The 21 Best Indian Restaurants In NYC

New York City offers some of the most incredible food and dining experiences in America. Naturally, this also makes it a hot spot for some of the world's finest Indian restaurants.

Indian food is a brilliant phenomenon in its own right. This type of cuisine is massively popular in many areas all over the world and is definitely considered a mainstay in America. Culinary enthusiasts from far and wide have an appreciation for this unique food category that focuses on spices, sauces, and inventive flavor combinations. Additionally, Indian food and how it's meant to be enjoyed is a hot debate with several right answers. For one, the cuisine of India as a whole varies greatly, with almost unrecognizable differentiations from region to region. Additionally, the experience of enjoying Indian food fits a range as well. From affordable takeout to fine dining, Indian food can be many different things.

So many factors have gone into choosing the city's must-visit restaurants, including regional types of Indian cuisine, location, ambiance, and more. If you're looking for the best Indian food in New York City, you'll love these featured restaurants!

Bengal Tiger is a casual NYC favorite found in a charming hole-in-the-wall location. If you're looking for uncomplicated Indian comfort food, this restaurant meets that need on many levels. From its cozy atmosphere to its straightforward menu featuring all of Indian food's star players, Bengal Tiger is a great go-to for New Yorkers in the mood for Indian.

This restaurant falls a little behind due to its first come, first serve policy, making it a tricky pick for tourists looking to plan their trip. Bengal Tiger is more of a dine-and-dash spot than a dining destination, especially in comparison to the city's other choices.

However, from a different perspective, Bengal Tiger's business model, affordability, and emphasis on takeout are the reasons why this establishment shines. Considering that Indian food is one of the most popular takeout cuisines in America, this selection represents an essential niche.

Moti Mahal Delux is more than just an Indian restaurant — it's an establishment with roots in rich Indian traditions. This restaurant and its founders are associated with the origins of tandoori chicken, one of the most iconic expressions of Indian cooking. "Tandoori" means clay oven, referring to the preparation of this dish and other iterations.

The first Moti Mahal Delux opened in 1975 in South Delhi, quickly taking the world by storm and claiming its spot as a tourist destination. After many years of consistently high praise, Moti Mahal Delux gained a New York location in 2012.

To this day, Moti Mahal Delux stays true to Mughlai cuisine and continues to highlight the dishes that first put them on the map. Its NYC location sports a relaxed sophistication enjoyed by tourists and locals alike. Overall, this restaurant is a solid selection. Moti Mahal Delux has received mixed reviews in recent years; however, its longstanding success in the cutthroat restaurant scene of NYC is an ultimate testament to its value.

Among prestigious NYC restaurants, Pippali earns its seat at the table for its expert catering presence and large party accommodations. Located on East 27th Street, Pippali serves up delicious Indian cuisine in an atmosphere that's elegant, comfortable, and perfect for outside-the-box dinner occasions. This restaurant gracefully accommodates weddings, work functions, and even seminars on a regular basis.

Pippali is also known for its extensive and well-executed catering program, making it a great takeaway option for special events elsewhere. In short, if you're planning a special event in NYC, Pippali is a fantastic option to keep in the queue. Your guests will welcome the departure from monotonous catering standards with these delicious spices and flavors.

Pippali's menu and atmosphere may be a bit old school, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. If you're looking for a tried-and-true upscale Indian restaurant in NYC complete with crowd-pleasing dishes and excellent service, Pippali is it.

Serving up classic Indian dishes like butter chicken and murgh tikka, Dhaba hones in on Punjabi cuisine and executes it deliciously.

When it comes to Indian food, Dhaba is the real deal. It's also associated with Malai Marke, Sahib, and Chote Nawab — three other notable restaurants that make up this mini-Indian food empire. New York natives need no introduction to Dhaba or its other counterparts due to its earned reputation as a consistent contender. For those visiting New York, this restaurant is a fantastic option for straightforward Indian food that feeds the soul.

Dhaba ranks midway in our picks for a couple of reasons. For one, it's more of a casual spot than an ambiance-filled experience. Secondly, it features a jam-packed menu with dishes that don't hold back on the spice level. All in all, if you're on the prowl for the best flavors, willing to take the heat and roll with the punches, Dhama could be a food destination to remember.

Indika House is our pick in the category of if-you-know-you-know noteworthy Indian restaurants.

In true New York City fashion, part of Indika House's allure is its elusiveness. Mystery aside, the buck doesn't stop here — this restaurant deserves plenty of praise and accolades. Indika House features Indo-Chinese food, providing snacky options like chicken lollipops and various types of flavorful naan. To add, its menu includes tons of creative and comforting no-meat options, making it a perfect pick for vegetarians and vegans.

This restaurant is located outside of the city in trendy Bushwick and doesn't even have a website. Additionally, it currently only offers takeout, meaning a sit-down experience is out of the question. Yet, Indika House is still very much worth the slight inconvenience. From sag paneer to satisfying samosas, this place delivers a very memorable meal.

