122 editor-picked indian restaurants across 46 cities.
Indian cuisine is not one cuisine but a vast confederation of regional, religious, and community kitchens stretched across a subcontinent the size of Europe. The conventional split is North vs South, but underneath that lies Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Goan, Kashmiri, Maharashtrian, Tamil, Keralan, Hyderabadi, Awadhi, Sindhi, Rajasthani, Chettinad, and dozens more, each with its own techniques, ingredients, and history. The unifying grammar is the use of whole and ground spices (masala), the dal-rice-roti backbone, and the daily reconciliation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian options driven by Hindu, Muslim, Jain, and Buddhist traditions.
The Indian masala (spice blend) tradition is the deepest in the world. A typical kitchen runs 15 to 30 spices, used whole, dry-roasted and ground, fresh-ground, tempered in hot oil (tadka), or built into wet masala pastes. Garam masala is not a single blend; every region, every community, and many families have their own version. The Indian use of asafetida (hing), curry leaf, mustard seed, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, turmeric, and dried red chile has spread into the cuisines of Southeast Asia, the Middle East, East Africa, and the Caribbean over centuries of trade and emigration.
Vegetarianism is the largest dietary tradition in India. Roughly 30 to 40 percent of Indians eat no meat; vegetarian regional cuisines (Gujarati, Marwari, Tamil Brahmin, Jain) are deeply developed and often considered the most refined in their respective traditions. Indian cuisine has the deepest vegetarian repertoire of any major world cuisine, and the divide between vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes is structural, not a side option.
Wheat country. Roti, naan, paratha, tandoori clay-oven cooking, dairy-rich gravies (butter chicken, dal makhani, paneer dishes), meat curries with yogurt and cream. Mughlai influence: biryani, kebab, korma. The dominant Indian cuisine abroad.
Rice country. Dosa, idli, sambar, rasam, coconut-based curries, curry leaves, mustard seed tempering, tamarind. Kerala fish curry, Tamil Brahmin vegetarian, Andhra chile heat, Karnataka filter coffee. The other half of India.
Fish and rice. Freshwater fish (hilsa, rohu) in mustard sauces, pancha phoron (five-spice blend), the deep mishti (sweet) tradition (rasgulla, sandesh, mishti doi). Influenced by the British Raj presence in Calcutta and the Bangladesh shared tradition.
The Portuguese legacy. Vinegar-based curries, vindaloo (originally Portuguese carne de vinha d'alhos), chorizo sausage, pork sorpotel, prawn balchao, sannas (rice steamed cakes). The only Indian cuisine that systematically uses pork.
Vegetarian strongholds. Gujarati thali (a balanced platter with multiple small dishes, sweet-savory-spicy), dhokla, theplas, undhiyu. Rajasthan adds aggressive desert cooking: dal baati, gatta curry, laal maas. Jain cuisine (no root vegetables, no garlic, no onion) emerges from this region.
The deepest biryani tradition. Hyderabadi dum biryani, haleem, mirchi ka salan, double ka meetha. Persian-Mughal-Telugu fusion that crystallized under the Nizams.
At an Indian restaurant, order across categories: one curry or two (one meat, one vegetable), one dal, one rice (plain basmati or biryani), one bread (naan, roti, paratha), one raita or yogurt-based side, and pickles (achaar). The traditional way to eat is with the right hand using bread to scoop or rice between fingers; cutlery is acceptable everywhere. At a South Indian restaurant, dosa and idli are breakfast/lunch items; the dinner menu shifts to curries and biryani. Specify spice tolerance honestly; Indian 'medium' can be Western 'very hot'. The order arrives all at once, not in courses; everything is shared. Tap water is usually OK in upscale restaurants but bottled is safer for short-term visitors. Tipping is 10% in cities, less in smaller towns. The rookie mistakes are using the left hand for eating (left hand is reserved for hygiene; eat with the right), drowning everything in raita (raita is a balance side, not a sauce), and treating 'curry' as one dish (curry is a Western umbrella term for dozens of distinct sauce categories: korma, qorma, masala, gravy, jhol, kari, sabzi).
Beer is the default Indian pair: Kingfisher, Bira, Tuborg in India, plus the rising craft scene. Indian whisky is the most-consumed whisky in the world by volume (Amrut and Paul John are the artisanal high-end). Lassi (sweetened or salted yogurt drink) is the classic non-alcoholic pair, especially with biryani and rich curries. Mango lassi for tourists. Masala chai is the everyday hot drink; filter coffee is the South Indian alternative. Wine pairing is challenging because of the spice level; off-dry Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and rosé handle Indian food better than tannic reds.
