Best Indian Restaurants in 5 Major Cities: London, Dubai, Singapore, NYC, Bangkok
By Aditi Rao (Aditi Rao covers food-focused travel for Indians — street food cities, vegetarian and Jain dining abroad, culinary tours and food safety on the road.) · Published · 13 min read
A traveller's guide to eating well as an Indian abroad — the right neighbourhoods and standout restaurants in five major cities, plus a method that works anywhere.
Quick answer
For Indian food abroad: London is unmatched (Southall and Tooting for community classics, Mayfair for Michelin); Dubai serves authentic Indian at near-Indian prices, especially in Bur Dubai and Karama; Singapore's Little India does outstanding South Indian; in New York, Jackson Heights in Queens is the real deal; and in Bangkok, the Sukhumvit Soi 11 corridor and Phahurat (Little India) deliver. Below, the standouts and how to judge any city.
London — the Indian food capital of the West
No city outside South Asia eats Indian food as seriously as London. Where you go depends on what you want:
- Southall (west London) — the spiritual home of British-Punjabi cooking. Vibrant, affordable, and packed with sweet shops, dhabas and grills serving the food of the diaspora.
- Tooting (south London) — superb South Indian and Sri Lankan dosas and thalis at honest prices.
- Brick Lane — historic but now touristy with aggressive touts; many locals skip the main strip for the legendary Punjabi grill Tayyabs in nearby Whitechapel.
- Mayfair / fine dining — Veeraswamy (the UK's oldest Indian restaurant, Michelin-starred), Quilon near St James's Park (Michelin-starred coastal South Indian), and the modern Bombay-cafe favourite Dishoom in Covent Garden and elsewhere.
The honest verdict: for everyday brilliance, eat in Southall or Tooting; for an occasion, book a Michelin-starred room.
Dubai — Indian food at Indian prices
With a huge South Asian population, Dubai is arguably the easiest place in the world to eat Indian food abroad — and often the most affordable relative to local prices. The historic neighbourhoods of Bur Dubai, Karama and Meena Bazaar are wall-to-wall with South Indian vegetarian restaurants, Mumbai-style chaat houses, Hyderabadi biryani spots and Kerala-style seafood joints.
You will find everything from no-frills udipi canteens serving dosa and filter coffee to upscale modern-Indian dining rooms in the malls and along the marina. Dubai also has Michelin recognition for Indian cuisine, with several Indian restaurants featured in the city's Michelin guide. For value and authenticity in one trip, it is hard to beat.
Singapore — South Indian excellence
Singapore's Little India (around Serangoon Road) is the heart of Indian dining in the city, with a strong Tamil and South Indian character. Banana-leaf meals, dosa, biryani, and 24-hour eateries are the draw, and the famous Tekka Centre hawker complex is a good first stop for cheap, authentic plates.
Beyond Little India, Singapore's broader hawker culture means you can find Indian-Muslim classics like roti prata and murtabak across the island. Prices range from very cheap hawker meals to polished sit-down restaurants. South Indian food is the standout here, and vegetarians are exceptionally well catered for.
New York City — Jackson Heights is the answer
Manhattan's well-known 'Curry Hill' around Lexington Avenue in the high 20s has solid options, but the real Indian (and wider South Asian) food in New York is across the river in Jackson Heights, Queens. This neighbourhood is one of the most South-Asian places in the United States, with Punjabi, Gujarati, Bangladeshi, Nepali and South Indian restaurants, sweet shops and grocery stores side by side.
Expect honest, regional cooking at sensible prices — momos, chaat, dosa, kebabs and full thalis. For a special meal, Manhattan also has acclaimed modern-Indian fine-dining rooms, but for the food that tastes like home, take the train to Jackson Heights.
Bangkok — Sukhumvit Soi 11 corridor
Bangkok has a long-established Indian community and two main hubs. The Sukhumvit Soi 11 and nearby sois are dense with North Indian and Mughlai restaurants popular with both expats and visitors. The historic Phahurat district (Little India), near Chinatown, is the older, more authentic quarter, with Punjabi and Sikh-run eateries, sweet shops and a gurdwara serving langar.
Because Indians can usually visit Thailand visa-free for tourism in 2026 (verify the current rule before you fly via our visa guides), Bangkok is an easy weekend where you will never be short of a good dal or a proper biryani. Prices are very reasonable.
Budget eats vs a special-occasion splurge
Decide what kind of meal you want before choosing where to go, because the two ends of the spectrum sit in different neighbourhoods:
- Everyday and budget: the diaspora quarters win every time — Southall and Tooting in London, Karama and Bur Dubai in Dubai, Little India in Singapore, Jackson Heights in New York, Phahurat in Bangkok. Expect honest regional cooking, large portions and fair prices, the food the community actually eats.
