One thing we have noticed over the decades we have been travelling to India is how much food and dining out has changed. India now has a thriving, vibrant and modern culinary scene that’s changing how we think about Indian food and certainly how we experience it. The big metro cities like Delhi and Mumbai especially now boast many outstanding restaurants and bars, with fine dining restaurants and world-renowned chefs preparing contemporary fare.
If you are about to travel to India, especially to its major cities, set aside what you think you know about Indian food and be prepared to let you taste buds and senses be dazzled. We strongly recommend including one of India’s top restaurants in your tour of India.
Here are four of our favourite restaurants in India to tantalize you with. They should be on everyone’s list of places to eat when you are on a tour of India and can be included in our themed culinary journeys. Make sure you reserve ahead as these are the best restaurants of India. They are creating a name for themselves and tables are hard to come by at times.
# 1 Masala Library by Jiggs Kalra, Mumbai
Masala Library by Jiggs Kalra embodies how we see Mumbai – it’s new, it’s glitzy, modern and has the wow factor. The menu here uses traditional recipes of India combined with molecular gastronomy. So be prepared for foams, sorbets and the like with your Indian dishes. We recommend the tasting menu – it guarantees the full experience of what the chef can do and gives your palate so much to sample! Masala Library by Jiggs Kalra is an outstanding culinary experience and has got to be a top contended for one of India’s best restaurants.
# 2 Ziya, Oberoi Mumbai
Ziya is the elegant, formal dining restaurant at the Oberoi in Mumbai. The hotel is an oasis of cool and calm away from the hustle and bustle of Mumbai and dining here certainly feels that way. Ziya is sophisticated, with a light filled interior, a glass-enclosed show kitchen and amazing views of the ocean. Lamb marinated overnight in Indian spices with tadka dahi and roomali roti are among the signature dishes prepared by Ziya’s Michelin starred chef Vineet Bhatia.
# 3 Indian Accent, Delhi – Already crowned India’s top restaurant and one of Asia’s best in some forums, Indian Accent is the major force that’s putting Indian cuisine on everyone’s radar with its contemporary take on traditional dishes. Headed by chef Manish Mehrotra and with a sister restaurant in New York, securing a table at Indian Accent should be as important as seeing the Taj Mahal on a tour of India. We recently devoured the tasting menu pared with wines and were wowed at every course by the dishes presented.
Gourmet India – Dining at Indian Accent, Delhi
# 4 Agashiye, Ahmedabad
One of our favourite places to eat – dining at Agashiye is an experience as well as a pleasure due to both the food and the atmosphere. It’s here you can experience one of India’s most distinct cuisines – Gujarati food tends to be slightly sweet in taste, rich in ghee and vegetarian. The meal begins with a welcome drink served inside the beautiful tented, colourful lounge, before you dine under the stars on the open terrace restaurant. The meal is served as a thali – on a round plate with many dishes.
These four restaurants can be booked as part of any custom made journey or included in one of our culinary tours. The cities these restaurants are in – Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad – are fascinating places to visit also and we can build a tour around the three of them which includes sightseeing, walking tours and culinary experiences. Contact us today for further details.
Be sure to read our other food blogs:
> Indian Accent in Delhi: Why India’s Top Restaurant Deserves Its Crown
> High tea in Sri Lanka: our Top 3 Places for Scones and Tea