By dusk, the 160-year-old Portuguese villa in Assagao shifts from sombre daytime beauty to an after-dark energy by the evening. Weathered verandahs open onto gardens, and rooms lead to open-air decks. This is Jugnu: tables beneath the trees, old walls catching the evening light, and a night that glimmers like the firefly for which it is named.
Jugnu: open spaces, global flavours, and a free spirit.
My husband and I had spent the day cafe-hopping around Goa, with a stop at a quaint little library somewhere along the way, before making our way to Jugnu by evening. After a day of coffee, books and wandering, the restaurant felt like a change of gear.
Jugnu, by day.
The space stretches from the central bar to tables beneath the trees, with rooms and open decks in between. We were craving something spicy and curry-based, but the Gavran Kombdi Rassa wasn’t on the menu. The chef made it for us anyway—a rustic chicken curry with the kind of heat we had been after. Then came the Assagao Seafood Stew, a Goan take on Portuguese wedding soup, with clam jus, tomato, Malvani spices and wild mushrooms. Shrimp Dynamite, finished with sriracha mayo, brought a lively hit of heat to the table.
Jugnu is built around the idea of connection—between food, people and place. The intention is to create the ease of dining at a friend’s home, with music, food and setting each contributing to the character of the evening.
Jugnu’s verandah.
Festive brunches, chef’s tables and evenings shaped around live performance give the space a changing identity, keeping the experience responsive to both its surroundings and its guests.
Alfresco dining beneath the trees.