- Special occasion: the modern fine-dining Indian rooms, often Michelin-recognised, in Mayfair (London), the malls and marina (Dubai), and upscale parts of New York. These reinterpret Indian cuisine with refined technique and presentation, at a premium price.
- The free option: a gurdwara langar in almost any major city serves a simple, hot vegetarian meal to all visitors at no cost — humbling and genuinely good.
A smart trip mixes both: cheap, soulful plates in the diaspora neighbourhood most days, and one memorable upscale meal as a treat.
How to find good Indian food in any city
The method that works worldwide:
- Find the diaspora neighbourhood. Search the city name plus 'Little India' or 'Indian neighbourhood'. The best, cheapest food clusters where Indian families actually live and shop.
- Look for regional specificity. A place that calls itself 'South Indian', 'Hyderabadi' or 'Punjabi' usually beats a generic 'Indian restaurant' aimed at tourists.
- Check who is eating there. A dining room full of Indian families is the strongest signal of authenticity.
- Use a gurdwara langar for a free, simple vegetarian meal in many cities — a community kitchen open to all.
- Read reviews in detail, ignoring star averages and looking for comments from South Asian diners about specific dishes.
Tips for vegetarian and Jain travellers
All five cities are strong for vegetarians, but quality varies. South Indian and Gujarati restaurants are your safest bet for pure-veg cooking. In London (Tooting, Southall), Dubai (Karama) and Singapore (Little India) you will find dedicated pure-vegetarian restaurants. For Jain food, ask specifically about onion, garlic and root vegetables when ordering, as 'vegetarian' abroad rarely means Jain by default. Carrying a short written explanation of Jain dietary rules helps in kitchens unfamiliar with the practice.
Frequently asked questions
Which city has the best Indian food outside India?
London is widely considered the best, with the deepest range from community classics in Southall and Tooting to multiple Michelin-starred Indian restaurants. Dubai is a close rival for authenticity and value because of its huge South Asian population. Both let you eat brilliantly across every budget and region of Indian cuisine.
Where do I find authentic Indian food in New York?
Skip the touristy 'Curry Hill' in Manhattan and head to Jackson Heights in Queens, one of the most South-Asian neighbourhoods in the US. You will find Punjabi, Gujarati, Bangladeshi, Nepali and South Indian restaurants, sweet shops and grocers serving honest regional food at fair prices. It is a short subway ride from Manhattan.
Is Indian food in Dubai expensive?
Not in the right neighbourhoods. Bur Dubai, Karama and Meena Bazaar are full of South Indian vegetarian canteens, chaat houses and biryani spots at very reasonable prices, thanks to the large Indian community. Dubai also has high-end and Michelin-recognised Indian restaurants if you want a splurge, so the full range is available.
Where is the best Indian food in Singapore?
Little India around Serangoon Road, with a strong South Indian and Tamil character. The Tekka Centre hawker complex is great for cheap, authentic banana-leaf meals, dosa and biryani. Singapore's wider hawker culture also serves Indian-Muslim classics like roti prata and murtabak across the island, and vegetarians are very well catered for.
Can I find good Indian food in Bangkok?
Yes. The Sukhumvit Soi 11 corridor has many North Indian and Mughlai restaurants, while the historic Phahurat (Little India) district near Chinatown offers older, more authentic Punjabi and Sikh-run eateries plus a gurdwara langar. With Thailand generally visa-free for Indian tourists in 2026, it is an easy food weekend.
How do I find good Indian food in a city not on this list?
Search the city name with 'Little India' or 'Indian neighbourhood' to find the diaspora cluster, then look for restaurants that name a specific region (South Indian, Hyderabadi, Punjabi) rather than generic 'Indian'. A dining room full of Indian families is the best authenticity signal. Many cities also have a gurdwara serving free langar.
Are there pure-vegetarian Indian restaurants abroad?
Yes, especially in cities with large Indian communities. London (Tooting, Southall), Dubai (Karama), Singapore (Little India) and New York (Jackson Heights) all have dedicated pure-vegetarian, often Gujarati or South Indian, restaurants. Outside these hubs, look specifically for South Indian or Gujarati places, which are reliably vegetarian-friendly.
Can Jain travellers eat at Indian restaurants abroad?
Often yes, but 'vegetarian' abroad rarely means Jain by default, so you must ask about onion, garlic and root vegetables explicitly. South Indian and Gujarati restaurants in major diaspora neighbourhoods are most likely to understand and accommodate Jain requests. Carrying a brief written note explaining Jain dietary rules helps in unfamiliar kitchens.