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Indian feast at Ghee.
Andres Acero Phood Productions

9 Flavorful Indian Restaurants in South Florida

Turn up the heat

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Indian feast at Ghee.
| Andres Acero Phood Productions

Indian food in South Florida used to mean sad buffets teeming with questionable spicy dishes that tasted the same way. Thankfully, times have changed, and the Magic City and its neighbor to the north now offer bright, inventive, and varied Indian fare. Here are the nine best places to find Indian food in South Florida.

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Arun's Indian Kitchen

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This no-frills spot wedged inside a nondescript suburban strip mall focuses on Northern Indian food. The menu is a generous balance of chicken and lamb dishes like chicken tikka masala and lamb korma (stew), vegetarian items like channa masala, aloo gobi (potatoes, cauliflower, spices), and mushroom matar. There are also seafood options, such as shrimp curry with warm naan to scoop up all the sauce. Diners can order at the counter and hope to snag one of the handful of tables or can ask for the meal to-go and join the battalion of delivery guys entering and exiting the small space.

Samosas, chicken tikka masala, aloo gobi, rice, and naan
photo by Alona Abbady Martinez

AIK Taco Masala

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Indian-style tacos are all the rage at this Lauderhill counter-service spot where diners get to build their meal choosing from proteins like chicken tikka masala, lamb curry, or the vegan-friendly chana masala, then go to town with toppings like pineapples, cilantro, purple cabbage, mozzarella cheese, mint sauce, and hot sauce. This is nestled in three warm roti pieces of bread or on a bowl of saffron rice.

Roti tacos and rice bowls at AIK Taco Masala
photo by Alona Abbady Martinez

Zaika Indian Restaurant

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This quiet North Miami Indian restaurant housed inside a strip mall specializes in southern Indian fare. Expect generous portions of classic dishes like chicken tikka masala, samosas, yellow dal, butter chicken, and garlic naan, plus a popular lunch special with items for just $8-$10 that has people lining up daily to get a seat.

Ayesha Indian Fine Dining

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At this Indian standout — with three locations throughout Miami — diners can opt for chef specials like fish infused with ginger, coconut curry sauce, chole bhature (spicy chickpea curry served with leavened fried bread), and Nilgiri lamb khorma (green curry lamb stew). There are extensive offerings here for vegetarians, such as idly, steamed rice and lentil cakes served with various chutneys and sambar, a lentil-based vegetable stew.

Idly lentil cakes served with a variety of chutneys
Ayesha Indian Fine Dining [official photo]

Rishtedar

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-Rishtedar, a Wynwood-based Indian restaurant founded by Chilean-Indian Vikram Thadani, offers Indian cuisine with Portuguese, Persian, and English influences. The extensive menu features dishes like lamb vindaloo, chicken tikka masala, and the local Florida crab curry, along with dishes with creative twists, such as the Mughlai-inspired chicken korma enriched with yogurt and onion.

Jaya at The Setai

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Although this sleek Miami Beach restaurant deems itself to be pan-Asian, do not overlook the flavorful Indian influence emanating from chef Vijayudu Veena’s kitchen. The curry and a tandoori portion of the expansive menu are where Vijay brings his Indian roots to happy diners in Miami Beach with offerings like sea bass tikka with cilantro, mint, ginger, yogurt, and tamarind chutney, and chicken makhani (chicken thighs, tomato sauce, and fenugreek).

Raja's Indian Cuisine

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This unassuming hole-in-the-wall offers great prices, and even tastier food, making it a popular lunch destination for those in Downtown Miami. Serving home-style South Indian food, dishes like chana dosa (chickpea crepe), spicy chicken tikka masala, and eggplant curry, the venue’s only flaw is that it closes at 6 p.m.

Bombay Darbar (Multiple locations)

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Tasty Indian fare married with South Florida nightclub vibe. Relish in the lighting, statues, and artfully presented food and drinks with offerings that include tandoori chicken wings, mango chicken curry, and Saag Gosht, a lamb cooked with spinach, garlic, onion, tomato, and spices.

Neon lit bar inside Bombay Darbar
Stylish settings at Bombay Durbar
Bombay Darbar [Facebook]

Ghee Downtown Dadeland

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Ghee’s Niven Patel has played a critical role in redefining Indian cuisine on South Florida’s stage, sourcing the restaurant’s ingredients from local farmers and from Patel’s Homestead farm nicknamed Rancho Patel. The menu rotates often and features Indian-meets-Miami cuisine like roasted calabaza curry, turmeric-marinated local fish, and smoked lamb neck. Too many good things to choose? Go for the family-style tasting menu, which can also include wine pairings.

