Sign up for The Dish
Stay up to date on the latest food and drink news from Boston.com.
Where to find the best Indian food in Greater Boston
In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, readers shared their favorite Indian restaurants around Greater Boston.
If you’re looking to spice up your dining routine for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, Boston.com readers have you covered.
We asked readers where to go for the best Indian food in the region and we received nearly 50 restaurant recommendations around the state.
More than 500,000 people have Asian ancestry in the state of Massachusetts and approximately 130,000 are a part of the Indian-identifying population, making the group the second largest in the state.
Coupling the rich Indian culture in the state with a diverse array of mouth-watering dishes native to the region, it’s no surprise that Boston.com readers are obsessed with the bountiful biryanis and authentic spice blends being served at Indian restaurants.
Advertisement:
To serve the best Indian dishes in Massachusetts, Sukhi Singh, part owner of Tandoor and Curry, says listening to your customers is key.
“The customers are God to us,” said Singh. “Without them, we have nothing.”
Tandoor and Curry is a fast-casual takeout restaurant in Woburn with two roaming food trucks that Singh runs alongside his family who has helped to uplift the Indian dining scene for the past three decades. With his father as head chef, uncle running Passage to India nearby, and brothers as critical partners working to expand the business, their family is deeply rooted in the tradition of serving authentic Northern Indian food like chicken tikka masala and kathi rolls.
Advertisement:
“The consistency is right there, because it’s Dad doing it all,” said Singh. “All of our spices get imported directly from India every week because when you start messing around in local departments, that’s when you kind of screw yourself over. It’s not like you can go to Trader Joe’s and pick up what we pick up.”
While Tandoor and Curry is a fast-casual dining experience, The Maharaja offers Indian fine dining.
“We really want people to just come in and like the food in a way that they keep coming back,” said co-owner Raj Punjabi. Ambience, service, an attentive bar, and a customer-focused experience are a part of what makes the restaurant highly rated among celebrities like Casey Affleck.
For Punjab cuisine, fusion-style dishes that cater towards the American palate are more successful. Some of his personal favorite menu items are the lamb chops and tandoori salmon.
“My kids, they’re born here and this is something that they can eat,” said Punjabi. “It is about executing day in and day out…making sure that after somebody comes in they leave very happy.”
Find our guide to reader-recommended Indian food spots below.
Map: Where to go for the best Indian food 📍
Full list: Where to go for the best Indian food 🍽️
| Name | Address | Readers Say |
|---|---|---|
| Tandoor and Curry | 902 Main Street, Woburn, Massachusetts 01801 | |
| India Quality | 484 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215 | “India Quality in Kenmore – the Chicken Tikka Masala has been my son’s favorite meal since age three!” – Victoria, Belmont |
| Minerva | 500 Boston Providence Highway, Norwood, MA 02062 | |
| Chulo Restaurant & Bar | 1 Waverley Ave, Watertown, MA 02472 | |
| Singh’s Cafe | 312 Washington St, Wellesley, MA 02481 | |
| Royal India Bistro | 7 Meriam St, Lexington, MA 02420 | |
| Tashan | 213 Burlington Rd, Bedford, MA 01730 | |
| 1947 | 997 Boston Providence Hwy, Norwood, MA 02062 | “1947 in Norwood. Everything they serve is delicious, but my favorites are their masala dosa and chicken biryani.” – Julie S.T., Brighton |
| Bawarchi Biryanis | 700 Worcester Road, Framingham, MA 01702 | “Bawarchi Biryanis in Framingham is best if you don’t mind some punch on the dishes. Tandoori machi (pomfret fish) is worth the drive alone. There are many Indian restaurants around Framingham, but Bawarchi has them beat. Further out from Boston is 1947 Norwood. More upscale and hip with excellent Indian food that will not disappoint anyone who’s into Indian food.” – Brighton C., Framingham |
| Nirvana | 1680 Mass. Ave,Cambridge, MA 02138 | |
