Our Story
From a Delhi kitchen to a small room in Brooklyn.
2018 — Marigold Lane
We opened with twenty-eight seats and one tandoor.
Saffron & Smoke is run by Anika and Rohan Mehra, sister and brother, who grew up cooking alongside their grandmother in Daryaganj, old Delhi.
The food here is unfussy and personal — the dal that simmered overnight on the back burner, the lamb chops that came out of the tandoor only on Sundays, the chaat that was sold on the corner for ten rupees.
We cook in small batches, change the menu often, and keep the room quiet enough to talk across the table.
The Room
Walnut tables, brass lanterns, candle light.
We wanted the dining room to feel like the back garden of a Delhi haveli — warm walls, low light, the smell of something cooking. No music louder than the conversation. A counter facing the open kitchen, where you can watch the naan come out of the fire.
01
Sourced honestly
Chillies from Guntur, saffron from Kashmir, lamb from Marlowe & Sons. Spices ground every morning.
02
Cooked patiently
Dal makhani simmers eight hours. Curry bases are built fresh, never reheated from a pot.
03
Served warmly
A small team that has worked together for years. We pour water before you ask.