Mango Tree — Monty’s First Indian Restaurant

By Barbara A. Preston | Posted March 2, 2025

Montgomery resident Prasanna Rajagopal got his first taste of restaurant work at a Dunkin’ Donuts in Ridgewood. He had moved from Madras [now Chennai], India to the U.S. in 2003 to earn his master’s degree in telecommunications at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken.

Prasanna Rajagopal, owner of The Mango Tree, lives in Montgomery.

“During that time, I worked from 5 am to 2 pm making coffee in big urns to support myself, and I baked the bagels at Dunkin’,” he told The Montgomery News. In the afternoon, he would go to the library, then attend his classes. This was his daily routine for two years. “I knew all my customers by name,” he said. “I knew what kind of coffee they liked, how many sugars, cream or not. I had it ready for them when they walked in through door.”

Once he graduated, he got a job as a business analyst with Marsh McLennen Companies working with Interactive Voice Response Systems and later with Verizon as an associate director of Voice Conversation AI Platform.

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In 2017, he and his wife Rudha moved to Montgomery Township with their children, Shashank, now in grade 11, and Chinmae, grade 4. He noticed that Montgomery had a large South Asian population, but no Indian restaurants. And, he missed working in the restaurant business. He decided to take a chance, and build one from the ground up. He found a partner — Geeta Desai — and together they serve authentic Indian food. The restaurant is usually full, which is a very good sign.

Born and raised in Gujarat, India, Geeta Desai grew up surrounded by the rich aromas of spices. She learned the art of traditional Gujarati cooking from her grandmother, mastering dishes like dhokla, Chaats, and undhiyu. Her passion for food followed her as she moved to the United States. Starting with small catering gigs, she soon gained a reputation for bringing authentic Gujarati flavors to a wider audience. The Indian tiffin, her first venture, continues strong, 14 years in, serving daily tiffin menu to the Jersey City area. With determination and love for her craft, she along with Prasanna, opened The Mango Tree, where she now serves a mix of classic recipes and modern fusion dishes, keeping the essence of Gujarat alive in every bite.

The Mango Tree

Open 7 Days a Week (also offers catering)

2311 Route 206, Belle Mead

mangotreemonty.com

908.829.3160