A 7,500-square-foot restaurant in the former Link & Pin space on New Bern Street has quietly become one of Charlotte's most talked-about dining destinations since it opened its doors in June. Zamindar's Clubhouse, an Indian fine dining restaurant and cocktail lounge at 155 New Bern St in South End, was founded by chef Vamshi Krishna Adi and David Pandoria, and it's already landed at No. 6 among the top Indian restaurants in the country on the dining app Beli.
The restaurant's pedigree is a big part of the draw. As The Charlotte Observer reports, Adi is a 30-year-old chef from Hyderabad, India, who trained at the Culinary Academy of India before working at The Dewberry in Charleston, Junoon and Baar Baar in New York City, and Rooh in San Francisco. He also owns Gazab and Ishq in New York, with Ishq having earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand designation. According to the MICHELIN Guide, Ishq received that recognition in 2024 for its regional recipes and modern presentation at its East Village location on Avenue A. Adi opened Kebabishq, a restaurant focused on Indian street food, in 2025.
A Personal Journey Into Hospitality
Co-founder David Pandoria's path to the restaurant business came after a 28-year career in corporate sales and work as a DJ within the Southeast Asian American community, according to IndiaWest. He decided to enter hospitality following his recovery from stage four squamous cell carcinoma in 2023. The outlet's reporting notes that Pandoria worked with Fortune 500 firms before stepping away from corporate life after surviving cancer.
Following extensive cancer treatment and reconstructive surgery, Pandoria lost his sense of taste. He later entered the hospitality business.
Colonial-Era Design Meets Modern Layout
The venue's interior leans heavily into history, with design elements drawn from colonial-era Indian social clubs and zamindari estates — a reference to the historical Indian landowners and aristocrats once known for lavish entertaining. Per IndiaWest, the space features Jaipur carpets, Khirki-style arches, Kolkata-inspired window frames, carved wood, brass accents, and vintage gramophones throughout the dining room.
Functionally, the restaurant has separate dining, bar and lounge areas, with a small-plates menu in the lounge. The Observer has described plans for Regiment One55 Bar & Lounge inside Zamindar's Clubhouse, with its own cocktail program and offerings including the Lahsooni Oyster and Sharabi Chicken Tikka, along with dishes like butter chicken Wellington, masala fish and chips, lamb kheema shepherd's pie, and chili cheese Welsh rarebit, alongside live music and DJ programming.
A Menu That Spans the Subcontinent
Where many Indian restaurants in the U.S. lean heavily on North Indian curries and breads, Zamindar's Clubhouse is built around regional dishes from across the subcontinent. The Observer's reporting lists menu highlights including Jalebi Chaat topped with crispy sev and paneer cooked in bamboo.
The menu also features dishes highlighted by The Adventurist Magazine, including Bengal's Shorshe Sea Bass Paturi wrapped in mustard sauce, Calicut Mango Lobster Curry, Chukander Cheese Kulcha, and Pulled Venison Varuval served with Malabar parotta. One of the restaurant's signature dishes, baked Lahsooni Oysters topped with garlic butter, chili, cheese, and crisp semolina rusk crumbs, took Adi months to perfect, according to a report from WBTV, which noted that oysters are rarely featured in traditional Indian dining and that the preparation was intended to make them approachable and nostalgic.
The restaurant's cocktail program follows the same storytelling approach, drawing on Indian history for its drink names, per the Observer's reporting. The Nilgiri Club and The Rajbari are currently the two top-selling cocktails on the menu, alongside the seafood, tandoori items, slow-braised meats, and vegetarian selections that round out the full menu.
Part of a Bigger Charlotte Moment
The Michelin Guide's American South guide includes North Carolina, awarding Charlotte one Michelin Star, one Green Star, one Bib Gourmand, and 11 recommended restaurant selections, according to Visit NC.
Zamindar's Clubhouse opened at the former Link & Pin address. The restaurant also plans to eventually open a climate-controlled patio, according to the Observer's reporting, adding another layer to the space.
