To celebrate our 10th birthday here at Urban List, we’re asking you to tell us your favourite venues over on our Instagram—this time, we asked you guys to share your top picks for Sydney's Indian restaurants.
Indian food has a way of satisfying and catering to a wide range of food preferences and needs; it's great for the gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan and, luckily, Sydney has some of the best examples of Indian cuisine this side of Mumbai that look like little neighbourhood eateries through to glam CBD spots.
If you're longing for a creamy curry, a pair of crispy papadums, or a spicy samosa, these are the best Indian restaurants in Sydney.
Abhi's Indian Restaurant
Strathfield
Abhi's has a reputation as one the best Indian restaurants in Sydney. Sophisticated flavours and ambience abound in this Inner-West gem, with dishes drawing mostly from India's north and west. Don't go past the urundai crab patties, Patiala goat curry, or double ka meetha (a Mughlai bread pudding served with rose petal ice cream). Bonus points for being BYO on the wine.
Chatkazz
Harris Park
Serving a comprehensive Indian street food experience in Harris Park (the city's Little India), Chatkazz is a big local favourite for its authentic street-style eats, and is hands-down some of the best Indian Sydney has to offer. There are hearty vada pav, masala puffs, frankies (think Indian-style burritos), pani puris, chaat, paratha and so much more, including curries, dosas, Indo-Chinese dishes, and even Indian breakfast on offer on weekends. Up Station Street East there's also a dedicated sweets and namkeen (savoury snack) shop that's absolutely worth a visit for a treat to take home.
Malabar
Darlinghurst
For over 20 years, Malabar has been serving up some of the finest Indian food in Sydney. Specialising in Southern Indian flavours, you can expect delicacies like Gulabi chicken with fragrant rose petals, dosai (fermented rice and lentil crepe) wrapped around prawns, seasoned potato or lamb mince, and Goan fish curry. Malabar also does a real deal lunch thali plate for $26, with a vegetarian option also available, and you can BYO wine.
Pinky Ji
CBD
Tucked in a basement off bustling York Street, Pinky Ji is a dazzling, decked-out restaurant that brings all the energy of Mumbai to the Sydney CBD. The menu encompasses snacks, raw, street, grill, wok, tandoor, and curry sections, with highlights including crab curry croquetas on charred sweet corn puree, wok-fired Wagyu, and half lobsters in Sri Lankan coconut curry sambal. Expect a rich and immersive experience, with red velvet furniture, neon lighting, floral mala garlands and images of glamourous Bollywood stars and bright projections beamed across the walls.
Maya Da Dhaba
Surry Hills
Expertly combining tradition with innovation, Maya Da Dhaba's Indian cuisine is a long-standing Sydney favourite. With outstanding vegetarian options and share plates aplenty, this Surry Hills Indian eatery is best enjoyed with friends and family. Be sure to grab an assorted bread basket on the side to enjoy the diversity of roti, naan breads, aloo paratha, and Kashmiri naan.
Delhi 'O' Delhi
Newtown
This Indian restaurant in Newtown restaurant blends tradition, techniques and bold flavours in order to create a modern Subcontinental dining experience. Delhi 'O' Delhi creates delicious food that emphasises simple presentation and fresh ingredients. Order 48 hours in advance to try the house specialty: a whole two-and-a-half-kilo leg of lamb infused with cinnamon oil, marinated with potli spices for 24 hours, and cooked to perfection in the clay oven.
Lal Qila
Darling Harbour and Surry Hills
Technically dedicated to Mughlai cuisine (with roots in the 400-odd-year rule of the Mughal Empire in India), Lal Qila's massive menu uses methods including charcoal barbecue and clay oven, with a commitment to remaining authentic to their recipes and making "no substitutions to fit the neighbourhood tastes". Highlights include the Samundri rani tandoori-grilled fish, Peshawari lamb boti (marinated lamb shoulder served sizzling off the grill), and Akbari nihari slow-cooked beef shank topped with crispy onion, fine ginger stems, coriander and lemon.
