One midnight in Goa, Roy Menezes, fresh from a shoot, was craving pork chops. The answer was obvious: Lloyd’s. Even then, the aroma of smoking meats was a better guide than any map.
At the garage eatery, Roy found a handful of tables, Celia Braganza running the show, and her son, Lloyd Cipriano Braganza, expertly manning the grill. That first bite set the benchmark for every meal he’d have after.
“I still insist—nothing beats Lloyd’s pork chops,” Roy grins. Every Goa trip since has included a stop at Lloyd’s for those perfectly marinated, smoked-to-perfection chops, unchanged since 2002.
Now, Roy and others no longer visit a tiny garage but the revamped House of Lloyd, a 400-year-old Portuguese bungalow near Candolim. Though the setting has evolved, the heart of Lloyd’s remains the same.
From a Garage to an Institution
Lloyd’s began with a simple love for cooking and a desire to share it. “It started in our family garage, where friends and neighbors gathered for home-cooked meals,” Lloyd recalls. His mother’s traditional recipes and the joy they brought people were his biggest inspirations.
Did he ever dream it would become one of Goa’s most iconic restaurants? “Not in my wildest dreams.”
Lloyd credits much of the success to his wife, Nerissa D’Costa, whose vision helped shape the brand. In 2011, the eatery moved from Calangute to Lloyd’s ancestral home in Candolim to accommodate the growing crowd. Recently, they gave the space an architectural facelift.
“The restaurant sits in front of the house,” says Nerissa. “I wanted it to blend seamlessly with our heritage bungalow.” Architect Mihir Thaker made that vision a reality, transforming House of Lloyd into a picturesque yet familiar space. But one bite will tell you—nothing has really changed.
Blending Tradition with Innovation
Lloyd isn’t just serving food; he’s preserving memories. He recalls an elderly guest who brought their family, saying, “I want them to experience the magic of the old garage.” That connection is his driving force.
At the heart of House of Lloyd are Celia Braganza’s traditional masalas. “Her recipes are the soul of this place,” Lloyd says. Every time he recreates them, he’s transported back to childhood, watching his mother work her magic.
While honoring tradition, the menu also embraces creativity. Take the salmon ceviche with solkadhi sorbet, where a classic Goan kokum curry is reimagined into a chilled sorbet, elevating the dish. Other signatures include stuffed crab, pan-seared scallops, kingfish recheado, Bloody Mary prawns, and smoked duck fettuccine alfredo.
With such offerings, it’s no surprise that celebrities like Sanjay Dutt, Rishi Kapoor, David Guetta, and Dimitri Vegas have made House of Lloyd a must-visit.
A Culinary Pilgrimage
From a modest garage to an elegant yet nostalgic retreat, House of Lloyd is proof that passion and tradition can create something timeless.
So next time you’re in Candolim and catch the scent of sizzling pork chops, follow it. It leads straight to House of Lloyd, where an unforgettable feast awaits.