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Jersey City has a new full-service destination for Punjabi cuisine. Punjab Meet House, led by restaurateur Jimmy Rizvi and chef Zahir Khan, opened Friday, July 3 at Exchange Place — a rare example of upscale regional Indian food arriving across the Hudson to serve the area’s large South Asian community.
Why this matters now
About 12 percent of Jersey City residents identify as Indian, according to recent American Community Survey data, yet much of the neighborhood’s dining culture has centered on casual counters and takeout along Newark Avenue. Punjab Meet House aims to change that by offering table service, a more varied menu and cocktails inspired by the subcontinent’s history — all steps that could shift expectations for South Asian dining in the city.
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Rizvi — who has been based in Jersey City for more than two decades while building notable Manhattan restaurants including GupShup (Gramercy) and Bungalow (East Village) — says the new venue is intended to bring a different scale and style of cooking to the local market. His wife, Shaila Rizvi, designed the interior using authentic Indian imports.
A focus on Punjab, not Bombay
Unlike his other concepts — GupShup’s Bombay-inspired street fare and Bungalow’s broad exploration of Indian traditions with chef Vikas Khanna — Punjab Meet House concentrates on the tastes of the Punjab region, which lies along India’s border with Pakistan. Zahir Khan heads the kitchen and has built a menu that moves from chaat and street snacks to robust tandoor plates and slow-roasted mains.
Rizvi framed the project as more than a new storefront: it’s an attempt to add a different kind of dining option to a neighborhood that has been well served by casual vendors but has lacked regional, sit-down restaurants of this scale.
- Location: 25 Christopher Columbus Drive, Exchange Place, Jersey City — steps from PATH service to Manhattan.
- Opened: Friday, July 3 (recent launch).
- Chef: Zahir Khan; Design: Shaila Rizvi using Indian-sourced materials.
- Website: pmhnj.com
Menu highlights and price guide
The menu begins with snacks and chaat, then progresses to tandoor dishes, curries and shareable roasts. Prices shown are approximate ranges found on opening menus.
- Panj dariya gol gappe — crisp hollow puris filled with black chickpeas and tamarind (small plates, roughly $14–$40 depending on selection).
- Amritsari macchi — mustard-oil fried fish served with tartar-style sauce.
- Lahori jhinga double roti — a shrimp mousse on milk bread, presented like street-food luxury.
- Chicken chargha — whole masala-marinated chicken, fried to order from the tandoor.
- Qissa Khawani barra — marinated lamb chops prepared with raw papaya for tenderizing.
- Curries: includes kunna (goat in mustard oil) and sarson da saag (slow-cooked greens finished with butter and jaggery), generally $18–$36.
- Haneeth lamb — a whole bone-in leg, slow-roasted with Yemeni spices and carved tableside; requires 24–48 hours’ notice for large parties.
- Cocktails: a ten-drink signature list ($16–$20) with regionally inspired recipes such as the Toshakhana (a whiskey-sour style drink with pressed dates and clove) and the Sheesh Mahal (clarified chaas with vodka, black salt and roasted cumin).
For diners who have long relied on quick-service options in and around India Square, the restaurant represents both a new choice and an experiment: can a full-service, region-specific Indian restaurant sustain in a neighborhood accustomed to counter-style operations? Early reactions from neighbors and food communities will be an important signal.
What to watch next
If Punjab Meet House finds steady support, it could encourage other restaurateurs to bring more specialized Indian dining out of Manhattan and into New Jersey neighborhoods with substantial South Asian populations. For residents, that would mean more variety and the option to host celebrations without crossing the river.
Practical details — hours, reservation policies and party menus — are available on the restaurant’s website, and larger-format dishes like the haneeth lamb require advance notice.
Key terms: Punjab Meet House, Exchange Place, Zahir Khan, haneeth lamb.
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