Whether it’s your go to for takeaway night or all round favourite cuisine, there’s nothing more hearty and nourishing than a good ol’ Indian feast. It’s a good thing then that Brisbane is jam-packed with Indian restaurants, serving up more curries, tandoori chicken and naan bread than we can even attempt to devour.
Here are 10 of the spiciest and flavoursome Indian restaurants in Brisbane—and 10 runners up, because it turns out Brisbane is seriously packing when it comes to amazing Indian fare.
Curryville
Morningside
No questions as to what you should order here—Curryville are all about the curries, and according to you they do them obscenely well. Obsessed with freshness, the team behind the Morningside eatery is dedicated to making everything from scratch, from their original spice blends to their special sauces. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, they ensure no one will miss out on their delectable dishes as all their curries are gluten-free and can be made dairy-free upon request.
Sankalp
Annerley And Aspley
For an authentic and flavoursome feast no matter what side of the river you reside, look no further than Sankalp Indian restaurant. This dining institution belongs to The Sankalp Group, who operate over 150 restaurants across the world, so they know their stuff. With an entire page of their menu dedicated to dosa and curries like goat roganjosh and chicken methi garlic to choose from, you’re guaranteed to get your quality taste of India at Sankalp.
Aamaya
Hamilton
For those who prefer their curry with upscale vibes, Aamaya Indian at Hamilton has you covered. Situated in the riverside Portside Wharf precinct, this Indian restaurant cooks up all the classics, as well as some re-imagined recipes (deep-fried chicken in curry sauce, anyone?). With antique-inspired interiors to appease the fine-diners in all of us, this is one restaurant you have to try.
Paddington Curry House
Paddington
This casual inner city spot draws on the traditional flavours of both India and Nepal to bring you satisfying Indian-fusion dishes that’ll have you coming back for more. Known for their designer curries like spicy prawn vindaloo and the signature lamb cashew, Paddington Curry House’s top-notch service matches the quality of their dishes. They also do takeaway though, if your ideal service is switching on Netflix at home while you dine.
Sitar
Coorparoo, Ashgrove And Albion
Cooking traditional curries from the finest local ingredients ever since 1990, it’s no wonder this institution has made its way into a list of the best Indian restaurants in Brisbane. Now with three convenient locations across the river city and a large loyal following, you'll be guaranteed to get your comfort food fix at Sitar.
Sultans Kitchen
Paddington
What began as a humble BYO eatery along Milton Road 22 years ago has flourished into one of Brisbane’s most acclaimed, top-tier Indian restaurants. While its roots are in traditional Indian cuisine, Sultans Kitchen’s menu makes sure to reflect the various regions across the Indian continent and add a little modern spice with foregin flavours from the Persians, the Mongols, the Portuguese and the British.
Taj Mahal
New Farm
If you like dining amongst the stars (famous people that is), New Farm's Taj Mahal is worth a visit. Another Indian that definitely lives up to its name, this institution is renowned for serving up it’s traditional North Indian cuisine to the likes of top Indian and Australian cricket players, Bollywood stars and singers. While the original restaurant sadly burnt down at the beginning of last year, fear not as the Taj Mahal has risen from the ashes and reopened its doors across the road.
Eden Garden
West End
Named after the legendary Indian cricket ground and situated around the corner from the Gabba, Eden Garden is the perfect spot to get your pre- or post-game Punjabi food fix. As well as dishing up plenty of meaty fare (yes, including your beloved butter chicken and vindaloo), they’ve also got an entire vegan menu for the non-meat eaters, so the whole gang is welcome.
It's Mirchi
Paddington
Calling all fitness fanatics, healthy eaters or anyone looking for a lighter version of their favourite cuisine. It’s Mirchi Healthy Indian will have you eating from all the food groups at their modern Indian restaurant, with a menu designed to suit a variety of dietary requirements, lifestyles and tastes. Yet another top 10 entry located in Paddington, this Brisbane Indian restaurant dishes up everyone’s favourite authentic Indian cuisine (think korma, masala and saagwala), only without the excess sugar and heavy oils, along with some indian-inspired healthy dishes like healthy bowls and tandoori broccoli, to have you feeling great, inside and out.
Jaipur Palace
Wellington Point
After over 20 years serving the east side, family-run Wellington Point restaurant Jaipur Palace has mastered the art of taking the traditional flavours of India’s north and catering them to our more Western tastebuds. You can opt to dine alfresco under the leafy poinciana trees and neon lights or enjoy your Indian feast inside amongst traditional carvings and textiles.
What you love about it: “It’s anyone from the Redlands fave restaurant.”
Runners Up
We couldn’t keep this list to just 10, so here are the 10 runners up. A special mention also has to go to Botero House in the city for their regular Silk Road degustations—for Indian like you’ve never seen before, check them out.
- Halims, Rosalie
- Nutmeg, Albion
- Taj Benghal, Ashgrove
- A Night In India, Toowong
- The Klay Oven, Teneriffe
- Bengal Curry House, Wynnum
- Ceylon Inn, Graceville
- Indian Kitchen, West End
- Jk Restaurant, Indooroopilly
- Mamak, Camp Hill
Prefer your curries of the Thai variety? Find Brisbane's best here.
Image credit: Oscar Wong