Maneesh K. Goyal & Alvina Patel Buxani, Co-Owners of Passerine

Meet Maneesh K. Goyal and Alvina Patel Buxani, Co-Owners of seasonal Indian restaurant Passerine located at 36 East 20th Street.

1. You are both longtime friends and restaurateurs who opened contemporary Indian restaurant Passerine last fall. What inspired you to create this new dining concept together? 

We are proud New Yorkers, each having lived here for more than 25 years. We also both live and raise our young families in Flatiron. Our joint dream was to pay homage to our Indian heritage and open something for New York, by New Yorkers. Passerine is a joint love letter — to both India & New York. We are so incredibly proud of it.

2. Describe your roles and collaborations as Co-Owners of Passerine. What aspects of the job excite you the most?

We are fully engrossed in every detail of the restaurant, especially as it surrounds the guest experience. The food, the drink, the guest experience. Our fingerprints are everywhere!

The part I love most is, of course, taste-tasting the Chef Chetan’s food before it hits the menu and Bar Director Russell’s new cocktails. The benefits of having a front row seat to the menu process!

3. As a proud LGBTQIA+ owned business, what professional advice can you share for aspiring entrepreneurs within the queer community? 

The best advice I can offer is being visible is an asset. Don’t hide but rather showcase yourself, your family, your identity. It’s so wonderful the warm response you can receive from sometimes unexpected places.

4. Will Passerine have any food specials or upcoming happenings in celebration of Pride Month? 

Oh yes! We are proud to showcase our Pride 2025 cocktail, the Songbird. It’s delicious and pretty fabulous, I have to say. It’s not a shy cocktail…you can’t miss it when it comes to the table! We are proud to partner with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and a portion of all Songbird sales during June will go towards their important work in the community.

5. What are some popular dishes and beverages among customers and your recommendations? 

Oh so many! For the small plates, the shrimp koliwada is just so special, as is the lamb cheela. The fluke crude is brand new for the season and not to be missed. For the main dishes, the monkfish is so wonderful but my all-time favorite is the squash…you’ve never had a vegetable like this!  For dessert, you must have the ice cream sandwich!

6. When you’re taking a break from the restaurant, how do you each like to spend your time in Flatiron & NoMad? 

I’m a Madison Square Park super-fan! You will often times find me there with my husband and our kids. Also, we do most our meals in the neighborhood — so you’ll see me not just at Passerine but many of our local spots. We live and work here and our son will soon start public school in the neighborhood…so this is definitely home!

7. Finally, choose three words to describe Flatiron & NoMad. 

I am a fan of alliteration so here you go — Delicious, Dynamic & Delightful!

Header & Thumbnail Photo Credit: Passerine