Jersey City: Kolkata-Style Kati Rolls Open in Journal Square as BAPS Mandir Marks Devotional Year
Kati Roll Company Brings Kolkata-Style Street Food to Journal Square
The Kati Roll Company, a New York City-based Indian fast-casual restaurant chain founded in 2002 in Manhattan's Greenwich Village, is opening its first New Jersey location on July 1 in Jersey City's Journal Square neighborhood, an area already noted for its authentic Indian cuisine. The chain is built around kati rolls, a traditional Indian street food from Kolkata consisting of grilled fillings wrapped in roti or paratha. Signature offerings at the Jersey City location include the Achari Paneer Roll made with spiced Indian cheese, the Unda Chicken Tikka Roll featuring marinated chicken and egg, and the Shami Kabab Roll prepared with minced lamb and lentils. Beyond rolls, the menu includes rice and salad bowls such as steak tikka served over biryani rice, spiced chickpeas, and grilled paneer, with sides including spicy mashed potatoes, chutneys, and yogurt-based sauces. All spices are freshly ground and all breads are made on site. Founder Payal Saha said the opening was driven by years of demand from New Jersey customers who had been crossing the river to reach NYC locations, adding that she started the company because she missed the kati rolls she grew up eating in Kolkata. Executive Chef Anil Bathwal emphasized that fillings are marinated daily and no prepackaged sauces are used, noting that authentic Indian flavor at scale demands real ingredients and traditional preparation. The chain has existing locations across New York City as well as outposts in Texas and London, with additional New Jersey and Long Island locations planned for later in the year. [1]
BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir Marks Diwali, Annakut, and Spring Festivals for Jersey City Area Devotees
The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir serving the Jersey City area — situated at 2000 Tonnelle Avenue in North Bergen — has long served as a focal point for South Asian Hindu devotional life in the region. Among its recorded celebrations is the Diwali and Annakut Celebration 2014, held on Saturday, 25 October 2014, with a 16-image photo gallery documenting the gathering of devotees for one of the most significant festivals in the Swaminarayan tradition. In the spring of 2026, the mandir observed Shri Swaminarayan Jayanti and Ram Navami Celebration on Sunday, 5 April, honoring the birth anniversaries of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Bhagwan Shri Ram, with devotees marking the occasion through devotion and teachings centered on the divine lives and legacies of these figures. The mandir also administered Global Satsang Exams, with results published on Sunday, 24 May 2026, and Bal Satsang Exams, with results published on Friday, 15 May 2026 — paired annual assessments covering adult and younger devotees that reflect BAPS's emphasis on structured religious education as a pillar of community life. Across festivals, examinations, and ongoing spiritual programming, the North Bergen mandir functions as the organizational and devotional heart of the local Swaminarayan community, connecting Jersey City-area families to religious observance, cultural heritage, and the wider BAPS network spanning India and the international South Asian diaspora. [3]
Sources: [1] NJ.com · [3] BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha