The 18 best Indian restaurants in NYC right now

A stellar addition to Manhattan’s culinary scene, Dhamaka offers fare from “the other side of India,” presenting cuisine from regions less familiar to the American palate. Unapologetic Indian cuisine starts with housemade paneer, gurda kapoora (goat kidney and testicles with red onion and pao) and slow-braised lamb shank biryani. 

For nearly 30 years, this deli on the Lower East Side has been serving the Punjabi community. Large plates of rice comes with a choice of three vegetarian options, such as chana masala (chickpeas) and saag paneer (creamed spinach), making for an affordable meal.

Usha Foods is a vegetarian Indian food haven in Floral Park, Queens. Specializing in fast casual bites, savory snacks and colorful desserts, Usha is known for its generous portions and platters that allow you to try a little bit of everything. Plus, it's just down the road from Patel Brothers, one of our favorite supermarkets for hard-to-find Indian pantry staples.

Of Semma, Padma Lakshmi said it best, "this menu is a love letter to South India." Here, chef Vijay Kumar pulls from his upbringing growing up in his family’s rice paddy fields in Tamil, India. Starters begin with Mulaikattiya Thaniyam, a snack of sprouted mung beans that frequented his childhood, and the gingery Kudal Varuval or goat intestines prepared just as his mother had. 

This no-frills-yet-beloved restaurant is located in Jackson Heights, home to arguably the best Indian food in all of NYC. The menu features mostly northern-inspired traditional Indian dishes. Go for any of the biryanis or the chole bhature, a combo of chana masala and puri.

Indian Accent is the first international outpost of Rohit Khattar and celebu-chef Manish Mehrotra’s South Delhi blockbuster. While it leans fine-dining, happily, Indian Accent isn’t above letting you eat with your hands.

With a resume that includes host of MasterChef India and manning Michelin-starred revue, Junoon, chef Vikas Khanna's name alone is enough to draw a crowd. But Bungalow's buzz stands on its own. Try for a seat in the skylit dining room and make sure to gather yourself if chef Khanna makes his way to your table, which is almost guaranteed. 

This addition to the restaurant empire from Shiva Natarajan (Chola) serves Indian staples late into the night. Plus its $17 dollar lunch deal is reason enough to visit to this Midtown East spot.

Grab a mango lassi and nizam roll from this Indian street-food shop. Choose from a mix-and-match menu of bread (roti, paratha, the puffy Mumbai bread pav) and fillings (chicken tikka, slow-cooked lamb bhuna, paneer with tomatoes and green chilies).

The restaurant’s name means, “a place where people hang out,” which is the desire of the team behind this Queens spot. Start with the Paneer Do Pyaza made with homemade paneer as you breathe in the eclectic space lined with collages of Indian newspapers.

This Union Square invites you to journey from Mumbai to Kanyakumari. Expect coastal South Indian cuisine with starter-sized plates like crisp bonda and fried chicken and a fantastic bone-in fish blanketed in curry. 

In 2011, Roni Mazumdar opened the original Masalawala with his father, Satyen Mazumdar, on the Lower East Side in 2011. Although that iteration lasted a decade, it prioritized Western palates over homestyle recipes from his youth. Now in Park Slope, again with his father, Mazumdar celebrates India's yesteryears with pride.

Tucked in the basement of the Hindu Ganesh Temple, you can find this humble cafeteria, dishing out South Indian classics. Savory fritters vadas and Indian-style flatbread uttappam make up the bill of fare. Plus, find 13 dosas (lentil flour crêpes), ranging from mild (masala with potatoes and onions) to fiery (Pondicherry with sliced green chilies). Cooling coconut chutney and a spicy sambar vegetable stew accompany each order.

A South Indian staple in Fort Greene, this colorful restaurant is destination-worthy. A slew of apps and curries are heavy on veggies, and feature cheffy-riffs on traditional Indian fare. Butter chicken is grilled before slathered in sauce and fried eggs can be added to five types of rice. Of course, the namesake course, dosas, are top notch, large enough to stretch over the plate and served with an option of toppings. Visit during lunch for great deals! 

Locals know to flock to Malai Marke on the East Village’s “curry row” aka Sixth Street. This low key North Indian restaurant serves excellent renditions of the classics, like saag paneer and chicken tikka masala, and the vegetarian malai kofta are worth seeking out. The extensive menu also has a dedicated section for Calcuttan Chinese cuisine and a “spicy club” for curries that bring on the heat.

There is not a single wrong choice to be made at this stunning Tribeca-based fine dining restaurant, which is prime for romance or celebration. If you’re in the mood to imbibe, go for the Turmeritini with a turmeric-infused vodka. 

Junoon's penchant for pushing boundaries led to its Michelin starred status, eight years running. After closing down due to the pandemic, the trailblazing restaurant returned in 2021, only a few steps away from its Flatiron location. Choose between prix-fixe menus, the chef's personal tasting or mix and match with a la carte options.

Don’t be overwhelmed by the number of options at Chola. Dine in for dishes like the tangy lentil soup, Savitri Amma’s Rasam, or take away one of their signature lunch boxes to go, which include an entree, rice, dal, and naan or roti.