From student struggles and commercial cleaning to serving authentic street flavours and building a multi-sector business footprint
By the time Nirav Savaliya sat down for his evening lectures at AIS Auckland in 2014, he had already put in a full shift with a mop in hand. Across town, his brother Anand, who arrived in New Zealand in 2009 with a simple motto to work, study, and never say no to opportunity, was navigating his own relentless routine, clocking early morning hours on factory lines packing bread.
There were no shortcuts. No safety nets. Just two brothers in a foreign country, working from the absolute bottom up, holding tightly to a single shared belief: no honest work is ever beneath you. A decade later, that quiet resilience has bloomed into one of Auckland's most heartwarming culinary and entrepreneurial success stories.
Brothers in Business: Nirav Savaliya and Anand Patel standing proud—turning years of grassroots hard work into a thriving Auckland dining destination.
THE GROUND-LEVEL CLASSROOM
When Nirav first arrived in New Zealand in 2014, he carried the universal hopes of an international student: to advance his education and secure a future. He enrolled in Information Technology studies at AIS Auckland, diving headfirst into complex systems and coding. But tuition and living costs demanded immediate financial sacrifice. To bridge the gap, Nirav took on demanding commercial cleaning shifts late into the night.
Meanwhile, Anand was enduring his own physical trials across manual manufacturing, retail, hospitality, entertainment, and wholesale operations. Many might have viewed those jobs as temporary hindrances, but the brothers chose to see them as a masterclass in character and customer service.
"For us as Gujaratis, no work is small. When you spend your nights cleaning floors or packing products, it strips away your ego entirely. It teaches you discipline, humility, and a deep, instinctive respect for every single role in an enterprise." -NIRAV SAVALIYA
"Whether you are working a production line or sweeping a floor, you learn attention to detail. We learned early on that to manage a business tomorrow, you must respect the physical labor required today." -ANAND PATEL
BRINGING AHMEDABAD HOME
That ground-level discipline became the operational blueprint when the brothers turned their shared vision into reality. In October 2024, Nirav and Anand officially opened Honest Restaurant in New Lynn, establishing a flagship location dedicated entirely to a 100% vegetarian menu.
Honest History: The heritage of Honest Restaurant stretching back to street food carts in Ahmedabad in 1975, a rich legacy now carried forward in New Zealand.
Drawing directly from the iconic street food culture and traditional recipes of Ahmedabad—their ancestral home—the restaurant offered Aucklanders a true taste of home. From butter-laden Pav Bhaji and crispy Dosas to traditional Chaat and Indo-Chinese favorites, the menu struck an immediate chord with both the local South Asian diaspora and mainstream Kiwi food enthusiasts looking for authentic vegetarian flavours.
However, the secret to Honest Restaurant's rapid rise isn't just the food—it is the philosophy of hospitality that governs the dining room.
"Both credit the guidance and blessings of HDH Hari Prasad Swami Maharaj and HDH Prabodhswamiji Maharaj for shaping their journey. At the heart of that guidance is Atithi Devo Bhava- welcoming every customer as a form of God and serving everyone with respect and integrity."
THE JOURNEY AT A GLANCE
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2009 |
Early Arrival — Anand arrives in NZ, taking on factory, production, and line roles. |
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2014 |
Student Foundations — Nirav arrives in NZ; balances IT studies at AIS Auckland with commercial cleaning. |
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2014–2023 |
Operational Grit — Anand expands experience across retail, hospitality, wholesale, and entertainment. |
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Oct 2024 |
Flagship Launch — Honest Restaurant launches flagship 100% vegetarian location in New Lynn. |
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Nov 2026 |
Papakura Expansion — Opening a new Honest Restaurant location to serve the South Auckland community. |
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Present |
Diversification — Expanding multi-sector footprint leading ABP Import Ltd & A1 Travels. |
EXPANDING HORIZONS: BEYOND THE KITCHEN
While establishing a premier vegetarian restaurant in New Lynn marked a major milestone, the brothers' entrepreneurial vision extended far beyond the kitchen. Recognizing the expanding consumer demands of New Zealand's multicultural population, they branched out into international trade, logistics, travel, and supply-chain management.
ABP Import Limited: Building vital trade bridges between India and New Zealand, importing beloved household Indian snack brands and consumer goods, including Jalpooree, Balaji Wafers, FTA, and Davat Beverages, directly to retail shelves nationwide.
Strategic Trade Bridges: Balaji Wafers founder Chandubhai Virani (left) with Nirav Savaliya (right), representing the connection between India's snack brands and ABP Import Ltd in NZ.
A1 Travels: Managing a trusted travel and transport service that offers personal attention for travel and tour bookings, assisting families, corporate travelers, and visitors with flight bookings, holiday planning, and community connections.
PURPOSE BEYOND THE PLATE: ROOTED IN SEVA
Despite managing a growing portfolio of restaurants, import companies, and travel services, both brothers remain firmly anchored to their core values. For Nirav and Anand, commercial success holds little meaning if it is detached from community welfare.
Spiritual Blessings & Community Service: HDH Prabodh Swamiji Maharaj visiting and bestowing blessings upon Nirav Savaliya and Anand Patel for their dedicated seva, community welfare, and commitment to honesty through the Hari Prabodham Charitable Trust NZ.
Both remain deeply engaged in seva (selfless service to others), actively contributing their time and resources through the Hari Prabodham Charitable Trust NZ. Whether supporting youth initiatives, cultural preservation, or community welfare projects, the brothers ensure that their business growth directly benefits the society around them.
A NEW CHAPTER IN PAPAKURA & MESSAGE TO FUTURE DREAMERS
South Auckland is set to welcome Honest Restaurant in Papakura in November 2026. Building on their New Lynn success, Anand and Nirav look forward to bringing familiar Indian vegetarian flavours, warm hospitality, and community care closer to South Auckland families.
As they prepare for this next milestone, their journey serves as a beacon for international students and young workers across New Zealand facing their own mountains to climb.
Don't measure your worth by your first job. Cleaning floors or packing food teaches you patience, discipline, and respect. Master the task in front of you today, stay honest, and tomorrow will take care of itself." — NIRAV SAVALIYA
HONEST RESTAURANT
A 100% vegetarian dining destination inspired by Ahmedabad’s street-food heritage, with a growing presence in Auckland.