Lawrence is getting a new Indian restaurant, and it’ll be located right across the street from downtown’s sole Indian eatery, India Palace.

Nav Chawla, a cook at Wichita’s Passage to India, and Kuldip Singh, a co-owner of that restaurant, have plans to open a sister concept of sorts in the former Mirth Cafe space at 947 New Hampshire St.

Their Bayleaf Indian Restaurant & Bar is set to open by Christmas, Chawla confirmed Wednesday. The new eatery will be about “99 percent similar” to Wichita’s Passage to India, which serves plenty of Indian staples like chicken tikka masala, curries and a bevy of vegetarian options.

“We were looking into something closer to Kansas City,” Chawla said. “After meeting with local people and being a smaller-town person, we liked the mentality and the small community here.”

Like its sister restaurant in Wichita, Bayleaf will serve lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday.