Gemma Mascarenhas, the Indian-origin founder of Grubshack, a cherished Goan restaurant in Dubai, suffered a heart attack after the eatery’s closure on June 30, 2025, due to financial struggles, her daughter Marushka Coelho told Gulf News. Launched in 2012 as a 12-seater in Sharjah, Grubshack became a cult favorite, relocating to Dubai’s Health Care City in 2016. Its nostalgic charm, with mismatched furniture and Bombay-style decor, and Gemma’s home-cooked Goan dishes like crab curry and rechado masala prawns, drew loyal patrons, some driving from Abu Dhabi for takeaways.

Marushka said her mother, who personally ran the kitchen and hand-picked ingredients, was “shattered” by the closure, which followed pandemic losses and a disastrous 2019 deal with investors who took 60% equity. The family faced mounting debts, exacerbated by her father’s 60-day ICU battle with COVID-19. “Grubshack was her legacy, her second home,” Marushka said. Gemma, now stable after emergency surgery, carried the emotional and financial weight alone, especially in the last month.

Marushka is determined to revive Grubshack, not for profit but to honor its purpose, seeking investors or collaborators who share its vision of Goan heritage. “It was where people laughed, cried, and celebrated,” she said, vowing to keep the culinary journey from Bombay to Goa alive. Posts on X echo the sentiment, with fans mourning the closure and hoping for its return.

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