5 Curry-licious Indian Restaurants in NYC

Suppose you’ve spent the better part of the last two years hiding from the world in fear of contracting COVID and are ready to emerge from your pandemic-imposed slumber. In that case, these Indian outposts will allow you to sample the many cuisines of India without having to book a ticket. These are the greatest Indian restaurants in NYC, serving anything from five-star meals to quick bites on the go. (Many of these establishments also provide delivery service for those who would rather not leave the house but are still craving variety in their diet.)

Chola

Chola’s exquisite food, inspired by the tastes of the Indian coastline, has garnered praise for over 20 years. The interior has recently undergone renovations to provide a more modern eating experience. There are many options, so be ready to make some difficult choices; don’t leave without trying the paneer cheese naan.

Usha Foods

A vegetarian Indian restaurant in Floral Park, Queens, serves quick eats, savories, and sweets. You don’t need meat to enjoy one of the city’s most fulfilling meals, and Usha is one of the greatest vegetarian restaurants to prove it. They offer ample servings, combination platters that let you taste a little bit of everything, and a menu that proves it. It’s conveniently next to Patel Brothers, one of our go-to grocery stores for locating obscure Indian pantry items.

Gupshup

Worlds apart, even a few streets apart, in New York City. For example, just to the north of “Curry Hill,” a traditional Indian cuisine bastion in Murray Hill, is a newcomer called Gupshup, which not only has a completely different vibe than its mom-and-pop neighbors but also mixes a worldwide eclecticism into its cooking. You may spread foie gras butter on crackers or use lentil chilla “pancakes” to make tacos with pulled jackfruit.

Gurpreet Singh, a graduate of New Delhi’s exclusive Indian Accent, lives in a two-story home that looks like the colorful palace of a made-up, affluent family in 1970s Bombay. The black-and-white checkered flooring and green velvet-cushioned seats are reminiscent of a bygone era, but the bright pink painting of a lady in a headpiece and heels provides a contemporary vibe.

On this expensive platform, Singh delves into fusion territory with tiny meals like street-style puchkas encased in a curd-rice mousse flecked with nubs of gently smoked salmon or Mumbai-meets-Mexico-City guacamole served with strips of spicy chips cooked with chickpea flour. Bread-wise, kulcha, with its distinctive caraway flavor, is a great option. Tomato-fennel chutney and fresh mint burrata go well with the wilted garlic-coriander spinach within. The rasam ramen, which takes its inspiration from a dish popular in the Indian state of Kerala and combines tomato curry broth, paneer cheese cubes, and wild mushrooms with curly noodles, is one of the greatest examples of these uninhibited culinary explorations.

Jackson Diner

This restaurant serves as a hub for New York’s Indian ex-pat community and offers more than just Indian food. Savor samosa talk while catching up on your favorite Hindi soaps on Zee TV. Fillings include chickpeas, yogurt, onion, tomato, and a sweet-and-spicy blend of tamarind and mint chutneys. Spicy and savory house specialties like murgh tikka Makhan Wala, or butter chicken (tender chunks of marinated chicken cooked in curry and cream), may be had by requesting a milder spice level.

Indian Accent

Over the last several years, the chasm between Kati-roll canteens and white-tablecloth Indians has become wider, and the leagues are more intriguing. Floyd Cardoz is returning to Indian cooking at Paowalla, a casual tandoor-fired Soho spot set to open this summer; Hemant Mathur’s quartet of low-pressure, hyper-regional Indian restaurants together across Lexington Avenue’s Curry Hill; Babu Ji, a forward-thinking Melbourne transfer opened last year by husband-and-wife squad Jessi and Jennifer Singh.

Indian Accent is the only Indian restaurant on the S. Pellegrino list of the world’s greatest restaurants. (It is now at No. 77.) Indian Accent’s decor is unobtrusive greys and sculptural plating; the only hint of Indian flash is one gold-leafed wall. The restaurant’s menu is also rather stuffily organized into prix-fixe options and a chef’s tasting menu, furthering the impression that it is more suited to a formal dinner than a casual one.

But then an amuse bouche of blue cheese-infused warm naan appears. You guessed it—it’s the groovy center of icy Danish blue. Amuse. The packed Punjabi flatbread, or kulcha, that is served as a side ($9) also functions as a microcosm for reimagining an old staple. Stewy contents from Indian staples like butter chicken & saag paneer face up against a New York nod in the shape of pastrami with mustard butter from Mehrotra.

New York City is known for more than just its vibrant streets and stunning buildings; it’s also a culinary mecca. New York City’s streets are lined with restaurants serving delicious, authentic Indian food. Lastly, read more about travel and food around the world here.