26 indian rooms worth the trip across United States, editor-ranked. All cuisines in United States.
Chai Pani ★ 4.7 · Asheville
south-slope · 32 Banks Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
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.
Tip: Walk-in lunches Mon-Fri are fastest; weekend dinners get a 60-90 minute wait without a reservation.
Chai Pani ★ 4.7 · Asheville
south-slope · 32 Banks Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
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.
Tip: Walk-in lunches Mon-Fri are fastest; weekend dinners run 60-90 minutes without a reservation.
Himalaya Restaurant ★ 4.7 · Houston
hillcroft · 6652 Southwest Fwy, Houston, TX 77074
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.
Tip: Weekday lunch buffet is the value entry. BYOB, with a corner liquor store across Hillcroft.
Joya's Cafe ★ 4.6 · Columbus
worthington · 657 High St, Worthington, OH 43085
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.
Tip: Barua was a 2024 James Beard Best Chef Great Lakes semifinalist; weekday mornings move faster than weekend brunch.
Joya's Cafe Worthington ★ 4.6 · Columbus
worthington · 657 High St, Worthington, OH 43085
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.
Tip: Barua was a 2024 James Beard Best Chef Great Lakes semifinalist; weekday mornings are faster.
Himalaya Restaurant ★ 4.6 · Houston
hillcroft · 6652 Southwest Fwy, Houston, TX 77074
Himalaya Restaurant in Houston is Kaiser Lashkari's Pakistani-and-Indian room on the Southwest Freeway since 2004, with lamb biryani, hunter's beef.
Tip: Lunch buffet runs weekdays and is the value entry. BYOB; the corner liquor store across Hillcroft is the run.
Amara Indian Cuisine & Bar ★ 4.5 · Indianapolis
north-side · 1454 W 86th St, Indianapolis, IN 46260
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.
Tip: Closed Monday. Reservations for dinner; lunch is walk-in friendly.
Ghee Indian Kitchen ★ 4.5 · Miami
design-district · 3620 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33137
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.
Tip: Sunday family-style menus run at half the a la carte price and feed two with leftovers.
Ghee Indian Kitchen ★ 4.5 · Miami
design-district · 3620 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33137
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.
Tip: Sunday family-style menus run at half the a la carte price and feed two with leftovers.
Lehja ★ 4.5 · Richmond
westhampton · 11800 W Broad Street, Suite 910, Richmond, VA 23233
Sunny Baweja's Lehja runs upscale modern Indian at Short Pump. Two-time James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic; tandoor-driven menu.
Botiwalla by Chai Pani ★ 4.4 · Asheville
downtown · 22 Battery Park Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
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.
Tip: Order at the counter, take a seat. The 697 Haywood Road sister room is the West Asheville extension.
London Sizzler ★ 4.4 · Houston
hillcroft · 6690 Southwest Fwy, Houston, TX 77074
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.
Tip: Kitchen runs late on weekends, to 11pm. Closed Mondays Walk-ins usually OK.
Bollywood Theater ★ 4.4 · Portland
alberta-arts · 2039 NE Alberta St, Portland, OR 97211
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.
Tip: Counter order, table service. The Division Street outpost has closed; Alberta is the original room.
Tulsi ★ 4.4 · Santa Fe
downtown · 839 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe, NM 87501
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.
Botiwalla by Chai Pani West ★ 4.3 · Asheville
west-asheville · 697 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC 28806
Botiwalla's second Asheville location on Haywood Road in West Asheville opened in 2022.
Tip: Counter service. Patio takes walk-ins, easier than the Battery Park location for weekend evenings.
Bombay Deluxe Indian Restaurant ★ 4.2 · Anchorage
midtown · 555 W Northern Lights Boulevard Suite 102, Anchorage, AK 99503
Bombay Deluxe is the oldest Indian restaurant in Anchorage, established 2006 in midtown. Chicken tikka masala, palak paneer and tandoori are the order.
Bombay Deluxe Indian Restaurant ★ 4.2 · Anchorage
midtown · 555 W Northern Lights Boulevard Suite 102, Anchorage, AK 99503
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 Restaurant ★ 4.2 · Asheville
downtown · 70 N Lexington Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Mela Indian on North Lexington Avenue in Asheville has been the downtown dependable for regional Indian cooking since 2007. Lunch buffet weekdays, full menu.
Tip: Book on the operator site. The dining room is large; walk-ins generally get seated within 15 minutes.
Mela Indian Restaurant ★ 4.2 · Asheville
downtown · 70 N Lexington Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Mela Indian on North Lexington Avenue in Asheville has been the downtown dependable for regional Indian cooking since 2007. Lunch buffet weekdays, full menu.
Tip: Book on the operator site for dinner. The lunch buffet runs 11:30-14:30 Mon-Sat.
Kalachandji's ★ 4.2 · Dallas
lakewood · 5430 Gurley Ave, Dallas, TX 75223
Dallas's longest-running vegetarian restaurant, set inside a Hare Krishna temple in East Dallas. Located in Lakewood. Kitchen leans indian vegetarian.
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.
Sitar Indian Cuisine ★ 4.2 · Knoxville
bearden · 6004 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919
Sitar Indian Cuisine on Kingston Pike in Bearden, the long-running Indian buffet and dinner room, anchors West Knoxville's daily curry program.
Tip: Weekday lunch buffet runs 11:00-14:30; dinner reservations rarely needed except Friday and Saturday.
Sitar Indian Cuisine ★ 4.2 · Knoxville
bearden · 6004 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919
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.
Tip: Weekday buffet runs 11:00-14:30; dinner reservations rarely needed except Friday and Saturday.
Thali of India ★ 4.2 · Rochester
brighton · 3259 S Winton Rd, Rochester, NY 14623
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.
Tip: Buffet runs until 14:00 daily. Monday evening buffet is a good value. Takeout available.
Thali of India ★ 4.2 · Rochester
brighton · 3259 S Winton Rd, Rochester, NY 14623
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.
Tip: Monday evening buffet a good value. Takeout available by phone. No reservations needed for lunch.
Reva Modern Indian ★ 4.1 · Pittsburgh
east-liberty · 220 N Highland Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Reva Modern Indian in East Liberty serves contemporary regional Indian cooking in Pittsburgh. A bright room plating tandoor dishes and chef-led curries.
Tip: More modern than the city's older Indian rooms. Good for groups; reserve at weekends.
Lehja ★ 4.1 · Richmond
westhampton · 11800 W Broad Street, Suite 910, Richmond, VA 23233
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.