Delhi for Mughlai and Punjabi (Karim's, Bukhara, Indian Accent for modern); Mumbai for the broadest urban variety and the seaside Konkan cuisine; Kolkata for Bengali; Chennai for Tamil and South Indian; Bangalore for Karnataka and the modern fine-dining scene (Karavalli, ITC Royal Vega); Hyderabad for biryani; Lucknow for Awadhi; Amritsar for Punjabi; Goa for Portuguese-influenced. Outside India, London (the deepest Indian food culture outside Asia: Gymkhana, Trishna, Dishoom, BiBi), Birmingham (the balti birthplace), Toronto, New York (Jersey City's Little India and the modern Manhattan scene with Indian Accent NY, Junoon), San Francisco, and Sydney all hold serious Indian kitchens.
Indian cuisine descends from prehistoric Indus Valley agriculture (wheat, barley, rice, pulses), enriched by 4000+ years of spice cultivation and trade. The Mughal period (1526-1857) added Persian and Central Asian influences (biryani, kebab, korma, naan). The Portuguese (1498-) introduced chiles, potatoes, tomatoes, and cashews. The British Raj (1858-1947) created the Anglo-Indian hybrid cuisine. Post-independence migration globalized regional Indian cooking, with the South Indian, Punjabi, and Bengali traditions spreading separately to the diaspora.
No. Many regional traditions are mildly seasoned: Gujarati, Tamil Brahmin, Bengali, and Awadhi cuisines are often only lightly spiced. The Indian-British curry tradition popularized the idea of universally hot Indian food, but the cuisine's actual range goes from very mild to extremely hot.
Curry is a Western umbrella term (from Tamil 'kari', meaning sauce). Inside Indian cuisine, the categories are distinct: korma (yogurt-cream gravy), masala (spice-tomato-onion base), jhol (light watery gravy), saag (greens-based), kari (the south Indian curry-leaf-coconut sauce). Each region uses its own terminology.
Vegetarianism has deep religious roots in India (Hindu, Jain, Buddhist) and many restaurants are vegetarian by design rather than as an accommodation. A 'pure vegetarian' (shudh shakahari) restaurant will also avoid eggs, sometimes garlic and onion. Gujarati and Marwari restaurants are commonly vegetarian, as are South Indian Brahmin restaurants.
Pueblo Harvest Cafe at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center on 12th Street in Albuquerque is the only modern Pueblo Indian restaurant, missed by museum skippers.
Why locals love it: Inside the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center museum, missed by most visitors but the only modern Pueblo Indian restaurant in the city.
Tip: Visit at lunch when the Pueblo dancing performances run on the courtyard, then order the buffalo posole and Indian taco.
Bombay Deluxe is the oldest Indian restaurant in Anchorage, established 2006 in midtown. Chicken tikka masala, palak paneer and tandoori are the order.
Signature: Chicken tikka masala, Palak paneer
Bombay Deluxe has been the Anchorage Indian benchmark since 2006, with chicken tikka masala, garlic naan, palak paneer, kababs and a deep vegetarian section.
Meherwan Irani's Chai Pani opened in 2009 and won the 2022 James Beard Outstanding Restaurant award. Moved May 2024 to 32 Banks Ave on the South Slope.
Signature: Sloppy Jai, Kale pakoras, Bhel puri
Order: The Sloppy Jai (Indian sloppy joe with a Punjabi spice mix), plus a plate of kale pakoras.
Tip: Walk-in lunches Mon-Fri are fastest; weekend dinners get a 60-90 minute wait without a reservation.
Meherwan Irani's Chai Pani won the 2022 James Beard Outstanding Restaurant award. Moved May 2024 to 32 Banks Ave (South Slope). Indian street snacks, thalis.
Signature: Sloppy Jai, Kale pakoras, Bhel puri
Order: The Sloppy Jai (Indian sloppy joe with Punjabi spice) and a plate of kale pakoras.
Tip: Walk-in lunches Mon-Fri are fastest; weekend dinners run 60-90 minutes without a reservation.
Meherwan Irani's Chai Pani lays out a snack menu starting under $7 from its 32 Banks Ave South Slope home (moved 2024).
Try: Indian street snacks, chaat
Tip: Lunchtime walk-in moves fastest. Order three small snacks for under $20; skip the thalis if you're keeping it cheap.
