Punjab Meet House / Instagram/ @tonightspoison

Punjab Meet House, a new restaurant inspired by the culinary traditions of pre-partition Punjab, will open July 3 in Jersey City's Exchange Place neighborhood.

Restaurateur Jimmy Rizvi, the force behind Manhattan's best Indian restaurants GupShup and Bungalow, is expanding across the Hudson River with Punjab Meet House at 25 Christopher Columbus Drive in Jersey City's Exchange Place district.

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The restaurant draws inspiration from the culture, hospitality and flavors of Punjab before the 1947 partition of India, with an emphasis on traditional recipes, communal dining and regional cuisine.

"Rooted in the bold, vibrant spirit of pre-partition Punjab, our restaurant is a celebration of fearless flavor, colorful tradition, and heartfelt hospitality," the restaurant said ahead of its opening. "Inspired by a time when culture, craft, and community were deeply intertwined, we bring together rich textures, geometric prints, and the warmth of a true Punjabi home."

Rizvi, who has lived in Jersey City for more than two decades while building restaurants in Manhattan, said the city's growing South Asian population has long lacked the type of full-service Indian dining experiences found across the river.

According to the latest American Community Survey estimates, about 12 percent of Jersey City's residents identify as Asian Indian, while India Square has become the cultural and commercial center of the region's Indian American community.

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Unlike Rizvi's other ventures, which focus on broader regional Indian cuisine, Punjab Meet House centers exclusively on Punjab. Executive chef Zahir Khan leads the kitchen, serving dishes inspired by both Indian and Pakistani culinary traditions of the historic region.

The menu features Punjabi street food and chaat, including Panj Dariya gol gappe with black chickpeas and tamarind, Amritsari macchi, and Lahori jhinga double roti. Tandoor specialties include chicken chargha and Qissa Khawani barra, while main courses feature dishes such as kunna meat, a slow-cooked goat curry prepared with mustard oil, and sarson da saag.

For larger groups, the restaurant offers haneeth lamb, a whole bone-in leg of lamb seasoned with Yemeni spices, slow-roasted overnight and carved tableside with advance notice.

The beverage program also reflects the region's heritage through signature cocktails inspired by Punjabi history. Among them are the Toshakhana, a whiskey sour made with pressed dates and clove, and the Sheesh Mahal, a clarified buttermilk-based cocktail with vodka, roasted cumin and black salt.

The restaurant's interiors, designed by Shaila Rizvi using imported Indian décor and furnishings, aim to recreate the warmth and hospitality of a traditional Punjabi home through vibrant colors, handcrafted details and layered design elements.

Ahead of the public opening, Punjab Meet House hosted a friends-and-family preview that drew praise from community members. 

Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna, Rizvi's longtime collaborator and co-founder of Bungalow Hospitality Management, also endorsed the project ahead of its opening, describing Punjab Meet House as "a beautiful tribute to Punjab, the land of five rivers and a million emotions."

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"Punjab Meet House is more than a restaurant. It is a celebration of Punjab's traditions, hospitality, and timeless spirit," Khanna wrote on Instagram. "Watching Indian cuisine rise across the world has been one of the greatest joys of my journey, and this beautiful space is another reminder that our stories deserve a global stage."

Khanna also congratulated Rizvi, executive chef Zahir Khan and designer Shaila Rizvi, adding, "The world is about to experience something truly special."

Entrepreneur and content creator Jas Sawhney described the project as "one of the most meaningful restaurant openings NJ has seen in years."

"What makes it special isn't just the food or the beautiful space. It's the story behind it," Sawhney wrote on Instagram, adding that the concept "feels like a celebration of culture, history, and hospitality."

Sawhney also said the opening reflects the evolution of Indian dining in the New York metropolitan area, noting that restaurants such as GupShup and Bungalow helped raise the profile of Indian cuisine in New York and that Punjab Meet House extends that vision to New Jersey.

Discover more at New India Abroad.