Popular Philadelphia Indian Restaurant Coming To Newtown

NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — A popular Philadelphia Indian restaurant is looking to open its fourth location in the Delaware Valley at Goodnoe Corner in Newtown.

Tonight, the owners of Amma’s South India Cuisine will be seeking conditional use approval from the Newtown Township Board of Supervisors to open a 72-seat restaurant at the former Zoës Kitchen on North Sycamore Street.

If the use is approved, Amma's will move forward with its plans to open its first restaurant in Bucks County and its fourth in the Delaware Valley.

At its January meeting, the township's planning commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the application by the supervisors.

"I am happy to see something going in that space," said planning chair Peggy Driscoll. "It's been empty for a long time."

The space, which has been vacant since Zoës closed its doors in February 2023, will be renovated into the township’s newest dining spot where the spicy foods of South India will be featured on the menu.

Amma’s South India Cuisine has built a large following and a reputation for its food at its locations in University City, Center City and in Voorhees, New Jersey.

The restaurant, owned and operated by Sathish Varadhan, specializes in home-style cooking from the southern regions of India and is named “Amma’s” after the Tamil word meaning “mother.”

"Our concept is to serve you tasty food like our mother used to feed us," says the restaurant's website.

The chefs at Amma's use recipes that have been passed down through the generations and have been changed and adapted to suit the current generation.

"India has a rich cultural diversity reflected in its culinary profile with flavors and ingredients that vary dramatically as one moves through the regions. Here at Amma's we bring a part of India to you through its rich and selective variety of food," says its website.

After immigrating to the United States in 2010, Varadhan opened his first restaurant in Voorhees, New Jersey. He has since opened locations in Center City and University City across the river in
Philadelphia.

Amma’s menu features innovative dishes based on centuries-old South India culinary traditions. The chefs use fresh produce, all-natural ingredients, and freshly ground spices, to create food that is like veetu sapadu (homemade).

For more information about Amma’s and to view the menu, click here.