Ambassadors Clubhouse Crosses the Pond for Its New York Debut
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Few of us will likely ever get to visit the glorious, forgotten party mansions of India, but the team behind London’s Gymkhana (JKS Restaurants) is giving us a glimpse of one at 31st and Broadway in New York. Ambassadors Clubhouse New York draws its inspiration from owners Jyotin, Karam, and Sunaina Sethi’s grandparents and their homes in Delhi and Punjab.
Starting Feb. 11, guests will enter through large wooden doors to a double-decker space where the walls are covered in black anaglypta wallpaper, the floor is lined with paisley carpeting, and the ceilings are decked out with wood carvings, animal prints, and Tiffany chandeliers. Fittingly, the Punjabi menu, prepared by former Indian Accent chef Karan Mittal, is vast and includes dishes fit for a party mansion. There’s a Punjabi riff on a seafood tower, papads brought in from Amritsar and Delhi, housemade buffalo milk paneer and large prawns cooked in tandoor ovens, and chai prepared with saffron and gold leaf.
“This is a true reflection of a really authentic experience we’ve had being raised outside of India, but being madly in love with where we’re from,” says JKS Global CEO Pavan Pardasani.
Ambassadors Clubhouse makes its debut at a moment when the city’s Indian restaurant scene is booming — thanks in large part to the success of restaurants like Semma, Bungalow, and Kanyakumari. The JKS team isn’t here to challenge that, but hopes to add to the conversation. “We’re in the early days of this category in America and what it can be. And we’re just excited about getting more people trying our food,” Pardasani says. Expect to see more from the team soon.
For now, here’s what you need to know about Ambassadors Clubhouse.
The Resy Rundown
Ambassadors Clubhouse New York
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Why We Like It
Consider this the more playful sister of Michelin-starred Gymkhana — complete with a vibey, maximalist space, a DJ-curated playlist, and an extensive Punjabi menu. -
Essential Dishes
The “original bbq butter chicken chops,” of course. But don’t miss these New York exclusives: a aloo mattar satpura, which is a seven-layer samosa, and the shahi patiala seafood tower. -
Must-Order Drinks
Masala Margarita with mezcal, Indian green chile, lime, ginger, cilantro, and Dalhousie chaat; Patiala Peg, a Scotch Old Fashioned with Afghani saffron bitters. There are also lassis and a lush chai with saffron and gold leaf.
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Who and What It’s For
Maximalist design nerds and diners excited about New York’s exhilarating Indian restaurant scene will find a lot to love. Fans of the London restaurant no longer need to fly across the pond — the two Clubhouses are designed to be very similar. -
How to Get In
The first month of reservations filled up almost instantly after launching, so be prepared to set an alarm to score a table here. You can also sign up for Priority Access on the restaurant’s website, which alerts you when reservations drop. -
Pro Tip
Listen closely to the soundtrack laced with Punjabi hits old and new mixed by DJ Amrit Mattoo.
1. The design is maximalist, intricate, and deeply thought through.
“The decor is inspired by the forgotten party mansions that you find across India, and my maternal grandfather’s diplomatic home where he would entertain in Dalhousie,” co-owner Karam Sethi shares. His grandfather served as an Indian ambassador and high commissioner.
Like Ambassadors Clubhouse and Gymkhana in London, this two-story space was designed by North End. And while the 8,000-square foot restaurant is nearly double the footprint of the first location, the design is largely the same. “You’re not going to feel like you’re in New York City for a moment — we’ve done an incredible job of translating the spirit, the soul of the restaurant in London,” Pardasani says.
Nods to the Sethi’s grandparents are everywhere, including a portrait of their grandfather hanging above the grand staircase and custom tiles with floral and geometric details that the siblings had recreated for one of two private dining rooms for larger parties.
Even the smallest design details were considered here. Look for tiny Punjabi swords on the sides of metal serving bowls and custom silverware the team had made for the restaurant in India.
2. The lengthy menu is a tasting tour of Punjab.
“The DNA of all of our Indian restaurants is to showcase the cuisine in the purest form,” Sethi says, adding that he’s not interested in Frenchifying Indian cooking. “It deserves to be eaten in its purest, boldest and most authentic form, and that’s what the menu at Ambassadors Clubhouse — and all our Indian restaurants — is rooted in.” The original Ambassadors Clubhouse in London was most recently awarded a Michelin star this week.
