This Ballard bar and kitchen is led by Elisabeth Kenyon, previously of Manolin, who crafts an assortment of Sri Lankan and South Indian snacks like sunchoke and pineapple in a tamarind-tahini curry. The cocktail menu includes South Asian ingredients like toasted coriander seeds, turmeric, and tamarind date chutney. The bar won a James Beard award for best design for restaurants with under 75 seats in 2020.

This Indian-influenced cafe with locations in South Lake Union and Fremont serves up variations on the classic lassi, a tangy-sweet Indian yogurt drink. Flavors range from blueberry cardamom to pistachio and the café serves up a number of snacks and Indian sweets to pair it with. Those lassis and an assortment of small dishes and sweet treats such as ladoo are available for takeout and delivery.

Saffron Grill has is one of the best-loved Indian restaurants in the city. Serving up a fusion of Indian and Mediterranean cuisine, the Northgate spot exudes a family friendly vibe in both its service and its menu. Classic dishes such as the mango chutney chicken curry fare well, but the real winners are the delectable okra masala and the wide assortment of desserts, such as the sinfully sweet gulab jamun.

Before the recent influx of excellent regional Indian restaurants, the University District’s Taste of India was considered by many to be the best Indian food in the city. There are a ton of brag-worthy items on the menu that specializes in classic, well-known Indian tandoori and curry dishes, including a creamy, satisfying butter chicken, but perhaps none more so than the naan (try the paneer or spinach options).

Uttam Mukherjee and Aakanksha Sinha’s Indian Street food business, which started as a farmer’s market stall, now has locations in Capitol Hill, Ballard, and Columbia City. Spice Walla serves kathi rolls made with roti wrapped around piles of paneer, potato, spicy chicken, and juicy lamb kebabs, whose rich flavors pair perfectly with a tangy mango lassi. They also serve street food snacks and soft-serve ice cream with Indian-inspired flavors like rose-cardamom and pistachio-cardamom.

This South Indian spot in Kirkland draws critical raves for its Kerala-influenced cuisine, , including dishes such as a jackfruit and potato stew. The menu that sources local, organic ingredients when possible, and a kitchen that mills its own spices. The dosas, in particular, are part of the reason Kathakali is so well-liked, featuring classics like masala dosa and more inventive creations such as the potato and white truffle-oil dosa. Online orders for pickup are accepted for lunch and dinner, every day but Monday.

Samburna serves some of the Seattle area’s best South Indian cusine. The owners of the restaurant grew up in Tamil Nadu, on the Southern tip of the Indian Subcontinent, where dosa is a staple, and the restaurant serves several excellent versions, including one that’s over three feet in length; all dosas are served with sambar and a variety of chutneys. A goat curry cooked in a blend of masala spices and coconut milk is also a must-try, and madras coffee with a milk-based dessert makes a nice end to the meal. Order Samburna to go, or enjoy a meal with quick service in the dining room.

Dosa House owner Ajay Kumar says he owns the only Indian fast-food restaurants in the Seattle area: Chaat House, Curry House and Dosa House. They’re also all 100% vegetarian and all in Bellevue. Dosa house serves a wide variety of dosas, including the classic potato-stuffed masala dosa and an Indo-Chinese “Schezwan Noodle Dosa” (stuffed with spicy, greasy chow mein) for around $10, and all of them are served with tomato, coconut and peanut chutneys, a side of sambar (lentil soup) and kheer (sweet milk with vermicelli) for dessert. 

This no-frills spot off Aurora Ave. simply does what it knows how to do best: cook up authentic Nepalese and Indian dishes that aren’t as easy to find outside the respective countries. Tuck into one of the fragrant biryanis, or momos simmered in a rich butter masala sauce. For a taste of Nepal, sample some traditional Nepalese specialties like aloo rayoko saag—potatoes cooked with spices and mustard greens. Indian-Nepali Kitchen offers both dine-in and takeaway options.

This fine dining establishment downtown puts a modern twist on India’s rich flavors and culinary traditions. Sample specialties from India’s many regions with surprising and delicious variations on classic dishes. Start with passionfruit pani puri and Dungeness crab kulcha before moving on to mains including paneer served with microgreens and blueberry chutney and coconut curry lemongrass scallops. The cocktail menu also gets creative, mixing ingredients like chai simple syrup and ginger liqueur into the concoctions. 

Duck into this colorful, underground space off Broadway specializing in cuisine from the Himalayan regions of India, Nepal, and Tibet. An order of dumplings is a must, with options including chicken tikka and veggie-stuffed chili momos and lamb kothay (a fried Tibetan momo filled with ground, spiced lamb). Other favorites on the menu include Dhal Bat and a warming curry of Tibetan herbs, potatoes, and peas. Enjoy your meal in-house with a lassi or a saffron-infused cocktail—or order for takeaway.