Date cake at Ghee
photo by Andres Acero Phood Productions

Arun's Indian Kitchen

This no-frills spot wedged inside a nondescript suburban strip mall focuses on Northern Indian food. The menu is a generous balance of chicken and lamb dishes like chicken tikka masala and lamb korma (stew), vegetarian items like channa masala, aloo gobi (potatoes, cauliflower, spices), and mushroom matar. There are also seafood options, such as shrimp curry with warm naan to scoop up all the sauce. Diners can order at the counter and hope to snag one of the handful of tables or can ask for the meal to-go and join the battalion of delivery guys entering and exiting the small space.

Samosas, chicken tikka masala, aloo gobi, rice, and naan
photo by Alona Abbady Martinez

AIK Taco Masala

Indian-style tacos are all the rage at this Lauderhill counter-service spot where diners get to build their meal choosing from proteins like chicken tikka masala, lamb curry, or the vegan-friendly chana masala, then go to town with toppings like pineapples, cilantro, purple cabbage, mozzarella cheese, mint sauce, and hot sauce. This is nestled in three warm roti pieces of bread or on a bowl of saffron rice.

Roti tacos and rice bowls at AIK Taco Masala
photo by Alona Abbady Martinez

Zaika Indian Restaurant

This quiet North Miami Indian restaurant housed inside a strip mall specializes in southern Indian fare. Expect generous portions of classic dishes like chicken tikka masala, samosas, yellow dal, butter chicken, and garlic naan, plus a popular lunch special with items for just $8-$10 that has people lining up daily to get a seat.

Ayesha Indian Fine Dining

At this Indian standout — with three locations throughout Miami — diners can opt for chef specials like fish infused with ginger, coconut curry sauce, chole bhature (spicy chickpea curry served with leavened fried bread), and Nilgiri lamb khorma (green curry lamb stew). There are extensive offerings here for vegetarians, such as idly, steamed rice and lentil cakes served with various chutneys and sambar, a lentil-based vegetable stew.

Idly lentil cakes served with a variety of chutneys
Ayesha Indian Fine Dining [official photo]

Rishtedar

-Rishtedar, a Wynwood-based Indian restaurant founded by Chilean-Indian Vikram Thadani, offers Indian cuisine with Portuguese, Persian, and English influences. The extensive menu features dishes like lamb vindaloo, chicken tikka masala, and the local Florida crab curry, along with dishes with creative twists, such as the Mughlai-inspired chicken korma enriched with yogurt and onion.

Jaya at The Setai

Although this sleek Miami Beach restaurant deems itself to be pan-Asian, do not overlook the flavorful Indian influence emanating from chef Vijayudu Veena’s kitchen. The curry and a tandoori portion of the expansive menu are where Vijay brings his Indian roots to happy diners in Miami Beach with offerings like sea bass tikka with cilantro, mint, ginger, yogurt, and tamarind chutney, and chicken makhani (chicken thighs, tomato sauce, and fenugreek).

Raja's Indian Cuisine

This unassuming hole-in-the-wall offers great prices, and even tastier food, making it a popular lunch destination for those in Downtown Miami. Serving home-style South Indian food, dishes like chana dosa (chickpea crepe), spicy chicken tikka masala, and eggplant curry, the venue’s only flaw is that it closes at 6 p.m.

Bombay Darbar (Multiple locations)

Tasty Indian fare married with South Florida nightclub vibe. Relish in the lighting, statues, and artfully presented food and drinks with offerings that include tandoori chicken wings, mango chicken curry, and Saag Gosht, a lamb cooked with spinach, garlic, onion, tomato, and spices.

Neon lit bar inside Bombay Darbar
Stylish settings at Bombay Durbar
Bombay Darbar [Facebook]

Ghee Downtown Dadeland

Ghee’s Niven Patel has played a critical role in redefining Indian cuisine on South Florida’s stage, sourcing the restaurant’s ingredients from local farmers and from Patel’s Homestead farm nicknamed Rancho Patel. The menu rotates often and features Indian-meets-Miami cuisine like roasted calabaza curry, turmeric-marinated local fish, and smoked lamb neck. Too many good things to choose? Go for the family-style tasting menu, which can also include wine pairings.

Date cake at Ghee
photo by Andres Acero Phood Productions

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