New York City is a cultural melting pot offering up excellent cuisine from all around the world. Indian cuisine is particularly popular in the city. From Baazi to Tandoori Place, join ViewCation to find the best Indian restaurants in NYC.
Baazi
Baazi is an Indian restaurant that’s located on New York City’s Upper West Side. The core staff members at Baazi all have slightly diverse backgrounds, which makes the cuisine here a bit more experimental than other Indian restaurants in the area. The place is very upscale, so this is an excellent option for Indian-cuisine lovers looking for some fine dining. The most popular dish seems to be the Paneer Ke Sholey, which is made using homemade cottage cheese cubes.
Chola
Chola has been thriving in New York City for overs two decades. Like Baazi, Chola offers an upscale fine-dining experience with authentic Indian cuisine. The benefit of Chola is that it has an extensive menu. This makes Chola an excellent choice for experienced eaters that are looking to try something new, but those that are new to Indian cuisine may need some help finding the right dish for them.
Dhamaka
Dhamaka is a New York City Indian restaurant that’s owned and operated by veterans of the industry. The eatery only opened up just recently, in 2021, but the owners have a great deal of experience given the fact that they also own and operate Adda, which is another restaurant that we’ll be taking a look at later in this video. While Adda is all about tried-and-true Indian cuisine, it’s owners created Dhamaka as a place where they could be a little more experimental. One notable dish would be the Macher Jhol, or baby shark.
Gupshup
Gupshup is a restaurant that pays homage to one specific Indian location, with that location being Bombay. The restaurant is all about tradition when it comes to the dishes, flavors, and ingredients, though things are prepared with a slightly modern touch. Whether you’re looking for great cuisine or a unique atmosphere, Gupshup has you covered. The restaurant is located near Union Square, and they also offers up some excellent brunch options on weekends.
Indian Accent
With it’s tongue-in-cheek name, Indian Accent is a restaurant that’s incredibly proud of it’s heritage. In addition to there being an Indian Accent in New York City, there’s also a location that operates in the Indian capital of New Delhi. If the food at Indian Accent is good enough for the actual people of India, then Americans can rest assured that they are getting an authentic dining experience. Some of the most popular dishes here are the pepper chicken and tofu masala.
Semma
Semma is a New York City restaurant that’s focused on serving up cuisine that hails from Southern India. The location that now houses Semma used to house another prestigious restaurant by the name of Rahi. Rahi was owned and operated by Unapologetic Foods, which is a New York City company with a passion for Indian cuisine. Unapologetic Foods knows what they’re doing, and they’ve really put their passion to the test with Semma. In addition to the great food, Semma is also revered for it’s interesting cocktail menu, which includes a special gin that’s infused with curry leaf.
Sona
Sona is located close to Gramercy Park. Though the restaurant may not seem like much from the outside looking in due to it’s small location, it’s upscale and bustling once you get inside. One of the cool things about Sona is that it doesn’t just showcase Indian heritage by way of it’s food. The restaurant also showcases lots of authentic Indian art. If you see any art hanging on the wall that you’d like to take home, you might be able to strike up a deal with the owners! As far as the food goes, Sona offers up some of the tastiest in the area, and it also offers brunch on weekends.
Tamarind
Tamarind is located in Tribeca, and it’s owned and operated by an Indian immigrant of several decades. The cuisine here is especially authentic, and the interior of the location also has a very tried-and-true Indian feel that guests are liable to love. One of the most popular dishes to order at Tamarind would have to be the punjabi tikhe kabab.
Adda
Now it’s time to look at Adda, which is an eatery that we briefly touched upon while discussing Dhamaka. Like we said, Adda is the better of the two options if you’re new to Indian food and are looking for the most traditional and authentic experience possible. Adda has slowly grown to become one of the most popular of all the Indian restaurants in the city, and it’s for a good reason. The fresh and home-cooked Indian cuisine at Adda is second to none!
Punjabi Grocery and Deli
Located in East Village, Punjabi Grocery and Deli would be a good choice for those that are looking for a place that’s not too fancy. From the onset, Punjabi may appear to be just some hole in the wall. However, those that know New York City dining can attest that holes in the wall are sometimes the best places to find excellent cuisine! Punjabi Grocery and Deli has been in operation since the early 1990s, and it’s come to be considered a go-to for locals looking for a quick and easy bite of Indian food. Not only is the food at Punjabi Grocery and Deli served up fast and simple, but no amount of authenticity is sacrificed to garner the convenience.
