People might not think there is must try Indian food in Seattle, given we’re known mostly for seafood. But you can find food from all different cultures in the greater Seattle area, and Indian restaurants are no exception.
While I’m not Indian, I can tell you my trip to India changed how I look at most Indian restaurants in America. All the places I thought I loved lost their shine, and I became obsessed with finding Indian food places that recreated the deeply spiced, often vegetarian dishes from my trip.
So today I’m dedicating a post on the must try Indian food in Seattle so you know where to get your fix of curry, aloo gobi, naan, and more!
Must Try Indian Food in Seattle
Here are my favorite Indian restaurants in Seattle, WA. I included a pricing key to help you know what to expect. $ means cheap eats and $$$ means fancier. None of the $$$ restaurants are Canlis level though, don’t worry.
Saffron Grill
website | 2132 N Northgate Way (Northgate) | prices: $$ | cuisine: mostly Northern Indian | lunch and dinner
Saffron Grill is one of my favorite Indian restaurants in Seattle. It’s on a busy street near the Northgate Mall and is always packed for dine in and people waiting for their takeout.
It took me forever to try this place because it also has an extensive Mediterranean food menu, so I thought there was no way this place was legit if you find things like hummus and even clam chowder on the menu. However, it’s now one of my go-to Seattle restaurants whenever the Indian food craving hits.
Owner Muhammed Bhatti has more than 20 years in the restaurant industry.
In fact, he owned the popular Cedar’s in the University District before selling it. He also owns the Taste of India in the U-District, but he handed over management of it to his son, Mohammed Arfan.
This casual Indian restaurant mostly serve northern Indian classics you’ll see on many menus in the United States, such as tandoori chicken, butter chicken, and korma. While the menu doesn’t feature a ton of the more unique dishes I remember eating in India, the thing I love about this place is that they don’t skimp on the flavor.
Many Indian restaurants catering to the American palate use a ton of cream and tone down the spice. Sure, some of Saffron Grill’s dishes have cream, but you can taste the complex spices. It’s not one note like many Indian American restaurants. Instead you can taste what they claim on their website: they are using recipes passed down their family for generations.
What to get: I always get the paneer tikka appetizer and baigan bhartha eggplant. The eggplant is baked over an open flame to create a deep caramelized flavor profile. It’s served mashed with spices, herbs, onions, peas, and tomatoes.
The paneer tikka is probably my favorite dish. It’s a hefty portion and has the most irresistible earthy taste. I also love the cilantro and tamarind chutney it’s served with.
Pro tip: Call in your order instead of using third-party ordering apps. I had a shady experience with Bite Squad. Basically I got an email they canceled my order and needed me to send a picture of my credit card via email. When I called the restaurant they said they never got the order and don’t accept orders from Bite Squad. 🤷‍♀️
Naan -n- Curry
website | 709 3rd St (Renton) and 1420 NW Gilman Blvd (Issaquah) | prices: $$ | cuisine: mostly Pakistani, Halal | lunch and dinner
Naan -n- Curry has some of the best must try Indian food in Seattle…even though they’re technically not in the city. They’re actually the first Indian restaurant I fell in love with and I’d probably go here all the damn time if I lived closer.
Owner Majid opened Naan -n- Curry after making a transition from the corporate world. He built a restaurant with a cult following and was able to open a second location in Issaquah.
I can totally understand why. They grind all their own spices daily and make extremely flavorful versions of Indian food classics. You’ll also find dishes that you don’t see on every menu, like malai boti, a boneless marinated chicken street food.
What to get: First, they make some of the best naan I’ve had in the States, so definitely get that. In terms of meals, I love the palak paneer made with spinach. I also love their deeply flavorful take on butter chicken, also known as chicken tikka masala.
Kathakali
website | 11451 98 Ave NE (Kirkland) | prices: $$ | cuisine: Kerala | lunch and dinner
Kathakali is one of the real-deal Indian restaurants in the Seattle area. They serve food from the Kerala region in South India, which is known for using spices and coconut in mostly vegetarian and seafood dishes. You’ll find a healthy spattering of coconut curry on the menu, as well as a whole section dedicated to seafood.
