JERSEY CITY, NJ —
June 25, 2026 |
By DailyHudson Staff
After 24 years in New York City, the beloved Indian street food spot is crossing the Hudson River to Journal Square.
A mother in Journal Square packs her son’s lunch for school. She tries to make it interesting — something that tastes like home. But even with the best intentions, a sandwich from the fridge never quite matches the chaat and rolls she remembers from Kolkata.
Starting July 1, that might change. The Kati Roll Company, a fast-casual Indian spot that’s been a staple in New York City for 24 years, is opening its first New Jersey location at 924 Bergen Avenue in Jersey City. That’s just a few blocks from the Journal Square PATH station, making it an easy stop for commuters headed home.
The restaurant was founded by Payal Saha. She moved from Kolkata — formerly Calcutta — to New York City in 2002 and missed the street food she grew up on. So she opened a tiny spot in Greenwich Village to share it. Her idea was simple: make kati rolls the way she remembered them, using fresh ingredients and no shortcuts.
It worked. The Kati Roll Company now has locations in New York City, London, and Dallas. The Jersey City outpost is the first in New Jersey.
What makes the food different
The menu is built on a few core principles. All fillings are marinated daily. No pre-packaged foods or sauces. Executive Chef Anil Bathwal and Saha have spent two decades perfecting each item.
Take the Achari Paneer Roll. It’s filled with Indian farmer’s cheese marinated in achari pickling spices — the kind of bold, tangy flavor you might expect from a street cart in Kolkata. Or the Unda Chicken Tikka Roll, which layers a freshly beaten egg with chicken breast marinated in yogurt and spices.
Every meal comes with a side of spicy mashed potatoes, fresh salad with cilantro-lime dressing, white raita sauce, green chutney, and caramelized red onions. There are also rice and salad bowls — the Steak Rice Bowl has grilled steak tikka cubes over biryani rice, for instance. House-made alfonso mango lassis, made with organic yogurt, and freshly made spicy potato chips round out the offerings.
Why Jersey City, and why now
Saha said New Jersey customers have been crossing the river to find her restaurants for years. “It felt right to finally come to them,” she said in a statement.
That makes sense. Journal Square is already a hub for commuters and a growing residential neighborhood. The area has seen new apartment buildings, restaurants, and bars pop up over the last few years. A spot like this — fast, affordable, and rooted in real cooking — fits naturally into the mix.
What it means for the neighborhood
For families in Journal Square and surrounding blocks, it means a new option for dinner that isn’t fast food or another pizza slice. It means a place that takes its ingredients seriously without charging Manhattan prices. And it means a chance to try something that’s been a New York City institution for more than two decades, without having to pay for a PATH ticket to get there.
The restaurant will also feature a custom mural dedicated to the local community, as all of their locations do. So the space itself will nod to the neighborhood in a way that feels intentional.
What’s next
The Jersey City outpost opens July 1. But that’s not all — the company plans to open additional locations in New Jersey and on Long Island before the end of the year. So if this one goes well, more could be on the way.
For anyone who’s been waiting, the wait is almost over. The doors open in July. And the rolls will be fresh.
Source: Jersey Digs
