17 editor-picked modern indian restaurants across 9 cities.
A guide to modern indian restaurants worth a trip, by city. We list operators, signature dishes, and the rooms locals book first.
Gaggan Anand in Bangkok is the eponymous Indian chef's 25-course emoji-menu counter on Sukhumvit 31, ranked No. 1 on Asia's 50 Best 2025 (No. 3 in 2026).
Signature: Emoji tasting menu, Yogurt explosion, Charcoal scallop
Order: The full emoji menu. The yogurt explosion and the charcoal scallop are the through-line.
Tip: Counter seating only, two seatings per night Thursday to Sunday. Bookings open online 60 days ahead at 10:00 ICT and fill within minutes.
Pondicheri in Houston is Anita Jaisinghani's modern Indian room at WestAve on Kirby Drive since 2011, with masala omelette breakfasts, thali plates.
Signature: Masala omelette and roti, Thali plates
Order: Masala omelette and roti at breakfast. The thali plate at dinner. The Bake Lab's chai bun for the road.
Tip: Breakfast (7am to 11am) is the lesser-known peak. The thali changes daily; ask first.
Pondicheri in Houston is Anita Jaisinghani's modern Indian room at WestAve on Kirby Drive since 2011, with masala omelette breakfasts, thali plates.
Signature: Masala omelette and roti, Thali plates
Order: Masala omelette with roti at breakfast. The thali plate at dinner.
Tip: Breakfast (7am to 11am) is the lesser-known peak. The thali changes daily; ask what is on it before you order.
Harneet Baweja's family-recipe Indian small-plates kitchen on White's Row in Spitalfields London, opened 2015, plates regional Indian home cooking, no buffet.
Signature: Spicy venison doughnut, Chettinad pulled lamb shoulder
Order: Spicy venison doughnut, then Chettinad pulled lamb shoulder for two.
Tip: Tiny room. Bookings open six weeks ahead and burn fast. Counter seats released as walk-ins from 17:30.
Cittamani in Milan is Ritu Dalmia's modern Indian dining room near Brera, opened 2018. Located in Porta Venezia. At Piazza Carlo Mirabello 6.
Signature: Goan fish curry, Butter chicken, Naan stuffed with paneer
Order: The Goan fish curry, the butter chicken and the stuffed paneer naan.
Tip: Bookings open two weeks ahead. The Sunday lunch tasting set with chai pairing is the editor's pick for first visits.
Varun Totlani's Masque runs a 10 course foraged-ingredient tasting in a former Mumbai textile mill in Lower Parel. Ranked No. 15 on Asia's 50 Best 2026.
Floyd Cardoz, Sameer Seth and Yash Bhanage opened The Bombay Canteen in Kamala Mills in 2015 and reframed regional Indian cooking as a tasting-format menu.
Signature: Eggs kejriwal, Ghee roast chicken seekh, Gulab nut
Order: Eggs kejriwal at brunch, ghee roast chicken seekh at dinner.
Tip: Sunday brunch books out a week ahead; the Canteen Experience tasting runs 3754 rupees.
Chef Niyati Rao runs a tasting-menu room on the first floor of a 1890s neo-colonial building in Fort. Ekaa landed on the Asia 50 Best 51 to 100 list in 2024.
Signature: Tasting menu (sensorial), Bombil with kokum, House-fermented kanji
Order: The full sensorial tasting menu.
Tip: Book at least two weeks ahead; the bar at Ekaa pours a separate, shorter snack menu.
Indibar in Paradise Valley is Nigel Lobo and Ajay Negi's modern Indian craft-cocktail room, opened in 2025 in the former Rancho Pinot space.
Signature: Tasting plates, Craft cocktails, Seasonal curries
Order: The seasonal tasting plates paired with the bar's spice-driven cocktails.
Tip: Set in Lincoln Village shopping center; the cocktail bar is a destination on its own, book ahead for dinner.
Order: ['Discovery tasting menu', 'Tandoor lamb rack', 'Wood-fire prawn']
Tip: Book the chef's counter for the best view of the kitchen. Set lunch at S$119 is the most accessible entry point.
Vij's on Cambie Street has been Vancouver's reference modern Indian kitchen since 1994 under Vikram Vij and Meeru Dhalwala, walk-in only and full-flavour.
Signature: Lamb popsicles in fenugreek cream curry, Marinated lamb popsicles, Jackfruit and bottle gourd curry
Order: Marinated lamb popsicles in fenugreek cream curry, the dish that built Vij's reputation since 1994.
Tip: Walk-in only, no reservations. Show up before 17:30 or after 21:00 to avoid the queue, or sit at the bar in My Shanti.
Rasika in Washington DC is Ashok Bajaj's Penn Quarter modern Indian dining room on D Street, the city's anchor Indian fine-dining room since 2005 and a State.
Signature: Palak chaat, Lobster moilee
Order: The palak chaat (crispy spinach with sweet yoghurt and tamarind); the room's most-ordered single dish.
Tip: The West End Rasika is the larger room; the Penn Quarter original is louder and harder to book but holds the editorial top spot.
Daru in Washington DC is Suresh Sundas's H Street modern Indian dining room on Maryland Avenue NE, a hand-built kitchen with regional Indian street food.
Signature: Goan crab toast, Lamb biryani
Order: The Goan crab toast on milk bread; the menu's editorial standout opener.
Tip: The chef's counter is the best seat for the kitchen show; the patio runs to October.
More cities are in research. Want modern indian covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.