest - The Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurant. :-D

I had discovered the Zest cafe on one of my Goa trips, so I was familiar with the brand. On my last trip to Agonda, Goa, I visited Zest several times. First Impressions: The décor of the cafe is very contemporary. Outdoor seating arrangement with table and ceiling fans. The overall vibe is very relaxing and casual. Lots of comfy cushions around for you to just relax and lounge. The ambience is really lovely. They offer free water and WiFi. They also play some really cool music from around the world. I heard a lot of Spanish and African music while I was there and I really enjoyed it. It adds a lot to the overall vibe of the place.

The Staff: I noticed they put in some effort in hiring their staff. They all looked a ‘certain type’ - most of them from North India, fair skinned (this could be just my observation and not really a pre-requisite for a job there) all dressed in black, some of them had beards and tattoos. Overall, I thought they hired, keeping in mind their Western clientele. The staff was really friendly. They spoke English and Hindi. They were also very good with their service and really helpful.

The Food: It is a heaven for Vegetarians and definitely surprises non-vegetarian people with their unique, delectable veg dishes - for eg., the burger that they served was with a mushroom patty. As per my meat eater friend; it didn’t taste like mushrooms but just like meat and he loved the taste.

Zest has a variety of food for everyone. They also serve Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free options and always are ready to customize the dish/drink as per your requirements. Everything on the menu is amazing! I tried quite a few things over my several trips to Zest and I was never disappointed. Some of my absolute favorites: Pizza, Peanut Butter-Walnut-Banana Icecream, Tofu Miso Bowl, Almond Chocolate Cake. Oh and they have huge potion sizes. The food selection is just delicious, healthy and wholesome. They are also very particular about the ingredients they use. They mention everything on the menu. You can go there for a healthy breakfast, a long lunch or a quick dinner. They also serve alcohol.

The Price: For a Vegan cafe, I thought they were not excessively priced. We all know Vegan or any special dietary requirement ingredients are really expensive but Zest isn’t overly priced. A lunch meal plus non alcoholic drinks for two people will cost you about Rs. 1200/-

Zest is a fantastic place and it must not be missed while in Palolem or Agonda. They are closed for the season from mid May onwards (I know this because I was visiting Agonda on their last working day) and I think they re-open when the season starts.

Spreading a word about great food is my...

Delicious Cuisine with a Dollop of Warm Service - Zest

Rating: ★★★★☆

South Goa harbors a delectable gem named Zest, a breakfast joint breathing vigor into those lazy beach-fed mornings. This sunny, cozy corner brings an exciting menu to the table to satisfy the craving for an appetizing start to the day.

The food at Zest reaches a level of culinary excellence that's honestly hard to achieve in the breakfast space. A standout includes their Masala Beans, which promise a magical burst of spices in every bite. It's this consistent delight that makes Zest an absolute for every 'foodie' bucket list.

However, Zest's food is a rising sun, but their drinks seem to hang low as a setting one - specifically, their offering of Matcha drinks. They fall short of the expectation of what Matcha should taste like. This particular aspect needs a revision, perhaps by procuring better quality ingredients or refining their drink preparation technique.

Service with a smile seems to be the mantra here. The staff is prompt, efficient, and accommodating. This level of warm dedication adds the proverbial cherry on top to the dining experience. It's a silent promise that whatever your order, it'll reach your table without you having to constantly look around for assistance.

To summarize, Zest may lose some zest in the drink department, but it more than compensates through their mouth-watering cuisine and admirable service. With just a slight modification in their drink section, Zest can truly shine as the perfect sunrise breakfast spot in South Goa. Until then, it's soaring high with a well-merited four-star rating. Here's to good food and good...

Beautiful restaurant in Agonda serving vegan and vegetarian food. Great variety. The food was fresh and tasted great! We ordered Vietnamese Summer Rolls, Jackfruit Katti Roll, Oat mylk Cappucino, Rainbow juice (apple, beetroot, carrot, pineapple, lime, ginger, mint), Soba Noodle bowl (with roasted eggplant, mango, tofu and fresh herbs), vegan Chocolate Walnut Brownie with one scoop of vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate ice cream and one scoop of vegan roasted Banana ice cream. The coffee was really well brewed. The juice was well balanced and super refreshing. The summer rolls were crunchy and tangy and came with 2 lovely dips. The Jackfruit Katti Roll had curried jackfruit that was absolutely fantastic - not too spicy but well spiced. The Soba noodle bowl was really good too but I felt it could have had a bit more eggplant in it and could have been a little less tangy. Was a little too sour for my palate. The brownie was dense with a super intense chocolate flavour that paired very nicely with the peanut butter icecream. The banana ice cream was fantastic on its own. The place is lovely and has lots of greenery to give it a very nice relaxed atmosphere. The staff were super friendly and helpful. The chairs in the regular seating area could be a little more comfortable but it's not a big issue. If you feel like you want to lounge a bit more they have more comfortable low cushioned seating areas further inside. There were also a couple of friendly dogs which always makes any...