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First things first:
This is a list that rather conveniently uses two different definitions when selecting the best Indian restaurants of the year.
I have included some of the best ones serving Indian food around the world. But when it comes to establishments in India, I have included restaurants that serve other cuisines too (on the grounds that if they are located here, they are Indian restaurants by definition?).
Here they are, in no particular order.
Dhamaka, New York
Its sibling Semma now gets more attention, but this is the mothership. Chef Chintan Pandya cooks Indian food that is resolutely “not modern” but bursts with flavour. Pandya and his business partner Roni Mazumdar run a collection of restaurants that have transformed perceptions of Indian food in America.
Don’t miss: Pandya’s reimagining of Champaran Meat. It comes to the table full of dark chilli flavours and hot gravy. It used to freak Americans out but is now a signature dish.
Gymkhana, London
The most successful Indian restaurant in the UK, Karam Sethi’s flagship has long been a favourite of Indians, Brits and chefs from around the world. It now has two Michelin stars, making it the only Indian restaurant in London with this distinction.
Don’t miss: The food is classic Indian but Gymkhana has always made use of local game. A biryani made with muntjac, a small wild deer, is legendary.
Gaggan, Bangkok
No change here: Gaggan Anand is still the world’s best Indian chef, and his food is still as dazzlingly inventive.
Don’t miss: If you are lucky Gaggan will be there in person and will talk guests through the meal; a performance worthy of Mick Jagger.
Tresind Studio, Dubai
Himanshu Saini is the youngest Indian chef to earn two Michelin stars. If any restaurant in Dubai was ever to get three, his modern-Indian set-menu establishment would certainly be a contender.
| "Avartana serves a modern take on South Indian food and has been so successful that branches have opened in four other cities: Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi and Colombo." |
Don’t miss: The pani puri. A Tresind Studio tradition is that Saini invents a new version of pani puri to kick off every menu.
Bungalow, New York
Need I say more? Vikas Khanna and Jimmy Rizvi’s new establishment (it opened in March) is among the city’s hardest to get into. It’s made The New York Times food critic drool. It proves that India’s best-known chef is even more impressive outside the TV studios than he is on the screen.
Don’t miss: The excitement in the dining room when Vikas is spotted. He goes to every table and enjoys talking to guests.
Lupa, Bengaluru
Only Manu Chandra could have pulled this off. This is a vast restaurant with several different vibes. One can just relax over a beer and pizza. Large groups can drink cocktails and party. Or you can have a complicated gourmet meal of the sort that only Manu can cook. A triumph.
Don’t miss: If it’s a special occasion they may agree to set up a table in the spectacular wine cellar; it’s the ultimate romantic Bangalore experience.
Avartana, Chennai
No Indian restaurant since Indian Accent has been so universally acclaimed. Avartana serves a modern take on South Indian food and has been so successful that branches have opened in four other cities: Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi and Colombo.
Don’t miss: Try and customise your meal. Avartana offers a selection of Tasting Menus but, if you ask nicely, the chef will move dishes around to create a menu tailored to your tastes.
Papa’s, Mumbai
I don’t think Hussain Shahzad expected this small counter-seating-only restaurant, launched in February to become the phenomenon it now is. But Shahzad is a uniquely gifted chef and the food here is intensely personal and reflects his classical Western training adapted to Mumbai. The menu includes a Lamb Wellington and char sui pork made into a kind of modak
Don’t miss: It’s a strange thing to say about a restaurant run by a great chef but the cocktails, specially invented for Papa’s, are among the most memorable parts of the experience.
Farmlore, Bengaluru
Forget all the farm-to-table hype. The food here is memorable because chef Johnson Ebenezer brings skill and imagination to his cuisine-neutral dishes. The restaurant would still be as good if he bought his ingredients from a supplier. As it happens, he gets only some of them from the farm on which the restaurant is located.
Don’t miss: The restaurant has tables but to get the full Farmlore experience you should sit at the counter and watch Johnson and his team as they create the dishes.
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