Best Indian Restaurants in 5 Major Cities: London, Dubai, Singapore, NYC, Bangkok
By Ananya Singh (Meera Iyer writes about the intersection of Indian food culture and international travel — halal trail maps, budget food cities, cooking-class itineraries, and the practical side of eating well abroad without breaking the bank.) · Published · 13 min read
When you are abroad and craving dal chawal or a proper biryani, these are the Indian restaurants in five major cities that actual Indian travellers rate — not the tourist-trap tikka masala joints.
Quick answer
London has the deepest Indian food scene outside India — Dishoom for all-day cafe, Drummond Street for budget South Indian, Wembley for Gujarati. Dubai's Karama and Bur Dubai have authentic regional Indian food at Indian prices. Singapore's Little India on Race Course Road is exceptional for South Indian. NYC's Jackson Heights is the real deal for North and South Indian. Bangkok's Sukhumvit Soi 11 has reliable North Indian restaurants.
London — the Indian food capital of the West
London is home to the largest Indian diaspora in Europe, and the food reflects three generations of immigration. The tourist-facing "curry houses" on Brick Lane are generally mediocre — the real Indian food is elsewhere.
For Bombay-style cafe food, Dishoom (multiple locations — King's Cross, Shoreditch, Covent Garden) serves excellent keema per eedu, pau bhaji, and black dhal. Expect a wait at peak hours and prices of 15 to 25 pounds per main. Drummond Street near Euston station is London's best-kept Indian food secret — Ravi Shankar, Diwana Bhel Poori House, and Chutneys serve unlimited South Indian thalis and chaat for 10 to 15 pounds. Wembley and Harrow are where London's Gujarati community eats — Sakonis for chaat and snacks, Shree Krishna Vada Pav for authentic Mumbaistyle street food, and multiple Jain-friendly restaurants.
For fine dining, Jamavar (Mayfair) and Trishna (Marylebone) hold Michelin stars and serve elevated coastal and North Indian cuisine at 50 to 80 pounds per head. Gunpowder (Spitalfields) does modern small-plate Indian food with genuinely interesting flavour combinations. London flights from India typically cost 35,000 to 55,000 rupees return via Gulf carriers.
Dubai — Indian food at Indian prices
Dubai might have better everyday Indian food than some Indian cities. The concentration of Indian restaurants in Karama, Bur Dubai, Al Fahidi, and Meena Bazaar is extraordinary. Calicut Paragon for Kerala food, Ravi Restaurant (Al Satwa) for Pakistani-Punjabi, Aryaas for South Indian vegetarian, Bikanervala and Rajdhani for North Indian thalis and Jain food, and Saravana Bhavan for dosa and idli.
Prices are comparable to mid-range Indian restaurants in India — a dosa at Aryaas costs 12 to 18 dirhams (roughly 260 to 400 rupees), a biryani at a Karama restaurant is 20 to 35 dirhams. The quality is consistently high because the competition is fierce and the customer base is almost entirely Indian and knows exactly how the food should taste. Dubai flights are among the most competitive international routes from India.
Singapore — South Indian excellence
Singapore's Little India (Serangoon Road and Race Course Road) has the best South Indian food outside Tamil Nadu. Komala Vilas is a vegetarian institution — their masala dosa and thali have been consistently excellent for decades. Banana Leaf Apolo on Race Course Road is the destination for fish-head curry and claypot biryani — a uniquely Singaporean-Indian creation. Muthu's Curry across the street is the alternative if Banana Leaf has a queue.
For North Indian, Zaffran and Delhi Restaurant serve reliable butter chicken and dal makhani. Tekka Centre hawker stalls (first floor of the Tekka Centre market building in Little India) serve biryani, murtabak, and roti prata at hawker prices — 5 to 8 Singapore dollars per meal. Singapore flights from South India are direct and affordable on Scoot, IndiGo, and Singapore Airlines.
New York City — Jackson Heights is the answer
Forget Manhattan's upscale Indian restaurants (most serve Anglo-Indian food for American palates). Jackson Heights in Queens is where NYC's Indian, Bangladeshi, and Nepali communities eat. 74th Street and Roosevelt Avenue are lined with restaurants serving chaat, dosa, Hyderabadi biryani, Nepali momos, and Bengali fish curry at prices that would be reasonable even in India.
Jackson Diner (despite the name, it is a proper sit-down restaurant) has been a Jackson Heights institution for decades. Adda is an Indian restaurant in Long Island City that serves genuinely ambitious Indian food — their weekend specials rotate through regional cuisines. For South Indian, Dosa Man at the Smorgasburg market is a cult favourite and worth the trip if timing works. NYC flights from India are typically 45,000 to 70,000 rupees return in economy.
Bangkok — Sukhumvit Soi 11 corridor
Bangkok's Indian food is concentrated around Sukhumvit Soi 11, Soi 3/1 (Soi Arab), and the Pahurat area (Bangkok's Little India). Mrs Balbir's on Sukhumvit Soi 11 has been serving North Indian food to Bangkok's Indian community since the 1980s. Indus on Sukhumvit Soi 26 is a contemporary Indian restaurant with a rooftop setting and a menu that combines North Indian classics with modern presentation.
Pahurat (near Chinatown) has fabric shops and Sikh gurdwaras alongside small Indian eateries serving simple Punjabi food — paratha, chole, rajma chawal. The langar at the Pahurat gurdwara is open to all visitors. For South Indian, Royal India on Sukhumvit serves dosa and uttapam. Bangkok flights from India are the cheapest international routes available.
How to find good Indian food in any city
The universal strategy: search Google Maps for "Indian restaurant" in the area, then filter by reviews from Indian names (Sharma, Patel, Reddy, Khan). If the reviews are primarily from Indian diners and mention specific dishes (not generic "great curry"), the restaurant is likely authentic. Avoid restaurants where the menu prominently features "chicken tikka masala" — that is a British invention and signals a tourist-facing kitchen. Look for regional specificity: a restaurant that says "Kerala cuisine" or "Hyderabadi biryani" is more likely authentic than one that says "Indian and Chinese." Destination guides include restaurant recommendations where available.
Frequently asked questions
Which city has the best Indian food outside India?
London has the most depth and variety — from Drummond Street budget thalis to Michelin-starred Jamavar. Dubai matches it for everyday quality at lower prices.
Is Indian food in Dubai expensive?
No. Karama and Bur Dubai serve Indian food at prices comparable to mid-range Indian restaurants in India. A dosa is 12 to 18 dirhams (260 to 400 rupees), a biryani 20 to 35 dirhams.
Where is the best South Indian food outside India?
Singapore's Little India — Komala Vilas and Banana Leaf Apolo on Race Course Road are the benchmarks.