Tanishq Opens First US Store in Iselin as Indian Dining Strip and New Sports Bar Draw National Attention
🍛 New Jersey Monthly Guides Readers Through Edison's 50-Plus Indian Restaurants on Oak Tree Road's Little India Strip
New Jersey Monthly published a comprehensive guide to the more than fifty Indian dining establishments lining Oak Tree Road in Edison, a mile-long commercial stretch that extends into neighbouring Iselin and is known informally as Little India. The article notes that more than half of Edison's 110,000 residents identify as Asian, with over one-third of Indian heritage, creating one of the most concentrated South Asian communities in the northeast United States. According to CEO Kamal Arora, quoted in the guide, the original Indian diaspora came to Queens and Long Island, then two or three businesses arrived in the late 1980s before a larger migration wave followed. Among the most established restaurants highlighted is Moghul, which opened in 1990 under the Methani Restaurant Group and is joined by its sister venues Moghul Express, the Indo-Chinese restaurant Ming, and Mithaas, which specialises in street snacks and sweets. Other featured establishments include Deccan Spice, known for modern Indian cuisine with artfully presented dishes and specialty cocktails; Kesar's, which specialises in thali sampler platters; and Saravanaa Bhavan, a South Indian vegetarian chain offering more than two dozen varieties of dosa. The Kumar Soni Food Court in Iselin provides takeout options including tandoori chicken and biryanis. Beyond dining, Oak Tree Road hosts Patel Brothers grocery, Indian jewelry stores, hair salons, clothing boutiques, and electronics shops. [1]
🏢 Mango People Collective to Open 9,400-Square-Foot Indian Restaurant and Sports Bar at Iselin Route 1 Plaza
TAPinto reported that the Mango People Collective, formerly known as the Fine Indian Dining Group, will take over the 9,462-square-foot space at The Plaza at Woodbridge on Route 1 in Iselin that was previously occupied by TGI Fridays, which closed in 2024. The company currently manages nine family-owned Indian dining locations across New Jersey and New York, including three in Parsippany and six in the New York City area, with menus featuring traditional and contemporary Indian cuisine prepared by chefs from India. Co-founders Ankush and Avineet Punhani described the venture as deeply personal, explaining that their father immigrated to the United States and chose New Jersey to build a life for his family. Woodbridge is where he was given his first real opportunity, they said, calling the expansion a full-circle, pinch-me moment for their family. The new venue will combine full-service Indian dining with a sports bar concept, blending classic Indian dishes with contemporary offerings and allowing customers to enjoy live sports alongside their meals. The Plaza at Woodbridge is anchored by Best Buy, Raymour and Flanigan, and a new Trader Joe's location. Urban Edge Properties leasing executive Josh Birns said the new venue will create another compelling reason for the community to visit the center. A final restaurant name for the Iselin location has not yet been announced. [3]
🏢 Tata Group's Tanishq Inaugurates First US Jewelry Store in Iselin with Plans for 20 to 30 More Locations
National Jeweler reported that Tanishq, the jewelry brand owned by Mumbai-based conglomerate the Tata Group and operated through Titan Company Limited, opened its inaugural American retail location in Iselin, New Jersey. The 3,750-square-foot, two-story showroom features more than 6,500 jewelry designs in eighteen- and twenty-two-karat gold with diamonds and gemstones. A company executive said the showroom will have the brand's latest collections and masterpieces designed to suit all jewelry needs of Indian-Americans. Tanishq selected New Jersey for its first United States store due to the state's significant Indian-American demographic, which comprises approximately four percent of the population. The company had maintained e-commerce operations in the United States for over a year before establishing a physical retail presence. Tanishq has announced plans to open between twenty and thirty additional locations across North America and the Middle East within two to three years. The brand currently operates eight international stores, with its first Dubai location opening in November 2020, and maintains more than 400 stores across 240 cities in India. The opening ceremony was attended by United States Senator Robert Menendez and India's New York consul general Randhir Jaiswal, reflecting the cultural significance of the milestone for the Indian-American community concentrated in the Iselin and Edison corridor of New Jersey. [5]
Sources: [1] New Jersey Monthly Magazine · [3] TAPinto · [5] nationaljeweler.com