This article is about Padaria Prazeres, an artisanal bakery in Caranzalem, which has quickly become a neighbourhood favourite in Goa. Launched in the middle of the pandemic, the café blends European techniques with Goan warmth, offering fresh small-batch bakes, community-driven hospitality, and a charming all-day menu.
“Have you made the Padaria round yet?” photographer Niharika Chauhan asked me.
It was the middle of December, and I was in Panjim, Goa, to attend the 10th Serendipity Arts Festival. It was my last day in town. “No,” I said. “Tell me about it.”
“Best bakery in Goa,” she replied. “They start baking at 3 in the morning.”
And so, there we were for breakfast — and she wasn’t wrong. The bacon-lettuce-tomato sandwich and garlic mayo chilli crisp bagel I had were easily among the best I have ever had. I knew I had to know more about this little gem of a boulangerie and patisserie in Caranzalem which has become Goans’ go-to bakery since opening in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Founded in 2021 by husband-wife duo Chef Ralph Prazeres and Stacy Gracias, Padaria Prazeres has grown into one of Goa’s most beloved neighbourhood bakeries — but its beginnings were anything but easy. In those early months when the country was still largely locked down, the artisanal bakery-café functioned almost entirely as a takeaway kitchen, with the team even organising special delivery drops to Margao and Assagao to reach customers who weren’t travelling far from home.
But the idea behind Padaria Prazeres had taken root long before the world shut down. Both Chef Ralph and Stacy grew up in Goa before moving to Europe, where they built their respective careers — Ralph in some of the world’s most respected kitchens, including St John’s, Clos Maggiore, The Rosewood London, Bao, and even a stint at Noma in Copenhagen; Stacy in finance at institutions such as Rothschild & Co, RBS, and HSBC. Despite doing well abroad, they always hoped to return home. Ralph, in particular, wanted to create a brand that would employ local talent and grow in Goa.
When they finally returned and opened Padaria Prazeres in 2021, the region’s café culture looked very different from what it does today. Their European-style bakery felt like an outlier — a risk that could easily have gone either way. But what set Padaria apart was Chef Ralph’s commitment to consistency, his openness to feedback, and a menu that foregrounded quality over quantity.
A defining part of their ethos is freshness. Everything is made in-house, in small batches, to avoid wastage and maintain quality. Once an item sells out for the day, it isn’t restocked — a decision that has become part of the bakery’s charm, inviting customers to return and discover something new each time.
Today, Padaria Prazeres is a warm all-day space where regulars drop in for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or evening coffee. The menu reflects Chef Ralph’s European training: delicate viennoiserie, rich patisserie, classic boulangerie, and comforting savouries. Their Pastéis de Nata — silky Portuguese custard tarts — remain bestsellers among regulars, alongside pillowy Berliners and generously filled sandwiches. Weekends are especially lively, thanks to a popular breakfast menu featuring Eggs Benedict, Eggs Florentine, and seasonal specials.
Padaria Prazeres is open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., all days except Mondays. Follow @padaria_prazeres on Instagram to learn more.
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