Best Indian Restaurants in Melbourne 2023
We have searched Melbourne for the best Indian restaurants in Melbourne. Here are some of our favourite Indian restaurants in Melbourne:
Red Pepper - CBD
Red Pepper is a sublime Indian restaurant in the CBD which provides authentic and excellent fare with North Indian influences (as well as influences from other parts of India) in ambient surroundings. Owner/chef Jagjeet Kaur from the Punjab region of India has become an icon in Melbourne with Red Pepper recently celebrating 15 year anniversary of delighting Melbourne diners (since 2006) with traditional Indian flavours and some dishes with a modern twist.
Butter Chicken
For those looking for a diverse compelling lunch, Red Pepper caters brilliantly for the cityworkers of Melbourne as well as groups.
Dinner Set Menu at Red Pepper is also affordable and delivers on taste and quality, with a feature being the dishes are individually tailored for each diner (as opposed to a shared menu). The menu is ever evolving with Jagjeet bringing diverse options as well as signatures. Menus have included Ghost (Pepper) Chilli Beef, Lamb Roganjosh, Saag, Chennai Chicken and Goat Curry.
Red Pepper is also known for its outstanding drinks choices including cocktails such as Mango by the Beach. A full list of beers and wines often surprises guests, with its range and quality. Check out the Indian beers and whisky.
Mango by the Beach
The Butter chicken shines as a great example of this dish in Melbourne. I hadn't had a Butter chicken like this since the one I had in Mussouri in Northern India in the foothills of the Himalayas... The altitude made one breathless but the occasion was unforgettable with amazing cuisine, delightful company and the Himalayas in view. This Butter chicken at Red Pepper was among the best I've ever had anywhere. For a start it was a generous portion and the balance of spices was sublime.
Jagjeet is well known for authenticity and for not compromising on spice levels and traditional flavours. No short cuts. The restaurant is located at the Paris end of Bourke St, a precinct with class, leafy and spacious. Red Pepper is part of a cluster of restaurants at the top end of Bourke St near the Parliament building, which are also Melbourne restaurant royalty.
Come here for lunch as a city worker, or bring your colleagues for dinner. Perfect for a date night or a family or friends catch up. So much love and care goes into the Red Pepper experience, Jagjeet more than delivers on the restaurant offerings. One of the best Indian restaurants in Melbourne.
Tonka - CBD
Tonka is one of the best Indian restaurants in Melbourne being the love child of highly successful Coda and a triumph of Adam D'Sylva (homage to his heritage) and Michael Smith (former head chef of Jacques Reymond). High end Indian has been a surprising gap in the culinary landscape in this city. Having experienced awesome high end Indian in other Australian cities like Adelaide, international cities, not to mention India itself, I was curious to see what awaited me at Coda. This hatted restaurant has taken Indian cuisine in Melbourne on an odyssey and delivers on technique and flavour.
Tonka is a fine dining destination with white napkins, classy decor and mood lighting - and of course that dreamy petticoat like material fluffed up on the ceiling. It screams sophistication and occasion. No mess hall informality here.
Make your way down the laneway and look for the neon sign (this place was a famous nightclub called Honky Tonks). Tonka clearly brings a modern twist to Indian cooking - something unique in Melbourne. The website gives us more of the philosophy, "They have devised tantalising dishes that explore Indian techniques and flavours although not being restricted by tradition. D’Sylva stamps his characteristic approach to cooking with the balance and freshness of Asian. The menu is designed with a passion for enhancing seasonal, fresh ingredients in modern and accessible way."
Golden Maharajah vegetable curry, tandoori cauliflower, pumpkin and crispy egg is a sensation, as is the Rajasthani duck, cucumber, mint and buffalo milk curd. For seafood lovers the Goan curry with barramundi, Spring Bay mussels, Mooloolaba prawns and Kashmiri chilli hits the mark. The sides are a key and the Tonka’s dahl with yellow lentil, Kashmiri chilli and curry leaf is the business.
Gaylord Indian Restaurant - Grand Hotel CBD
Is this the best Indian restaurant in Melbourne? Here you will find authenticity, classic flavours as well as some exotic dishes at reasonable prices. Gaylord was an institution in Chinatown but now has new ownership in residence at the iconic Grand Hotel in Spencer st. Here the dishes are prepared from scratch, unique sauces for each dish, quality ingredients and premium spices are used. Each dish at Gaylord is prepared in its own pan. Therefore the curries sing and the dishes have that "freshness" about them that many other Indian restaurants do not. An experienced team is taking Gaylord to new heights with Raj and DJ at the helm, and Surin working wonders in the kitchen.
Old Delhi Pani Puri sets the tone as a vibrant fun dish.
