Meet Arati Naik And Sai Sabnis, Women Entrepreneurs Changing The Landscape Of Goa's Restaurant Business

Goa is known for its nightlife, beaches, and food, especially seafood. The state is known to attract tourists across the globe for its flavourful cuisine. Among several people running their restaurants, Arati Naik, founder of Isabella’s Tapas Bar, and Chef Sai Sabnis, creator of Posa, are changing the world of culinary experiences in the state.

With their out-of-the-box thinking, they are creating a gastronomical heaven for foodies. They have created two separate worlds where tourists can enjoy flavourful fusion and traditional dishes.

Arati Naik

Image Courtesy: Instagram/ Isabella's Tapas Bar In Goa

Naik was studying in the UK when she fell in love with Spain and its cuisine. She had extensively travelled through Portugal too and explored local cuisines, customs, and flavours.

It was her culinary experiences that inspired her to open Isabella’s: A Taperia and Vermuteria in the heart of Goa. She brought Spanish tapas, and small decorative plates for mouthwatering snacks served as appetisers or during happy hours. Such restaurants are quite popular in the US, but India is still catching up with this new culinary trend.

Naik’s love for cooking and knowledge of the rich history and culture of food around the globe has helped her bring such an immersive experience for visitors at Isabella’s.

In an interview with News 18, Naik said, “Restaurants in Goa were primarily home style and family owned and run, with the male members usually holding the pivotal roles. But the changing F&B scenes has seen a drastic change in cuisines and concepts, going from Goan Konkani food to everything from Pan-Asian, North Indian (North Indian Restaurant In Noida), Mexican, European and many more, with a new exciting restaurant opening every few weeks.”

She also praised more women entrepreneurs and chefs coming to the forefront to bring something new to the existing restaurant business in the state, country, and around the globe. Though her journey to create a legacy like Isabella’s was full of challenges, her determination and love for food kept her going.

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Sai Sabnis

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A post shared by Sai Sabnis (@chefsaiandposa)

Have you heard of a restaurant that promotes holistic health with sumptuous food? Chef Sai Sabnis created Paso in Goa to bring foodies a menu ‘championing local treasures’. The best aspect of this joint is that vegans (Health Recipes For Vegans) can find an array of options to choose from.

Speaking to News 18, she said that she chose Goa to be the house for Paso because it facilitated her to connect with sellers, farmers, and activists trying to create a holistic experience for people. “Not just that, Goa is rich in inspiration with beautiful, native biodiverse ingredients,” Chef Sabnis added.

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If you scroll through the Instagram of Paso, you will find food directly sourced from farms. The colourful dishes will leave your mouth watering, and you won’t be able to stop yourself from visiting the restaurant if you are in the vicinity. One of the initiatives taken by Paso during the pandemic is its creation of a whole food salad-meal women-delivery service that allows its subscribers to order seasonal food and local dishes to ensure they stay away from junk without compromising on the taste.