The 10 best Indian restaurants in Phoenix

Indian food is having a moment in Phoenix, as a host of new elevated restaurants introduce customers to upscale versions of their favorite dishes. These new spots infuse Indian spices and flavors into creative cocktails, they offer wine pairings and inspire visitors to dress up for date night.

In our eyes, more Indian food in any format is a wonderful thing. These new restaurants join classic family-run eateries that have been serving comforting dishes to Valley diners for decades.

Whether you’re craving takeout or a decadent and delicious night out, here are the 10 best Indian restaurants in Phoenix.

Bahaara Indian Kitchen

9920 S. Rural Road, #A105, Tempe
Bahaara Indian Kitchen is relatively new to the Valley, opening in Tempe in May 2025 with an emphasis on northern Indian cuisine. Chef and owner Jiten Sibal started his culinary career at the revered Delhi resort restaurant Bukhara. When he arrived in the U.S. in the 1990s, he hoped to open an Indian restaurant, but he deferred that goal while operating several fast-food franchises. Luckily, Valley diners can now experience Sibal’s work. He and his chefs work to keep dishes true to their roots. Dal cooks overnight in the style he learned at Bukhara. Lentils simmer with tomatoes, ginger, garlic and spices and are finished with a splash of cream and butter. As a result, the dal is lusciously creamy. Pair it with Bahaara’s aromatic biryani. The rice dish arrives at the table in a porcelain pot. When you pull off the lid, you’re greeted with the warm scent of cinnamon, cardamom and saffron. The bustling restaurant boasts a large horseshoe bar and an elegant dining room flanked by cushy booths whose tall backs add an air of privacy. The venue and warm service, coupled with its carefully crafted food, make Bahaara the kind of place that is suitable for both everyday and celebratory meals.

City of Spice 

2945 E. Bell Road
City of Spice is a classic hole-in-the-wall spot serving exceptional eats. The super casual restaurant is located in a strip shopping center off Bell Road, where it serves dishes that punch above their weight. The restaurant’s owners hail from Hyderabad and Gujarat, India, where their families run restaurants. When they moved to Phoenix, they couldn’t find the food they wanted to eat, so they set out to make their own. And, for that, we are dually grateful. Standout dishes include the Apollo fish, battered and fried, topped with sliced onions and doused in a buttery sauce made with chiles and curry leaves. There are, of course, your classic butter chicken and chicken tikka dishes, but the deep menu begs you to go beyond those familiar favorites. Crack into a massive, crisp dosa or sizzle your taste buds with the fiery green chile lamb. The restaurant’s name is City of Spice, after all. 

The Dhaba 

1872 Apache Blvd., Tempe
For anyone who’s lived in Tempe, studied at Arizona State, or been a frequent visitor to the college town, The Dhaba is a staple. Open since 2003, this neighborhood favorite is a destination for a delicious meal. While takeout is a popular option, many families opt to visit for a sit-down meal, a glass of wine and a nice evening out. There are reservations available, wine pairing suggestions and attentive servers, but the vibe remains familial and welcoming to all. The long menu offers Punjabi cuisine spanning vegetarian dishes and meat-packed plates. Can’t choose? Order one of the three thali options, which each come with a selection of hot dishes, chutney, raita, papad or naan, a house salad and dessert. 

Feringhee Modern Indian Cuisine

3491 W. Frye Road, Chandler
Feringhee offers a unique experience in the Valley’s Indian food scene. It was the first to bring Indian fine dining to the Valley, something that has since become a trend. But this level of artistic plating and craftsmanship remains untouched. Created by award-winning chefs, the menu draws inspiration from classic dishes from across India. Some dishes, such as the comforting chicken biryani and creamy butter chicken, feel familiar. Others take many creative liberties with the classic recipes that serve as inspiration. The Murgh Malai chicken kebab is served with Amul cheese fondue and pistachio dukkah. Kandhari pork ribs are sticky with pomegranate glaze and brightened by fennel pollen. Each dish on the menu comes with a recommended wine or cocktail pairing from a creative drinks list equally packed with spices, herbs, florals and unique flavor combinations. Perfect for a special occasion, Feringhee is a real treat. 

Haldi Indian Cuisine

18561 N. 59th Ave. #122, Glendale
13761 W. Bell Road, #213, Surprise
When you walk into Haldi Indian Cuisine in Glendale, you might have to dodge the robot. The restaurant employs a columnar serving assistant with a little cat face, who helps deliver piping-hot dishes to your table. But robot aside, this restaurant offers classic, comforting, homestyle Indian cuisine. Settle into a booth and order a cardamom-spiked mojito for a refreshing sip. Continue that fresh taste with the palak paneer, a bright-green blend of spinach and spices studded with creamy cheese. For a slight twist on a favorite, order the honey butter chicken, which, as the name indicates, is a honey-sweetened version of the classic creamy dish. For something a little more unique, try the Tellicherry Lamb Fry. In this dish, tender cubes of lamb are seasoned with bold Tellicherry peppercorns and lemon, and served with fragrant lemon rice. There are plenty of naan options, including the slightly sweet Kashmiri naan stuffed with ground dry fruits and nuts. Along with the robot, friendly staff joke with regulars at this family-run restaurant, which has another location in Surprise.

