Glasgow’s impressive Indian food scene is made up of long-standing curry houses and family-owned restaurants serving dishes that go back generations.
Savour spicy curries, like buttery dhal makhani, rich rogan josh, or potent spinach saag served with aromatic rice and freshly baked Indian bread. Traditional tandoori ovens with charcoal grills help sear in fiery marinades and give meat, seafood, and vegetables a tender, smoky finish.
Find Glasgow restaurants that blend different cooking techniques from around the continent and the Middle East, or experience hidden gems that specialise in North or South Indian cuisine. With plenty of gluten-free and tasty vegan and vegetarian options, when it comes to Indian food in Glasgow, you’re spoilt for choice.
Read on for a guide of the best Indian restaurants in Glasgow, skip the queue, and book your table on OpenTable now.
The best Indian restaurants in Glasgow – read on for the full guide
For award-winning traditional curries at one of the best Indian restaurants in Glasgow – try Obsession of India in Glasgow
Perfect for a relaxed weeknight meal, Obsession of India is one of the best Indian restaurants in Glasgow city centre. The decor at this family-owned spot is classic and simple, and the staff are famed for their warm, attentive service. The compact menu focuses on a variety of North and South Indian dishes, with a range of pakora and samosa starters. Don’t miss the North Indian chicken bhuna, made with tomatoes, garlic, and creamy korma. Other menu highlights include the chicken tikka masala, which was invented in Glasgow and blends mild curry spices with Greek yoghurt, peppers, and onions.
The restaurant has received multiple awards that put it on the map as one of Glasgow’s best Indian restaurants, winning the Scottish Curry Award in 2017 and the Diner’s Choice Award in 2019.
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For street food-inspired dishes – visit Madras Café in Glasgow
Shortlisted for the 2023 British Curry Awards, Madras Café serves traditional South Indian-inspired fare using classical cooking techniques. This cosy curry house creates house blends to enhance the flavour of seasonal, locally sourced produce. With a lively feel and personal service, Café Madras is one of the best Indian restaurants in Glasgow for Indian street food and tandoor-roasted dishes.
Popular house specials include the whole marinated sea bass slow roasted in the tandoori clay oven and served with curry sauce and rice, and the Madras Café platter, which consists of four different curry dishes. Meanwhile, street-food-inspired favourites include the masala dosa, a roasted batter made from rice and lentils and stuffed with a potato onion mix, and sambar vada (fried lentil dumplings). The restaurant caters to a range of dietary requirements too, with all the house specials being gluten-free and vegan options available.
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For a kebab feast with a group– try KoolBa in Glasgow
KoolBa sits in the heart of Glasgow’s historic Merchant City and offers a relaxed vibe and an old-world feel away from the bustling city centre. Located just a short walk from St Enoch Subway Station and Glasgow Central Station, it’s the perfect meeting spot for a night out or a group celebration. KoolBa’s menu centres around a fusion of Indian and Persian cuisine, with signature dishes like Persian tabouli salad, Punjabi curries, and Persian kofta (minced meat kebabs).
Must-try dishes include the lamb saag served in a creamy spinach curry, and the shashlik lamb skewers marinated in a pepper and onion spice mix originating from Persia and Pakistan. Go for the Persian kebab feast, which features four meat skewers and serves up to four people with rice and chips.
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For a sharing Tandoori platter – book at Ashraf’s Indian Kitchen in Clarkston
Ashraf’s Indian Kitchen creates beautiful signature dishes that showcase the complex flavours of traditional Indian cooking. The menu is extensive, with a good range of vegetarian options, and a combination of South Indian stews, curries and tandoori-roasted dishes. The atmosphere here is warm and inviting, with cosy booths and comfy furnishings. For a celebratory mean, go for the signature sharing platters serving a sample of Ashraf’s best dishes.
Highlights here include the tandoori platter, which comes with tandoori roasted lamb chops in an adraki ginger-based sauce, and nilgiri chicken tikka marinated in mint and coriander and served in tikka masala sauce. Vegans will also find plenty to enjoy, with the vegan sharing platter featuring smoky tandoori roasted vegetables, tofu marinated in honey and chillis, and deep-fried dumplings made with rice flour and curry spices.
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For a blend of Scottish-Indian cuisine at one of the best Indian restaurants in Glasgow – grab a sit at Ashoka Southside in Glasgow
With its bustling energy, Ashoka Southside is well-known in the area and a favourite amongst locals for its friendly Glaswegian hospitality. Specialising in North Indian cuisine, it’s been a mainstay of Glasgow’s Indian food scene since the 1970s. Ashoka Southside’s menu also blends Scottish-Indian cuisine with traditional Indian recipes. Try the sweet and sour chasni curry, which was invented in Glasgow, or sample the four different types of Glaswegian korma, available on the pre-theatre menu.
