Inside London’s Ambassadors Clubhouse : Where Opulence and Legacy Meet 

The masterminds behind Gymkhana are making waves in London with their new venture Ambassadors Clubhouse, which will celebrate food, drink, music, and culture from the region of Punjab. Founders Jyotin, Karam, and Sunaina Sethi have drawn upon the legacy of their maternal grandfather, a former Indian ambassador, to create the Ambassadors Clubhouse.

Located at 25 Heddon Street in Mayfair, Punjabi-style hospitality will be central to Ambassadors Clubhouse, bringing abundance, high spirits and generosity. The interior take inspiration from Sethi’s grandfather’s summer house in Dalhousie and the abandoned party mansions of Northern India. Designed by North End Design, the restaurant is a nod to a time of opulence and celebration in these mansions.

Detailed stencil and paint work is polarised against bright, classic fabrics and original artwork from Punjabi artists. Carpet patterns, ceiling features, marquetry, and inlay details on the furniture and the Verandah nod to original elements of the Ambassador’s residence.

Inspired by the food of undivided Punjab (India and Pakistan) and their shared food heritage, the menu at Ambassadors Clubhouse showcases the region’s cuisine in its purest fashion. The menu begins with Papads and Chaat, the quintessential street food of the region, and Bitings, a word used to describe drinking snacks, before the main event of Kebabs cooked across the tandoor (clay oven), sigri (charcoal grill) and tawa (flat griddle), Signature Kebabs include the Mooli and Dhai Kebab.

Matka and Karahi will include classic curries cooked in iron woks and earthen clay pots, as well as Biryanis and Pilaus. The Tandoori Quail Barrah Pilau showcases quail cooked in the tandoor, and served under a saffron and brown onion-laced pilau. All served alongside an extensive list of tandoor-roasted breads such as Amritsari Aloo Gobhi Kulcha. Some other standouts include Paan Patta and Kala Chana Chaat, a popular street food Chaat featuring betel leaves served with masala black chickpeas, mint chutney and tamarind chutney.

Karam Sethi: “For my family, and Punjabis more broadly, food has always been love and life. The sharing of food in abundance is an integral part of our culture, and distinctive from any other style of hospitality. Ambassadors Clubhouse will be built on the legacy of my family, showcasing our age-old recipes and visits to the region as children, while paying homage to my grandfather and his life.”

Drinks focus on tequila and mezcal blended with regional ingredients, while large-serves and a playful list of shots will bring a theatrical service style. Kingfisher Ultra beer is an exclusive addition to the list, with Ambassadors Clubhouse being the sole importer in the UK.

Elsewhere, Ambassadors Clubhouse is also home to three private dining rooms (The Raja Rani Room, The Tamasha Room and The Jungli Room) and a heated Verandah. It will also host AMBASSY: a late-night music programme featuring weekly resident DJs (from 10pm to 2am every Thursday to Saturday) and VIP DJ events.

Sukh Sokhal, Punjabi cultural curator, who will lead the programme comments: “AMBASSY will be joining London’s vast party landscape: providing a much-needed and previously unseen platform for Punjabi and South Asian artists to fuse the music of their heritage with trending UK genres. This fusion of music cultures, coupled with the food offering at Ambassadors Clubhouse, is unique to the London scene. A premium sound system from ‘L’Acoustics’ will ensure rich acoustics, pure sound and a hard-hitting bass to further elevate the late-night experience.”

VIP DJ events will be hosted from 28th September, featuring high-profile, international artists including DJ Yung Singh, with others to be revealed. Bookings will be available via the Ambassadors Clubhouse website.