Haoma in Bangkok's Sukhumvit 31 is Chef Deepanker 'DK' Khosla's zero-waste modern-Indian room with an urban garden, one Michelin star and a Green Star.
Signature: Garden-to-table tasting, Aged tandoor courses, Fermented dosa
Order: The garden-to-table tasting menu; the tandoor course and the fermented dosa are the canonical sections.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Garden tables seat six to eight and need 30 days' notice; counter tables go quicker.
Gaggan Anand in Bangkok's Sukhumvit 31 is the eponymous Indian chef's progressive 25-course emoji-menu counter, Asia's 50 Best No. 1 in 2025 (No. 3 in 2026).
Tip: Two seatings nightly, counter only, Thursday to Sunday. Bookings open 60 days ahead at 10:00 ICT and fill within minutes.
Haoma in Bangkok's Sukhumvit 31 is Chef DK Khosla's zero-waste modern Indian tasting room with an urban garden, one Michelin star and a Green Star.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Garden tables seat six to eight with 30 days' notice; counter tables turn faster.
Michelin Guide counter-service chaat: papdi chaat, pani puri, samosas, bhel puri and dahi puri. Counter order, token system. Under $15 for a full lunch.
Curry 36 on Mehringdamm is Berlin's most dependable late-night Imbiss, open until 05:00 every day. Located in Kreuzberg. Booking recommended.
Try: Currywurst
Curry 36 on Mehringdamm has served Berlin's most consistent currywurst since 1980 at prices that have barely shifted relative to inflation. At Mehringdamm 36.
Try: Currywurst with pommes
Garlic n Greens on Vlamingstraat in Bruges is a fully vegetarian and vegan Indian kitchen near the Markt, serving thalis, tofu tikka masala and dals at fair.
Try: Vegan Indian thali lunch
Tip: Lunch specials run around 17 to 19 euro, a full sit-down vegan plate. Closed Monday; lunch service noon to 15:00.
Jack of Cups in Folly Beach runs a seasonally evolving Center Street menu of Asian and Indian inspired comfort food. Located in James Island.
Try: Globally inspired comfort food, Asian and Indian flavored plates
Tip: Closed Tuesdays. Vegetarian and vegan options run alongside the omnivore menu; sidewalk seats out front, courtyard in back.
Joya's Cafe on High Street in Old Worthington is Chef Avishar Barua's Bengali American Columbus daytime room, named for his mother Joya, since 2022.
Signature: Bengali breakfast plates, Chai with house pastries
Order: The Bengali breakfast plate and a cardamom chai off the tea list.
Tip: Barua was a 2024 James Beard Best Chef Great Lakes semifinalist; weekday mornings move faster than weekend brunch.
Joya's Cafe on High Street in Old Worthington is Avishar Barua's Bengali American daytime room, named for his mother, with a chai and coffee program.
Signature: Bengali breakfast plate, House chai
Order: The Bengali breakfast plate with a cardamom chai.
Tip: Barua was a 2024 James Beard Best Chef Great Lakes semifinalist; weekday mornings are faster.
Halal Indian restaurant on MacCurtain Street since 1999 with full menu until closing. Open until 01:00 most nights and until 03:15 on Friday and Saturday.
Cork's long-running halal Indian on MacCurtain Street, open since 1999, with a kitchen that runs until 3am at weekends. The biryani is the dish that has kept.
Signature: Lamb biryani, Butter chicken, Vegetarian thali
Cork's long-running halal Indian on MacCurtain Street, open evenings from 17:00 with a late kitchen running to 01:00 or 03:15 at weekends. Since 1999.
Order: Lamb biryani; the kitchen's anchor dish for over two decades.
Tip: Closes early on Mondays and Tuesdays compared to weekend hours; call ahead for late-night visit.
Dallas's longest-running vegetarian restaurant, set inside a Hare Krishna temple in East Dallas. Located in Lakewood. Kitchen leans indian vegetarian.
Order: Daily Indian vegetarian buffet: fresh dals, sabzis, house-made chutneys, rice.
Tip: The garden is the most peaceful meal in Dallas. The buffet changes daily. Call ahead if you want to know what is being made that day.
Hare Krishna temple restaurant and bakery in East Dallas serving vegetarian Indian buffets alongside freshly baked sweets including barfi, halwa.
