A quick visit to GOYA

In June this year, Goya soft-opened its doors to customers, bringing the familiar Hungry Chimp experience into a space of its own. You might have come across Hungry Chimp at a pop-up or while scrolling through Instagram. After operating as a ghost kitchen since 2020, this is their first physical establishment.

Situated along Lily Magu, Goya offers a surprising escape from the hustle and bustle of Malé. Inside, the space feels cool and thoughtfully put together. From the concrete slabs to the terracotta walls, the greenery that compliments it to the incense sticks, the warm pastries that welcome you at the counter, the space feels peaceful and inviting.

For our visit, we decided to try three of their drinks: the Mont Blanc, Iced Jasmine with Sea Salt and Sparkling Strawberry-Basil. We also went for two sandwiches, the Mortadella Focaccia and the Pulled Beef Pita.

The Mont Blanc is GOYA's take on a cold brew, combining their cold brew coffee with citrus and a layer of sea salt foam. The combination of coffee, citrus and the slightly savoury foam made for an interesting drink.

The Iced Jasmine with Sea Salt was made with jasmine tea, honey syrup and sea salt foam. The floral notes of the tea came through nicely, while the honey added a gentle sweetness. The sea salt foam once again, gave it an extra special touch.

The Sparkling Strawberry-Basil was a refreshing option, especially for the Malé heat. Made with their house special strawberry syrup, basil and sprite served over ice.

The Mortadella Focaccia was filled with fried mortadella, GOYA's house-made stracciatella cheese, pesto mayo, sundried tomato, pickled chilli and rocket. The creamy stracciatella and pesto mayo paired well with the savoury mortadella, while the pickled chilli added a little kick and the rocket brought some freshness to each bite.

The Pulled Beef Pita, which is made to order, features beef brisket that has been slow-cooked for 12 hours. It is served with house-made stracciatella cheese, pink pickled onions and coriander, with pickled chilli on the side. The slow-cooked beef was tender and flavourful, while the pickled onions helped cut through the richness of the filling.

With its carefully curated interiors, freshly prepared food and interesting drink combinations, Goya feels like a welcome addition to Malé's growing café scene. Whether you are stopping by for a coffee and a croissant, meeting a friend over drinks or looking for a quick sandwich, the café offers a space that feels distinctly different from the busy streets just outside its doors.