Top 6 Indian Restaurants in Dubai

If you love Indian food and modern luxury design, this list is for you. We have compiled a list of Indian cuisine restaurants to visit while in Dubai.

Rang Mahal at the JW Marriot Marquis Dubai hotel

The chef of this restaurant is Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar, so you can be sure that you will encounter Indian cuisine of the highest caliber. Kochhar himself comes to Rang Mahal regularly to work, so the quality and atmosphere of the restaurant are always excellent. In his absence, the no less talented Amrish Souood rules the kitchen. His dishes are bold, his presentation is surprising and his experiments are all a success. Rang Mahal is divided into two lounges. The first is a lounge bar with subdued lighting, red walls, patterned lattices, niches with velvet sofas, cushions, and dark lacquered floor: a kind of boudoir in Indian style.

The second hall, the restaurant itself, is designed in the style of Rajasthan culture: massive carved columns, figurines of gods, and huge murals of dancers. All this blends beautifully with the open kitchen theatre.

First, go to the lounge and try the local cocktails. They all play up the Indian theme in one way or another, but don’t be afraid – the alcohol will only help you acclimate to the spices. We recommend the ISHQ (Hindi for “love”) cocktail, a light aperitif with sparkling wine, saffron, and a homemade jasmine tincture. Also check out the Indian wines from Sula Vineyards – you’ll be pleasantly surprised by their soft, floral flavor.

Atul Kochhar’s menu is unusual and tempting. But don’t be afraid of spices – each dish is prepared especially for you, and you can choose the degree of spice to your taste.

Try the set menu (by the way, the wines are already chosen for it). Several courses include sea bass in coconut sauce, stewed lamb with masala, and betel leaf ice cream. Steamed rice and naan and roti tortillas are offered as side dishes to these dishes, all so delicious that they would be worth ordering separately as well.

Average bill: AED 600 for two

Junoon at Shangri La Dubai

The head chef of this restaurant is Vikas Hanna, the lucky winner of two Michelin stars and, interestingly enough, a place of honor in the “100 Sexiest Men on the Planet” according to People magazine. Vikas Khanna opened his first restaurant in New York near the “Iron” skyscraper and has long earned an enviable reputation, – but the food and atmosphere in the Dubai restaurant are no worse. It serves world-class Indian cuisine – but it should be said right away that the curries may be a little spicier than usual.

Even the simple yellow lentil soup here is rarely outstanding, but you should also try the more complex dishes: for example, the delicate yet spicy malai curry with shrimp. For dessert, order the kulfi ice cream – not just for the taste, but also for the show: the chef will come to your table and make several servings with different flavors, using liquid nitrogen and without using milk at that.

The design here is cozy yet modern: soft lights, purple, and gold, and polished mahogany floors. Tables are a decent distance apart in the corners of the room but arranged around an open kitchen. To order the Gala menu, you have to come in at least three people. It’s the perfect choice for larger companies. The menu also includes a vegetarian option.

Average bill: from AED 600

NAYA at Jumeirah Beach Hotel

In Hindi, “Naya” means “new. Chef Pravish Shetty created the menu. He claims to have been “inspired by classic authentic North Indian recipes that he has collected from family and friends in India over the years.”

Despite the abundance of gold in the interior, Naya is something between a high-end restaurant and a democratic establishment, with a relaxed, homely atmosphere where it’s nice to sit with friends. There are glittering gold columns in the round room and glittering balloons hanging from the ceiling – but the atmosphere is still not too formal.

The chef’s specialty, Naya lamb chops masala, has been marinated for a day and literally melts in your mouth. Go for the wonderful saffron rice (you won’t regret it) and two naan flatbreads, one with butter and the other spicy, with coconut and cheese. We also recommend trying the Fish masala and one of the oldest Indian desserts – Kheer. The chef makes it in his own way and adds lychees for flavor.

The service is quick. The prices are neither high nor low: the main courses start at 80 dirhams. There are quite a few Indian restaurants in the city and even in the area, many of which are run by renowned chefs – but we are happy to tell you that Naya is quite capable of competing with them: already because of the quality of the food. All the dishes were delicious, fresh, and vibrant. And the charm of the chef, his friendliness and passion for North Indian cuisine, which he will be happy to tell you about, will add to your evening a pleasant memory.