Order: Buffet lunch with barfi dessert; fresh-made laddu; sesame halwa
Tip: Buffet only during lunch service; priced per pound. No meat, no eggs, no onion, no garlic. A serene garden patio on the temple grounds adds to the experience.
Pay-by-weight Indian vegetarian buffet at the Hare Krishna temple in East Dallas. A full plate of dal, rice, sabzi, and dessert costs around $10-12.
Order: Dal makhani; seasonal sabzi; rice; barfi dessert
Tip: Priced by weight on the plate. A full meal costs $10-12. The garden patio seating is free with your meal purchase.
Pickle on Camden Street in Dublin, Sunil Ghai's modern Indian dining room running North Indian classics on Irish produce since 2015, tandoor-forward.
Signature: Lamb karahi, Black daal, Tandoori monkfish
Order: Lamb karahi, black daal, naan straight from the tandoor, and a glass of off-dry Riesling.
Tip: Tuesday to Sunday dinner; lunch Friday to Sunday only. Sit at the kitchen counter to watch the tandoor.
The Edinburgh outpost of London's Bombay-Irani cafe chain on St Andrew Square, opened in 2016, a 200-cover all-day room in the old Bank of Scotland HQ.
Signature: Bacon naan roll, House black daal
Order: The bacon naan roll for breakfast and the 24-hour house black daal at any other meal.
Tip: No dinner bookings under six; walk in from 17:30 and the wait is 30 to 60 minutes. Drinks at the basement bar while you wait.
The Edinburgh outpost of the London Bombay-Irani cafe on St Andrew Square in Edinburgh, opened in 2016, a 200-cover all-day room in the former Bank.
Order: Bacon naan roll at breakfast, house black daal at any other time.
Tip: No dinner bookings under six; walk in from 17:30 and wait 30 to 60 minutes. Basement bar pours while you queue.
Mosque Kitchen on Nicolson Square in Edinburgh, serving halal Pakistani and Indian curry, rice and naan at prices barely changed since the 1980s, cash only.
Try: Lamb curry with rice and naan
Tip: Peak lunchtime queue moves fast. Order the lamb curry with a naan and bring cash for speed.
Giovannis on Dominick Street Galway is the late-night chipper open until 3am; single cod and curry sauce have fed the West End crowd for three generations.
Try: Battered fish, chips and garlic bread
Ranjit's Kitchen is a family-run Punjabi vegetarian counter in Glasgow's Southside, serving fresh, meat-free thalis and samosas for under a tenner.
Signature: Punjabi thali, Samosa chaat
Order: The thali of the day, whatever the family has cooked fresh that morning.
Tip: It is cash-only with a handful of tables; takeaway is the reliable option when the room is full.
Ranjit's Kitchen serves fresh Punjabi vegetarian thalis for under a tenner in Glasgow's Southside, one of the city's best-value plates from a family kitchen.
Try: Punjabi vegetarian thali
Tip: It is cash-only with a handful of tables; takeaway is the reliable option at busy times.
Mother India has served home-style Indian cooking in Glasgow's West End since 1990, a warren of small rooms famous for its sharing plates and slow-cooked dal.
Signature: Sharing thali, Lamb karahi
Order: Build a table of small dishes to share; the aubergine and the karahi lamb are long-time regulars' picks.
Tip: The tapas-style spin-off, Mother India's Cafe on Argyle Street, is the cheaper way to eat the same kitchen's cooking.
Baba's Kitchen is Saigon's best-known Indian restaurant, a Bui Vien mainstay for North and South Indian curries, tandoor grills and thali plates.
Signature: Butter chicken, Biryani, Thali
Order: The butter chicken with garlic naan, or a South Indian thali.
Tip: It is on the backpacker strip; the thali is the value order and the kitchen does mild-to-fiery on request.
Chaat at Rosewood Hong Kong holds one Michelin star under chef de cuisine Manav Tuli, plating elevated Indian street snacks and Hyderabadi biryani inside.
Signature: Pani puri tasting, Pav bhaji with brioche, Hyderabadi lamb biryani
Order: Pav bhaji with house brioche and the pani puri trolley.
Tip: The Sunday tiffin brunch lays out the full pani puri trolley; book two weeks ahead.
New Punjab Club on Wyndham Street is a one Michelin star Punjabi grill house, with tandoor cooking over charcoal and Black Sheep's signature mid century.
Signature: Tandoori lamb chops, Butter chicken with garlic naan, Pindi chana masala
Order: Tandoori lamb chops marinated overnight.
