BETHLEHEM, Pa. – A new restaurant will soon spice up south Bethlehem’s dining scene.
The Gully Kitchen, offering Indian street food with a modern touch, is expected to open in mid-June at 203 E. Third St., co-owner Tushar Paul told 69 News.
The Gully Kitchen is coming soon to 203 E. Third St. in Bethlehem.
Ryan Kneller
The soon-to-be-updated space previously housed Alibi Bar & Lounge, an upscale bar and lounge, which closed last spring after about a year of operation.
The Gully Kitchen, with seating for around 70 guests on two levels, will specialize in custom, freshly prepared Indian street bowls, where customers choose their base, protein, toppings and sauce, Paul said.
Other menu highlights will include Indian-inspired sandwiches and sides.
“We’re very excited,” said Paul, who’s operating the restaurant with three partners.
“And we’ve been getting social media messages from people who are excited, too. So, I think it will fill right in. There are a lot of [quick-service restaurants] on that street, but we wanted to bring in something different. And while this might be different to some people, this is the kind of food that I’ve enjoyed all of my life.”
In opening The Gully Kitchen, Paul and his partners are excited to share the unique flavors of Indian street food with the Lehigh Valley community.
Paul, 32, was born in India and moved to the United States in 2012 at age 18.
The Gully Kitchen is coming soon to 203 E. Third St. in Bethlehem.
Ryan Kneller
The partners decided on the restaurant’s name as gully refers to a narrow street or roadway in India.
“I just got married in India last year,” Paul said.
“So, I had to take multiple trips back to India, and as I was trying the traditional homecooked food while I was there, I realized that it was something I wanted to offer here in the U.S. So, we’re bringing the fresh and authentic flavors of Indian street food to Bethlehem.”
The Gully Kitchen will offer build-your-own Indian bowls, with an ordering format similar to the one featured at Chipotle restaurants, Paul said.
Hot and cold bars will be positioned in front of customers, who will begin their order by choosing a base – biryani rice, Gully rice or salad, Paul said.
Next, guests will choose from various Indian-inspired proteins, including chicken tikka, malai chicken, Indian-style lamb and fish, Paul said.
They’ll then choose from an array of toppings, such as tomatoes, peppers and chickpeas, and sauces such as butter chicken sauce and lentil sauce, Paul said.
“Our whole concept for The Gully Kitchen is to combine authentic Indian cuisine with a modern touch, making it more appealing to consumers,” Paul said.
“So, we’ll have the custom bowls, and we’ll also be doing Indian-inspired sandwiches. For example, instead of doing just a fried chicken sandwich, we’re going to do a butter fried chicken sandwich.”
Some of the other Indian-inspired sandwiches will include a malai chicken wrap, lamb korma sandwich and vegetarian options such as a butter paneer sandwich and Bombay sandwich, Paul said.
The Gully Kitchen will have two floors, with the lower level featuring the kitchen, ordering counter and main dining room, and the upper level featuring additional dining space and a lounge with couches, plush chairs and other comfortable seating, Paul said.
Outdoor dining on a covered patio also will be available.
The Gully Kitchen, which also will offer chai tea lattes and other specialty drinks, is tentatively set to operate for lunch and dinner daily, staying open until 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, Paul said.
The Gully Kitchen is coming soon to 203 E. Third St. in Bethlehem.
Ryan Kneller
The restaurant will operate next to The Flying V Poutinerie and within a few blocks of other popular restaurants such as U & Tea, F&A Grog House, Paranormal Pizza and Wondaffle.
In developing The Gully Kitchen, Paul and his partners also took inspiration from the success of other fast-casual concepts on East Third Street.
“We saw how well other restaurants in Bethlehem are serving the community, including the many college students in the area,” Paul said.
“There’s Sizzling Bites on the Mediterranean side and El Jefe’s on the Mexican side, and we just felt like there was a fast, student-friendly Indian option that was missing. We’re also going to be offering a student discount for all high school and college students.”