The most compelling stories often lurk just beneath the surface of the commonplace. In Altinho, Panjim, a quarter known more for its quiet, colonial-era grace than its nightlife, I found a narrative so potent, so utterly singular, it recalibrated my very definition of a ‘night out.’ It exists behind an unassuming door, marked only by two doorbells from which you got to know which to press just to get in, an intentional hurdle that demands a degree of insider knowledge. This is MTW Goa.
The stark, compelling charm of MTW, the marketing headquarters of Nao Spirits (the creators behind Greater Than and Hapusa), held a more arresting fascination. Its core concept is a defiant statement on the experiential duality of work and pleasure: it is an office by day, a bar by night.
Punctually, as the clock hand swept past seven, the transformation was executed not with swinging walls or velvet curtains, but with a deliberate, almost theatrical shift in illumination. The utilitarian office fluorescents ceded their domain to a deeply saturated bath of red and pink lights. It was a mood-setting cue, instantly taking the raw, functional space and making it moody and intimate.
The interiors are a masterclass in intentional rawness. This is no cozy, domestic refuge. It deliberately avoids the plush comfort of traditional hospitality. Office supplies such as a paper shredder tucked in the corner remained fitting in right in a theme of their own creation. This raw décor is juxtaposed with curated, deliberate art pieces, each placed to evoke thought on its own. The limited 20-seater capacity amplifies this feeling, turning the evening into an exclusive, shared secret.
The bar’s soul is inextricably linked to the team behind it. Here, the marketing executives, strategists, and thinkers of Nao Spirits shed their corporate skins to become the evening’s curators. It is their passion project, a blurring of roles that infuses the entire endeavor with an authenticity rarely encountered. This ethos extends directly to the bar program.
The foldable menu is a testament to the experimental cocktails being crafted. It’s a witty dialogue on office culture, with a playful tone of inside jokes of any working corporate we are all too familiar with . I began with the infamous “Chai Sutta”, a nod to the quintessential Indian work-break ritual. It was a sophisticated, Nao Spirits’ own gin-based concoction, steeped with tea and smoke, and served with the ultimate nostalgic flourish: a Phantom Cigarettes candy stick. The experience was a layered narrative in a coupe glass, each sip an unfolding memory of productivity and procrastination alike. Other selections, utilizing creative local infusions, are named after meeting times and late work hours, anchoring the inventiveness firmly to the workplace-turned-bar concept.
The libations here are matched only by the simplicity of the food concept. Their speciality is the humble toastie, a minimal yet profoundly comforting range of toasts perfectly aligning with the low-fuss, creativity-first approach.This simplicity and the comfort their dishes provide is something of a sensory break allowing you capture everything around you
The aural landscape is as precisely composed as the drinks. The soundtrack blends house, 90s rock, and pop, a genre-fluid mix that feels both nostalgic and restlessly contemporary. It’s the sonic equivalent of a deadline-fueled creative session. MTW, according to me, is a space where you are just in the right environment to feel comfortable yet highly curious and inspired . Every element, from the intentional lighting to the thematic menu, is meant to provoke, to engage a higher curiosity than mere consumption. It’s sort of a secret club thriving through mere word-of-mouth and the palpable sense that you’re witnessing an experiment in progress.
As I departed, leaving the warm glow of the red and pink behind, I understood why a prior visitor confessed, “I wish it was my office.” MTW is not just a destination; it’s a mix of evoked feelings of a brilliant, disruptive piece of experiential design that collapses the traditional boundaries of leisure.
Archit Nair (Creative Lead)
About the Author– “Archit writes at the intersection of flavor and feeling, where every dish is a story and every setting, an art. With a sharp palate for detail, he serves the F&B world one well-seasoned narrative at a time.”