Indika House
Indika House in Bushwick is considered by many to be a hidden gem of sort when it comes to New York City dining. The location is small and unassuming, but, once you get inside, you’ll feel like you’re been warped directly to the Taj Mahal! The menu is extensive, meaning that guests will find Indian traditions as well as more unique and adventurous fare. As far as tradition goes, the chicken curry can’t be beat. However, those that are looking to try out a dish that’s a bit more interesting might order the gobi manchurian, which is cauliflower cooked in a sweet-and-spicy type of sauce.
Bengal Tiger
Halfway between the fine-dining experiences offered by the majority of Indian restaurants and the low-key grab-and-go experience offered up by Punjabi Grocery and Deli would be the casual dining experience of Bengal Tiger. Bengal Tiger isn’t too fancy, but it’s selection of traditional Indian dishes is both impressive and tasty. Whether you’re looking for a casual lunch or a casual dinner, Bengal Tiger has Indian-food lovers covered, and it’s not too expensive!
Spice Symphony
We’ve taken a look at a plethora of Indian restaurants that all offer up some pretty authentic experiences, but what are the options for diners looking for a more modern twist? If you’re sick of traditional Indian cuisine, you may fancy a visit to Spice Symphony. Spice Symphony offers up fusion cuisine that mixes Indian and Chinese heritage to create dishes that are incredibly unique. One good example of what you can expect from Spice Symphony is the General Tso’s chicken, which is a Chinese staple served with Indian spices.
Junoon
Junoon is another fine-dining restaurant. This time, the restaurant’s intent is to take traditional Indian cuisine into the world of molecular gastronomy. If that sounds fancy, that’s because it is! The portions are small and the prices are high, but those that are looking for an upscale atmosphere will find few better Indian restaurants than this.
Seva
If you’re in Queens, one of the best places to stop in for some Indian cuisine would have to be Seva. Seva is open for lunch and dinner, and it’s menu is expansive enough to serve meat eaters, vegetarians, and even vegans! The meat dishes are the most popular on the menu, with some of the most popular items being the chicken tikki masala and the lamb vindaloo. Prices are never too egregious, regardless of what time of the da you’re stopping by.
Saar
If you’re near Times Square and are looking for some fine Indian dining, Saar may be your best option. The restaurant is fairly upscale, but not so upscale that it’s limited to clientele. The food is pretty traditional, though you will find some decidedly Anglo and European influences being brought to the table. The restaurant is known for it’s chicken saag, though a more unique choice is the cauliflower latkes.
Dosa Royale
Located on Clinton Hill, Dosa Royale is another New York City restaurant owned and operated by someone with an authentic immigrant background. After immigrating to New York City, the Indian owner of Dosa Royale worked at an Italian restaurant for many years before deciding to open up his own eatery. He then combined all the customer-service experience he had gained from his time in the industry with his authentic Indian heritage to create an excellent restaurant! The cuisine is specifically Southern Indian.
Vatan
Vatan is located in Kips Bay, and it’s an Indian restaurant that only served up vegetarian cuisine. Thankfully, Indians know how to cook up some tasty vegetables! The food offered up by Vatan is inspired specifically by India’s Gujarat region. In addition to offering up great food via it’s all-you-can-eat menu, Vatan also has an interesting atmosphere thanks to it’s unique and authentic Indian décor.
Tandoori Place
Finally, let’s take a look at Tandoori Place, which is a fairly low-key and relaxed Indian eatery that’s located in the Bronx. Tandoori Place keeps things pretty simple when it comes to both the atmosphere and the cuisine. This has made the restaurant exceptionally popular with the locals, who can’t get enough of the authentic curries and kebabs. The eatery also serves up some fancier dishes, including the special lamb bihari, which is a spicy dish made with lamb meat.
Regardless of what your specific needs are, there’s liable to be an Indian restaurant in New York City that’s perfect for you! Now it’s time to hear from you: did you know that there are more Indian restaurants in New York City than you can count, and that they all offer something unique? Comment down below!