9 Of The Best Indian Restaurants In NYC

Food — scratch that, top-tier cuisine — has to be one of the biggest perks to living in a metropolis such as New York City. Consider eating at a good Indian restaurant. A Trader Joe's Butter Chicken dinner might scratch the itch in a pinch, but the enticing spread of curries, stews, and bone-in meats beckoning from a Lower East Side buffet in the middle of January? That's a difficult experience to match anywhere else. In terms of a timeline, Indian eats are a relatively recent addition in the city's history. The region's specialties started becoming a regular sight in the early 20th century, with the now-shuttered eatery, Taj Mahal Hindu Restaurant, being among the first when it opened in 1918.

Such temples to gastronomical pleasures are omnipresent in a land of steel, but still, it pays off knowing which are worth your time. In the Big Apple, scoring delicious Indian food can look different depending on where you go. You have luxurious sit-down experiences, with white tablecloths and award-winning chefs. You have the no-frills spots, courting foot traffic through set-price buffets or humble abodes churning out the freshest dosas from scratch. Whichever end of the spectrum you seek, accessing the transcendent flavors of this wildly flavorful cuisine is possible, even if you only have one day to explore New York. I sourced input from my foodie friends as well as the insights of reviewers and critics across the board to put together this list. Here's a sampling of some of the best Indian restaurants sharing their wares across the Empire State. 

No conversation about top-notch Indian food can occur without conjuring Adda — it's the eatery that led colleagues Roni Mazumdar (restaurateur) and Chintan Pandya (chef) to collaborate on a bigger business venture, Unapologetic Foods. Previously doing business in Queens, Adda had a reset earlier this year with a new location in the East Village that has transformed the restaurant into a high-glam dining destination. Look for the rust-orange storefront between 1st Avenue and East 7th Street, where folks will likely be waiting out the door for cuisine that has to be tasted to be believed. 

There's something to look at everywhere you turn — newspaper clippings pasted on the ceiling, stylish hanging lamps, leather-bound seats lining the bar. This juxtaposition aligns well with the fare, which includes familiar renderings of old favorites taken to complex new levels. Bopping along to the rhythm of Desi music, you'll discover platters dedicated to intense savoring. Help yourself to small bites that staff peddle on foot and tuck into crowd-pleasers like the baby goat biryani and black dal. 

Butter Chicken's origins are highly disputed and understandably so. Yet at Adda, diners can gain a new perspective on the dish thanks to The Butter Chicken Experience. This guided meal allows tables to innovate on the classic dish, choosing the butter and sauce with a host of side morsels for dining. The experience is reservation-only and no wonder!

addanyc.com

(718) 433-3888

107 1st Ave, New York, NY 10003

In a buzzy city like New York, hip eateries open practically all the time. Yet Bungalow is already demonstrating its potential as one of the big-leaguers. Despite having opened its doors in 2024, the East Village spot has already scooped up plenty of praise — think a Bib Gourmand from Michelin attesting to its affordability and a spot on The New York Times' 100 Best Restaurants in 2025. Not to mention its head chef, Vikas Khanna, is a culinary megastar. His resume is full of successes, whether that's racking up awards for Junoon, where he served as executive chef, or hosting "MasterChef India." 

Step through garlands of marigolds to enter (after snapping a pic for the "gram") and find verdant vines dancing across the dining room, with an airy skylight gracing the ceiling. The dinner menu, while compact, prizes North Indian eats at their finest. Reviews go all in expressing awe. Nosh on a Five Cheese Kulcha teeming with cheddar, mozzarella, and Amul cheese (a Gujarati brand rendered from buffalo milk) with flickers of za'atar and cilantro herbs. Entrees served in ceramic bowls range from vegetarian delights like adraki aloo gobhi with those key Indian spices to rich, sultry Rajasthani pulled lamb. Because walk-ins are notoriously cut-throat, we'd recommend securing a reservation so you don't miss out on this culinary gem. During your visit, keep a lookout for Chef Khanna, who often inspires head turns as he mingles with guests. 

bungalowny.com

24 1st Ave, New York, NY 10009

Semma, without a doubt, is a modern-day institution. It's nabbed some of the top prizes any esteemed restaurant can win, and under Chef Vijay Kumar's care it has earned a Michelin star. Accolades from The New York Times and James Beard Foundation demonstrate an unstoppable momentum for its top-tier South Indian food. 

