Mumbai (Bombay)
Make this Northwest Frontier restaurant, outside the international airport, your first or last stop in Mumbai. It's a carbon copy of Delhi's famous…
Must-see restaurants in India
Kochi (Cochin)
Fort Cochin's original (and best) art cafe, this fashionable, natural-light-filled space has a Zen vibe, a creeping vertical garden and stylish wood…
Delhi
Inside luxury Lodhi hotel, though privately run, Indian Accent is one of the capital's top dining experiences. Chef Manish Mehrotra works his magic using…
Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad)
Down a narrow alley off a lane leading south from Jama Masjid, Karim’s has been delighting carnivores since 1913. Expect meaty Mughlai treats such as…
Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad)
A family-run hole-in-the-wall serving inexpensive portions of just one dish – chhole bhature (spicy chickpeas, accompanied by delicious, freshly made,…
New Delhi
Bamboo slices the sunlight into flattering stripes at this outdoor restaurant offering a modern take on delicious Indian cooking from across the regions…
New Delhi
Founder Mr Kamath's dad was a mango vendor in Mangalore, which apparently inspired his love of fruit. He went on to start Naturals, with its wonderfully…
Delhi
This is a food court par excellence, and you'll find any type of cuisine you fancy here, from Indian street food and Tibetan momos (dumplings) to high-end…
Mumbai (Bombay)
Served up in a family home, this weekend-only pop-up dining experience was cooked up by former Google employee Munaf Kapadia. It showcases both the…
Lucknow
This is the cleaner, more tourist-friendly outlet of Lucknow's renowned, 100-year-old, impossible-to-find kebab shop in Chowk, where buffalo-meat kebabs…
Mumbai (Bombay)
Bombay Canteen is one of Mumbai's hottest restaurants, courtesy of former New York chef and Top Chef Masters winner Floyd Cardoz, and executive chef…
Agra
There are only two sittings each evening at Agra's finest restaurant, so booking ahead is essential, especially as non-hotel-guest tables are limited. The…
Varanasi
This restaurant's fabulous menu includes more than 40 varieties of European-quality cheese and more than 30 types of bread, cookies and cakes – along with…
Pune
Maharashtra's shining culinary moment is a fury of Southeast Asian fantasticness; trying to choose one dish among the delectable stir-fries, noodles and…
Ladakh
Alchi Kitchen offers a rare chance to taste traditional Ladakhi foods made with a modern twist. The striking, mod-trad open kitchen runs out flavoursome…
Lucknow
If you want to savour the flavours of the Nawabs performing at their culinary best, look no further than Oudhyana, where Chef Nagendra Singh gives Lucknow…
Agra
This superstar dhaba (casual eatery) is a must: duelling veg and nonveg glorified street stalls employ 24 cooks during the rush, each of whom handles…
Calangute & Baga
Stepping into the fantasy, neon-lit garden of white-wicker furniture is impressive and the food is consistently good. With a global menu leaning towards…
Manali
The relaxed yet stylish garden-fronted restaurant at Johnson's Hotel frames a mountain view through foldaway windows, and its wood-fired pizza oven is…
Maharashtra
A bit of a dhaba Disneyland, but therein lies the fun. About 5km east of Lonavla, near Karla and Bhaja caves, is this fun-for-all restaurant/entertainment…
Maharashtra
Way too hip for Mahabaleshwar, this classy restaurant/wine bar is unmissable. Chef/owner Raio's culinary pedigree includes Taj Hotels and his creative…
Kochi (Cochin)
Set in an open-sided pavilion or at candlelit poolside tables, this outstanding restaurant at Malabar House is (almost) Bollywood-star glam. The ambitious…
Mumbai (Bombay)
With rangoli (elaborate designs) on the walls, servers in lungis, and sari-clad women lunching (chappals – sandals – off under the table), Dakshinayan…
Punjab (India)
The speciality dum-a-dum biryani (veg, chicken or mutton) in this young, friendly, 1st-floor eatery bursts with flavour, but there are also tasty dhals…
Pune
This modern, fiercely regional South Indian restaurant champions the best of India's bottom half and isn't afraid to tell you if you are ordering the…
Panaji
Among the best of Panaji's burgeoning boutique restaurants, Black Sheep’s impressive pale-yellow facade gives way to a sexy dark-wood bar and loungy…
Himachal Pradesh
Easily missed opposite the petrol station, around 2km south of central Kullu, Maitre is the most appealing Western-centric restaurant for miles around,…
Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh
Jehan Numa Palace’s best restaurant specialises in barbecue kebabs and tandoor dishes (including vegetarian options). Most things on the menu are top…
Panaji
Well-known to tourists, this little side-street eatery, in an old Portuguese house and with a few tables out on the laneway, delivers tasty Goan classics…
North Goa
North Goa's most famous Greek restaurant was forced out of its long-running Vagator location in 2018 but has found a new waterfront home at Teso in Siolim…
Bundi
The most romantic restaurant in Bundi welcomes visitors from other hotels. Dine in the sheltered yet open-sided terrace, or on the rooftop with…
Leh
Hidden down unlikely footpaths south of Changspa Rd, classy Bon Appetit has far more finesse than most in Leh, so consider booking. Much on the eclectic…
Srinagar
This historic restaurant (a century old in 2018) is the classiest place in town to try meaty wazwan (traditional Kashmiri multicourse meal) dishes such as…
Kolkata (Calcutta)
This reincarnated 1904 mansion has had its walls artistically splattered with doorknobs, locks and old books, complementing its stylish distressed-look…
North Goa
Bean Me Up is vegan, but even nonveg travellers will be blown away by the taste, variety and filling plates on offer in this relaxed garden restaurant…
Kolkata (Calcutta)
Housed in a superbly renovated mid-20th-century mansion, this top-notch restaurant serves some of the best Bengali fare in town. If you're confused about…
Bengaluru (Bangalore)
For a local eating experience, head to VV Puram, aka Food Street, with its strip of hole-in-the-wall eateries cooking up classic street-food dishes from…
Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh
This 300m-long nocturnal food-stall strip is a great experience, not just for the local taste sensations, but also for its friendly atmosphere. Come…
Kolkata (Calcutta)
Founded and directed by an Italian lady from Naples, Fire and Ice's waiters bring forth real Italian (al dente!) pastas and Kolkata’s best thin-crust…
Mumbai (Bombay)
From the same French trio that brought us Suzette comes this superb organic cafe, a haven of health and homesick-remedying salads, sandwiches, cold-press…
