The large-scale immigration of South Asians in Houston dates back to the 1970s when vast numbers of Indians and Pakistanis were moving to the U.S. seeking out education and employment opportunities. The influence on Houston’s food scene from budding South Asian communities was strongly felt in the years that followed.
In 1986, Yogi Gahunia debuted Raja Sweets Indian restaurant on Hillcroft Avenue, alongside pals Ramesh Lulla and Aku Patel, who opened neighboring Indian jewelry and clothing stores, respectively. The trio coined the small pocket of Southwest Houston “Little India”, and have long been considered the founding fathers of the area. The neighborhood, now officially named the Mahatma Gandhi District, has grown exponentially since, with South Asian restaurants and retail shops of all types well represented.
Over the last decade, a new era of chefs have brought inspired concepts to neighborhoods inside the loop and the quiet corners of the suburbs, making it a fantastic time to explore South Asian cuisine in Houston.
Kiran’s
Chef Kiran Verma is one of the pioneers of Indian fine dining in Houston, and at her eponymous Upper Kirby-area restaurant, the cuisine is showcased with style and grace. Chef Kiran relies on traditional ingredients and tried and true techniques to present elegant dishes like tandoori duck, wood-fired Texas quail with chutney, and Madras curry. The sprawling restaurant houses a dedicated bar and lounge, and an enclosed patio where guests often retreat to with cigars and after-dinner drinks. Kiran’s is a fantastic choice any day of the week, but its afternoon tea service, offered only on weekends, feels particularly special. 2925 Richmond Ave. Ste. 160, Houston, kiranshouston.com
Khyber
Nestled along the Richmond Avenue corridor in Upper Kirby, Khyber is a reliable go-to for dine-in or take-out when a craving for Indian comfort food hits. The menu features butter chicken, saag paneer, vindaloo, mixed grill platters, and classic biryani, with proper accompaniments like papapdum, naan, and raita. The lunch buffet is a great time to get a taste of some of the highlights of the menu, all at once, including desserts like gulab jamun and kheer. 2510 Richmond Ave., Houston, khyberhouston.com
Da Gama
Along with its sister restaurant Oporto in Midtown, Da Gama is helmed by husband-and-wife team Rick DiVirgilio and Shiva Patel, who draw inspiration from their Italian-Portuguese and Indian roots, respectively. The menu and modern dining space, with a full bar and covered patio, is a welcome alternative to some of the more traditional restaurants in Houston. While guests can opt for comforting traditions like dhokla, chili paneer, and samosas, there are a number of fusion dishes for those looking to get adventurous. Start with the aloo gobi bravas and crispy yucca with tamarind vinaigrette, before sharing a platter of the Portuguese seafood rice with your tablemates. 600 N. Shepherd Dr. Ste. 520, Houston, dagamahtx.com
Musaafer
This majestic Michelin-starred Indian restaurant housed inside the Galleria has to be seen to be believed. An elevator, located at the street level near Saks Fifth Avenue, transports guests from the bustling shopping center below to the awe-inspiring restaurant, which spans multiple rooms and extends out onto a covered terrace with views of Uptown. Helmed by chef Mayank Istwal, the menu reflects the flavors of India’s 29 states, with highlights like pani puri, tandoori hen, and beef vindaloo. With Istwal’s vast knowledge of the Indian subcontinent and its rich culinary history, the chef’s tasting menu is worth splurging on. Jet setters may note that Musaafer now has a glamorous sister location in New York’s Tribeca neighborhood. 5115 Westheimer Rd. Ste. C-3500, Houston, musaaferhouston.com
London Sizzler
As its name implies, this casual Indian restaurant in the Mahatma Gandhi District serves up a big menu of Indian comfort eats in a pub-style space. London Sizzler is one of the few restaurants in the area that has a full service bar, making it a major draw on the nights and weekends, but its food is what keeps guests coming back for more. The sizzling platters are a must try, with many varieties to consider. The bone-in tandoori chicken and masala-spiced lamb chops are grilled in the restaurant’s charcoal tandoor, resulting in a rich, smoky flavor. For an epic spread, spring for the London Sizzler, which combines chicken tikka, jeera wings, lamb and chicken kebabs, tandoori chicken, lamb chops, fish tikka, and masala shrimp. Be warned–the sizzling platters have a minimum 30-minute preparation time, so kick back with a lassi or masala chai and stay awhile. 6690 Southwest Fwy., Houston, londonsizzler.com
Amrina
