Five of Melbourne’s best Indian restaurants

Anyone who’s been to India knows it’s all about the street food. But while it may not be so difficult to find a decent butter chicken abroad, it can be much harder to find your favourite streetside snacks.

Expats hanker for papery thin dosa pancakes for dipping into an earthy channa masala curry, or the traditional idli fermented rice cakes sold by cart vendors in South India.

Funky CBD venue Delhi Streets solves that conundrum. With a focus on classic Indian street foods, some highlights on the menu include the tender goat thali plate, zingy Indian-style nachos papri chaat, and one of India’s most beloved desserts: syrupy gulab jamun doughnuts.

Share a grill plate with friends to taste the deep, earthy flavours of the tandoor, or try an authentic masala dosa with spiced potatoes, coconut chutney and a rich, lentil-based sambar.

Decked out in bollywood posters and bright colours, the restaurant’s interiors match the vibrancy of its Indian flavours, altogether creating a superb atmosphere for date nights and catch ups with friends.

Not sure what to eat? Place your trust in the hands of the expert chefs and they’ll pack some of their favourite dishes into a traditional tiffin lunch-box for you.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Feed me tiffin service ($45 pp)

There are at least a few non-Indians in Australia making really fantastic authentic Indian cuisine. Think Tonka’s Head Chef Adam D’Sylva or Curry Cafe’s Co-Owner Michael Vass, both of whom deserve honorary places on this list.

On the other side of the coin (or should we say rupee) however, there’s also an Indian making incredible, self-described “unauthentic Indian cuisine”.

Enter Jessi Singh’s relatively recent laneway project, Daughter in Law. The contemporary Aussie-style Indian restaurant playfully reverses the myth that authenticity is king and instead creates innovative reinventions of some of the world’s most prized Indian dishes.

Sip on a spiced sangria to kick off the night, and then dig into some Punjabi-flavoured potato croquettes with beetroot yogurt. A tandoori half lobster smothered in fermented chili hollandaise and coconut sambol will blow your mind next.

There’s no shortage of curries, cocktails and sides to suit your table’s tastes, but if you want to pop in casually during the week just ask for the $25 lunch deal. It’s a customisable thali plate that will give you a taste of what Daughter in Law’s made of.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Unauthentic butter chicken ($32)

Ask any lover of Indian cuisine in Melbourne where to find the best curry around, and you’ll likely hear Aangan in West Footscray come up.

What started out as a small takeaway joint in Barkly Village in 2004 is now a chain with seven restaurants around Victoria. Most agree the one in West Footscray is the best.

Seating 120 hungry folks every night of the week, the iconic restaurant specializes in classic northern and southern Indian cuisine and a small range of Indochinese dishes. On the menu, you’ll discover a wide breadth of classics – from fragrant biryanis and dosas to flaky samosas and kebabs piping hot from the tandoor. The difference at Aangan is the authenticity of the recipes and attention to ingredient quality.

Vegetarians will fall in love with the dal makhani: a complex black lentil stew sauteed in a sauce of onions, tomatoes and spices. It sounds simple but it requires nearly two days preparation, and when you taste its complexity and depth of flavour you’ll understand why.

Wine is BYO, but there’s a small assortment of crisp lagers, soft drinks and lassis to choose from, too.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Dal makhani ($17.50)

When you want a delicious Indian dinner fast, a quality takeaway place in Melbourne’s Inner North to look out for is Singh’s.

A local secret since it first opened its doors in 1986 by Samsher Singh, the restaurant was the first to exclusively serve Indian food in Melbourne. Word soon spread of Singh’s authentic, home-style delicacies and the rest is history.

The shopfront is tiny so don’t expect to dine in. Rather, come and enjoy the friendly service when you pick up your dinner to go. The vibes are cheap and cheerful, and all curries come with complimentary rice. This is the kind of Indian takeaway you’ll come back for again and again.

The style is North Indian cuisine, and the expansive menu covers everything from entrées, soups and curries, to rice dishes, breads and desserts. Try the saag paneer, a comforting spinach curry with cubes of paneer cheese, or the lamb vindaloo.

They don’t shy away from spice here so only ask for the hottest if you’re game.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Saag lamb ($18.95)

Is there a more interesting-looking Indian restaurant in Melbourne than Fitzroy North’s Horn Please? We challenge you to find one! Not your typical traditional Indian restaurant, Horn Please is a whimsical wonderland of colour, flavour and spice.

From the Instagrammable giant samosas and 21-strong global beer fridge, to the eclectic wall art and menu of classic (and not so classic) street foods and curries, here’s an Indian culinary experience unmatched by no other in Melbourne.

From a foodie’s perspective, however, the major drawcard at Horn Please is the impeccable quality of the locally sourced meat, seafood and produce from the kitchen. Paired with Indian flavours, you’ll taste beef from Macedon Ranges lamb, beef from Bendigo, Trentham potatoes and regional Aussie wines.

This is Indian food done well. Not quite fine dining but not at all fast food, your perspective of Indian cuisine may expand in tandem with your waist-line.

Our favourites span the gol gappa, masala-fried okra fries, blue grenadier coconut fish curry and, for dessert, the homemade kulfi Indian ice cream.

Want to try them all? Then next time you’re on the hunt for an Indian feast to remember, put Horn Please at the top of your list.

Dish Cult’s top pick: All You Can-Eat Curry Sunday Night ($25)

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