The restaurant, also from Unapologetic Foods, resides in the heart of Greenwich Village, with colorful murals lining the walls and rustic bamboo furnishings — giving the room a down-to-earth feel as you delve into other-worldly dishes. Split a gunpowder dosa first, as it's one of the restaurant's signature offerings — a crispy pancake composed out of rice and lentil and stuffed with a mouthwatering potato masala filling. You can't go wrong with what's popular, like meen pollichatchu (an aromatic banana leaf-wrapped sea bass) or the tiger prawns suspended in green chilis, although for a splurge, the Kanyakumari nandu masala, available with advance notice, is a revelatory order hosting a spread of Dungeness crab and citrusy coconut rice.

It's fiercely competitive scoring a table here; prepare to book your spot about two weeks in advance. But remarkable eats await with a little patience. 

semma.nyc

60 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10011

Maybe you're a vegetarian, or maybe you want to take meat-abstaining friends to a nice dinner. In either case, Vatan is a stellar pick. It's been a mainstay in the East Village for a while now. It dishes up truly unrivaled plant-based Indian fare. The menu reflects the Gujarati region, a Hindu-majority state off the nation's Western coast. This explains the lack of animal protein, yet omnivorous appetites won't struggle to partake — the riches brought to your table demand it.

Dining in, the vibe is ornate and showy. Walls are splashed with painted murals, and a colorful elephant is affixed to the exterior of the building, providing a lush backdrop to relish some top-tier food. Its dishes are authentic – one Yelp reviewer referred to their experience as "the next best thing apart from actually dining in Gujarat." The fare is fixed price and split into four different courses, and though spending $45 to feast sounds pricey, the flat rate lends way to bottomless delicacies literally served on a silver platter. Eat as much chana masala, roti, dal, and bhaji (a delectable spinach dish) seasoned to your preferred heat starting at 5 p.m. seven days a week. The portions are beyond generous, and due to the buffet-inspired abundance, diners get stuffed — it's so worth it. 

vatanny.com

(212) 689-5666

409 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10016

The Queens borough is renowned for its plethora of South-Asian cuisine, and friends in the neighborhood swear by Angel Indian Restaurant. While it hasn't been around for long, accolades have quickly poured in recognizing its two branches in Jackson Heights. One can describe the wonders plated by Chef Amrit Pal Singh as bold and comforting. Be aware that the space is a little hole in the wall, so don't expect massive tables for giant parties on a whim. You might need to opt for takeout — or book a table to ensure a spot.

Vegetarian plates composed the lion's share of Angel's offerings upon opening, but nowadays, the menu claims a wide range of specialties containing chicken, lamb, and seafood. One of the signature dishes that foodies insist is a must-order is the goat dum biryani. It's served in a show-stopping manner, with a metal pot sheathed in toasted dough unveiling melt-in-your-mouth goat and spiced basmati rice. Paneer is another top-deck offering, which the restaurant makes extra-special by churning it out fresh on-site. For beverages, soda and seltzers join a refreshing lineup of creamy lassis. 

Go to the flagship situated on 37th Road (this is where Angel garnered a Bib Gourmand in 2021) or, for a swankier evening, take a quick jaunt to its fine dining offshoot posted on 37th Avenue. Note that opening hours vary by location, and both are closed on Mondays. 

angelindianny.com

(347) 848-0097

Multiple locations

Exemplary hospitality is one of the many ways to recognize if you're in a great Indian restaurant, and critics agree Dhamaka (translating to "explosion" from Hindi) outdoes itself with attentive servers, lively ambiance, and truly unmatched flavors on the Lower East Side. It joins butcher shops, cheese mongers, and fruit stalls as neighbors, due to inhabiting real estate in the Essex Market shopping complex, which has been kicking since the early 1800s. Maps are printed on the menus to show where certain dishes originated, a cool touch for grounding us in the diverse landscape of the edible pleasures brought to our tables. 