Tip: Order the tandoori platter first; the chef cooks lamb chops, paneer and naan in a sequence over a single coal bed.
Himalaya in Houston is Kaiser Lashkari's Pakistani-and-Indian room on the Southwest Freeway since 2004, a James Beard semifinalist kitchen with lamb biryani.
Signature: Lamb biryani, Hunter's beef
Order: Lamb biryani, hunter's beef, chai-glazed lamb chops, garlic naan.
Tip: Weekday lunch buffet is the value entry. BYOB, with a corner liquor store across Hillcroft.
Himalaya Restaurant in Houston is Kaiser Lashkari's Pakistani-and-Indian room on the Southwest Freeway since 2004, with lamb biryani, hunter's beef.
Signature: Lamb biryani, Hunter's beef
Order: Lamb biryani (slow-cooked dum style), hunter's beef and one of the chai-glazed lamb chops.
Tip: Lunch buffet runs weekdays and is the value entry. BYOB; the corner liquor store across Hillcroft is the run.
London Sizzler in Houston is the British-Indian-Pakistani room in the Olympic Center on the Southwest Freeway, with mixed-grill sizzlers, tandoori lamb chops.
Signature: Mixed grill sizzler, Tandoori lamb chops
Order: Mixed-grill sizzler for two. Tandoori lamb chops. A sweet lassi.
Tip: Kitchen runs late on weekends, to 11pm. Closed Mondays Walk-ins usually OK.
Amara in Carmel runs modern South Asian out of an open kitchen, with tandoor-cooked lamb and chef-driven dal. One of the city's best Indian dining rooms.
Signature: Lamb biryani, Dal makhani
Order: The lamb biryani, the dal makhani, garlic naan.
Tip: Closed Monday. Reservations for dinner; lunch is walk-in friendly.
Sitar Indian Cuisine on Kingston Pike in Bearden, the long-running Indian buffet and dinner room, anchors West Knoxville's daily curry program.
Signature: Lunch buffet, Chicken tikka masala
Order: The weekday lunch buffet, or chicken tikka masala with garlic naan at dinner.
Tip: Weekday lunch buffet runs 11:00-14:30; dinner reservations rarely needed except Friday and Saturday.
Sitar Indian Cuisine on Kingston Pike, the long-running Bearden Indian dining room and buffet, runs chicken tikka masala and a daily lunch buffet for West.
Signature: Lunch buffet, Chicken tikka masala
Order: The weekday lunch buffet, or chicken tikka masala with garlic naan at dinner.
Tip: Weekday buffet runs 11:00-14:30; dinner reservations rarely needed except Friday and Saturday.
Karam Sethi's Albemarle Street Indian dining room in Mayfair London, opened 2013 and Michelin two-starred since 2024, modelled on a colonial-club room.
Signature: Kid goat methi keema, Tandoori guinea fowl
Order: Kid goat methi keema with sesame naan, plus whatever wild-game tandoori cut is being grilled that night.
Tip: The basement bar serves the same kitchen as a la carte without the tasting menu lock-in. Book a fortnight out.
Karam Sethi's Blandford Street Indian coastal restaurant in Marylebone London, opened 2008 and Michelin-starred, focused on Konkan and Mangalorean fish.
Signature: Brown crab Goan curry, Hariyali bream
Order: Brown crab Goan curry, hariyali bream and a glass of riesling from the all-aromatic list.
Tip: The tasting menu is the best route in, but a la carte stays open at lunch and books a week ahead.
Tayyabs Punjabi grill on Fieldgate Street in Whitechapel London, opened 1972, runs charcoal-grilled lamb chops at £12 and karahi gosht at £15.
Try: Pakistani charcoal grill (lamb chops, karahi)
Tip: BYOB; bring beer or wine from the off-licence on Whitechapel Road, no corkage. Closed Mondays. Queue runs 30-60 minutes on weekend evenings.
Camphor in the Arts District, Los Angeles is Lijo and Max's French-Indian tasting room, with a Michelin star awarded in 2023 and bar seats walk-in available.
Why locals love it: A French-Indian room in the Arts District from chefs Lijo and Max who quietly earned a Michelin star in 2023, still books in two days.
Tip: The bar serves the full menu walk-in; sit there if the dining room is booked, the pours are the same.
Family-run Indian cafe since 1984, on Soap Street behind the Arndale. The original rice-and-three counter, served canteen-style, still under ten pounds.
