When Sharath Gudla moved from Hyderabad, India, to Daytona Beach to earn his master’s in aerospace engineering, he never dreamed he would become a restaurateur. His career took him to Savannah where he worked for Gulfstream Aerospace building private jets. In his spare time, Gudla and his wife Swethasri Maganti started a catering business at home and taught themselves how to cook for groups of 50 to 100 people. While pursuing their passion for Indian cuisine, the Gudlas traveled back to Hyderabad where they toured the kitchens of restaurants in the finest hotels, learning how to craft high-quality dishes.
Naan at Mount Pleasant
After a 13-year career as an engineer, Gudla left the job so that he could go all in on running a growing restaurant business full-time with his wife. From Savannah to Mount Pleasant, the Gudlas now operate six establishments, one of which is called Naan at Mount Pleasant, opened in October 2024. Gudla said that crowd pleasers include a unique salmon tikka masala, garlic chicken curry — which is not spicy but has a lot of flavor — and the signature spinach-stuffed paneer. All dishes and sauces are made in-house from scratch, using top-quality spices imported from Kerala in the southwest of India. Gudla recommended ordering family-style so that all guests at the table can experience a variety of flavors. He added that choosing the thali is a good way to sample three or four dishes.
While creating these delicious meals is of course a primary goal, Gudla said another priority was providing an aesthetically-pleasing environment for guests. Drawing inspiration from high-end restaurants in India, the Gudlas designed Naan’s posh interiors themselves.
To book a reservation, visit naanatmtpleasant.com.
Heavy’s Barburger
After nine years of serving in the Navy, John Haire went looking for a job that allowed him to work around his college class schedule. While waiting tables at Ruby Tuesday in Chesapeake, Virginia, Haire developed a passion for the food and beverage industry. Now 34 years later, he can’t imagine doing anything else than running his own restaurants, called Heavy’s Barburger.
The first location opened in downtown Charleston and he recently opened a second location on Daniel Island’s Island Park Drive. “I love getting to work with our diverse team from different social and economical backgrounds,” Haire said. “They all have their dreams, so if we can play a role, no matter how small or big, in helping them achieve them, we have done a good job.”
Named after Haire’s grandfather Herbert, who went by “Heavy,” the burger joint offers five burger options, a variety of five sandwiches, wings and salads. Haire said the crowd favorite is his wife’s “Company Salad,” tossed with fresh greens, avocado, diced tomatoes, toasted almonds, roasted corn, sweet dates and crumbled goat cheese. The full bar serves beer, wine and eight specialty drinks, including the signature “Shorty.” No reservations are required, as seating is first come, first served.
Haire added, “Charleston has treated us well. We try to give back to the community by serving good meals to great causes such as Neighbors Together and Charleston Promise (Neighborhood).”
View the full menu at heavysbarburger.com.
By Sarah Rose
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