Radhe Chatpata House
Blacktown
A 100% vegetarian eatery, Radhe Chatpata House does everything from dosas and uttapams to curries, street food snacks, and hefty thalis. Drop in to sample epic snacks like cheesy vada pav, pani puri, aloo tikka chaat, and stuffed paratha breads. There's also a menu selection for the little-known Indo-Chinese eats including cauliflower Manchurian, paneer mushroom fried rice, and hakka noodles. At lunchtime, a Punjabi or South Indian thali will set you back just $13.90, and includes curries, bread, sides and dessert.
Harshita's Kitchen
Waterloo
Drawing influence from the women who shared culinary secrets with her growing up, Harshita's Kitchen is a slice of Indian home cooking, and operates under the mantra "the guest is god". The Fijian-style duck curry is a must-try, with tender duck cooked in spices for a semi-dry curry, while the chana masala is rich and aromatic. Finish off with the sweet banana doughnuts.
Indu
CBD
A terracotta-clad space in Angel Place, Indu is all about South Indian and Sri Lankan dishes, taking particular inspiration from coastal villages and their cuisine. Start with a smoked goat dosa with spicy wiyali bacon jam, pomegranate and zucchini raita, and move on to chaat burrata with fermented pineapple and 'crispy bits', Goan pork curry with cacuti spice, coconut cream and crispy crackling, and coconut sambol made tableside.
Nawaz Flavour Of India
Glebe
A classic neighbourhood Indian joint on an unassuming corner of Glebe Point Road, Nawaz Flavour of India does all your favourites... and then some. Go the incredible value Royal Banquet menu to feast on starters (seek kebab, chicken tikka, fish pakora and samosas), curries (butter chicken masala, Kashmiri lamb, beef vindaloo and dhal makhni), sides (saffron rice, naan, raita and mango chutney) and gulab jamun for dessert for just $45pp (minimum four people).
Foreign Return
Surry Hills
A restaurant dedicated to celebrating good times and having fun, Foreign Return offers a range of menus to suit any shared dining occasion. Start with chakhnas (snacks) like jhal kurmura and crispy masala fries before trying signature plates of Tangra colony chilly prawns and chicken Changezi, regional curries, and "lost recipes" like vari kokaru curry with lamb shank, tribal home made masala and fresh coriander. Don't skip the cocktail list, which features ingredients like jamun- or marigold-infused gin, masala syrup, curry leaves, and Rooh Afza syrup.
Billu's
Harris Park
Another staple on the Harris Park scene, Billu's has a focus on South Indian cuisine, with loads of dosas, sambhar lentil doughnuts, and creamy fish malabar with mustard seeds, curry leaves and red chillies. The goal gappa shot topped with a crispy puri is a must to start your meal, and special mention also to the slightly flashier sibling venue Spiced by Billu's in Barangaroo, with sparkling water views.
Don't Tell Aunty
Surry Hills
If you're after an ‘unauthentic’ approach to Indian food, Don't Tell Aunty is your place. Inspired by the owners' aunt's place, you can expect brightly painted walls, velvet banquettes and mismatched cutlery with a retro Bollywood soundtrack and classic flicks playing in the background. On the menu it's mega tasty street food, cross-regional curries and tandoori specialities including Aussie lamb and prawns with a modern twist. There's also an impressive wine and cocktail selection, plus a self-serve beer fridge stocked with local and Indian beers.
Indian Home Diner
Paddington
You know we had to include this late-night fave. Indian Home Diner is known and loved for turning out their signature Indian kebabs stuffed with chicken tikka pieces, onion bhajis, and curry sauce as the perfect one-hander after a few beers (until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays). If you're chasing a feed at a more reasonable hour, they also do a complete range of classic curries and tandoori-cooked naan bread well worth trying.
Now check out the best Japanese restaurants in Sydney.
Image credit: Chatkazz (Leigh Griffiths), Abhi's Indian Restaurant, Chatkazz (Leigh Griffiths), Pinky Ji, Delhi 'O' Delhi, Radhe Chatpata House, Indu, Foreign Return