Their dishes have some of the most authentic flavors I’ve had in the area, so definitely add them to your list of must try Indian food in Seattle!
What to get: I’m all about Kathakali’s dosas. These crepe-like wraps are one of the things I ate a ton of in India and you don’t see them at most Indian restaurants in Seattle. I’m partial to the classic masala dosa with potato, but they have a bunch to choose from.
They also make great snacks like coco paneer encrusted in coconut and vibrant red prawn pakoras that are a yummy, spiced version of popcorn shrimp with less breading.
Chili’s South Indian Cuisine
website | 4220 NE University Way (U-District) | prices: $$ | cuisine: southern Indian | lunch and dinner
Chili’s is another restaurant focusing on the cuisine of South India. It’s probably the most authentic of the Indian restaurants in Seattle proper that I’ve tried. It has menu items I remember stuffing myself silly with in Indian, including poori (a puffed bread bite stuffed with spiced potatoes) and roti pockets, a crepe-like bread stuffed with goodies.
What to get: This is another place making excellent dosa. Their egg and potato one has the spices I remember eating in India that are often subdued at places catering to the American palate. They also make some of the best samosa I’ve had in Seattle.
Pro tip: They used to do a lunch buffet, but stopped serving it during the pandemic.
Rupee Bar
website | 6307 24th Ave NW (Ballard) | prices: $$$ | cuisine: Sri Lanka and Southern Indian | dinner only
I toyed with not putting Rupee Bar on this list because the owners are white and I want to be sensitive to appropriation. However, this James Beard-winning restaurant is owned by the people behind the late-Manolin in Fremont, which was one of the best restaurants in North Seattle and a stop on my self-guided Seattle food tour before they closed. All of this is to say, they’re insanely talented.
Co-owner Rachel Johnson lived in India and Sri Lanka in the 90s and wanted to create a restaurant honoring the flavors that bring her fond memories. They do an excellent job manipulating spices like cumin, curry leaves, and fenugreek to create deeply-spiced dishes not toned down for the masses.
What to get: Their Kerala fried chicken and mutton rolls are must orders. They also have a stellar bar program serving some of the best cocktails in Seattle.
Pro tip: They don’t allow minors and require proof of COVID-19 vaccination to dine in. They take walk ins, but definitely make a reservation because it can be difficult to get a seat without waiting.
Zaika
website | 1100 Pike St (Capitol Hill) | prices: $$$ | cuisine: Indian fusion | take-out only lunch and dinner
Zaika is creating fun, fancy spins on Indian food. Their main dinner menu includes items like a “paneer pinwheel” and other creative takes on classics. However, they also have a traditional menu for purists.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from a fusion Indian place, but I was blown away by the level of spice and flavor in the dishes we ordered. They don’t skimp on the heat and instead leave you with that irresistible slow burn in traditional Indian cuisine.
What to get: I loved their chicken tikka masala. It had good heat to cut through the cream and had more spices than many others I’ve tried.
Spice Waala
website | 340 15th Ave E (Capitol Hill) and 2008 NW 24th Ave (Ballard) | prices: $ | cuisine: street food | lunch and dinner
Spice Waala is one of the only Indian restaurants serving cheap eats in Seattle. It’s a popular Indian lunch spot since it serves mostly Indian street food that’s easy to eat on the go. Owners Aakanksha Sinha and Uttam Mukherjee have kathi rolls, chaat, and bhel puri on their menu, all dishes you’ll rarely see at typical Indian restaurants in the US.
What to get: Definitely get mango lassi and kathi rolls. My favorite roll is the potato. Make sure to get extra sweet tamarind sauce, spicy green chutney, and yogurt. I slop it on everything.
My other favorite item here is the papdi chaat. It’s a medley of perfectly-cooked potatoes, crunchy fried bread, rice puffs, cilantro, yogurt, and tamarind sauce. It’s the perfect mix of crunchy, sweet, and spicy.
