A cosy, little, green escape in the heart of Goa's capital, Panjim

As you drive towards Miramar beach along DB Marg, you’ll spot numerous inviting eateries that make it difficult to pick just one. But, if there’s one place whose ambience instantly gets you in the best mood when you enter, its Terttulia.

With a signboard that reads the restaurant’s name along with the words 'Eat, Drink, Love', Terttulia truly lives up to its tagline. Greeted by friendly staff, you walk into an outdoor space that has a roofing of bamboo sticks rain-ready plastic and loads of green plants, all of which work their magic to create a perfect escape from the city buzz.

“Terttulia means 'conversations'. Our vibe is very mellow, in the sense that we don’t have techno/loud music. Even our music nights are retro, where people can sing along,” says Danny D’Mello, Manager of Tertullia Goa.

Having opened in January 2023, the restaurant in, Goa, is the most recent and biggest (the other two locations are Mumbai and Pune) and has, over time, become a great spot to unwind over food, drinks and some great company.

HIDDEN GEM: A serene culinary escape away from the hustle and bustle of Panjim.

With their signature brand colour, green, the outdoors and air-conditioned indoors feature a mix of seating options, from high chairs to comfy low seats and tucked away corners. As the sun begins to dip, the charming light fixtures add a glow to the ambience.

Regulars at Terttulia, like Rishad D’Cruz from Moira, appreciate the multi-functional spaces at the restaurant. “There’s this indoor section, then they have an outdoor section. You can come with friends, alone or even for business lunches,” he says.

Rishad’s order rarely changes. “Every afternoon, it’s usually baked chonak and pumpkin soup. On Sundays, I have the Salmon Avocado Benny, they make it with gluten-free bread, which is rare. They also have a nice chicken salad. This is pretty much what I eat. Once I like something, I stick with it. The best part is that they even customise it for you.”

A look through the menu reveals dishes like Barbecue Pork Ribs, Crab Ravioli, Burrata Ravioli, Quinoa Fried Rice Bowl, Chicken Cafreal Bao among other delicious options.

“We’re cuisine with some twist,” says Danny. “Like we have Prawn and Calamari Bowl, that uses recheado masala, but it’s not exactly like the Goan one which contains vinegar,” Danny explains.

BAO WOW: Discover the unique and bold flavours of 'bao' on Terttulia's menu.

The restaurant's U-shaped bar, which conveniently caters to both the outdoor and indoor area, offers a wide range of and drinks. Currently, they have a summer ‘Beat the Heat’ offer, with beer available at Rs 499 all day. They also bake their bread in-house, and plan to start their own bakery soon.

“Our coffee shop, Ruby’s Corner, opens at 9 am, so you can come for coffee and some bites,” shares Danny. “Our restaurant is open from 12 noon up to 1 am in the night. We get a lot of customers after 10 pm. We even run a happy hour after 10.30 pm.”

Tertullia is also big on hosting parties. In addition to their lively musical evenings every weekend, Danny shares that they’ve hosted the British High Commission reception two years in a row, along with several corporate parties.

But, they’ve also gone a step further, collaborating with Kob Sook, where specially-abled youth create cool, customised shoes, and in a move towards , the restaurant also recycles glass bottles, turning them into stunning glasses.

EAT, SIP, REPEAT: Enjoy happiness, one plate at a time, at Terttulia. BURGER BITES: Enjoy a sumptuous burger at the restaurant.

But, as for the future, Danny plans to make Tertullia a local hangout spot. “I feel that, in the food way, we have established ourselves. But, at the same time, we want the local crowd to make this a local hangout," he mentions.

"In order to do that, we will be starting -based food nights. Like a Portuguese night. Then, we want to do Goan, Indian, West Bengali, Maharashtrian night and more.”

With a clear vision of what’s next, Terttulia — with a steady stream of Swiggy and Zomato deliveries, along with locals, , foreigners and even takeaway customers flocking to the restaurant — continues to build on its reputation, where people don’t just visit, but also return, whether it’s for the ambience, thoughtful details or the yummiest steaks.

DETAILS

WHAT: Terttulia restaurant

LOCATION: Terttulia, DB Marg, Miramar, Panjim Goa    

TIMINGS: 12 noon to 1 am (the coffee shop opens at 9 am)