Utsav is a restaurant enterprise that surprisingly boasts many locations in Tokyo. Utsav Indian Bar and Grill in New York City is the first to land in the States and has since garnered a great reputation since its arrival in 2000.

Utsav Indian Bar and Grill is a great pick due to the playful creativity infused in the areas of culinary execution and atmosphere. For starters, this restaurant exhibits a bold yet beautiful interior design with the color theme of deep violets and gorgeous greens. The atmosphere alone is transportive.

Of course, Utsav's ambiance merely sets the stage for an even more magical food and drink experience. This restaurant's massive menu includes both familiar and inventive dishes, making it a perfect destination for a group with mixed preferences. Indo-Chinese is the main regional influence at Utsav, which can be seen through dishes like Szechuan fried rice and hot garlic prawns. If you're looking for festive and fun, Utsav is the one.

Atithi is charming, homey, and unassuming, from its tasty culinary offerings to its welcoming space. The mission of this restaurant presents Indian food as soul food, with its flavors brilliantly matching this hard-to-master status.

This restaurant nails a quality of approachability on levels of taste, price, service, and atmosphere. Still, this Brooklyn-based restaurant is by no means boring or unremarkable. Atithi's menu features recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation, infusing a certain magic that's hard to replicate.

Atithi is a little way out of the city in trendy Williamsburg. However, reviews and the overall buzz encourages Indian food enthusiasts to run, not walk. This thoughtful restaurant proves that sometimes the best culinary experiences exude a feeling of coziness and a lack of pretension.

If you're looking for an elevated NYC dining experience that explores the quintessential flavors of India, Tamarind in Tribeca is an obvious choice that won't disappoint. Backed by celebrity fans, hard-to-beat write-ups, and a Michelin star, Tamarind meets at a crossroads of New York City elegance and Indian allure. 

Tamarind takes the most elevated ingredients available and applies them to traditional and contemporary Indian recipes. Beyond its undeniably delicious upscale offerings like lobster masala and malai halibut, Tamarind is aesthetically beautiful in addition to being incredibly tasty. From its stunning plating to its imaginative architecture designed by Wid Chapman, Tamarind is top-tier in every sense of the word. If you'd like to experience New York's finest Indian dining, make sure to secure a reservation at this popular destination.

It hasn't always been plain sailing for Junoon, one of the first Indian restaurants in the U.S. to hold an esteemed Michelin star. Opened over a decade ago in 2010, the boundary-pushing establishment earned the award shortly after opening and retained it for the following eight years. In a culinary climate where Indian food was considered not high-brow enough for fine dining, Junoon changed the rhetoric and paved the way for other visionaries. However, change was afoot: During the pandemic, Junoon closed before re-opening in 2021 to a new location and more intimate dining.

What changed? Junoon no longer has a Michelin star (although it is listed), but the meticulously plated, bold takes on traditional Indian flavors are enough to curry favor with native New Yorkers and tourists alike. The light-bathed dining rooms, dressed in warm wooden accents, seat a comfortable 71 diners — a number that feels all the more cozy and exclusive. The marble-topped bar is worth stopping by in its own right. On offer is an impressive range of refreshing mocktails, botanical infusions, plus American and Indian whiskey.

Both the lunch and dinner set menus are sure to delight, yet clear standouts emerge, including stuffed artichokes with crispy spiced tuiles, lobster marinated with tamarind, chili, coastal coconut and mango, and Ma's rice pudding, a delightful interpretation of classic Indian kheer elevated with puffed rice and candied nuts. Junoon is the ideal place to head for celebrations, romantic dates, and experiences to remember.

For a little slice of India in the heart of East Flushing, Queens, head to an unexpected location: Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devasthanam (also known as the Ganesha Temple), a Hindu place of worship. Instantly recognizable by its distinctive classical Indian architecture, the temple canteen is tucked away in the basement. There's a side door, so there's no need to go through the temple — although they serve free prasadam (blessed food) to devotees. Everyone is welcome at the temple canteen regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender, and it's usually swarming with eager gourmands, so expect a brief wait at peak times.

Don't expect elaborate presentations or attentive service — imagine plastic trays filled with fluffy medu vada alongside green coconut chutney, ghee-roasted crispy fermented dosas with lentil and vegetable-laden sambar, unctuous and aromatic spiced chickpeas with puffy puris, or hearty potato-stuffed samosa with buttery, crunchy pastry. Above all else, Temple Canteen offers Tamil food at its most homely. It's healthy, authentic, crammed with flavor, and pure vegetarian. For plant-based customers, there's further good news: Although not labeled, South Indian food is packed with plenty of accidentally vegan options, and Temple Canteen is no different. Ask at the counter for choices, and don't forget to grab some dessert — it's a woefully underrated component of Indian cuisine.