The brainchild of brothers Preet Paul and Surpreet Singh, along with executive chef Jassi Bindra, Amrina is a modern Indian restaurant located at Waterway Square in the Woodlands that offers its guests a full feast of the senses. Bindra takes a cutting edge approach to Indian cuisine, with dishes like ostrich seekh kebab, truffle raj kachori, and whole roasted duck served with rumali pancakes. With splashy colors, whimsical presentation, and meticulous attention to detail, the restaurant is considered the gastronomic signature of the trio’s Kahani Group (Kitchen Rumors, Pok Pok Po, Bol). 3 Waterway Square Pl. #100, The Woodlands, amrina.social
Nirvana
Indian buffets are not uncommon in Houston, but Nirvana’s daily all-you-can-eat experience is a standout among them. The indulgent buffet features more than 20 dishes, with nearly half being fully vegetarian options. During dinner, guests can expect table service and a menu of biryanis, tandoori meats, kormas, and more available a la carte. 14545 Memorial Dr., Houston, nirvanahouston.com
Raja Sweets
As Houston’s oldest family-owned Indian restaurant, Raja Sweets has become a cornerstone of the South Asian community, and is best known for its non-vegetarian cuisine and bounty of scratch-made mithai, or confections. It is a popular place year-round, but during the festive season, when Diwali, the Hindu new year and Festival of Lights, is celebrated, the shop draws in crowds looking to purchase decorative boxes stocked with sweets for gifting to family and friends. 5667 Hillcroft Ave., Houston, rajasweets.com
Pondicheri
With a modern counter-service Indian restaurant on the first floor and a bake lab and shop upstairs, Pondicheri offers a unique experience to sample everything from chaat and frankies to chai pie. In the restaurant, James Beard Award-nominated chef and cookbook author, Anita Jaisinghani does staples like butter chicken and masala dosa well, but she also takes a non-traditional approach with dishes like the green dosa stuffed with sauteed greens, in lieu of potatoes, and the protein-heavy Texan thali. The bake lab and shop is also counter service, and has a relaxed, loungey atmosphere, fit for pairing Sindhi laddu with assam tea or Madras coffee. 2800 Kirby Dr. B132, Houston, pondicheri.com
Desi District
This Dallas import, with a location in Houston’s Westchase area, reimagines Indian dining with its street food energy and casual sit-down service. Guests are welcome to visit live pani puri and chaat stations, where puffed crisps are stuffed fresh with chickpeas, chutney, and spiced water. The menu itself has range, with traditions like paneer tikka and rumali roti—an exceptionally thin flatbread that folds neatly like a handkerchief—to non-traditional foods like the butter chicken burger. Desi District’s signature is the chicken mandi, an oversized tray packed with rice and topped with grilled meat on the bone. Visit the jalebi station outside before departing where spiral-shaped sweets are fried and dipped fresh onsite. 11129 Westheimer Rd., Houston
Aga’s
When discussing South Asian cuisine in Houston, Aga’s is consistently named among the best for Indo-Pak eats. Located in a Southwest Houston-area retail strip mall, it can be a trek for inner-loopers, but it’s well worth the journey. The grilled goat chops have a cult following, and for good reason. A dish of five chops arrives sizzling on a bed of fragrant onions, with tender meat that simply slides off the bone. Table service is offered, with the waitstaff known to operate at a high level to ensure a fast and flawless dining experience. Know before you go–despite the restaurant’s large size and ample seating, the dining room is almost always full and bustling with loud activity. 11842 Wilcrest Dr., Houston, agasrestaurant.com
Verandah
This chic Upper Kirby restaurant is a labor of love between husband-and-wife team, Sunila and Anupama Srivastava. The couple, who earned notoriety for their first Meadows-area restaurant Great W’kana (now closed), opted for a more modern and sleek space for their inner loop concept. Signature dishes include a saffron-infused biryani, revealed beneath a flaky pastry crust, duck vindaloo, and Bombay fish masala. The chef’s tasting menu gives diners a chance to fully appreciate the couple’s range, and enjoy a 7- to 9-course meal with wine pairings. 3300 Kirby Dr., Ste. 7-A, Houston, verandahrestaurant.com
Khati Roll
Inside Downtown’s Lyric Market, Kati Roll Wala serves loaded kati rolls, a street food staple that combines meat and a paratha flatbread in a handheld roll-up. Fillings range from chicken tikka, lamb keema, paneer tikka, to spiced potato-chickpea, all wrapped in a flaky shell. The “Wala Bowls” deconstruct the roll into protein over basmati rice with sauces and toppings. 411 Smith St., Houston, katirollwala.com
Shiv Sagar
Located in the heart of the Mahatma Gandhi District, in the famed red tiled-roof Olympic Center, Shiv Sagar is a casual all-vegetarian restaurant that showcases popular Indian street eats. Guests huddle around the counter to order where a large menu is on display, before seating themselves in the modest dining room. Orders are called out as they are ready, with many diners ordering samosa chaat, masala dosa, and chole bhature (chickpeas with puffed bread). There is no booze here, but opt for a Limca, a lime-flavored fizzy soda that is wildly popular in India. 6662 Southwest Fwy., Houston, shivsagarhouston.com
