about us
Jugnu – meaning firefly – is more than a name. It’s a symbol of our spirit: wandering, glowing, and quietly lighting up the spaces we inhabit. Much like a firefly, Jugnu was born from a spark — a restless desire to bring something extraordinary to life. A place that transcends being just a restaurant. A living, breathing experience that honors nostalgia, embraces culture, and celebrates craft in every form — food, drink, design, and service.
Why "Jugnu"?
The firefly is a traveler — elusive, magical, glowing from within. Just like the journeys we undertook across India, chasing regional culinary stories, family recipes, and fading traditions. “Jugnu” embodies that pursuit — a place that carries light, warmth, and memories from every corner of the country, all stitched together in a heritage home in Goa.
Why Assagao?
We fell in love with Assagao — not just for its bougainvillea-laced streets or its soulful stillness, but because it felt like the right canvas. Tucked in the heart of North Goa, this old Portuguese home stood with quiet dignity. 160 years old, oozing character, with archways and wooden beams that whispered stories of time gone by. It wasn’t easy. It took over 16 months of loving restoration — not just structurally, but emotionally — to let this house breathe again. Today, Jugnu stands as a seamless blend of old soul and new energy, where every wall and zone tells a story.
the culinary journey
with
Chef Ajay Chopra
Food is the heart of Jugnu. And it beats with the rhythm of India.
We travelled — to Malvan, Mangalore, Kerala, Solapur, Hyderabad, Old Delhi, and beyond — to rediscover coastal curries, temple thalis, forgotten masalas, and Nizam-era meat dishes. What made it to Jugnu’s menu isn’t just based on taste. It's rooted in truth. From the “Shaadi Wali Aloo Gobhi” to the fiery “Gavran Kombdi Rassa” to the Charminar-style Dum ka Murgh — every dish carries regional integrity, cooked slow, served with warmth.
At the same time, we wanted to create a bridge between Indian soul and global curiosity. So yes, we have stunning Thai green curries, watermelon som tam salad, burrata with Indian spices — but always done our way, never lazy fusion.
And then there’s our pizzas.
Crafted under the guidance of Kyrien Crasto, our pizzas are deeply rooted in Neapolitan tradition — hand-stretched dough, fermented for 72 hours, blistered in wood-fired ovens at 450°C. Every bite has that unmistakable charred crust and soft chew you’d expect from the backstreets of Naples. It’s Goa’s best-kept pizza secret.
Our Bar: A Laboratory of Flavour
Our cocktails don’t come from bottles. They come from ideas.
Each drink on our menu is a slow-crafted creation — with house-made shrubs, syrups, tinctures, and infusions. There’s no synthetic shortcut here. From the dragon fruit shrub in Imagine Dragon to the Assam tea & bee pollen infusion in Jugnu Meets a Bee, we treat our bar like a kitchen — layering flavours, fermenting ingredients, and balancing stories in a glass.
Whether it's the nutty depth of The Nutty Glam, the tropical acidity of Goan Bliss, or the saffron-kissed Jugnu Sour — every cocktail speaks to our belief: thoughtful ingredients > quick pours.
with
Mohammad Ali
meet the founders
Sandeepraj Salian and Vicky Bachani are hospitality lifers. With over two decades of experience running some of Pune’s most beloved nightlife and dining spaces, they bring heart, hustle, and an eye for detail to Jugnu.
What sets them apart is their shared philosophy: create places that people return to, not just for the food or drinks, but for how they feel there. Jugnu is the most personal project they’ve ever built. From curating regional recipes to picking out the tiles, they’ve poured every ounce of themselves into this place.
