A paneer makhni at Doolally curry house in Dublin
Photograph: Doolally
Photograph: Doolally

The 10 best Indian restaurants in Dublin

Dublin's best Indian restaurants brim with bargains and chilli kicks, from hole-in-the-walls to swanky spots

Nicola Brady
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You can’t beat a quality Indian restaurant. Dublin is packed with them, covering everything from fine dining to dive in and devour spots, and the consistency is almost as remarkable as the flavours. Indian food in Dublin is delicious, to say the least.

A fabulous feast at an Indian restaurant is pretty much the perfect way to begin an unforgettable Dublin night. Eat until you can eat no more (then try to eat a little more), then head to one of the Irish capital’s many pubs, and experience utter joy from start to finish. It all starts with the best Indian restaurants in Dublin.

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This guide was written by Dublin-based writer Nicola Brady. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines

Best Indian restaurants in Dublin

1. Konkan

Let’s face it – Dublin isn’t the cheapest of cities. So, if you’re looking for a budget meal, we recommend heading straight to Clanbrassil Street: here you’ll find one of the city’s best bargains. At Konkan, the tasting menu includes a selection of starters (samosas, kebabs, fish cakes) and three shareable mains, typically butter chicken, prawn jalfrezi and Keralan lamb with potato kari. You’ll also get rice, plus garlic and plain naan. If that doesn’t fill you up, nothing will. 

Price: Bargain

2. Rasam

Down in the gorgeous seaside Dún Laoghaire area, Rasam (which was awarded a Michelin star in 2023) serves street food-style dishes, including aloo tikki (potato cakes) and pork chatpata, plus an extensive array of vegetarian and vegan dishes. The roti and naan are all top-notch, especially the aloo kulcha, a naan stuffed with spiced potatoes and onions.  

Price: Mid-range

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3. Kathmandu Kitchen

With the Olympia Theatre just a minute’s walk away, this Dame Street restaurant is the ideal spot for a pre-gig meal. Arrive at Kathmandu Kitchen before 7pm, and you’ll get two bargain courses, including all the classics like chicken pakora, aloo chap, prawn bhuna and a spicy Nepalese duck. The wine menu is also great value.

Price: Bargain

4. Diwali

Sometimes, you just want a slap-up Indian feast that’s as cheap as curry sauce-soaked chips. Enter Diwali. This Dublin staple on bustling George’s Street boasts super-friendly staff and a menu stuffed with Indian and Nepalese classics. Their early-bird menu is a ridiculous bargain for two courses from Monday to Wednesday.

Price: Bargain

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5. Doolally

Doolally is sleek and stylish, and the food is exceptional, with tender tikka kebabs and an incredible bone marrow butter naan bread. There’s a decent cocktail menu and also a good selection of low-alcohol and alcohol-free options, including a richly fragrant Doolally Chai, which is topped up free throughout your meal. 

Price: High-end

6. Kerala Kitchen

In a great spot on Baggot Street, Kerala Kitchen is the place to go with a gang – this way, you can order the menu and tuck into everything. Don’t go with someone who doesn’t share, is what we’re saying. Their crunchy, herby Bhelpuri is a dream, and there’s an excellent vegan bean curry on the menu as well.

Price: Mid-range

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7. Pickle

Camden Street favourite Pickle has a cult following among Dubliners, who can’t talk about their dishes without getting a faraway look in their eyes. And with good reason – this is a place that’ll leave you dreaming about curry for weeks. The speciality here is classic Indian flavours combined with Irish ingredients – think Tandoori scallops from Kilkee and Tandoori guinea fowl. The kid goat curry is out of this world. 

Price: Mid-range

8. Vermilion

Long considered a suburb of sorts, Terenure has seen some cracking restaurants pop up in recent years. If you find yourself in these parts, Vermilion is a bit of an insider’s secret – the food is stellar, and the service is punctual. There’s also an excellent selection of vegan dishes.  

Price: Mid-range

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9. Three Leaves

Three Leaves offers a different kind of experience – their menu changes regularly, and there’s no choice for dinner – only a (very delicious) set menu. Tucked away in Blackrock Market, it’s open for lunch from Thursday to Sunday and a little later on the weekends. BYOB.

Price: Mid-range

10. Kinara Kitchen

If you’ve ever been to an Irish music festival, you will have spotted the huge lines by the Kinara food stand (or heard the rhythmic drumming of the chef hammering the BBQ). Their Ranelagh restaurant Kinara Kitchen serves impeccable Pakistani cuisine, from Tandoori monkfish to a creamy Makhanwala Murgh. To be honest, you can’t go wrong with anything here. There’s even a cocktail bar on the roof. We recommend the Maharani, a cardamom-infused gin with a hint of chilli.

Price: High-end

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