30 editor picks across United States.
30 indian restaurants worth the trip across United States, editor-ranked. All cuisines in United States.
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.
OrderThe Sloppy Jai (Indian sloppy joe with a Punjabi spice mix), plus a plate of kale pakoras.
TipWalk-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.
OrderThe Sloppy Jai (Indian sloppy joe with Punjabi spice) and a plate of kale pakoras.
TipWalk-in lunches Mon-Fri are fastest; weekend dinners run 60-90 minutes without a reservation.
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.
OrderLamb biryani, hunter's beef, chai-glazed lamb chops, garlic naan.
TipWeekday lunch buffet is the value entry. BYOB, with a corner liquor store across Hillcroft.
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.
OrderThe Bengali breakfast plate and a cardamom chai off the tea list.
TipBarua 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.
OrderThe Bengali breakfast plate with a cardamom chai.
TipBarua was a 2024 James Beard Best Chef Great Lakes semifinalist; weekday mornings are faster.
Himalaya Restaurant in Houston is Kaiser Lashkari's Pakistani-and-Indian room on the Southwest Freeway since 2004, with lamb biryani, hunter's beef.
OrderLamb biryani (slow-cooked dum style), hunter's beef and one of the chai-glazed lamb chops.
TipLunch buffet runs weekdays and is the value entry. BYOB; the corner liquor store across Hillcroft is the run.
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.
OrderThe lamb biryani, the dal makhani, garlic naan.
TipClosed Monday. Reservations for dinner; lunch is walk-in friendly.
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.
OrderThe goat biryani and the kachumber salad with the garden's late-summer tomatoes.
TipSunday 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.
OrderThe goat biryani and the kachumber salad with the garden's late-summer tomatoes.
TipSunday family-style menus run at half the a la carte price and feed two with leftovers.
Sunny Baweja's Lehja runs upscale modern Indian at Short Pump. Two-time James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic; tandoor-driven menu.
OrderTandoori dishes, Lamb biryani, Chef's tasting
Botiwalla by Chai Pani on Battery Park Avenue is Meherwan Irani's tribute to the late-night sigri (grill) cart culture of India. Counter-service kababs.
OrderThe chicken tikka kabab roll with mint chutney, plus the Bombay grilled cheese.
TipOrder at the counter, take a seat. The 697 Haywood Road sister room is the West Asheville extension.
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.
OrderMixed-grill sizzler for two. Tandoori lamb chops. A sweet lassi.
TipKitchen runs late on weekends, to 11pm. Closed Mondays Walk-ins usually OK.
Kinaara serves Kerala-influenced Indian cooking in Regency with a halal-certified kitchen, wagyu beef preparations, and an extensive plant-based menu.
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.
OrderThe vada pav with green chutney
TipCounter order, table service. The Division Street outpost has closed; Alberta is the original room.
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.
OrderChicken tikka masala, Rajasthani laal maas, Tandoori naan
Fitoor grills contemporary Indian food near the Santa Monica Pier, kebabs, kulchas and seafood from the ROOH team's fire-led Ocean Avenue kitchen.
OrderKebabs and kulchas from the tandoor, plus the seafood plates
TipFounders Anu and Vikram Bhambri staff the kitchen almost entirely with chefs trained in India; the halal menu suits groups.
Botiwalla's second Asheville location on Haywood Road in West Asheville opened in 2022, grilling chicken tikka rolls, lamb seekh kababs and cheese kulcha.
OrderThe chicken tikka kabab roll, the cheese kulcha, and a Bombay grilled cheese.
TipCounter service. Patio takes walk-ins, easier than the Battery Park location for weekend evenings.
Bombay Deluxe is the oldest Indian restaurant in Anchorage, established 2006 in midtown. Chicken tikka masala, palak paneer and tandoori are the order.
OrderChicken 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.
Mela Indian on North Lexington Avenue in Asheville has been the downtown dependable for regional Indian cooking since 2007. Lunch buffet weekdays, full menu.
OrderThe lamb vindaloo with garlic naan; the lunch buffet weekdays is one of Asheville's best deals.
TipBook on the operator site. The dining room is large; walk-ins generally get seated within 15 minutes.
Mela Indian on North Lexington Avenue in Asheville has been the downtown dependable for regional Indian cooking since 2007. Lunch buffet weekdays, full menu.
OrderThe lamb vindaloo with garlic naan; the lunch buffet on weekdays is one of Asheville's best deals.
TipBook on the operator site for dinner. The lunch buffet runs 11:30-14:30 Mon-Sat.
Dallas's longest-running vegetarian restaurant, set inside a Hare Krishna temple in East Dallas. Located in Lakewood. Kitchen leans indian vegetarian.
OrderDaily Indian vegetarian buffet: fresh dals, sabzis, house-made chutneys, rice.
TipThe 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.
Star of India, a six-time NoCo Style best-Indian winner, has been cooking North Indian and Punjabi curries on Harvard Street in Fort Collins.
OrderA Punjabi curry with fresh tandoori bread
TipClosed Tuesdays. The lunch window is the value play; dinner service starts at 17:00 sharp.
Star of India, a six-time NoCo Style best-Indian winner, has been cooking North Indian and Punjabi curries on Harvard Street in Fort Collins.
OrderA Punjabi curry with fresh tandoori bread
TipClosed Tuesdays. The lunch window is the value play; dinner service starts at 17:00 sharp.
Sitar Indian Cuisine on Kingston Pike in Bearden, the long-running Indian buffet and dinner room, anchors West Knoxville's daily curry program.
OrderThe weekday lunch buffet, or chicken tikka masala with garlic naan at dinner.
TipWeekday 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.
OrderThe weekday lunch buffet, or chicken tikka masala with garlic naan at dinner.
TipWeekday buffet runs 11:00-14:30; dinner reservations rarely needed except Friday and Saturday.
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.
OrderThe lunch buffet, which rotates daily across North and South Indian preparations.
TipBuffet 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.
OrderThe lunch buffet for variety, or lamb biryani for single dishes.
TipMonday evening buffet a good value. Takeout available by phone. No reservations needed for lunch.
Reva Modern Indian in East Liberty serves contemporary regional Indian cooking in Pittsburgh. A bright room plating tandoor dishes and chef-led curries.
OrderA tandoor plate to share and a regional curry off the chef's list.
TipMore modern than the city's older Indian rooms. Good for groups; reserve at weekends.
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.
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