All About Chatti, Bringing Toddy Shop Culture to Midtown

1. This is the first stateside venture for one of India’s most acclaimed chefs.

Mathew is no stranger to the restaurant business. In India, he’s become somewhat of a food world celebrity thanks to his restaurant, Kappa Chakka Kandhari, with locations in Chennai and Bengaluru. Last year, he was inducted into the hall of fame for the annual India’s Food Superstars list.

Even so, Chatti marks his first venture stateside, and the beginning of a new stage in his culinary career. “We thought New York was the right place to do it,” he says. “The vibrancy of [the city] really gives a warm feel. I’m sure we’ll be able to give that same kind of warmth to the people who visit our restaurant.”

In recent years, New York has seen the emergence of lauded restaurants that celebrate different regional Indian cuisines, including Dhamaka, Bungalow, Kanyakumari, and Michelin-starred Semma.

Mathew hails from the state of Kerala, a tropical area on the coast of the Indian continent, and will be cooking its cuisine at Chatti.

“India is a vast country with different food cultures, all of which are influenced by the geography of the place. Kerala is blessed with a lot of plains and water, and [the cuisine] is a mix of everything you can find in the Kerala demography,” he says. “I’m really proud to bring my cuisine here, because most of the regional food is not as exposed. I think I’m bringing [the toddy shop concept] to the right place to give the international gourmet audience the opportunity to get into it.”

2. The spot draws inspiration from Kerala toddy shops.

Chatti is inspired by the toddy shop, a Kerala mainstay. So named for the fermented palm drink which they serve, toddy shops are also known for slow-cooked dishes and the sense of community they bring to their neighborhoods.

“In Kerala, the toddy shops are [kind of] like small taverns. People gather and have good drinks and good food and good conversation,” Mathew says. “I felt like that would be ideal for New York, because outside it’s very busy. You can come here to relax and have a good meal.”

3. Inside, it’s warm and earthy.

The restaurant itself is designed to evoke a relaxed, warm feeling, with lots of teak wood and laterite stones.

“We’re blessed with a lot of greenery in Kerala, a lot of light and ventilation that’s part of our lifestyle in houses there. That’s something we tried to bring here, but while still giving the comfort of being in New York. It’s a minimalist touch,” Mathew says.

Rattan, tropical artwork, and earth tones complete the effect of the space, which seats 80 guests in the main dining room with room for 80 more in various private dining and event spaces.

4. Come thirsty …

In addition to classic cocktails — “which New Yorkers love,” Mathew laughs — Chatti serves a variety of bespoke drinks inspired by Kerala’s natural ingredients.

There’s the Elephant Whisperer, with banana, coconut, white rum, and prosecco, and the Malayali Old Fashioned with bourbon, toasted coconut, jaggery caramel, cardamom vermouth, and bitters.

“They taste really good, and they also give you the feel of being in Kerala,” Mathew says.

For now, the bar area is reserved solely for drinks, but Mathew says they may consider serving the full menu there eventually.

5. … and hungry.

As is the case in toddy shops, much of the menu at Chatti is designed to be eaten by hand, and most dishes are aptly categorized as “touchings.” They include prawn pouches, steamed in banana leaves, with coconut masala, and toddy shop beef fry, a fried chile-marinated beef strip.

“In Kerala, we call it ‘touchings,’ because basically you touch and eat. [At Chatti] there are small portions of food, so that guests get an opportunity to try the maximum number of dishes,” Mathew says.

Also on offer is a wide variety of seafood, thanks in part to Kerala’s position near the coast. There is karimeen pollichathu, with grilled pearl spot fish, shallots, and tamarind masala, a seafood moilee soup with coconut milk, ginger, and turmeric, and clay pot fish curry that matures overnight in its vessel.

“The general perception of Indian food is that it’s spicy. Something we want to make people understand is that it’s more about the flavor. When you do slow cooking, the spices don’t come out that much,” Mathew says. “We didn’t want to take the essence of our cooking out with tweaks for the palate. That wouldn’t be doing justice to the concept.”

Breads are an additional highlight on Chatti’s menu, with a long list of regional specialties like hoppers, a thin pancake made out of fermented rice and coconut milk, coin paratha, and Malabar’s nei-pathiri, a deep-fried rice bread.

“It’s all about the freshness of the food and the raw materials that give that ‘comfort’ feel,” he adds.

Chatti is open Monday through Thursday from 5 to 11 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from noon to 11 p.m., with plans to open for lunch seven days a week later in the year.

Ellie Plass is a freelance writer based in Brooklyn. Follow her on Instagram and X. Follow Resy, too.