Ultimate Indian Restaurant in Washington, DC Guide

Post updated March 15th, 2023

For those who love Indian food and you’re in our nation’s capital, the good news is there are many excellent Indian restaurants in Washington, DC. So many, that, in fact that we at the Dining Traveler decided to come up with an Indian restaurant dining guide to aid you in finding the best Indian restaurant for any occasion.

Best Indian Restaurants in Washington, DC for a Special Occasion

Rasika and Rasika West End

Rasika and Rasika West End are two of the most famous fine-dining Indian restaurants not just in D.C. but around the country. They are quintessential venues in the best spots for special occasions section of our Indian restaurant dining guide. Both locations are visually stunning with gorgeous, ornate décor and the cuisine offered at both locations is simply dynamite. From the incomparable palak chaat with crispy fried spinach and homemade chutneys to the tantalizing truffle naan to the decadent chocolate samosas, there is nothing quite like a meal at either Rasika or Rasika West End. Come hungry, and leave more satiated than you have ever been in your life!

Want to Experiment with Making Indian Food at Home? Here are Some Tools:

Indique

Indique is an iconic Indian restaurant in Washington, D.C. that opened nearly 20 years ago. This Cleveland Park institution should be a part of any Indian restaurant dining guide that covers D.C. The venue is inviting and cozy, and the menu is full of delectable dishes. Recommendations include the mini dosa, the cauliflower chili fry, and, my personal favorite, the morel mushroom stew, where meaty, chewy morel mushrooms come swimming in a velvety coconut milk gravy that is infused with the flavors of ginger, onion, and green chilies. Enjoy your meal with one of the restaurant’s craft cocktails.

Bombay Club

I don’t know if it’s the live piano music, the curated artwork in the dining room that features a stunning piece depicting an impressionist version of the traditional Indian Kathak dance, or the irresistible cuisine that makes dining at Bombay Club so glamorous, but there is truly no better place for a romantic dinner for two. Indian food is naturally designed for sharing, adding to the romantic dining experience. Be sure to get the daal makhani, which is cooked for sixteen hours to allow for the flavors to develop completely, and the bright, nutty lemon and cashew rice. And no special occasion is complete without dessert, so order the mango cheesecake. It’s just what your dreamy date night calls for!

Karma Modern Indian

Located downtown, Karma offers an elegant, beautifully decorated venue for fine dining with floor-to-ceiling windows, a chic dining room, and decadent Indian fare. I can never get enough of their mushroom biryani, which features several different kinds of mushrooms, the paneer pesto or the tandoori cauliflower. Their cocktails are also a dream; try the salt and pepper gimlet or the old-fashioned, which is made with housemade jaggery syrup for an Indian twist. On the DC Michelin Guide, his spot is among the most highly recommended Indian restaurants in Washington, DC.

Best Indian Restaurants for a Great Vibe

Pappe

There is so much to love at Pappe: the lime soda, the thails which come full of small bowls of different curries, and the wide variety of vegetarian fare. I am currently obsessed with their kadai mushroom, a dish featuring hunks of different mushrooms soaked in a thick, tomato-based sauce infused with the flavors of toasted cumin, ginger, and garlic. Topped with fresh cherry tomatoes and cilantro, this is a dish I can’t stop eating. The fun décor, cozy booths, and family-style cuisine make Pappe a great spot for dining with friends.

Daru

Daru is currently one of the trendiest Indian restaurants in Washington, DC. From the globe lighting fixtures to the exposed brick to the modern Indian fare, everything is beautiful. For something unique, try the daal makhani with a sphere of rich burrata cheese or the potatoes with sumac, pomegranate, and Szechuan peppercorn. This is one of the latest Indian restaurants to open in D.C., and so as soon as we tried it, we knew it had to be included in our Indian restaurant dining guide.

Best Indian Restaurants for an Indian Street Food Experience

Bindaas

I love both the Bindaas locations. They both have an energetic, modern vibe with an awesome street snack menu that is great for ordering in abundance. Highlights include the masala popcorn, the golgappas, crunchy hollow crackers stuffed with yogurt and chutney, and the uttapam, or rice pancakes, regularly eaten in the southern Indian states. The uttapam at Bindaas is perfection – light, fluffy, and slightly crispy around the edges. The tomato and green onion one is a personal favorite!

Bombay Street Food

Since opening in 2019 in Columbia Heights, Bombay Street Food has expanded quickly, becoming a neighborhood favorite in Columbia Heights, Adams Morgan, Capitol Hill, and U Street. Quick, casual, spicy, and reasonably priced are all hallmarks of this Indian food venue, and I, for one, immensely enjoy their street food dishes which include samosas, kati rolls, and chaat.

Best Indian Restaurants for a Casual Meal with Friends

Masala Art

Both of the Masala Art locations, Tenleytown and Southwest waterfront, are warm, comfortable spots to eat classic North Indian fare. Dishes like aloo, or potato cooked with curry leaves, kofta, which are dumplings served in a creamy gravy, and baigan bhartha, a roasted eggplant mashed with spices, are typical Indian dishes that are warm and comforting.

Le Mirch

Le Mirch suggests that their cuisine is “Indian with a French flair,” but to be honest, most of it seems like traditional North Indian food. One unique dish is jackfruit curry. Jackfruit is actually indigenous to India and used extensively in Indian food, but for some reason, you rarely find it in Indian restaurants in the US. The jackfruit is cooked and served in an onion-based curry at Le Mirch. The jackfruit itself is meaty and filling, and chili powder adds an enticing level of heat.

Café of India

The venue is simple, but the food stands out because many of the dishes taste like home-cooked Indian fare. Comfort dishes like the tadka dal, made with yellow lentils cooked slowly with turmeric, ginger, garlic, and mustard seeds, are favorites to give it a deep, nutty flavor. It’s great with just a bowl of white rice. Cafe of India also has a creamy mango ice cream that is not to be missed!

Best Indian Restaurants for Fast Casual Indian Food

Rasa

This quickly expanding fast-casual concept features bowls inspired by the flavors and ingredients found in Indian food. There is a rice bowl with eggplant and chickpeas drenched in tamarind ginger chutney, a noodle bowl with green beans and mango chutney, and a bowl with greens, squash cumin infused yogurt. You can also make your own bowl with your own favorite Indian ingredients. Rasa, which means flavor in Hindi, has locations in Navy Yard, Mount Vernon, and Arlington.

Spice 6

Spice 6 is a fast-casual venue with locations in Chinatown, Hyattsville, and Vienna. At Spice 6, you can choose a vehicle for your dish, which includes rice, naan, or salad, and then a protein and a curry. One of the most popular combinations is aromatic basmati rice with spinach curry. The curry contains aromatics like ginger, garlic, and spices like cumin and garam masala. The dish is super creamy and will coat every grain of rice. I personally love it with tofu as my protein and a healthy drizzle of sweet tamarind chutney. Have a mango lassi on the side, it’s a mango yogurt drink that Indians love!

I hope you enjoyed our Washington, DC, Indian food guide. Let us know which ones are your favorite!