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Since it opened in 2013, chef Preeti Mistry and business partner and wife Ann Nadeau have been steadily growing a dedicated following (including Anthony Bourdain) for Juhu Beach Club’s flavorful South Indian cuisine. Now the duo is expanding their empire to Emeryville, with the imminent opening of Navi Kitchen.
Designed by Nadeau, the restaurant is inspired by its name, Navi, which is the Hindi word for new, and references the newness of its space in the Bakery Lofts at 5000 Adeline St. It will be an all-day cafe, centered around Mistry’s own brand of Indian-Neapolitan pizza, plus “brekkie” and lunch. Brekkie will include some hearty options, like the Mumbai morning burger, with pork-ginger sausage, fried egg, American cheese, pepper cress, and ghost pepper chutney, as well as pastries from Starter Bakery. (Check out the full menu below.)
Lunch is all about salads and subs, plus a menu section titled “Comforting,” which donates a $1 from the sale of each dish to a different cause. A tikka masala mac and cheese (available in kid size) supports Destiny Arts, as well as a daily curry benefitting Planting Justic and “Solidarity Soup,” with $1 per bowl going to Black Lives Matter Bay Area. It’s part of Mistry and Nadeau’s ongoing quest to support the Oakland community through food; grassroots events are planned for the expansive patio.
At 4 p.m., pizzas are available. Mistry, herself a lover and avid consumer of pizza, hopes to contribute to the “weird and wonderful phenomenon of Indian pizza,” with options like Kheema Kale, composed of lamb and beet tomato sauce, lacinto kale, red onion, and the “Navi cheese blend” of Parmesan and mozzarella.
Draft beers will be a rotating options from nearby Temescal Brewing, served alongside wine and beer to go (or stay), and low-proof cocktails. Turmeric shots and tonic, Masala chai, lassis and Highwire coffee are available on the non-alcoholic side.
At opening, the cafe will serve breakfast items and chai from 8 a.m.- 11 a.m., with lunch from 11 a.m.0 3 p.m.; soon after, pizzas will be available for dining in, or takeout until 8 p.m. When the cafe is fully open, it will be open Tuesday through Sunday from 8 a.m.- 8 p.m.
Stay tuned for more info on the space as the restaurant gears up for opening in the next couple weeks.