Be prepared to spend some time exploring the menu, which is divided into about a dozen sections that draw inspiration from family kitchens including his own, roadside stands, and royal palaces in Punjab. Start off with chaats and a selection of papads, delicate crisps that are brought in from Amritsar in Punjab and served alongside a selection of chutneys and raita. Starters also include dishes exclusive to the New York location like aloo mattar satpura, a seven-layer samosa and the shahi patiala seafood tower, which is served hot, not chilled. Its tiers feature crab bhurji cheela, shrimp nargisi kofta, and chutney wale scallops.
Much of the menu is organized by cooking techniques, with dishes cooked in clay pots called makta or iron woks called karahi, including the vegetarian methi malai morel mattar with wild morels, and matka beliram lamb, a dish that’s named after a beloved cook of Maharaja Ranjit Singh of the Sikh Empire.
From the tandoor section, there’s the “original bbq butter chicken chops” — the most popular item at the London location. It joins the city’s competitive butter chicken scene, but takes a different approach; the chicken is topped lightly with sauce, instead of swimming in it.
For dessert, there are Punjabi sweets like Amritsari pear kulfa as well as a more contemporary Cassata baked Alaska with pistachio, rose, mango , and tutti frutti.
If selecting items from the menu feels overwhelming, opt for one of three multi-course feasts (priced from $125 to $180), including a vegetarian one.
3. Spices aren’t just for the kitchen here — they’re stashed behind the bar, too.
The bars at Ambassadors Clubhouse occupy prime real estate, both upstairs and downstairs, and fittingly, the drink offerings are extensive. “We have a whole section of our drinks list dedicated to ‘Punjabi Margaritas‘ — Tequila and mezcal cocktails made with North Indian fruits and chaat masalas,” Sethi explains. The Masala Margarita is their take on a spicy margarita and pulls in flavors from the green chutney that accompanies the papads at Gymkhana. Green chile peppers and cilantro are used to make a chutney cordial and the drink is finished with masala chaat and salt.
For thirsty parties, large decanters and bottles are carried to tables with “party cocktails” like the Maharaja Margarita with tandoori pineapple and the Patiala Peg with Scotch whisky and Afghani saffron bitters.
Don’t miss the lassi selection, including a salty masala lassi with green chile and black salt and a mango lassi prepared with coveted kesar mangos. The team takes an upscale approach to chai with their Shahi Kesar Masala Chai that’s prepared with Sikkim 2nd Flush Muscatel from Rare Tea Co., Afghani saffron, and gold leaf. It’s sweet enough from jaggery and condensed milk that you could order it for dessert, Sethi says.
4. Get ready to covet the playlist.
In London, the team is frequently asked about the playlist. Diners try to Shazam the tunes but come up empty — the songs are often custom remixes made for the group. “The common thread for the playlist is Punjabi, championing old and new artists, and everything in between,” Sethi notes.
For New York, they worked with DJ Amrit Mattoo to create a playlist that features remixes of ’90’s Punjabi garage music and more contemporary collaborations between Western artists like Ed Sheeran and Indian musicians Diljit Dosanjh and Arijit Singh.
5. The JKS team is just getting started with their American expansion.
The team has been eyeing the U.S. for 10 years — and this is only the beginning. They already operate two locations of their Persian restaurant Berenjak in Soho House properties in Los Angeles and Brooklyn, but the bigger splash came in December when they debuted Gymkhana in Las Vegas’s Aria Resort & Casino .
They are looking for a home for Gymkhana in New York, but haven’t found the right space yet, which they want to be “really moody, vibey,” Pardasani says. And it may not be the only restaurant from the group that makes a debut here. “We have a bigger vision for America and the world. Our guests can look forward to us announcing more concepts coming soon,” he adds.
Ambassadors Clubhouse will be open for dinner nightly from 5 to 11 p.m. beginning Feb. 11. Weekend lunch will debut Feb. 21.
Devra Ferst is a Brooklyn-based food and travel writer who has contributed to The New York Times, Bon Appétit, Eater, NPR, and numerous other publications. She is co-author of “The Jewish Holiday Table: A World of Recipes, Traditions & Stories to Celebrate All Year Long.” Follow her on Instagram. Follow Resy, too.
