What Happened to Delhi’s Beloved Restaurant, Bernardo’s?

Despite moving locations 8 times in the span of 14 years, Bernardo's amassed (and retained) what can only be described as a cult following — beloved for both its food, and the warm hospitality of the couple who ran it. Akanksha Seth meets Cres and Chrys Fernandez at their farm on the outskirts of Gurgaon.

Prawn recheado, pork vindalho, chicken xacuti, and the quintessential Goan fish curry were some of the favourites of regulars at Bernardo’s. Bernardo’s was a beloved Goan restaurant that catered to diners in Delhi & the NCR, and shut shop in 2018. Patrons still remember the restaurant as their go-to spot for authentic Goan food, and for Cres & Chrys, the couple that ran the space.

I met them at their farmhouse on the outskirts of Gurgaon, welcomed by the hooting of 20 dogs and the sight of freshly sown vegetables – lettuce, broccoli, radish, beetroot, and a patch of the last sarson of the season. A white nameplate on the porch reads Casa Esperança.

Bernardo’s First Outpost in Meherchand Market

“It means hope in Portuguese,” explains Cres. And hope resonates through their story. Crescentia and Chrysologus Fernandes faced many ups and downs in their journey with Bernardo’s. Often, they were left reeling, but each time, they bounced back holding on to a lifeline that is at the heart of their work – the love and belonging that food offers. 

Inside, the walls carry memories of family in far-off lands; one corner stands as a tribute to the person their Goan diner was named after: Chrys’ father Bernardo. A quartet of frames shows Bernardo in his younger years as a drummer and trombonist; there are handwritten musical scores, an old gramophone, and an idol of Goddess Saraswati playing the Veena. 

“We started in Delhi’s Meherchand Market, in a tiny rented space on the top floor of a tent house. There were few regional restaurants in Delhi at the time. So as word got around, people started queuing up on the stairs,” Chrys smiles.

Bernardo’s quickly became a favourite. But with fluctuating rents, the couple had to soon shift base, moving locations 8 times in 14 years – to areas like CR Park, Gurgaon’s, Leisure Valley, Galleria, and DLF Phase IV. Despite these relocations, the restaurant continued amassed a cult following amongst lovers of Goan food; they followed the restaurant to each new spot, loyal to its unpretentious and homely taste of Goa. With its colourful façade, red gingham tablecloths, and vintage photos on the walls, Bernardo was an experience of Goa far from the coast. The menu featured classic Goan fare, from recipes collected over many years from sisters, cousins, aunts, and extended family. 

Bolo de Camarão — Too Good to Share

“People still call us asking where we are. Just last week, someone called to ask if we were open for dinner,” says Crescentia laughing. But since 2018, the establishment has not re-opened, in part due to a disagreement with new partners the couple signed on after Cres lost an eye in a terrible accident. 

Manav Khanna, an early customer and current partner at the Mediterranean Cloud Kitchen, T.O.O.K in Gurgaon, specifically remembers the wafer-thin Bolo de Camarão – a creamy dish layered with prawns and delicate crepes. “That is the stuff that dreams are made of! I’d call up and place my order 10-15 minutes before reaching, as the dish took some time to prep, and more important, I didn’t want to share even a single bite of it with anyone else!” 

Chef Crescentia Scolt Fernandes learnt the intricacies of Goan cuisine from her mother-in-law. Her early years were spent in her mother’s kitchen in Ernakulam and the little island of Vypeen. “Our food is a mix of my husband’s Goan traditions and my Vypeen roots – both carrying the same Portuguese influences but with their own peculiarities”, says Cres.

Perhaps it is these varied influences that made Bernardo’s Goan delicacies so memorable. But in equal measure, it was the warmth of the restaurateurs – their joy and humour, and instinct for getting to know their diner’s lives as they shared their own.

There are a well of stories collected over 14 years of running a restaurant. From celebrity guests (Nandita Das to Marut Sikka) to BTS operational feats (the time they hand-painted the walls to get just the right shade of motley yellow).

“They are both wonderfully simple and honest individuals who worked really hard to make Bernardo's what it was,” says Pushpinder Singh, an early patron of Bernardo’s. “In all the years that I knew them, I was amazed at their spirit and resilience. Before I left for the U.S. I had my last meal and conversation with them and I carry these memories with me.”Pushpinder who is now based in California still picks up Cres’ delicious Christmas cakes to carry back.

Crescentia’s Kitchen and Home Kouzina

While the restaurant remains shut for business, Cres and Chrys continue to cook Goan fare from their home kitchen. The menu features some of Bernardo’s most popular dishes along with new creations from Cres, and her signature Goan Pork Sausages – smoked at the farm. 

The dishes are available for delivery in Gurgaon and Delhi-NCR through Crescentia’s Kitchen and Home Kouzina, a home-chefs aggregator based in Gurgaon. And if you’re lucky, it wont be long before they open their home to farm lunches in the backyard, when the weather is just right. 

Akanksha is a writer and brand strategist based in Gurgaon. She is currently building a storytelling platform that captures personal histories and anecdotes rooted in Indian narratives. You can follow her work on Instagram @kahaanikollective.   

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