Lamb Cigars for salty crunch and juicy inside.
Smoky tandoor flavours with premium house spices.
Curries are a hit including this Methi Murg.
Dishes not just the usual suspects including this exciting smoky Kerala Salmon Moilee.
Delicious perfectly cooked Goat Curry.
ISH - Gertrude St
ISH is a vibrant modern Indian restaurant in Gertrude St Fitzroy sitting at the intersection of old and modern Indian cuisine. The World Loves Melbourne was invited along to experience ISH and we were highly impressed.
ISH Indian restaurant in Fitzroy displays a sense of fun and playfulness as well as a seriously good dining experience. It brings extra sophistication while being approachable.
Cocktail and beverages game is strong at ISH.
Sexy fit out with exposed brick walls and modern feel.
ISH free range chicken tikka, caramelised onions, roasted garlic ‘burrani’ yoghurt also hits the mark with succulent chicken and perfect spice execution. The splash of yoghurt is artistic and it complements the chicken wonderfully.
The menu is divided up into Peckish then Moorish then Famished then Dessert.
Tandoori lamb cutlets at another level.
Curry with nuances. ISH is a delightful revelation bringing sophistication, invention, fun and several points of distinction to Indian cuisine.
Chapati - Carlton
Chapati is a charming modern Indian restaurant in Rathdowne St Carlton receiving rave reports for its stunning food. The name "chapati" means bread and this is the staple of the people. A restaurant to come and enjoy food from right across India from north to south; prepare to be taken on a culinary and cultural journey. Arjun is an affable host and his mother Naomi is the head chef; bringing here influences from years as a chef in 5 star restaurants in India. Here at Chapati you may experience some unique dishes not often found in Melbourne.
The ambience is compelling with blue themese reflecting the blue of Rajistan, seen as the heart of India. Vibrant murals adorn the walls, created by a local artist.
With 65 dishes cooked from a small kitchen, Chapatiprovides plenty of diversity for the customers. Chapati features lighter dishes from the South as well as more intense dishes from the North, with Butter chicken representing the centre.
Dishes are super impressive, such as the Prawn Pepper Fry, the Vadapav, Murgh Malai Tikka, extraordinary 10 hour slow cooked Dal Bukhara, creamy coconut based Fish moilee (barramundi), and rave reports for the Garlic Naan, rice and other breads. Butter chicken is a signature, creamy and with delightful nuance of spice, cooked a day before in the Tandoor.
Mr Brownie Rooftop Hotel - South Melbourne
Mr Brownie is a fun and playful Indian British curry pub by Jessi Singh with a stunning rooftop with sensational views of the city and South Melbourne surrounds. This is a four storey pub with delights in each level, but it's the rooftop where you want to head. The basement cocktail bar is also cool but the open air rooftop is perfect in Spring/Summer. The menu gives an Indian "take" on traditional pub fare and pairs perfectly with beer list. Curry pies are fun, as is the Indian style Margherita pizza, the Samosas, Indian style nachos and the Thali platter is a must order. As is the Fish and chips (you'll love the curry chips).
Mukka - Fitzroy
Mukka is not a stereotype Indian restaurant serving the usual suspects in a predictable way; rather its resonates with innovation, authentic spice and fresh ingredients. The mindset in the kitchen is to represent Indian dishes as they should be; not dumbed down for Western tastes. There's no holding back on spices, although you can turn the spice meter up if you want.
A highlight at Mukka is the Spicy Lamb Chops! These pack a real punch with flavours exploding in the mouth! I was told by friends that this is a must try dish at Mukka and they were right! Marinated overnight its hard to imagine these could display any more flavour.
Prateek Dhawan is from Northern India and with his brother Aditya, has injected authenticity and passion to represent Indian flavours well without compromise in Melbourne. As The World Loves Melbourne has visited India three times, we are on the search for the high notes of Indian cuisine we experienced in northern India. Points of difference here? Street food at its best. Flair. Passion. Vibe. Great sauces. Great spices. Variety of dishes from across India.
Haldi Indian Restaurant - Carlton North (ex Moonee Ponds)
Haldi Indian restaurant is serving up some of the best Indian food in Melbourne. Creamy spicy fragrant curries are made from scratch. Sauces are authentic and diverse, and are not mixed together from one dish to another (like many Indian restaurants). In fact each dish is created from scratch in its own pan. Top chefs with excellent pedigrees grace the kitchen and we believe this restaurant stacks up against the best.
Paneer Nuggets featuring a Golden paneer sandwich complete with Tokyo onion rings, captures the imagination and the taste buds. Served with chana and tomato sauce it is a fun and playful dish with modern interpretation but all the flavours of paneer are there.
