South Indian eatery moving into former Zoe's Kitchen space in Newtown. What to expect

Michele Haddon, Bucks County Courier Times
Updated ·2 min read

An upscale South Indian restaurant that got its start in South Jersey will soon expand into Bucks County with a Newtown Township location.

On Jan. 24, the board of supervisors approved a conditional use application for Amma’s South Indian Cuisine to come to Goodnoe’s Corner in the space formerly occupied by Zoe’s Kitchen, which closed nearly a year ago.

Amma's South Indian Cuisine plans to open a new location in the former Zoe's Kitchen site at Goodnoe's Corner in Newtown Township.
Amma's South Indian Cuisine plans to open a new location in the former Zoe's Kitchen site at Goodnoe's Corner in Newtown Township.

Amma’s currently has three locations — one in Voorhees, New Jersey; and two in Philadelphia.

At the meeting, co-owners, Balakrishnan Duraisamy and Sathish Varadhan, along with Frederick Vidi, a consultant working with the applicants, outlined plans for Amma’s, which will include 72 seats for indoor dining and an additional 30 seats on an existing outdoor patio.

The owners confirmed they have no intentions to apply for a liquor license, making their Newtown location a bring-your-own-beverage restaurant.

New shopping center in Lower Makefield: Two more eateries slated to join Wegmans at Prickett Preserve in Lower Makefield

More: Here's where to get fastnachts in Bucks County for Fat Tuesday

Pending permits, Vidi said Amma’s would likely take a few months to open.

Goodnoe’s Corner, located on the corner of North Sycamore Street and Durham Road, is currently home to a few restaurants and retailers, including AT&T Wireless, Jule’s Thin Crust and The Green Parrot.

What does the name ‘Amma’ mean?

Amma means “mother” in Tamil and Malayalam, two of the five widely spoken languages in South India.

According to its website, Amma’s aims to serve “tasty food like our mother use to feed us.”

What is on the menu at Amma’s?

A proposed design for the interior of Amma's South Indian Cuisine, an upscale restaurant that has plans to open a new location at Goodnoe's Corner in Newtown Township.
A proposed design for the interior of Amma's South Indian Cuisine, an upscale restaurant that has plans to open a new location at Goodnoe's Corner in Newtown Township.

Using recipes passed down through the generations, Amma’s serves traditional regional dishes, inspired by homemade cooking through the use of fresh produce, all natural ingredients and freshly ground spices. Its menu features a variety of starters, main courses and specials.

A few of its popular dishes include:

  • Masala Dosa: Crisp rice and lentil crepes stuffed with a spiced and savory potato filling.

  • Kothu Parotta: Shredded Indian flatbread with assorted vegetables, eggs or meat.

  • Rasam: A soup made with tomato, chili, pepper and cumin in a tamarind juice base.

  • Tikka Masala: A dish made with paneer, chicken, lamb or shrimp in a creamy sauce.

  • Samosa Chaat: Smashed samosas served over a chickpea sweet sauce and spice chutney.

They also offer a kids menu and a number of desserts, such as Gulab Jamun, milk solid-based sweet balls soaked in honey syrup.

Latest dining news in Wrightstown: A year since reopening, the Wycombe House is now closed. What's next for the restaurant?

More in Newtown: With accidents up over 100 percent is Newtown a walkable community? Residents urge change

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Amma's, a popular South Indian restaurant, expanding into Bucks County