Ambassadors Clubhouse, the Punjabi powerhouse from JKS Restaurants, has officially landed in NoMad. It’s the group’s first NYC restaurant, and it arrives on the heels of the original London outpost’s earning of a Michelin star earlier this week.
JKS, founded by siblings Jyotin, Karam and Sunaina Sethi, is the team behind Gymkhana, the two-Michelin-starred London institution loved by everyone from restaurant critics to David Beckham. After opening Gymkhana in Las Vegas late last year, they’re now giving Manhattan a taste of Punjab, filtered through their signature polish.
At the helm is chef Karan Mittal, whose résumé includes Indian Accent and Ananda. His menu pulls from the royal kitchens, roadside stalls and family homes of North India’s Punjab region. The through line is bold flavor, handled with care.
The menu includes plenty of shareable plates. London favorites like chilli cheese Pakode and Matka Beliram lamb curry make the trip across the Atlantic. New York has a few exclusives too, including the Warqi lamb seekh kebab, made with pounded lamb shoulder wrapped in flaky naan and hit with tamarind and red chili chutney. If you want to go big, the three-tier Shahi Patiala seafood tower is a full spectacle, and the Kotkapura royal Atta chicken arrives as a dramatic centerpiece built for a group that’s ready to feast.
Dessert keeps the pace. The citrus fruit and frozen lassi chaat pairs yogurt ice cream with grapefruit murrabba and pistachio chikki. Gur Malai toast layers Pink Lady apples, fennel jaggery caramel and burnt ghee ice cream. It’s a rich, indulgent finish that somehow feels light.
The drinks lean into Punjab’s party spirit. The Tamatar martini blends vodka with spiced clarified tomato and “drunk” onions. The Tandoori margarita mixes tequila and mezcal with tandoori pineapple tikka. Large-format pours meant to share are perfect for a celebration. Take the theatrical Patiala Peg: it’s measured tableside in the traditional way, from the tip of the index finger to the pinky.
The two-story, 150-seat space, designed by London studio North End, is a maximalist Punjabi wonderland. There’s dark timber, stained glass, hand-painted Indian tiles and deep navy walls. Downstairs, it shifts into something moodier, with inlaid furniture and patterned ceilings that give the room the feel of a faded palace revived for downtown Manhattan.
Ambassadors Clubhouse is open nightly for dinner at 1245 Broadway, with weekend lunch launching soon.
