Goa has a way of feeding you before you even realise you are hungry. A plate appears at a beach shack, a curry bubbles in a small kitchen, a cold drink lands on the table and suddenly time slows down. It’s spicy, tangy, messy and comforting. You eat with sand on your feet and salt in the air, and somehow the food tastes better because of it.
That’s why people from everywhere end up eating the same way in Goa. Tourists, locals, backpackers, families, everyone leans over plates of vindaloo, cafreal or fried fish, chasing flavours with bread and drinks. Goan food does not try to impress; it just pulls you in. And once you’ve had it there, you spend the rest of the year trying to find that taste again.
Bringing those Goan flavours straight to the city, Novotel Hyderabad Airport (NHA) has launched a Goan Food Pop-Up at Food Exchange, offering Hyderabad a chance to experience Goa on a plate this February. Curated in collaboration with celebrated Goan chefs Sheena Pereira and Vibhuti Kamat, along with the hotel’s culinary team, the pop-up showcases the region’s signature balance of heat, tang and coastal richness.
The menu features Goan favourites like Chicken Xacuti, Chicken Vindaloo, Chicken Cafreal and traditional Fish Fry, alongside vegetarian dishes such as Khatkhate and Chana Roast. Desserts like Bibinka and Dodoi round off the experience, staying true to classic Goan home-style cooking.
What’s Cooking | Goan Food Pop-Up
- Hosted at: Food Exchange, Novotel Hyderabad Airport.
- Dinner Pop-Up: February 5th to 7th | 7 PM – 11 PM.
- Sunday Brunch: 12:30 PM – 4 PM, throughout February.
- Flavour Note: Coastal, spicy, tangy and deeply traditional.
Highlighting the culinary collaboration, Sukhbir Singh, General Manager, Novotel Hyderabad Airport, said, “Food is one of the most engaging ways to explore culture and regional showcases like this allow guests to discover flavours they may not encounter every day”.
Meanwhile, Chef Amanna Raju, Head of Food & Beverage, Novotel Hyderabad Airport, added, “Goan cuisine is a rich blend of Portuguese influences, local ingredients, home-style traditions, and through this collaboration, we aim to bring its authentic flavours to our guests.”
For anyone missing Goa, or still dreaming of it, come on in to NHA, pull up a chair, take a bite and let the flavours do the travelling.
Got questions or experiences to share? Comment below or connect with me on Instagram @samuelmjosh and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-joshua-maddela-ab210b1b9
