Once Again, Goa's Taverns Are the Place to Be

""Have a magical day and night," reads the sign at the entrance of Cifa Bar in Panaji, the capital of the coastal Indian state of Goa. Set among the narrow lanes and colonial architecture of the city's Fontainhas neighborhood (Latin Quarter), the bar is small, just one long narrow room painted green, decorated with an altar with a crucifix and advertisements for various drinks."

""These tavernas came up as an egalitarian space, with prices affordable to their largest clientele [daily workers]," says Panaji local Atish António Fernandes, owner of two of the city's modern tavernas, Joseph Bar and Miski Bar. Tavernas are simple spaces, usually a room attached to a house, with a few benches and a bar - no fussy decor, no fancy tableware."

"Cifa is one of the city's classic Goan tavernas, locals' spots that once served a mostly male clientele, providing a safe space to drink (generally frowned upon in public), talk politics, and maybe play a little matka (a numbers game) or bet on a bullfight, both technically illegal. Some version of these bars has existed for centuries, and excise records from the late 1700s show they spread widely under Portuguese colonial rule."

Cifa Bar sits in Panaji's Fontainhas neighborhood, a narrow green room with a crucifix altar, drink advertisements, and Camila Cabello on the speakers. Chakna snacks such as dried prawns and gizzard fry accompany drinks. Cifa represents classic Goan tavernas that historically served mostly male clientele, providing a discreet space to drink, talk politics, and sometimes play matka or bet on bullfights. Some versions of these tavernas have existed for centuries, with excise records from the late 1700s showing spread under Portuguese colonial rule. Tavernas developed as egalitarian, affordable spaces for daily workers, simple in design with unspoken etiquette.

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