Taste of India
website | 5517 Roosevelt Way NE (U-District) | prices: $$ | cuisine: North Indian | lunch and dinner
Taste of India was the first memorable Indian restaurant I ever went to about 12 years ago. It was my go-to and the place I recommended all people looking for must try Indian food in Seattle go.
Now that I’ve found a few other spots closer to me I don’t go as much, but this place still serves excellent Indian dishes similar in style and taste to Saffron Grill. And while they focus on mostly Indian food, you’ll find a few Mediterranean dishes on the menu just like their sister restaurant.
What to get: Taste of India makes my favorite royal biryani. This spiced basmati rice dish is served with curry, cashews, and raisins. I love the sweet and spicy flavors and the fact that they serve a heaping portion.
Maurya Indian Groceries & Restaurant
website | 385 NW Gilman Blvd (Issaquah) | prices: $$ | cuisine: Southern Indian | lunch and dinner
This is another real-deal, authentic Indian restaurant near Seattle. When you walk in it’s a full-on Indian grocery store, but make your way toward the back and to the left and you’ll see a little cafe with picturesque windows overlooking a stream.
They make southern Indian cuisine including dishes like my beloved dosa, dal, and aloo poori. They have a different restaurant offer every weekend which often sells out. You may even see my absolute favorite Indian dish, chole bhature. It’s a bread puffed up into a pocket served with curried chickpeas. I remember eating this at a hole-in-the-wall in Delhi and we still talk about it.
What to get: If available, the chole bhature for sure because you don’t see it on many menus. I’m also a big fan of their dosa. Be prepared though, they are huge.
Caravan Kebab
website | 9711 Firdale Ave (Edmonds, WA) | prices: $$ | cuisine: Middle Eastern and Indian | lunch and dinner
I discovered Caravan Kebab while doing research for my list of the best restaurants in Edmonds, WA. It’s on a relatively busy road on way from north Seattle to Edmonds, so most visitors to the area don’t know about it. But a stop here is worth it to grab takeout or enjoy some outdoor dining.
Chef Shahzad is originally from Pakistan and spent a lot of time traveling across Asia, Europe, and the Mediterranean. He was tutored by Greek “yia yias” (grandmothers), who inspired his style of cooking that merged both Mediterranean and Pakistani flavors.
What to get: I love a lot of their Middle Eastern food, but as far as must try Indian food in Seattle definitely get the handi paneer with tomato sauce and spices. It has a deep slow burn from the spice, but it isn’t too spicy to notice the subtle complexity each spice adds to the dish.
Kalia Indian Cuisine
website | 8518 Greenwood Ave N (Greenwood) | prices: $$ | cuisine: Northern and Southern Indian | lunch and dinner
Kalia is one of the newer Seattle Indian restaurants on this list. They used to be located in Lynnwood, but closed that location to move to North Seattle. Confusingly, the website URL says “Kalia of Lynnwood”, but they’re in Greenwood.
While I’ve had a few dishes I thought were just ok, there were some I really loved. Plus they get points for having my beloved chana batura, thought the style is a bit different than the one I remember in India.
What to get: Their lentil soup with chicken is spicy and earthy, paneer mutton creamy, and samosas with tamarind and chutney addictive.
More Indian restaurants in Seattle to try
Here are places still on my list to try or re-try. I’ll update this list of must try Indian food in Seattle once I do!
- Nirmal’s (Pioneer Square) – I went to this spot when it first opened and didn’t love it, but I know they have a cult following so I want to go back!
- The Roll Pod (South Lake Union) – This food truck is only open for lunch on weekdays, so I’ve found it difficult to track down.
- Daawat Indian Grill and Bar (Downtown) – I heard this spot is authentic.
- Spice Box (Cap Hill) – A newcomer that has excellent Yelp reviews.
- Aahaar (Snoqualmie) – A new, buzzy fine dining Indian restaurant.
What to try next in Seattle
Once you make your way through all the must try Indian food in Seattle, turn your sights on some of these other cuisines.
- Best Thai Restaurants in Seattle
- Seattle Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants That Don’t Suck
- Must Try Poke Shops in Seattle
