Thrillist

The 15 Best Indian Restaurants in NYC

Indians may be known the world over for their vibrant and colorfully chaotic culture of celebration, but here’s the clincher: They do next to nothing without a glorious, dizzying array of feast-worthy food to tie it all together. And this is especially true for Diwali, the shimmering annual Hindu festival of lights which celebrates the triumph of good over evil, starting on October 24 this year.

Also known as Deepavali (“row of lights”), as the story goes, diyas (clay oil lamps) were lit many thousands of years ago to illuminate the city of Ayodhya to guide Lord Rama and his wife Sita back to their kingdom after a 14-year exile. Today, to observe the festival, many Indians light up their homes with diyas to attract the blessings of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, and Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of auspicious beginnings and remover of obstacles (particularly beloved by children for his seriously relatable sweet tooth). While deeper philosophical and spiritual sentiments are woven throughout regional Indian customs—ultimately it is about the emergence of light from a period of darkness, welcoming an onset of new beginnings.

So just how over the top is it? “Diwali is almost a culmination of bringing together the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. So if you include all of these, that is what Diwali is,” says Julie Sahni—the legendary Brooklyn-based doyenne of Indian cuisine and classically-trained chef, author, and culinary teacher. Renowned for introducing Americans to the foods of India, Sahni launched her eponymous cooking school in New York City in 1973, and traces her family roots to the same Tamilian village as Vice President Kamala Harris.

Indians are so dedicated to their food culture, she observes, that with the emergence of Indian food throughout the United States, and especially here in New York City, came specialty grocery stores selling samosas and masala vadas, contemporary restaurants like Dhamaka, culinary institutions like the Ganesh Temple Canteen, and also food carts.

Here are the 15 best Indian spots in NYC to experience flavors from every part of the subcontinent—during this festival season and beyond.

Gupshup

Union Square$$

Taking inspiration in bringing the raging flavors of Bombay to the Big Apple, Gupshup’s menu features a modern take with dishes like Pulled Jackfruit Tacos using parotta, a South Asian layered flatbread, as its base; Moilee of grilled branzino; and Awadhi Lamb Chops, which draws on flavors from the regional cuisine of Lucknow. For the extensive drinks menu, expect the incorporation of Indian flavor profiles like cardamom and masala chai. The artistic interior houses works by South Asian artists and a striking two-story wall of 3,000 tiffins to honor Mumbai’s dabbawalas, which expands to an outdoor seating area.