| Wow Tikka | 84 Peterborough St, Boston, MA 02215 | “Anything on their menu is delicious! The wraps are awesome” – Lauren D., Fenway |
| The Treasury | 4A Wayside Rd, Burlington, MA 01803 | ” I have tried almost all vegetarian dishes and found their food to be aromatic and delicious without that hot pepper that most restaurants uses to make indian meals spicy.” – Anna, Burlington |
| Shanti | 1111 Dorchester Ave, Boston, MA 02125 | |
| Punjab Cafe | 653 Southern Artery, Quincy, MA 02169 | “I love their Tikka Masala, Jalfrezi and Tandoori chicken but it’s their biryani that I’m addicted to.” – Bob G., Quincy |
| Indulge India Fusion | 36 Park St, Andover, MA 01810 | |
| Raagini | 209 N Main St, Andover, MA 01810 | |
| Punjab | 485 Massachusetts Ave, Arlington, MA 02474 | “Best meat dish: Lamb Curry —(bone-in or boneless lamb with onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and a variety of spices like cumin, coriander, turmeric, and chili powder Best vegetarian dish: Yellow Dal Tadka —(cooked yellow lentils tempered with onions, tomates, fresh garlic and ginger; Served with basmati rice)” – Sunil N., Medford |
| Turmeric House | 428 Washington St, Weymouth, MA 02188 | |
| Priya | 1270 Westford St, Lowell, MA 01851 | |
| The Curry House | 418 W Central St, Franklin, MA 02038 | “Curry House, Franklin, MA – everything is good! Even my family from the UK (where Indian Curry is now the national dish) said it was one of the best Indian places they’d been. |
| Mela Modern Indian Cuisine | 578 Tremont St suite 1, Boston, MA 02118 | “Lunch Buffet and consistently great.” – Philip W., Boston |
| Sueya Veg N Dosa | 114 Magazine St, Cambridge, MA 02139 | |
| Biryaniz N Breadz | 195 W Central St, Natick, MA 01760 | ” Naan and Malai kofta [are] really good!” – Kritika, Framingham |
| Bollywood Grill | 350 Winthrop Ave, North Andover, MA | |
| Biryaniz N Breadz | 195 W Central St, Natick, MA 01760 | |
| Coriander Bistro | 5 Post Office Square, Sharon, MA 02067 | |
| Zam Zam Restaurant | 42 RIVERSIDE AVE., MEDFORD, MA 02155 | “I always get the chicken palak but it’s all so good!” – Briv, Medford |
| Chennai Eats | 93 School St, Watertown, MA 02472 | “A new restaurant, Chennai Eats, just opened on School St in Watertown and it’s EXCELLENT.” – Dan, Watertown |
| Virsa De Punjab | 347 Great Rd, Bedford, MA 01730 | “Paneer korma and to die for garlic naan.” – SR, Cambridge |
| Al Maidah Indian Restaurant | 1921 Main Street, Tewksbury MA 01876 | |
| Meyuri Indian Cuisine | 30 Lyman St, Westborough, MA 01581 | |
| Anmol Indian Restaurant | 258 Rantoul St., Beverly, MA 01915 | “Anmol in Beverly. Just about the best Indian food I’ve found anywhere, including Cambridge and Boston.” – Brian C., Marblehead |
| The Maharaja | 57 John F. Kennedy St, Cambridge, MA 02138 | “The Maharaja in Harvard Square is my current fave and if you are forcing me to pick a dish, I’ll go with the Chicken Korma.” – John M., South Shore |
| Passage to India | 3 Glassworks Ave, Cambridge, MA 02141 | “My go to dish is Tikki Marsala but spicy!” – Stephanie |
| Clay Oven | 1666 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington, MA 02420 | |
| Jo’s Authentic Indian | 1900 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge MA 02140 | |
| A2b Indian Veg Restaurant | 10004 Shops Way, Northborough, MA 01532 | |
| Aroma Bar and Grill | 485 Main St, Great Barrington, MA 01230 | |
| Hot Breads | 438 Main St, Woburn, MA 01801 | |
| Raagini Indian Bistro | 209 N Main St, Andover, MA 01810 | |
| Depth ‘N’ Green | 7 Broad Canal Way, Cambridge, MA 02142 | “Depth N Green in Cambridge. Everything they make is top notch, but the Dal, Tamarind Sauce, and Mango Lassi particularly stand out for their depth of flavor and freshness.” – Eric, Somerville |
| Himalayan Bistro | 1735 Centre St, West Roxbury, MA 02132 | |
| Godavari | 9 Cummings Park Dr, Woburn, MA 01801 | |
| Little India | 475 Moody St, Waltham, MA 02453 | |
| The Kebab Factory | 414 Washington St, Somerville, MA 02143 | |
| Rassa Boston | 470 Moody St, Waltham, MA 02453 | |
| Maya Indian Bar & Grill | 33 Tuttle St, Wakefield, MA 01880 | |
| Shan-A-Punjab Boston | 500 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02446 | |
| Ssaanjh Indian | 1012 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02446 |
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com