Tawa Murgh hit the high notes featuring Tawa grilled chicken breast with herb flavour, stuffed mince lamb, roasted to perfection. This is a generous portion for an entree.
Tender smoky spicy lamb.
Curries are cooked individually in the pan each with their own sauce. Compelling and delicious. Worth a trip across town.
Curry Vault - CBD
Curry Vault is one of the best restaurants in Melbourne - a delightful Indian culinary experience that has been consistently excellent over the years. We experienced three of Curry Vault's hottest dishes - the Lamb Vindaloo, the Spicy Chicken and the Beef Madras. Over the years I've enjoyed fine Indian cuisine in India, UK and in Australia, notably Adelaide which boasts some great Indian venues. I will never forget the food of Northern India during a few visits there, and Curry Vault does a great rendition, with no dumbing down heat and spices for western tastes.
The Lamb Vindaloo was super creamy with major heat, hot and spicy with a touch of vinegar. There was also a great spice profile of this vindaloo and I could tell the slow cooked meat was a decent cut.
The Spicy Chicken dish was laden with chillies, fresh capsicum, onions and ginger, and hit you hard from the start. My tongue started burning and sweat started emanating from my brow. Some like it hot, but you don't know how hot till you try. This was a mother of a hot dish. Yey it wasn't just all about heat but there were nuances of spice and taste.
The Beef Madras featured diced beef cooked with desiccated coconut, mustard seeds, curry leaves and spices. It too was creamy - with a heat that crept up on you like a rising tide. Highly recommended.
Babu Ji - St Kilda
Babu Ji is one of the best Indian restaurants in Melbourne (we think the best); a revelation and is often recommended to us by the Indian community. This is a modern chic restaurant with resonances of authentic Indian cuisine.
The term Babu Ji, when used playfully is your typical Indian government worker, dining in a restaurant in Chandigarh, India. These “Babu Ji’s” dine with complete ease and enthusiasm, holding not a worry about time or return to work. They happily and unashamedly indulge in food and hospitality. They laugh loudly. They revel in their food, company and atmosphere. They absolutely love being served.
Here you will find fresh quality ingredients, compelling dishes and superb presentation. Authenticity comes from a plethora of attractive street food dishes including Papdi Chaat, spicy Samosas, Tandoori Chicken and Lamb Gushtaba.
Pot dishes include Butter Chicken using free range chicken, Fish Curry featuring Blue Grenadier, and a rich Goat stew.
Horn Please - Fitzroy
Horn Please is named after the popular hand-painted slogans that decorate the back of commercial vehicles across India.
Horn Please serves delicious food that has integrity but also offers a fun, interesting atmosphere. The food is simple yet special, being made from quality products, cooked unhurriedly and served in a spirited environment. The menu begins with Indian street food, continues with classic such as Butter Chicken, and not so classic curries such as Punjabi Buttermilk Curry, naan from the tandoor and finishes with the much loved homemade kulfi Indian ice cream. The Indian "nachos" are a talking point.
Delhi Streets - CBD
Delhi Streets is an exciting colourful if not chic Indian restaurant in The Archway precinct and has become our new Indian favourite. The World Loves Melbourne feels Melbourne has decent Indian restaurants but not that many of them. Delhi Streets captivates with its approachable street food, Bollywood posters and fun ambience. In terms of smart cheap eats Delhi Streets has burst on to the scene as a chart topper. We were impressed by the quality of cuisine and the overall experience, having been invited to imbibe the lunch menu.
Delhi Streets is about fun, but with substance. Spectacular is the Pan Puri, Indian street food at it's best, with a sense of theatre. Pour the jug of spiced water into the Pan Puri and get an intense hit of flavour and freshness. Crispy lentil cracker balls stuffed with potatoes, chickpeas, onions, tamarind chutney. Delhi Streets boasts a funky fit out by the guys at BrandWorks. Modern lighting and seating with a dose of colour, along with playful use of design and textures. The ambience is enhanced by the open kitchen. Service was exceptional during our visit, with staff keen to please.
Delhi Streets also delivered on the Tikki Chaat - two potato pea patties on a bed of spiced chickpeas, then drizzled with sweet yoghurt, tangy tamarind chutney and zesty coriander and mint chutney. A flavour explosion. Tikka Tacos simply worked with succulent chicken in a humble tortilla taco. The food at Delhi Streets is presented with imagination. While our experience of Indian food in the past has been mainly small bowls of curries and the like, Delhi Streets brings innovation and creative flourishes, if not "glam" to street food, while upholding the highest quality. One of the best Indian restaurants in Melbourne in terms of affordability and funky Indian street food.