Assuming you detected similarities to other establishments featured on our list, you wouldn't be wrong. Dhamaka, for the record, is one of the sister establishments from Unapologetic Foods, which also operates hit spots Semma and Adda. Visitors report a friendly, familial vibe on par with dining with a good friend. As far as the dishes to check out, think warming curries and top-tier biryanis (for peak flavor, the basmati grains used are a decade old!) with rustic paratha bread that garners endless praise for its crispy perfection. One mutton course, Champaran meat, is a mind-blowing whirl of spice and succulence, though it's a tough acquisition; to obtain a portion, reserve it prior to your visit.

dhamaka.nyc

119 Delancey St., Essex Market, Store #34

New York, NY 10002

A name like Dosa Delight ought to deliver on one thing, right? The South Indian breakfast food — a favorite of former Vice President Kamala Harris – is a staple at this Queens spot that's painstakingly made dough-to-table. There's a dosa style for just about every palate, and fillings run the gamut with spinach, cheddar, potatoes, and the creamiest paneer known to man. Order a 6-foot dosa if you're so inclined. For those willing to hold their taste buds to the fire, one Yelp diner swears by the Pondicherry dosa, which the kitchen layers with a spicy chutney dip and masala potatoes. Not only was it "crispy, flavorful, and just the right spice level," it was apparently the tastiest crepe of its kind this diner had ever eaten in New York (high praise for a city topping 8 million people). 

As a sit-down spot, it's not the fanciest, but ample seating gives a bit of wiggle room. And when you've been schlepping dozens of blocks with a large group of friends, a sleek dining room isn't going to cut the mustard. Despite the dosa-heavy offerings, the rest of the menu showcases a selection that's pretty well-rounded. From savory samosa pastries and toasty Uttapam pancakes, to sumptuous Kormas and vindaloos, the appetizer-to-meal pipeline seems to be covered well at the Jackson Heights spot. It's a great casual choice to have in your pocket, and it pays off with affordable flair. 

dosadelightnyc.com

(718) 397-1000

35-66 73rd St, Jackson Heights, NY 11372

Don't worry, Brooklynites. We didn't forget about you. Locals residing in the largest borough adore Indian Table, a recent newcomer prized for Goan-style cooking. If you're unfamiliar, this is a multicultural cuisine from the state of Goa, brought about from its past as a Portuguese colony that dates back to the 14th century. Because the fusion is quite rare in the Empire State, don't be surprised folks make a beeline to Cobble Hill. The charming ambiance is a plus — step into a sophisticated yet homey dining room, or head to the back where groups spread out on a stylish, wood-paneled patio. 

European flourishes collide with explosive spices under the supervision of Chef Eric McCarthy, whose tenure has produced seven Michelin stars. The masala omelet and tandoori meats, along with a tongue-lashing chicken Chettinad and goat biryani, manage to wow crowds filing in for afternoon and evening service. Tending bar is a big deal here, so don't sleep on the cocktails — there's a healthy mix of classics and innovative pours to savor, with curry-inflected gins, cardamom bitters, and feni, a fermented cashew spirit.

Hours take place in shifts, between noon to 2:45 p.m. and re-opening from 5 to 9:45 p.m. 

indiantableny.com

(347) 689-3882

234 Court St, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Prepare to budget accordingly (and suffer a food coma) when visiting Kanyakumari — it's an upscale affair. However, the restaurant lives up to its commitment in crafting unforgettable meals of the South Indian persuasion. "Every dish was a celebration of flavor, crafted with care and bursting with authenticity," raved one Google review out of (hundreds) more. 

Cross-referencing Reddit discussions and Yelp comments, Kanyakumari is a recent addition to Manhattan's general hub of Union Square that feels refreshing compared to the dependable takeout-adjacent joints around the block. Inventive platters dominate, with fresh fish reflective of its coast-spanning menu taking center stage. The dining room, emitting elegance with tiled walls and neon glow, manages to possess a laidback, right-this-way energy. Patrons regularly laud the friendly demeanor of staff, and great care is taken by the chefs to spin yarns about each of the specialties as they arrive. Multiple people green-light the malvani chicken, a spectacular coconut-forward curry, and a prawn dish with delectable idli rice cakes. Make sure not to pass up on the bar, where spectacular elixirs mix culture and innovation. 

kanyakumarinyc.com

(646) 707-3688

20 E 17th St, New York, NY 10003

Selecting our picks for the best Indian restaurants in New York proved an immeasurable struggle. We acknowledge that New Yorkers are not a monolith, and that there's plenty of Indian restaurants deserving one's patronage in this diverse city. Breaking it down between neighborhoods, let alone the entire city, was certainly a challenge. But we followed certain criteria to help us make our judgments as efficiently and fairly as possible, including a thorough mix of sources to assist with our decision-making. This included touching on personal experiences from fellow acquaintances, since it's important to get a local's opinion. Still, the internet came through for us. Reddit, Tripadvisor, and Yelp, along with formal outlets spanning Conde Nast Traveler, The New York Times, Michelin, and the James Beard Foundation, grounded the rankings that made their way into this list.