The 8 best Indian restaurants in Adelaide

A red-hot addition to Adelaide’s Indian food scene in 2021, Daughter in Law has quickly climbed the ranks to become one of the best. Although the Rundle Street eatery embraces an “inauthentic” label, it doesn’t fail to plate up big bold flavours in its equally as bold, neon-lit dining room. New-wave eats are born from combining both Australian and Asian ingredients, with the menu sectioned into ‘from the streets’, ‘from the pots’ and ‘from the tandoor’. Get stuck into the Mumbai spring rolls, the IFC aka Indian fried chicken, or perhaps the vegetarian truffle biryani pie. Inventive mocktails and cocktails are all the rage at Daughter in Law, too, including the Dirty Lassi with plantation pineapple rum, mango lassi, coconut and lime. 

Brought into the spotlight by its Sydney sister restaurant, Chatkazz up ‘n’ over in Lightsview is dishing out street food from the North and South of India. With more than 200 spicy delights to choose from, Chatkazz will surefire tantalise the taste buds – that’s thanks to an array of the contemporary eatery’s options being hard to come by outside of India itself. Feeling peckish? Go for the samosa sandwich, brimming with cheese, chutney and tomato sauce; scoop up the bhindi do pyaza (okra curry) from the north; or nibble at one of the 25 dosas from the south (they’re a savoury crepe of sorts). Once the savouries are sorted, satisfy your sweet tooth with a floral, syrup-soaked gulab jamun (deep-fried dessert dumpling).

Since its 1980 inception, Jasmin Indian Restaurant has served as a central hub for dining amidst the aromas of traditional North Indian fare. Spice blends perfume across Hindmarsh Square five days a week, enticing passersby to follow their nose into the softly lit restaurant. While tradition is at the forefront of Jasmin’s ethos, the founding family – the Singh-Sandhu’s – believe refining classics is key to their success, backed by their slew of awards over the years. Don’t go past the lamb tandoori, eggplant curry, beef vindaloo or the crowd-favourite butter chicken – they’ve nailed each dish down to a tee. 

Laxmi’s Tandoori Indian Restaurant has solidified itself as one of the best in the biz, taking home the title of the Best Indian Restaurant at South Australia’s 2023 Restaurant and Catering Hostplus Awards for Excellence. The family-run, Glenunga hotspot has been doing its thing since 1999, and its tandoors (that’s the clay oven) have barely had a day off since, giving Laxmi’s dishes their signature flavour. That said, you should probably get around the tandoori platter of chicken, fish, prawn and seekh kebab for an indubitably delicious feast. 

Simple, yet satisfying – it’s City Indian Cuisine on Hindley Street. You’ve probably strolled past this diner countless times and copped a waft of some sensational smells – so next time, head in. Although super casual with few seats to get proper comfy, City Indian Cuisine packs a punch with its cheap as chickpeas plates from across the diverse region – proving that sometimes you really can get more for less. Take your palate on an adventure with the heavenly dahl made using three types of lentils, the mango chicken curry, or the matar paneer – a popular dish made with cheese and green peas in a spiced tomato gravy.

Dubbed as the ‘spice bistro’ of Indian restaurants in Adelaide, British Raj certifiably turns up the heat. With Indian Cricket Team memorabilia and autographs splashed across the walls, this Torrensville eatery is a go-to spot for the team whenever they’re in town – and it's easy to see why. British Raj has been plating up the aromatic goods since 2010, which includes plenty of the usual suspects, as well as a generous vegetarian menu. Think slow-cooked goat curry; prawn Malabar in a mustard seed, curry leaf and coconut milk concoction; along with a sumptuous saag alu of spinach and potato – we’ll take all three, pronto.

It’s all about street food at Chaska Chaat Ka, located to the north of Adelaide’s city centre on Prospect Road. Authentic but unusual numbers from across India grace the entirely vegetarian menu, calling to those who are up for trying something new. Chaska Chaat Ka’s ginormous dosas are bound to fill you to the brim, along with the tawa pulao (similar to a spiced rice pilaf), five different kinds of momos (potent steamed dumplings), and the chole bhature (tangy chickpea curry with pillowy, deep-fried bread).

As the name suggests, Indian Delights is pretty darn delightful. The city eatery’s troupe take pride in its authentic yet elevated fare, all made within the walls of their humble spice house. Indian Delight's menu showcases the diversity of India’s culinary heritage in a more-so refined list compared to others mentioned in this guide. The navratan korma, which translates to ‘nine gem curry’, is a highlight, along with the kadai chicken, which is simmered in a cast iron pot, and the Kashmiri naan, topped with cashews, almonds, glazed cherries and honey.