From the sanctuary of one kitchen, Stooley’s Bar & Grill serves both its char-broiled burgers and authentic Indian poori chana.
On May 17, 2017, Raj and Naman Chadra gave Kingston’s beloved Stooley’s a fresh lease on life, reimagining the space while keeping the nostalgic soul of the restaurant intact. While best known for its $10.99 burger and pint deal and $3.50 bar rail, the restaurant also runs the Indi-Go Indian Meals On The Go tiffin service, maximizing kitchen use and revenue. Launched in 2018 to meet student demand, the tiffin service operates alongside Stooley’s, with a staff of three students.
In India, a tiffin generally refers to a home-cooked meal, packed in containers and either prepared at home or delivered. Tiffin services typically run on a subscription basis.
“The best part about our tiffin meal plan service is it’s custom made, so you can choose whatever you want,” Raj said.
Stooley’s evolving flavour palette isn’t just appealing to current students. Alumni are loving it, too.
On a mild January weekend in Kingston, Joe Brean, ArtSci ’01, and former Editor in Chief of The Journal, joined fellow alumni on a much-anticipated venture to Stooley’s—only to find the restaurant locked upon arrival.
“We stood around for a minute, contemplating a bad Starbucks sandwich, and then the door opened. We explained ourselves to the owner, and he kindly invited us in, turned on the grill, and served us an unexpected and delicious lunch of parathis and samosas and daal, plus a club sandwich for old times sake,” Brean wrote to The Journal.
The Chadras have owned the Stooley’s name for eight years, taking over from founder Mike Tomlin, who launched the brand in 1985 after acquiring the former “Choice of Kings” restaurant. The father-son duo renovated the space during the quiet summer months and turned a profit in their first year. With experience in both the kitchen and front of house, the Chadras switch off roles to keep operations running smoothly.
Customers can drop in for freshly prepared Indian food at the restaurant on Saturdays and Sundays from 12 to 2 p.m. or enroll in the tiffin service by calling ahead, with pickup or delivery available after 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Sundays.
The tiffin service starts at $60 per week, offering five or 10 12 oz vegetarian bowls, available for pickup or delivery twice a week at $6 per bowl, each served with two rotis or a bowl of rice. A non-vegetarian option is available for $120 per week, featuring chicken, shrimp, short rib, lamb, or beef, at $12 per bowl.
The Chadra’s connection to serving Indian cuisine in the city started before the pandemic. In July 2019, Stooley’s began hosting a weekly dine-in “Indian Night” every Wednesday—a tradition that came to an abrupt halt in March 2020. Even as the world shut down, the Chadras were determined to keep the flavours of home alive for the community.
Raj’s journey to Kingston was a long one. He first left India for the United States in 1999, with his wife and son joining him later. After moving through three states and eventually settling in Augusta, Georgia, the family made the leap to Kingston in 2005.
In India, Raj trained in culinary arts. Naman completed the Culinary Management Diploma Program, Level Two Cook Apprenticeship Designation, at St. Lawrence College. After moving to Kingston, Raj took on the role of district manager for Circle K, overseeing operations from Kingston to Port Hope.
“In 2014, I left the job. We took another restaurant in Napanee, which we closed in 2019,” Raj said, fully committing his time to Stooley’s.
When the pandemic hit and students stayed home, the tiffin service struggled with fewer orders and a sharp drop in demand.
To keep the business running with a limited customer base, Stooley’s turned to their UberEats, DoorDash, and SkipTheDishes accounts, which they initially launched in February 2019. Raj said they dropped the apps in September 2022 when they stopped being profitable.
While their ever-familiar burgers-and-fries menu was available on the apps, they also introduced Indian food which was separate from their daily tiffin service. Though the tiffin service no longer runs daily, it was essential during what Naman described as “a hard time for anyone in the industry.”
While operating on third-party apps, the Chadras benefited from Ontario’s cap on third-party delivery fees, which boosted their profits by limiting the apps’ profit cuts during indoor dining bans. Before the cap, if you made $100, about 30 per cent was your margin, Raj said.
Looking ahead, the Chadras plan to renovate the restaurant and are exploring investment opportunities, potentially through a joint venture, to fund a second Stooley’s location.
“We always want to expand, but we never want to close this location again,” Raj said. If a larger, high-visibility space becomes available, they plan to open a second branch—ideally within walking distance of their current location at 118 Division St., either on Princess St. or in Downtown Kingston.
“There’s a lot of name value with this location in particular,” Naman said. “Alumni have fond memories of this restaurant, back in the day, when they were students […] they say this place is just the same old place. It’s been touched up, but it’s the same place, and it feels great.”
For Brean, Stooley’s was an institution at the turn of the millennium, like it had been there forever.
Big, chunky fries, almost like British chips, were a favourite of his, though they’re no longer served with the light dusting of chicken soup powder.
“It was magic. It cost next to nothing, and the memory lasts 25 years,” Brean said.
Tags
indian food, small businesses, Stooley's, tiffin, University District
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