During visits to the Vineyard in the summer, Babu Kognati noticed a lack of Indian food options. Eventually, he decided to do something about it.

On August 22, his new Indian restaurant, Indigo, opened in the former Sharky’s Cantina location on Upper Main street in Edgartown.

“People love Indian food and there’s nothing on the Island of this sort, so it’s always been in our book,” Mr. Kognati said.

Restaurant plans to be open year-round.

Ray Ewing

Restaurant plans to be open year-round.

Ray Ewing

Mr, Kognati is the co-owner of the restaurant, along with his partners at Rebel Foods Inc., which owns more than 20 restaurants off-Island including Madras Dosa Co. and Vaanga in Boston.

But opening a restaurant on the Island presented new challenges for the business.

“It’s a whole different ball game,” Mr. Kognati said. “It’s equal to opening like five [or] six restaurants in Boston because you need to figure out logistics.”

The restaurant has already become a popular spot for diners.

Opening day was August 22.

Ray Ewing

Opening day was August 22.

Ray Ewing

“The reception has been great,” Mr. Kognati said. “We’ve [had] our house full from day one. That shows how people [have been] waiting for this place to open.”

The head chef is Nikhil Naik, who previously cooked in London, and the menu includes many traditional Indian dishes, such as chicken tikka masala, lamb vindaloo and saag paneer. It also has fusion options, such as street-style noodles, burgers and tikka tots, tater tots or french fries paired with a creamy butter sauce, shredded cheese and pickled onions.

The restaurant’s cocktail menu pairs traditional spirits with spices like chaat masala, chai, cardamom and saffron.

Indigo was originally planned to open in May in time for the busy summer season, but it took longer than anticipated to get a liquor license and finish updating the building. Housing for staff was also an issue. Mr. Kognati said he reached out to Islanders who had expressed a desire for Indian food for help with finding rooms.

“I know we missed the season but we wanted to do it right,” he said.

Mr. Kognati added that the restaurant is committed to staying open year-round, and will adapt its menu during the colder months to include more comforting Indian food such as soup options and spicier curries.

“[People] want some place to eat, so we want to be that place for them,” he said.