Indibar

6208 N. Scottsdale Road, Paradise Valley
This Scottsdale restaurant is taking elevated Indian cuisine to new heights. Indibar’s kitchen, led by Nigel Lobo and Ajay Negi, draws on both fine-dining techniques and nostalgia. That, paired with white-glove service in a refined Art Deco-inspired space, made Indibar one of our best new restaurants of 2025. The restaurant’s team aims to transport diners to India or introduce them to the complexity of the cuisine, depending on their previous experience. Start with Kheema Dosa, a fun, rip-and-dip dish that is served with richly spiced ground lamb and a roasty, sweet-and-spicy tomato condiment called thakkali thokku. Explore the depth of Indibar’s menu with a Kerala-inspired, banana leaf-wrapped branzino. That said, don’t breeze over Indibar’s classic dishes, particularly the butter chicken, a platonic ideal version of the dish. The chicken is chargrilled, offering a hint of smoke, and bathed in a complex, creamy sauce. If you’re imbibing, consider the Kaali Peeli, a cardamom, saffron and ginger-infused riff on a Bee’s Knees with a whimsical tableside presentation that will leave you charmed and ready for the meal ahead.

Maya’s Kitchen Indian Cuisine

2948 E. Bell Road
There’s a comforting hominess to Maya’s Kitchen Indian Cuisine, which the Pokhrel family has run from a shopping center unit off of Bell Road and 30th Street since 2023. While some restaurants’ menus can be voluminous and overwhelming, Maya’s Kitchen keeps its relatively compact, offering popular northern Indian dishes and infusing the family’s Nepali heritage. The dining room is bright, thanks to electric pink accents and orange tufted booths. It’s also warm and cozy, in no small part because of the friendly service and complimentary chai tea. Pair that sip with a starter to whet your appetite. The aloo tikki choley does the trick when opting to “make it a chaat!” as the menu says. When doing so, crisp potato patties and chickpeas are doused in tangy yogurt and punchy chutneys that sing of herbs and tamarind. Diners will find butter chicken and tikka masala, biryanis, dals and goat curry. The entrees offer plenty of comfort and are spiced to your liking. Rice is usually a vehicle to sop up flavorful curry. Maya’s is impactful on its own, scented with cumin and bay leaves. 

Peacock Indian Bar & Grill

17025 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale
If you’re feeling like Indian food on date night, Peacock Indian Bar & Grill in north Scottsdale is the perfect place. The large restaurant is modern and chic, with glowing strip lighting and a mirrored bar. And it serves a menu ideal for sharing. Start with a glass of wine and the samosa chaat, a dish as colorful as the restaurant’s namesake bird. Layers of tamarind, sweetened yogurt and mint sauce top potato-filled samosas in a shareable starter that is just plain fun to eat. Veggie dishes include smoky roasted eggplant in the Baingan Bharta or spinach and cottage cheese dumplings in the Achari Palak Kofta. Curries come with a choice of protein, including egg, chicken, goat or lamb and we’re partial to the south-Indian style Chettinad curry with spices and coconut. It’s tricky with a menu packed with so many tasty options, but make sure to leave room for dessert. The Gulab Jamun are sweet, sticky and so satisfying.

Tap N Tikka

25 E. Ray Road, Gilbert
What happens if you cross a neighborhood beer bar with a classic Indian restaurant? You get Tap N Tikka on Ray Road in Gilbert. Beer and cocktail-themed artwork decorates the block walls, hanging above bright orange pleather booths. And the menu includes great snacks to pair with a pint, including masala fries and tandoori chicken wings. The long menu also includes plenty of vegetarian and meat curries, sizzling tandoori platters, goat dishes and six varieties of rice. At lunch time, stop by for a veggie or meat thali platter. Or stop by for dinner, drinks and a refreshing and sweet Kheer rice pudding with saffron, cardamom and nuts. 

Vayal’s Indian Kitchen

507 W. Thomas Road
Vayal’s started out as a food truck, rolling around the Valley since 2022. Two years later, it found a permanent home on Thomas Road and almost instantly became a neighborhood favorite. The small restaurant is filled with comfortable booths, fake greenery and a little pink neon. It’s cozy, cute and casual. The menu offers a wide selection of vegetarian appetizers and entrees, plus meat dishes from Southern India and beyond. Hearty, chunky dal makhani is a must and when it comes to pairing bread with your meal, look beyond the classic (and delicious) naan. Vayal’s serves Uthappam, a thick, savory pancake that is made from rice flour and black gram batter flavored with toppings such as onions, butter and chiles, and other flatbreads, including fluffy Kulcha, layered Parotta and thin chapathi. The restaurant also offers a drinks menu complete with many Indian beers.