Signature: Rice and three curry, Chana masala
Order: Rice and three curry: pilau plus chana, saag and a meat curry.
Tip: Open 12:00-19:00 weekdays; takeaway queue moves fast at lunch.
Manchester's original rice-and-three canteen on Soap Street since 1984. The Northern Quarter late-night pre-bar fuel until 19:00 daily, under ten pounds.
Try: Rice and three curry
Manchester's original rice-and-three canteen on Soap Street since 1984. Pilau plus three curries from the heated counter, under a tenner for the lot.
Try: Rice and three curry
Ghee Indian Kitchen in Miami's Design District is Niven Patel's farm-driven Indian room at 3620 NE 2nd Avenue, with produce from his Homestead farm Rancho.
Signature: Goat biryani, Tandoori prawns, Saag paneer
Order: The goat biryani and the kachumber salad with the garden's late-summer tomatoes.
Tip: Sunday family-style menus run at half the a la carte price and feed two with leftovers.
Ghee Indian Kitchen in Miami's Design District is Niven Patel's farm-driven Indian room at 3620 NE 2nd Avenue, with produce from his Homestead farm Rancho.
Signature: Goat biryani, Tandoori prawns, Saag paneer
Order: The goat biryani and the kachumber salad with the garden's late-summer tomatoes.
Tip: Sunday family-style menus run at half the a la carte price and feed two with leftovers.
Bombay Mahal is Parc-Extension's cheapest serious feast in Montreal, a BYOB canteen where fiery curries and thalis stay well under twenty dollars a head.
Try: Indian thali
Tip: Bring your own beer from the depanneur and split several curries; the bill stays tiny even when you overorder.
Bombay Mahal is the roaring BYOB Indian canteen of Parc-Extension in Montreal, plating fiery South Asian classics to crowds who bring their own beer.
Order: The butter chicken and a plate of pani puri, with a bottle you brought.
Tip: It is bring-your-own-wine and cash-friendly; grab beer from the depanneur next door first.
Why locals love it: A fluorescent-lit Parc-Extension BYOB canteen that serious eaters cross the city for, invisible to visitors who never leave the downtown core.
Tip: Bring beer from the depanneur next door and order broadly; the bill stays tiny even for a feast.
Bohri Mohalla Kebab Lane is a bohri street food room in Mohammed Ali Road. Smoked mutton with kheema pav is the order; Ramadan iftar is busiest.
Why locals love it: Bohri Mohalla sits off the main Mohammed Ali Road; the kebab lane only fires up at sundown and stays for the Dawoodi Bohra community first.
Tip: Smoked mutton with kheema pav is the order; Ramadan iftar is busiest.
Khyber on MG Road has been a Mumbai Mughlai institution since 1958. The murals run the length of the room and the raan still arrives at the table on a board.
Signature: Raan, Kabab e khas, Murgh malai kabab
Order: The raan for two with mint chutney.
Tip: Lunch sees less wait than dinner; book the upstairs section for groups.
Swati Snacks in Tardeo has run the family-style Gujarati menu for three generations. Panki on banana leaves, faraali pattice and seasonal aamras-puri.
Signature: Panki, Faraali pattice, Aamras with puri (in season)
Order: Panki on banana leaves and a faraali pattice.
Tip: Aamras season runs March to May; that is the time to make the booking.
Kinaara serves Kerala-influenced Indian cooking in Regency with a halal-certified kitchen, wagyu beef preparations, and an extensive plant-based menu.
Kinaara in a West Omaha strip mall is invisible without a local tip, with biryani and butter chicken ranked among Nebraska's best South Asian dishes.
Why locals love it: A strip-mall location in West Omaha with no connection to the downtown food-tourism trail makes it invisible to visitors without a local recommendation.
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Reva Modern Indian in East Liberty serves contemporary regional Indian cooking in Pittsburgh. A bright room plating tandoor dishes and chef-led curries.
Signature: Tandoor plates, Regional curries
Order: A tandoor plate to share and a regional curry off the chef's list.
Tip: More modern than the city's older Indian rooms. Good for groups; reserve at weekends.
Troy MacLarty's spice-loud Indian street-food canteen on NE Alberta in Portland, modelled on the chaat stalls of Mumbai and Hyderabad since 2012.
Signature: Vada pav, Kati roll
Order: The vada pav with green chutney
Tip: Counter order, table service. The Division Street outpost has closed; Alberta is the original room.
