Tava Fine Indian Cuisine was given a warm welcome into the Glen Cove community at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Jan. 31, 2022, hosted by the Glen Cove Downtown Business Improvement District. The family-owned restaurant, at 61 Glen Street, opened last November and has received a positive response from patrons over the past few months. Owner and chef Sukhdev Singh, his son Kam Singh and nephew Supy Singh – Tava co-owners – spent eight months renovating the space, formerly Andros Grill, and have transformed it into a more upscale space, with a sleek bar and bold artwork.
The Singhs were presented with citations from the Glen Cove Downtown B.I.D., the Glen Cove Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Pamela D. Panzenbeck, Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, and the offices of Assemblyman Charles Lavine and Senator James Gaughran, who all wished success for Tava on its new endeavor.
The Singh family also owns House of India in Huntington and Mango in Bellmore, and did some research before choosing their newest addition.
“Kam and I decided it was time for expansion and we looked at a lot of different neighborhoods and realized in Glen Cove, there was really no sit-down, high-end Indian restaurant,” Supy said. “We thought this was the perfect spot for that.”
Kam said that a lot of their customers have been excited to have an option closer to home, and Tava opened right around Thanksgiving to a strong response. As cases of Covid rose due to the Omicron variant, things slowed down, particularly for indoor dining, but the business is starting to see an uptick.
“In the beginning people were scared to dine in, but slowly they’re coming in. They love the décor – it’s comfortable, it’s cozy, the drinks are amazing,” Kam said, noting that the popularity is also spreading by word of mouth. “As more people try the food, more customers come in.”
And the specialty cocktails are another reason to dine in. The cousins created a drink menu with an Indian twist, adding ingredients such as saffron, cilantro and turmeric to traditional recipes.
“We kept the same cuisine as our fathers’ recipes,” Supy said. “We just made it a little more modern.”
Patricia Holman, executive director of the Business Improvement District, said she believes Glen Cove was long overdue for a fine-dining Indian restaurant, and the inclusion of Tava should be a draw for people from other nearby towns.
“For years, people have been asking for Indian cuisine, and the closest places were in Hicksville or Port Washington,” Holman said. “Now, with Tava in our downtown, Glen Cove will be a destination for our neighboring communities. I’m very thankful for them for investing in our community and hope people support them; the food is incredible.”
