Midnight Temple opened its dramatic indoor space and bar after years of work, thus creating an inviting spot to enjoy dosas, samosas, and plates of hakka noodles whether inside or outdoors at the pedestrian-friendly street lounge space on Riopelle Street. In addition to the street food offerings, a full bar offers boozy takes on traditional beverages like mango lassi spiked with tequila, manzanilla sherry, honey, orange, and rosewater. Midnight also frequently collaborates with its Eastern Market neighbors for special events and offerings.

Nepalese dumpling stand Momo Cha is one of a limited number of spots in metro Detroit that serves Nepalese fare, and it’s available at the Detroit Shipping Company food hall in Midtown. The small dumplings here are called momos and are filled with choice of chicken, pork, or veggies with tofu and can be pan-fried, steamed, or deep-fried, and come with a choice of chutneys. Other traditional dishes here include sekuwa (skewered and grilled meat) and dhal bhat, a dish comprised of lentils, rice, curry, and pickles.

Muslims and folks wanting to incorporate more halal food into their eating routines have another fast-casual Indian-style option in Charminar Biryani Express, located across the street from Wayne State University. The restaurant offers a takeout-friendly menu featuring prepared entrees, appetizers, and sides, including butter chicken, chicken 65, and tandoori chicken, as well as a variety of vegan-friendly selections.

This Indian pizzeria makes for a worthy carryout stop after a trip to Ikea. The aloo gobi pizza is topped with a mild tikka sauce with cheese, cauliflower, tomatoes, garlic, and fries. Do yourself a favor and add a side of masala potato wedges to the order.

This halal restaurant serves up flavors of the Himalayas — Indian, Nepali, and Tibetan cuisine. Start with the samosas, which are flavorful and fried to perfection. The butter chicken and the chicken tikka masala are popular with customers, who’ve given high marks to the restaurant since its 2019 opening.

What started out as a Paradise Biryani Pointe location has evolved into Paradise Street Eats, offering a unique-to-metro Detroit menu of South Asian-inspired chaats, samosas, crispy butter chicken sliders, tacos made with chapati, garlicky cauliflower gobi, and Indo Chinese slaw, and more. Now including a food truck location at 1200 Randolph in Detroit’s Greektown district.

Star of India has served dishes from both the northern and southern parts of the country since 1980. The mixed appetizer sampler is a best bet and popular with customers: think two samosas, four eggplant pakoras, four onion bhajees, and a papadam. Other standouts include the Indian classics butter chicken, palak paneer, chicken tikka masala, aloo matar gobi, which all should be accompanied by the cheese naan.

Ashoka specializes in Moghali, South Indian, North Indian, and Indian Chinese cuisines. The menu offers a large selection of samosas, biryani, dosa, and masala. Mango lassis are a great complement to the spice that accompanies many dishes.

Hamtramck staple Amar Pizza fuses Bangladeshi, American, and Italian flavors into some really intriguing pies. The pizzas are baked both as rounds and Detroit-style square varieties. Fan favorites include the dry fish pizza with, shrimp, garlic, onions, cilantro, and fish paste sauce, as well as the famed (and very spicy) ghost pizza, which terrorizes tastebuds with heat. Customers can place orders for carryout or delivery through the website, or just place an order by phone.

Bonoful, whose name means a “bouquet of flowers,” features a subtly glam dining room with colorful lights, chandeliers, and secluded booths tucked into individual alcoves for a little extra privacy. This spot features chicken tikka biryani (a slight variation on the chicken biryani), goat curry with a rich gravy, vegetable curry, and fresh, buttery naan. The biryani at Bonoful is a particularly good version with thinly sliced poultry is tender and evenly incorporated into every bite of rice

This homey restaurant boasts many Bangladeshi staples, such as aloo chop, chicken korma, and fish curry, which is available in several styles such as rupchanda, also known as Chinese silvery pomfret fish. Finish off the meal with an order of pistachio and cardamom-flecked barfi and malai curry sweets, two milk and sugar-based desserts. For people trying Bangladeshi food for the first time, korma is a good place to start. Made with a yogurt or cream base, it’s a great option for folks in need of control of the heat level.