Mendi on Avenida da Boavista in Porto has run a tandoor-led Indian kitchen since 1997, with murgh makhani, kadi pakoda and a long vegetarian half of the menu.
Signature: Murgh makhani, Tandoori platter
Order: Murgh makhani with garlic naan and a vegetable kadi pakoda starter.
Tip: Closed Sundays. Lunch and dinner; reserve on weekends and ask for a wall-side table away from the entrance.
Taj India in Poznań is the city's longest-running Indian restaurant, with tandoor breads from a real clay oven, a long regional curry list and a vegetarian.
Signature: Tikka masala, Dal makhani, Naan z czosnkiem
Order: Dal makhani with garlic naan.
Tip: The lunch buffet is the best-value way in; under 50 $ for eight or nine curries plus breads.
Taj India in Poznań is the city's longest-running Indian room with over 17 years of tradition, with tandoor breads from a clay oven, a long regional curry.
Signature: Tikka masala, Dal makhani, Lunch buffet
Order: The 50 $ lunch buffet on weekdays for the broadest tasting.
Tip: The dinner mains run pricier; the lunch buffet is the better-value entry point for first-time visitors.
Beas Vegetarian Dhaba is the Vinohrady branch of a Prague vegetarian Indian counter where you fill a plate cafeteria-style and pay by weight.
Signature: Daily thali, Dahl
Order: A loaded thali with three curries and rice.
Indian street food at Transfer Co. Food Hall: chaat, samosas, and biryanis. The most distinctive flavour profile in the building; chaat is well-spiced.
Try: Indian street food: chaat, samosas, biryani
Austur-Indiafjelagid has cooked regional Indian food with Icelandic produce on Hverfisgata since 1994, the Grapevine's repeat pick for Reykjavik's best.
Signature: Tandoori salmon, Regional curries
Order: The tandoori salmon, the dish that bridges Icelandic fish and a Delhi tandoor.
Tip: Reykjavik's oldest Indian kitchen and a repeat Best of Reykjavik winner. Dinner only, book a table.
Hradlestin on Hverfisgata makes Chennai-style dosas and Punjabi bhatura in Reykjavik, the Grapevine's pick for best brunch and a rare South Indian kitchen.
Signature: Masala dosa, Bhatura
Order: A crisp masala dosa, or the bhatura with kheema for something richer.
Tip: The fast-casual sibling of a longer-running Indian kitchen. Brunch is the meal worth booking.
Hradlestin on Hverfisgata serves fast, affordable South Indian dosas and bhatura, a budget-friendly Reykjavik option the Grapevine rates for value.
Try: Masala dosa
Tip: A masala dosa is a big, cheap plate. One of the better-value sit-down meals downtown.
Sunny Baweja's Lehja runs upscale modern Indian at Short Pump. Two-time James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic; tandoor-driven menu.
Signature: Tandoori dishes, Lamb biryani, Chef's tasting
Lehja at Short Pump in Richmond is Sunny Baweja's upscale Indian room, a two-time James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic with a tandoor menu.
Thali of India on South Winton Road in Rochester serves Indian cuisine with a daily lunch buffet, named Best Indian Restaurant in Best of Rochester 2025.
Signature: Lunch buffet, Chicken tikka masala, Lamb curry
Order: The lunch buffet, which rotates daily across North and South Indian preparations.
Tip: Buffet runs until 14:00 daily. Monday evening buffet is a good value. Takeout available.
Thali of India on South Winton Rd is the city's most-recognized Indian kitchen, named Best Indian Restaurant in Best of Rochester 2025 with a daily buffet.
Signature: Lunch buffet, Lamb biryani, Chicken tikka masala
Order: The lunch buffet for variety, or lamb biryani for single dishes.
Tip: Monday evening buffet a good value. Takeout available by phone. No reservations needed for lunch.
Thali of India on South Winton Rd serves a lunch buffet daily for $13-$15 per person, covering 8 or more Indian dishes from dals to biryani.
Tip: Lunch buffet runs daily until 14:00. One of the best-value meals in the Rochester metro. The full buffet includes samosas, soup, rice, and fresh-baked naan.
An Indian and Pakistani buffet restaurant on Schiedamseweg in Delfshaven serving biryani, curries, and fresh naan. Located in Rotterdam West.
Order: The all-you-can-eat buffet at 24.50 euros per person.
Tip: The buffet is refilled fresh at 12:00 and 18:00; arrive at either time for the best selection.
