The 15 best Indian restaurants in Birmingham

Possibly Birmingham’s best-known Indian restaurant, Lasan has ridden a wave of publicity ever since it was featured on Gordon Ramsay’s ‘The F Word’ in 2010 and is one of the showpieces of the city’s rich Indian food tradition. Lasan is tucked among the quaint Victorian buildings of Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, backing onto the leafy St Paul’s Square.

Birmingham superchef Aktar Islam is going for broke with this swanky progressive Indian restaurant on Summer Row. The former chef at Lasan – and an award-winning star of various TV shows – has ratcheted Birmingham’s Indian fine-dining offering up a few notches with Opheem. From the stunning cherry blossom-decked bar to the bustling open kitchen, the emphasis is firmly on style and expression. And his stupefying reimaginings of Indian classics are truly inspired.

With its name being Japanese for ‘essence of deliciousness’, this spot in the Birmingham suburb of Harborne prides itself on offering delicious food with heritage, for there is a sense of tradition that permeates throughout the menu. Its British Railway Lamb Curry was served during the Raj days in railway canteens, while Lambsaagwala is a rural Punjabi delicacy of lamb, spinach and mustard leaves. From conception to execution, the care taken at Umami Harborne is evident.

This Indian street food joint plays on tradition but jazzes it up for the city crowd. From the decor – mismatched furniture, exposed brick walls, big murals of Indian brand logos – to the thalis, which include pani puri (potato and chickpea dumplings), chilli cheese on toast and okra fries, Zindiya is bursting with interesting details. Among the craft beers, you’ll also find lassis, masala chai and Indian soft drinks.

Birmingham has long been famous for its South Asian cuisine. However, a few restaurants have risen above the crowd and carved out a superior niche. Itihaas is one of them. Well placed at the boundaries of the historic Jewellery Quarter and the Colmore Business District, this place has long been popular with hard-to-please professionals. Nowadays, it’s also attracting growing admiration from Birmingham’s army of dedicated foodies.

Hall Green’s Raja Monkey (with another location in Harborne) is slightly more forward-thinking and embracing of modern marketing methods than other South Asian restaurants in Birmingham, presenting a range of millennial-baiting thalis and street food. The artfully aged interiors aim to evoke nostalgia for the roadside diners of India, although, of course, its dining room is decked out with all mod cons. It’s not the cheapest spot, but prices are competitive.

A frequent winner at the National Curry Awards, this Broad Street favourite is a classy refuge on the city’s craziest nightlife strip. But it’s far from dry, as the lavish cocktail bar proves. Order a signature mojito before getting stuck into a strong menu of Punjabi and North Indian dishes. A firm hit with the Indian cricket team, who frequently pop in whenever they’re playing at Edgbaston, Pushkar is an accomplished all-rounder that’ll really bowl you over. 

The jewel in the crown of the JQ, Rajdoot is a lesson in luxury for all Birmingham curry houses. It has delighted the city in one form or another for over 50 years and claims to have fed members of The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and even Princess Margaret. They will have loved its signature dark wood finishes and plush soft furnishings, and not least the menu of expertly cooked North Indian classics. So will you.

If you are looking for opulent fine Indian dining in the heart of Birmingham, then Varanasi is the place for you. The surroundings are dimly lit and borderline regal, and despite having 350 covers, the restaurant still feels pretty intimate. Its meat dishes put an inspired twist on what one comes to expect from Indian cuisine. There are plenty of more conventional curries and tandoori for the less adventurous. 

Following the success of restaurants in Kuwait and Dubai, Asha’s Restaurant is a place where fans of Indian music and Indian food can combine their passions. The space is large but intimate and decorated in a warm, welcoming style. From the fabulous tandoori kebabs to the unmissable curries, you’ll be singing the praises of Asha’s food all the way home.