Looking for the Best Restaurants in North Goa? A Guide to Fine Dining in Assagao

What makes a restaurant one of the best in North Goa?

The restaurants people remember in North Goa usually get three things right: food with a clear point of view, a setting that feels like Goa, and service that lets you take your time.

• A defined cuisine, cooked with real technique rather than a long menu of everything.
• A setting with character, such as a heritage home, a garden or a courtyard.
• Hours that suit a holiday, so you can eat late after a day at the beach.
• The option to book, so you are not left waiting on a busy night.

Why go to Assagao for dinner?

Assagao is one of the greener, calmer villages in Bardez, North Goa, known for its old Portuguese homes and tree-lined lanes. Over the last few years it has become one of the most talked-about dining villages in the state, because it offers a quieter evening than the beach belt while still being close to it.

Kesar Bagh is at House No.5, Anjuna Mapusa Road, Saunta Vaddo, Assagao, Bardez, Goa 403507. The restaurant is housed in a restored Portuguese residence that is around 200 years old, with Nawabi-inspired interiors, a courtyard and lush greenery.

How do you get to Assagao?

Assagao sits on the Anjuna Mapusa Road, roughly between the market town of Mapusa and the beach village of Anjuna. That makes it an easy drive from most of the North Goa coast, including Anjuna, Vagator, Siolim and Calangute.

Most visitors arrive by taxi, app cab or a rented scooter. If you are staying further away, plan your ride back in advance, especially late at night. Village lanes can be narrow and dimly lit, so give yourself a little extra time on the first visit.

For a map and turn-by-turn directions, open the Kesar Bagh Goa outlet page, which links straight to Google Maps.

What kind of food does Kesar Bagh serve?

Kesar Bagh serves heirloom Awadhi and Dum Pukht cuisine. Awadhi food is the refined court cooking of Lucknow, built on kebabs, slow-cooked curries, biryani and rich desserts. Dum cooking seals ingredients in a handi and slow-cooks them to build depth, aroma and balance.

The concept draws inspiration from the historic Kaiserbagh complex of Lucknow, the palace of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, which was once a cultural durbar where poetry, music, art and gastronomy flourished together. Kesar Bagh brings that spirit to Goa.

Signature dishes include the Kesar Bagh Kakori, Murgh Chandi Tikka, Jhinga Dum Nisha, Shahi Nehari, Dal Ma Qureshi and the Kesar Bagh Dum Biryani, followed by Shahi Tukda and Gil-e-Firdaus. For a full ordering guide, read our post on the kakori kebab and signature dishes.

Who is the chef at Kesar Bagh?

The kitchen is led by Chef Azaan Qureshi, third generation of the Qureshi Khandan. He is the grandson of Padma Shri awardee Chef Imtiaz Qureshi, the visionary behind Dum Pukht at ITC Maurya, and the son of Gulam Moinuddin Qureshi.

For diners, this means a menu shaped by a family that has spent decades refining Dum cooking, presented for a modern table in North Goa.

Kesar Bagh Goa at a glance

Here are the key details for planning your visit.

What should you wear and expect?

Kesar Bagh is a fine-dining restaurant in a heritage home, so most guests dress smart casual: think the outfit you would wear to a nice dinner rather than straight-from-the-beach clothes. Light, breathable fabrics work best in the Goa climate.

Expect an unhurried meal. Dum dishes are slow-cooked and meant to be shared, so allow at least a couple of hours for dinner, especially with a group.

What should first-time visitors order?

If it is your first Awadhi meal, keep it simple: one plate of the Kesar Bagh Kakori per two people, one prawn or chicken kebab, the Kesar Bagh Dum Biryani to share, a dal and one dessert. That gives you the full arc of the cuisine, from delicate kebab to slow-cooked handi, without over-ordering. Your server can guide portions for larger groups.

Who is Kesar Bagh best for?

Kesar Bagh suits evenings where the meal is the plan. Families come for long dinners and shared biryani, couples come for a quiet date night in the courtyard, and groups book for birthdays and celebrations. Our date night in Assagao guide has ideas for an evening for two.

Because it is open 12 PM – 11:45 PM, daily, it also works for dinner after a day on the coast.

When is the best time to visit, and how do you get a table?

North Goa is busiest in the cool, dry months around the end of the year and during holiday weekends. Those are the evenings when tables go fastest, so book a few days ahead. Weeknights and lunch are calmer.

Reserve online on our Reservation page or call +91 9175579895. For directions, timings and the map, open the Kesar Bagh Goa outlet page, and browse the full menu before you go.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading

• Kakori Kebab & Signature Dishes at Kesar Bagh, Goa
• Date Night in Assagao, Goa: Dinner at Kesar Bagh