With the outstanding restaurant communities of Koreatown, Thai Town, and Japantown located near the heart of LA County, it is easy to overlook the cluster of authentic Indian restaurants all the way out in Artesia, known as Little India. Thankfully, there’s a wealth of outstanding eateries that specialized in the deliciously complex, deftly spiced cuisine from the deep Valley all the way down to the South Bay.
From Downtown’s well-received Indian gastropub Badmaash to vegetarian thali specialists down in Little India, here are the 20 essential Indian restaurants in Los Angeles, presented in no particular order.
1 Anarbagh Restaurant
The Woodland Hills outlet of Anarbagh Indian Restaurant continues to shine after nearly 20 years in business, expanding to locations across the Valley and beyond. Chef Mohammed Miah works a collection of classic dishes, from curries to chicken tikka to tandoori options on down.
22721 Ventura Blvd
Woodland Hills, CA 91364
(818) 224-3929
2 Al Watan Halal Tandoori Restaurant
There’s nothing fancy about Hawthorne eatery Al-Watan, but that doesn’t take away from the strong cooking happening in chef Mumtaz’s kitchen. The Pakastani specialties like nehari and haleem differentiate it from the pack, with the deep flavors of smoke, cardamom, and ginger permeating the dishes.
13619 S Inglewood Ave
Hawthorne, CA 90250
(310) 644-6395
3 Bombay Palace
Great Indian food isn’t reserved to strip mall gems, with restaurants like Bombay Palace serving Northern Indian fare in a regal space since 1985. That doesn’t mean it’s expensive, with a sub $15 lunch buffet to feed the masses.
8690 Wilshire Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
(310) 659-9944
4 Spice Affair
Taking over the former Tanzore on restaurant row on La Cienaga is Spice Affair, an upscale option with lounge spaces and a fusion menu. That means there’s dishes like tandoor artichoke hearts, chargrilled lobster, and even truffle oil chicken tikka.
50 N La Cienega Blvd #120
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
(310) 400-6800
5 Akbar Restaurant
With locations in Hermosa Beach, Marina Del Rey, and Pasadena, Akbar isn’t a typical Indian restaurant. That’s evident in the menu with specialties like coco lamb and tandoori Chilean sea bass, but also in the restaurant’s focus on wine. Because which other Indian restaurant plays host to wine events?
3115 Washington Blvd
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292
(310) 574-0666
6 Jay Bharat
North Indian cuisine is the name of the game here, and the dish in question is the bhatura, a massive deep fried white flour bread that is used to soak up garbanzo beans in a tomato and onion gravy.
18701 Pioneer Blvd
Artesia, CA 90701
(562) 924-3310
7 Paru’s
Hollywood staple since 1979. While the fare is strictly vegetarian, it isn’t hard to find something to please all, with delicious specialties like those big, crispy dosas and thali plates that offer a little taste of some of the best Paru’s has to offer.
5140 Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 661-7600