Chef Pramod Paddy Rawal, a 2016 Chopped competitor and 2020 Beat Bobby Flay winner, opened Tulsi in late 2024 with Indian and Southeast Asian plates.
Signature: Chicken tikka masala, Rajasthani laal maas, Tandoori naan
Singapore's most famous murtabak restaurant since 1908. A century of craft in the crisp, generously filled murtabak; mutton biryani runs close.
Signature: Murtabak, Nasi biryani, Roti prata
Order: The mutton murtabak: pan-fried flatbread stuffed with minced meat, egg, and onion, served with curry sauce
Tip: Order the murtabak for two even for a solo visit; the single portion is generous and the double is enormous.
Tip: Open daily 7am to 11pm. Walk-in only. Arrive outside peak lunch and dinner windows (1.30pm to 6pm) for shorter waits.
Kolkata Social is bengali street-food cafe on king street, newtown, sydney that the inner-west missed for two years before the food press caught up.
Why locals love it: Bengali street-food cafe on King Street, Newtown, Sydney that the inner-west missed for two years before the food press caught up.
Tip: Order the kati roll and the kosha mangsho; it's a tight kitchen, takeaway moves faster.
Gorkhali Kitchen is strip-mall nepalese kitchen in new tampa with a michelin bib gourmand and a thali platter that the soho restaurant lists overlook.
Why locals love it: Strip-mall Nepalese kitchen in New Tampa with a Michelin Bib Gourmand and a thali platter that the SoHo restaurant lists overlook.
Tip: Bring a group and order across the thali, momo and biryani sections to taste range. Strip-mall room with no frills.
Gorkhali Kitchen's Bib Gourmand thali platter runs $14, a full dal-bhat-tarkari meal in New Tampa's strip-mall room. A Tampa table worth booking ahead.
Try: Nepalese thali platter
Sukiya Shinjuku in Tokyo is the 24-hour gyudon chain undercutting Yoshinoya and Matsuya. The cheese gyudon and the curry-rice are the unusual signature picks.
Try: Cheese gyudon and curry
Tip: Open 24 hours; the standard gyudon is the cheapest at 400 yen. Avoid weekday 12:00-13:00 office rush.
India Port has served certified halal Indian food in a werfkelder on the Oudegracht since 1985, making it one of Utrecht oldest Indian restaurants.
Signature: Lamb curry, Biryani, Garlic naan
Order: Lamb curry with garlic naan bread
Halal Indian in a werfkelder on the Oudegracht, open since 1985. Certified halal throughout; lunch from Thursday to Sunday and dinner from Tuesday.
Signature: Lamb curry, Biryani, Garlic naan
Order: Lamb curry with garlic naan and a side of dal
Vij's Railway Express is Vikram Vij's food truck since 2010, a Granville Island Saturday vendor, the operator's casual format of the Vij's restaurant kitchen.
Try: Modern Indian street food
Order: Lamb kebabs in a paratha wrap with green chutney, Vij family classics, on the truck.
Tip: Schedule on the operator's Instagram week of; Granville Island Saturdays through summer is the most reliable stop.
Curry Insel on Lenaugasse in Josefstadt slings hoppers, kotthu and chicken curry on plate-sized rotis, a daily Sri Lankan plate for under twelve euros.
Try: Sri Lankan curry plate
Tip: The lunch menu is the daily-value play; cash speeds the queue.
Gaspar's on Pylimo holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for chef-owner Gaspar Fernandes's Goan-Portuguese-British training translated into Vilnius fine dining.
Signature: Goan-spiced fish curry, Tasting menu with wine pairing
Order: The tasting menu; the wine pairing leans Iberian and is well chosen.
Tip: Vegetarian and vegan menus run alongside the main carte; mention dietary requests when booking.
Gaspar's holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for chef Gaspar Fernandes's Goan-Portuguese-British training, served as Vilnius fine dining with an Iberian wine list.
Order: The tasting menu; the wine pairing leans Iberian and is well-chosen.
Tip: Vegetarian and vegan menus run alongside the carte. Mention dietary needs when booking.
Gaspar's runs a weekday-lunch menu separate from its Michelin Bib Gourmand dinners, with Goan thalis and a daily curry in the same Pylimo room.
Signature: Goan thali, Vegetarian biryani, Daily curry
Order: A Goan thali at lunch; cheaper than the dinner tasting and just as carefully cooked.
Tip: Weekday lunch only; the room flips to fine-dining mode at 18:00.
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