Indian restaurant Bombay Eats now serving in Naperville after COVID-19 pandemic slowed demand in the city

After Indian restaurant Bombay Eats’ three locations in Chicago saw fewer customers during the COVID-19 pandemic, the owners were flooded with messages from people asking them if they would consider branching out to the suburbs.

Inspiration struck the wife and husband owners Falguni and Ali Dewjee to open a new location in Naperville’s Freedom Commons this summer at 1763 Freedom Drive, Suite 105.

The fast-casual Indian restaurant started in the Chicago Loop about 12 years ago with a mission to make delicious and authentic food made easy and accessible, according to the owners. Ali Dewjee said a lot of the Indian restaurants they saw were either sit-down or buffet styles and not many options for on-the-go lifestyles.

As Bombay Eats expanded to locations in the Streeterville and Lakeview neighborhoods of Chicago, the duo also expanded their restaurant’s food options, adding rice bowls and brioche bun rolls to the menu. But when the pandemic struck, people working from home kept asking for more.

“COVID was the catalyst that changed our thinking, and we wanted to go where our customers are at,” Dewjee said. “It’s a new world and we need to adapt and adjust. Naperville was a no-brainer for us.”

The couple both live in Chicago and Dewjee admits the leap to the ‘burbs was a big step and “a little nerve-racking for us to be honest.” But the first three months of business were surprisingly good, he said.

Naperville’s diverse population and large Indian base also made the move easy, he said. Dewjee said it also helps that the city has a large selection of corporate offices too because Bombay Eats has a strong catering program.

“Our concept isn’t Indian food for Indian people. We want to show the entire community,” Ali Dewjee said.

Born and raised in Bombay, India, Dewjee said he and his wife came to the U.S. in the ‘90s and were inspired by street vendors who used stovetops to cook fresh and healthy meats and vegetables on the go.

The menu features meats — chicken, tikka, lamb curry and beef kababs — and fresh vegetables like cheese paneer, chickpea chana and samosas.

“The first wave of customers were people who knew us from the Loop and were excited for us to be here,” Dewjee said. “Now, new customers are trying us for the first time and it’s been really fun to immerse ourselves into the community.”

The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

mejones@chicagotribune.com

Originally Published: Aug 12, 2023 at 9:08 am