Ashoka Southside is also known for offering budget-friendly meals and creating community initiatives outside the restaurant, such as the Ashoka Cooking School, where locals can learn to make delicious Indian recipes at home. If you’re planning a weeknight visit, take advantage of their incredible weekday treat offer, which gives diners 25% off the à la carte menu from Monday to Thursday.
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For charcoal-grilled specials at one of the best Indian restaurants in Glasgow – try Charcoals in Glasgow
The main draw at Charcoals is the spectacular open grill, where food is prepared in traditional Punjabi style. Diners can enjoy dishes cooked in a tandoori clay oven or finished on the charcoal grill for a charred, smoky flavour. Popular favourites include mango chicken and the tandoor lamb chops – the dry heat of the tandoori oven allows meat to remain tender and succulent inside, while caramelising the spice blend on the outside.
Charcoals extensive menu gives diners plenty of choices based on classic Indian cooking techniques. Helpful sections on the menu, like the Connoisseurs Choice section or the Chef’s Selection, guide diners through the wide menu. Experience the wealth of complex flavours in a tomato and onion chicken bhoona from Bengal, or revel in the rich chilli heat of a rogan josh from Kashmir.
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For mouth-watering stuffed dosas – feast at Dakhin in Glasgow
Located in Merchant City, Dakhin is one of the best Indian restaurants in Glasgow city centre for fine dining. Dakhin’s speciality dish is the dosa, a thin crepe made from black lentils and rice flour batter, fried on a griddle. Dosas are an incredibly popular street food choice in many parts of India and have their origins in South Indian cuisine. Dakhin transforms this traditional street food dish into fine dining, with an entire section of the menu dedicated to stuffed dosas, with sumptuous fillings like spiced prawns, chicken, and the traditional potato and onion mix.
As well as dosas, diners at Dakhin can enjoy a wide range of South Indian dishes, like slow-cooked biryani served with yoghurt and crispy fried onions or the lamb dish made with red chillis, perfect for spice lovers.
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For one of the best South Indian restaurants in Glasgow – try Taste of Chennai Restaurant Glasgow in Glasgow
Taking inspiration from Chennai, one of the oldest cities in India, Taste of Chennai Restaurant Glasgow provides a unique glimpse into the history of South Indian cuisine. This modern and trendy hotspot has a central location in Sauchiehall Street, just a few minutes walk from the city’s main theatres and concert venues.
The menu includes a huge list of vegetarian curries, such as the channa masala chickpea curry and the aloo palak potato and spinach curry. Don’t miss the house special chicken, lamb, and prawns biryani, made from a traditional base of saffron rice, fried onions, mint, and yoghurt. Traditional sides, like idiyappam rice noodles or creamy coconut rice, are available to soak up your sauce, while the kid’s chocolate dosa is a must-try for little ones.
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For unique North Indian dishes at one of the best Indian restaurants in Glasgow – don’t miss The Dhabba in Glasgow
The Dhabba takes its name from North Indian diners where recipes are passed down through generations. Given its central location, just a few streets away from Merchant City, The Dhabba is especially popular with groups and is open late, giving it a buzzy night-on-the-town feel.
Four group tasting menus specifically cater to parties of four or more and serve a variety of curated dishes that showcase the best of North Indian cuisine. Try the Firoza platter for £35 per person and experience the murg maskawala chicken in a creamy tomato and melon-seed sauce, or upgrade to the Maanik platter at £55 per head to try the subtle monkfish curry. The Dhabba also serves a selection of chaat, a popular Indian street food. Crunchy puffed rice and lentil patties make up the base, while chutney toppings bring the heat.
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For a romantic date night at – book a table at Madha Indian Kitchen in Glasgow
Cosy booths and sultry low lighting give Madha Indian Kitchen a warm, romantic atmosphere that’s perfect for date night. The house cooking style here innovatively blends North and South Indian cuisines to give diners a unique experience, confirming its place as one of the best Indian restaurants in Glasgow. Starters include mukkuvan salmon and shellfish soup in coconut milk, a dish traditionally eaten by South Indian fishermen, and pan friend mussels served in Indian spices.
Don’t miss the tandoori roasted meat, fish, and paneer cheese served with a choice of bhuna, saag, or makhani curry sauce. The menu also features a decadent thali spread, which is an Indian platter featuring a variety of starters, mains, and desserts. Pair your thali with something from the wine list or wash down your meal with a refreshing Indian beer, like kingfisher or cobra.
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With some of the world’s best Indian restaurants in Glasgow, you can explore traditional Indian dishes and get a feel for one of the most inventive and flavoursome cuisines. From traditional Indian cuisine, to modern twists of the classics, Glasgow has it all.