Average bill: from AED 400

Tresind at the Nassima Royal Hotel

Chef Himanshu Saini of Tresind was the first to bring his version of molecular cuisine to Dubai.

It offers a new way of looking at food serving, tastes, and textures, suitable for romantic dinners and gatherings with friends. With techno and electro-punk music, Sheik Zayed’s vibrant traffic, and ultra-modern food design, the restaurant has a very cinematic twist.

The restaurant’s name is derived from the French words “tres” and the Indian “ind” meaning “very Indian”. And the chef proudly announces that he explores modern molecular gastronomy, “combining trends in haute cuisine with Indian culinary traditions”. What’s the menu like here? Quite unusual.

Try the minestrone with bhaji and crispy vermicelli, toast with chili and cheese, and several appetizers. The stewed lamb chops in aam papad marinade garnished with sea salt powder, and shawarma with chicken, pickled carrots, and beets are also excellent.

Seafood lovers can try the curry-leaf prawns served in a coconut, while vegetarians should try the mushroom galuti, a variation on the glute kebab theme: without meat but with portobello in tandoori, truffle oil crumbs, and enoki mushroom chips.

What’s sure to grab your attention is the “deconstructed pani puri”: balls of coriander and mint flavors and a sphere of tamarind gel. That’s what molecular gastronomy is all about. The artistic waiter moves the cart around the hall and cooks three variations right in front of your table with liquid nitrogen.

And… dessert. There is no point in describing it because the entire point is in the extraordinary manner of serving. It is definitely worth ordering.

Average bill: from AED 600

Masala at Bab Al Shams Resort

Located in the desert hotel Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa, this establishment offers exotic Indian cuisine while sitting in the middle of the Arabian desert. The menu features a variety of Indian cuisines, including vegetarian dishes.

The restaurant’s rooms are more like private rooms.

They serve traditional Indian food, but often with variations of their own. For instance, onion bhajis (fried in a pan and seasoned with butter) look like a peculiar nest of tender, crispy onions. The slices are separated from each other, so the bhajis here are much more tender than usual.

The murg makhani chicken is as tender and lean as it needs to be, and the buriyani has a much richer flavor than usual. It is served with a spicy spice paste sauce. The lamb didn’t fall apart from one touch, but was tender and soft, and served with a stack of warm roti tortillas and light pilau rice.

We recommend the traditional dhal masala as a side dish: black, thick, and viscous, though its flavor might be lost against the brighter curries. Finish with a small portion of mango kulfi ice cream: refreshing and with a semi-frozen texture, it’s the perfect accompaniment to a meal.

One of the restaurant’s special features is an open patio terrace, where sitars usually play live Indian music in the evenings. Hookah is also available here.

Average bill: AED 600 for two

Bombay Brasserie at the Taj Dubai Hotel

Bombay Brasserie is a chain of Indian haute cuisine restaurants, but for some reason, it does not have a single restaurant in India. The first restaurant was opened in the wealthy Kensington district of London in 1982, the second one – in Cape Town, and last year the Brasserie appeared in the skyscraper Taj Dubai hotel in the Business Bay.

As it is fashionable nowadays in the middle of the main restaurant hall there is an open kitchen where interesting things are happening all the time. Thanks to this, the atmosphere in the room immediately becomes less formal.

As for the interior, when you are surrounded by so much colored satin and a kaleidoscope of colorful decorations, you feel like you are in a maharajah’s palace. Colorful armchairs, dark green furniture, colorful cushions, bright drawings on the walls… The service staff is courteous and quick. Ask for a seat at the northeast window: there is an excellent view of the Burj Khalifa from the height of the fourth floor, which is not yet blocked by anything.

There is not a single regular dish on the menu, and the serving is as well thought out as the interior. The most striking of the dishes may seem to be the usual biriani with lamb. This humble dish is disclosed in Bombay Brasserie from an unexpected side because it is cooked in a special sealed glass dish: the rice is steamed not with water but with broth, and all the juice remains in the dish.

Average bill: AED 500 for two

Conclusion

All the restaurants in our rating are good. In which one to go you decide, look at the photos, descriptions, and the cost of the average check. We wish you a pleasant holiday and bright gastronomic discoveries.