Chutneys Restaurant Opens in The Garage

Harvard students who often hanker for late-night meals have a new option on their list: Chutneys, an Indian restaurant that specializes in cheap, ready-to-go, roll-up sandwiches, opened today in The Garage.

The new restaurant—which will be open from 11 a.m. until midnight most days because "students don’t have a time frame of when they want their food"—features a variety of vegetarian, chicken, and lamb roll ups that represent a unique divergence from the usual variety of sandwiches sold in Harvard Square, according to owner Sanjay Kansagra.

The point of differentiation, he said, is the chutney that will be included in a roll up, along with the vegetables and spices. Originated in India, chutney is a condiment made from fruit, vinegar, sugar, and spices, and Kansagra's restaurant boasts seven varieties of the sauce: mint, garlic, yogurt, spicy pineapple, sweet mango, tamarind, and green.

In addition to the roll ups, Chutneys serves other Indian dishes such as samosas, kachodis, and chicken fried momos.

Chutneys—now occupying the space previously held by Flat Patties, the burger joint that moved out in January—will have to compete with a handful of other Indian restaurants already in the Square. After the Bombay Club left its location in the Crimson Galleria in November 2009 due to declining sales and a financial dispute with its landlord, three Indian restaurants remained in the Square: Tamarind Bay, Tanjore, and Café of India.

But Kansagra said that Chutneys, in contrast to these sit-down restaurants, will appeal to hungry students and Cantabridgians with its late hours, personalized yet fast-paced service, and cheap prices (each roll-up costs between $4.50 and $5.50). In fact, a key piece of Kansagra's business model for Chutneys was its appeal to students.

“It’s going to be much more reasonably priced,” said Kansagra, who also owns the Subway in The Garage. “It’s going to be made in front of you, the way you want it. And it’s more like a roll up that you can take out with you.”

With its midnight closing time throughout the week, Chutneys will be tied for the third-latest takeout style restaurant in the Square on weeknights, just behind Pinocchio’s and Falafel Corner.

In an effort to put his new establishment on the map, Kansagra plans on distributing free coupons in the coming weeks and in the early fall once students have arrived back on campus.

—Staff writer Martin Kessler can be reached at martin.kessler@college.harvard.edu.