There are tons of delicious Indian restaurants across Canada, offering chafing dishes full of fragrant meats, rice and naan — but there’s so much more to explore. Here are 10 places where you can try an array of colourful Indian dishes with big, bold flavours.
Coconut Lagoon (Ottawa, ON)
Focusing on South Indian cooking, Ottawa’s Coconut Lagoon offers up some pretty interesting dishes. Try their crispy lentil doughnuts with chutney, chicken pakoras (think Indian-inspired chicken fingers!), lobster masala, and be sure to finish your meal on a sweet note with some coconut and jaggery-stuffed crêpes.
Curry Village (Halifax, NS)
We all know Halifax is a great place to enjoy some delicious donair, but Haligonians will be happy to tell you there are plenty of other interesting cuisines to try. Curry Village serves up a large selection of Indian dishes, both classic and some with subtle twists like the goat masala curry made with local Nova Scotian goat.
Guru (Edmonton, AB)
Definitely on the fancier side, Guru offers a refined service along with their tasty Indian creations. The Nawabi bison crisps (skewers of bison meat in a tangy, aromatic sauce) are an ode to the Albertan landscape the restaurant calls home. There’s the standard naan offerings to accompany the curries, but don’t miss out on the chocolate coconut naan bread for dessert.
Moti Mahal (Calgary, AB)
A longtime Calgary favourite, Moti Mahal has been serving up quality Indian cuisine to Calgarians for over 20 years. There’s a lot on the menu, from all types of pakoras and samosas to tandoori kebabs, spicy lamb vindaloo and much more. Bring a big group of friends to dine here so you can try a bit of everything.
Pukka (Toronto, ON)
Using traditional Indian techniques as a guide, and incorporating all sorts of interesting ingredients to the menu, Pukka truly aims for an elevated culinary experience. Dishes like pickled beets and paneer salad, tandoori calamari with coconut chutney and garam masala duck, are each accompanied by a perfect glass of wine to match thanks to their in-house sommelier curating the wine list.
Spicy Bite (Saskatoon, SK)
For an extra filling lunch or dinner, head to this popular downtown restaurant in Saskatoon. The robust spices of Indian cooking waft from Spicy Bite’s kitchen, making you want to order everything. Best start with some chicken jalfrezi, beef seekh kebabs and honey coconut naan bread, and go from there!
Sula (Vancouver, BC)
On Commercial Drive in Vancouver, you can find all sorts of international cuisine, and Sula fits right in. Start with the Paneer-stuffed pakoras (like a mozzarella stick’s cooler, worldlier cousin) and work your way through a menu that boasts big flavours. Chicken korma, prawn vindaloo, you name it, it’s here.
The Tandoor and Grill Restaurant (Fernie, BC)
A ski town through-and-through, it’s nice to know there’s a solid Indian option in Fernie, especially after a long day on the slopes. Walking into The Stanford Hotel, you wouldn’t suspect what the restaurant has in-store for you. More varieties of naan than you can shake a stick at (the paneer naan is extra cheesy and delicious), The Tandoor offers skewers of spicy curried prawns, and the house-made sauces featured in classics like lamb rogan josh are all highly addictive. A meal here is worth the drive out to the mountains alone.
Udupi Palace (Toronto, ON)
This go-to, no-frills vegetarian spot not only has an incredible price point (almost everything is under $10), but Udupi also specializes in dosa. A large crêpe-like dish comes filled with whatever you’d like, and is served with a tamarind vegetable stew and chutney.
Vij’s (Vancouver, BC)
You can’t have a list of Indian restaurants in Canada without including Vikram Vij and his ever-growing empire. His original namesake eatery that revolutionized chef-driven Indian cuisine in the country, recently relocated to a new, flashier spot. The lamb popsicles served with a fenugreek cream curry have become one of their signatures, so ordering those is a must.