Indian Clubhouse · East Village
By Monty Khas, Anonymous Critic. Pays every bill.
Bungalow is what happens when a celebrity chef decides to take the food more seriously than the fame. Vikas Khanna, the Michelin-starred chef best known to millions as a judge on MasterChef India, partnered with Jimmy Rizvi and the team behind GupShup to open this East Village restaurant in 2024. The idea: recreate the warmth of India's old clubhouses, the kind of places where families gathered for long lunches and longer evenings. The New York Times gave it three stars, and it joined the Michelin Guide within months of opening.
The room
Bungalow is a stunner. You head down into a subterranean dining room that winds back into a greenhouse lined with plants and lit by chandeliers. Creative director Shaila Rizvi pulled from Indian country clubs for the look, and the result feels nostalgic without being stuffy. Ask for the greenhouse if you can.
What to eat
Start small with Banarasi puri, a crisp, snacky opener, or the Malwani fish tikka, spiced in the style of the Konkan coast. Nilgiri tandoori prawns are smoky and herbaceous.
Then order Ammi's lamb chops. They come with cashew butter, poppy seed and a kumquat pickle that cuts through the richness. They're the dish most tables order, and they deserve the reputation.
The Rajasthani pulled lamb is slow-cooked until it collapses, then finished with caramelized onion, black pepper and ghee. Lamb Tellicherry fry leans into the black pepper of Kerala's Malabar Coast, and the Alleppey shrimp curry is a gentle, coconut-rich crowd-pleaser. Don't skip Daal Bungalow, a black lentil and kidney bean dal enriched with homemade butter and a drizzle of chili oil. It's the kind of dal people quietly order a second bowl of.
Dessert
Rose kulfi falooda is the move: dense, floral kulfi with all the sweet, slippery fun of a classic falooda.
Before you go
Reservations go through Resy and open about 20 days ahead. Walk-ins are possible for the bar and dining room, but don't count on it on weekends. Bungalow is closed on Mondays.
Why it matters
Plenty of celebrity-chef restaurants coast on a name. Bungalow does the opposite. It's a beautiful room with thoughtful, generous cooking, and it brings a sense of occasion to Indian dining that the East Village didn't know it was missing.
The Quick Fix
What to order: Ammi's lamb chops; Rajasthani pulled lamb; Daal Bungalow; Banarasi puri; Malwani fish tikka; Nilgiri tandoori prawns; Alleppey shrimp curry; rose kulfi falooda
Pricing: Upscale, but à la carte, so you can keep it in check.
Best for: Celebrations, date nights, groups, out-of-town guests and anyone who wants atmosphere and substance
How it compares: More polished than GupShup, its sister restaurant; lamb chops to rival Kebab aur Sharab's; an easier first step into modern Indian than Semma
See where Bungalow ranks: The Best Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi Restaurants in New York City: Our Top 10 for 2026
The food was always this good. We're just paying attention.