Bringing Parveens to Govanhill
Parveen’s hosted some of their first ever dinner clubs in Southside’s MILK. Now Parveen’s is returning to the area after being based in Civic House, opening their own spot in Govanhill. Greater Govanhill spoke to the sisters behind Parveen’s, who shared more about their journey to secure a space and the crowdfunder that will support them to transform an old shop into a fully licensed restaurant and bar.
Fariya and Sahar the duo behind Parveen’s
Can you share a few sentences about Parveen and how it started?
The concept of Parveen’s grew from our love of cooking with our nano (gran), Suriya Parveen. We wanted to create a space where our Pakistani heritage could flourish alongside our Scottish identity, serving plant-based food that’s nourishing and imaginative, inspired by our nano.
We started out hosting dinner clubs at MILK and Sylvan to taking over the canteen at Civic House. Over the last five years we've welcomed thousands of hungry customers to sold out dinner clubs and our regular parties celebrating South Asian music and food, Nights at Parveen's.
We're now opening our own restaurant in Glasgow. We want to share our passion for cooking with friends, neighbours and people in the community we love. We’re transforming an old shop in Govanhill into a fully licensed restaurant and bar.
Why did Govanhill feel like the right place to move to after Civic House?
Govanhill feels like the right place to move after Civic House, as it is a diverse neighbourhood that chimes with both our Pakistani and Scottish identities. One of us has lived in Govanhill and the other very close, so it is home. It feels like the perfect place to celebrate our shared heritage, where a mix of people and cultures can come together over our imaginative dishes.
Yous have mentioned coming up against a lot of barriers to secure a space. Can you share a bit more about this and your experience as two South Asian women and how it felt that “bigger” names in the industry were being favoured?
We've been searching for a premises for over a year and we've faced many hurdles. It is becoming increasingly difficult for small independent businesses to start up, especially as two young Pakistani women. We faced sexism and racism with a previous landlord, who ultimately ended up giving the property to another business after we had paid for solicitors fees.
Can you share what you're most looking forward to and excited about?
It has always been our dream to have our very own neighbourhood spot. This is driven by a desire to connect with people in our community, and share our love for Pakistani food in a way that represents us. We love the earthy, bold flavours of Pakistan, and we find a lot of joy in balancing these with the diverse dishes we taste everyday in the Southside of Glasgow. We will also really enjoy having our very own kitchen after sharing our kitchen for the last 5 years!
What can people expect once yous have opened up?
People can expect a relaxed neighbourhood spot, which serves food inspired by Sunday afternoons at our nano’s eating aloo parathas and bowls of creamy channa masala, combined with the local Scottish produce we grew up eating. Expect a focus on seasonal produce and carefully curated drinks. There will also of course be fresh chai, coffee and a selection of home-made cakes and pastries.
It looks like the kickstarter has got off to a great start. Do you have a comment to add about how it's doing so far and the support you've received?
We have been overwhelmed with the response to the Kickstarter. Knowing so many people believe in us means a lot. We are over half way to our target, with 350 people backing it so far! The catch with a kickstarter campaign is that if we don't reach our target, we don't get any of the funds. With around 40 days left to go, we still need all the support we can get. If you can't back right now, please share the campaign with friends, family, or on social media.
Anything else you would like to share with readers?
We’re really confident in making our restaurant a success and we’re willing to pour everything we have into it. The only challenge is that the space needs planning permission and a complete refurbishment.
We will be working with local businesses to carry out all the renovations. Our first job will be to complete the necessary building works and obtain the correct licenses. Next, we'll fit the kitchen and bar, update the electrics, install proper plumbing, and then tile the entire space. Once we get these massive tasks done, we’re certain that we’ll be able to bring a lot of warmth, soul and style to the premises.
To make this happen, we really need help to raise funds towards our total costs. We’re aiming to crowdfund £40,000 and we are also taking out a start-up loan of £30,000 and putting in everything we have to ensure we’re in a strong position to open by late 2026.
Without the help of everyone who has supported Parveen’s, from our sold out supper clubs to popular parties and events, we’d never be in a position to set up our own place. Parveen’s is our livelihood and our passion, we want to see it grow and evolve. We appreciate that times are tough; any amount you can give will be a huge help. You can find a link to our kickstarter on our website and Instagram. There are lots of great rewards!
Find out more about the fundraiser here