Karahi Boys
This Sugar Land-area retail strip gem is a fully halal Pakistani restaurant, and a meat-lovers dream. Signature dishes include the chicken karahi, tandoori wings, and biryani, a layered rice and meat dish with complex flavors. Expect bold aromatics from the open kitchen and packed tables on most nights. The food can pack some heat, so save room for gulab jamun, dense fried rounds of dough served in a sticky syrup. 16535 Lexington Blvd., Ste. 100, Sugar Land, karahiboys.com
Kitchen Rumors
From the Kahani Social Group (Amrina, Pok Pok Po, Bol), Kitchen Rumors is among Houston’s newest Indian restaurant openings, located in the Sixth Ward. It’s a polished “modern Indian” concept with a menu that pushes boundaries in a major way. Start with pani puri, which arrives with spiced avocado, lamb keema, and tamarind and mint chutney fillings, along with passion fruit water. Meat-lovers will appreciate the goat biryani, the goat chops, and the butter chicken ramen, which is an indulgent alternative to the traditional Indian dish. Save room for the shahi tukda panna cotta, an elegant display of milk-soaked bread that reveals a sweet filling with pistachio and rose flavors. On nice weather days, take your meal outside to the relaxed, open-air patio. 2310 Decatur St., Houston, kitchenrumors.com
Maharajah Bhog
With its bottomless vegetarian thali experience, Maharajah Bhog is among one of the best all-you-can-eat experiences in Houston. Settle in at a table within the richly decorated dining room, and prepare for a wholly satisfying experience reflective of India’s regional cuisines. Guests are given thalis, in which small bowls are filled with vegetable dishes, lentils, savory breads, rice, chutneys, and dessert. Servers roam the dining room and offer refills of items as they are requested. Wear stretchy pants. 8338 Southwest Fwy., Houston, maharajabhog.com
Govinda’s
Located on the property of the ISKCON temple in Garden Oaks, Govinda’s offers a daily buffet of Indian-inspired vegetarian fare in a calm, meditative setting. The open kitchen displays rotating dishes such as saag paneer, barbecue tofu, and lentil dal, paired with fresh roti and house-made sweets. While all offerings are meatless, the restaurant leans fully vegan on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. 1320 W 34th St., Houston, govindashou.com
Shri Balaji Bhavan
Owned and operated by father-son team, Ramesh & Akash Lulla, Shri Balaji Bhavan is in the modest strip center that houses some of the Mahatma Gandhi District’s first-ever South Asian-owned shops. Guests queue at the counter, ordering from a large menu of South Asia specialties like dosas, chaat, and mixed thalis. The restaurant’s relaxed atmosphere and welcoming operators have made it a treasured destination of the neighborhood where locals enjoy meeting for a cup of chai or Madras coffee in between visiting shops. Along with its sister shop, Sari Sapne, a clothing boutique located just next door, the corridor is home to Raja Sweets, an iconic mithai shop hailed as the oldest Indian restaurant in Houston. 5655 Hillcroft St., Houston, shribalajibhavan.com
Turmeric Indian Cuisine & Bar
This Rice Military-area restaurant is located on the street level of an apartment complex that towers over Shepherd Drive. With its open-kitchen layout, you can watch chefs sear tandoor-grilled meats and stir “wok” style Indo-Chinese dishes. The menu spans from traditional dal makhani and butter chicken to playful items like loaded tikka fries and build-your-own curry bowls, plus an abundance of hot and cold drinks like mango lassi and chilled chai. Turmeric has two locations outside of the loop, in Spring and Katy. Multiple locations, turmericindiancuisinetx.com
Saravanaa Bhavan
Saravanaa Bhavan puts the spotlight on South Indian, vegetarian eats with dosa batter spread thin, idli steaming in racks, and chutneys—coconut, mint, tomato—lined up in steel bowls. Utthapams topped with onion and chillies hit the table just browned on the edges. Thalis are just as popular, with the compartmented steel plates showcasing rice, sambar, rasam, poriyal, curd, and sweets side by side in sweet harmony. 8350 Westheimer Rd., Ste. B, Houston, saravanaabhavan.us
India’s
This Galleria-area restaurant is a traditional, family-friendly eatery that has been a beloved part of Houston’s Indian dining scene since the 1980s, and not much has changed since. Find a robust menu of North Indian classics like chicken tikka masala, saag paneer, lamb boti kabab, and malai kofta, with various styles of naan and rotis. The daily lunch buffet is iconic. 704 Richmond Ave., Houston, indiasrestauranthouston.com
