7 Best Indian Restaurants In Manila You Can Explore
With hues of reds and yellows sitting pretty in stainless bowls, Indian food is just as colorful as it tastes. Just a whiff of aromatic spices is enough to make your taste buds go haywire. Deviate from the usual favorites and explore a different cuisine by visiting any of these Indian restaurants in Manila.
1New Bombay
The great thing about Indian cuisine is that it’s more vegan-friendly compared to the meat-heavy Filipino cuisine. Much of Indian food is prepared without the use of red meat like beef and pork. New Bombay takes a fresh spin and gives you the most authentic Indian cuisine experience. Since Indian dishes are mostly spicy, you can choose the level of how spicy you want your dishes to be—from mild, medium to spicy.
For some cheesy goodness, order Mushroom Cheese Masala (PHP 265) to be paired with naan. Be sure to try out their curry dish Mutton Rogan Josh (PHP 265) that tastes heavenly with chapatti or a plate of steamed rice. The real standout from their kitchen is the Bombay Dal Fried (PHP 245) that consists of sautéed yellow lentils in a mixture of spices, onions, garlic, and tomatoes. Order any Lassi, which is a yogurt-based shake, to wash down any spicy meal and recharge your taste buds for the next dish.
New Bombay
2/F Crossroads Building, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
More branches around Metro Manila
2Royal Indian Curry House
Looking for a place to chill out with your friends? Among the Indian restaurants in Manila, Royal Indian Curry House has a more laid-back vibe. This is an exceptional place to hang out for long hours especially over great Indian food and a game of billiards. Stepping into their Makati branch already makes guests feel like royalty as suggested by their lavish surroundings.
Diners have raved about their toasty Butter Naan (PHP 149) and Cheese Naan (PHP 199). Satisfy your lamb cravings with their flavorful Hyderabadi Biryani (PHP 499) with fragrant basmati rice. At first, it may seem like a soufflé clay pot, but the purpose of roti is to seal the flavor of the lamb and rice. One of their staple dishes is Chicken Tikka (PHP 399) that has been marinated in yogurt and spices to capture the rich flavor when grilled to perfection.
Royal Indian Curry House
5345 General Luna Street, Poblacion, Makati City
SM By the Bay, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City
Facebook, Instagram
3Legend of India
Sounds like something right out of a book, right? Sorry to disappoint you bibliophiles, but if you’re hungry, then this is one of the Indian restaurants in Manila worthy of your appetite. Specializing in North Indian cuisine, the chefs of Legend of India are flown straight here from there!
For starters, try their delicious Samosa (PHP 120) that is reminiscent to the Spanish-Filipino empanada. Get your hands on their house specialty Butter Chicken (PHP 350) that will have your taste buds rejoicing. Butter is the ingredient that makes this savory dish absolutely rich and satisfying. Vegans must try their Palak Paneer (PHP 280), which is a dish consisting of spinach and cottage cheese. Even if you’re not a vegan, you will definitely love wiping up this stuff especially if you have a piece of chapatti ready on hand.
Legend of India
114 Jupiter Street, Bel-Air, Makati City
4Kashmir
Back in 1976, Kashmir was opened at a guesthouse to cater to a large crowd of foreigners both expats and travelers. Since then, it has been dominating the scene when it comes to Indian cuisine. You’ll be welcomed by its dramatic interiors as well as their friendly staff.
Roghan Josh Mutton (PHP 530) is basically a lamb stew that is large in serving. The tender pieces of lamb are swimming in a sea of flavorful sauce that shouldn’t go to waste. Pour it over some biryani rice or just keep those orders of naan rolling in! If you’re staying off red meat, try out their specialty Fish Tandoori (PHP 590) that consists of broiled lapu-lapu marinated with all sorts of spices and goodness.
Kashmir
Merchants Center Building, Padre Faura St., Ermita, Manila
More branches around Metro Manila
5Om Indian Kitchen
Escape to India for a short while. You can expect no less of an authentic Indian meal from Om Indian Kitchen. You won’t be disappointed with their popular appetizer Vegetarian Samosa (PHP 115). It’s flaky and crunchy, just how we love our samosas! Another spotlight-stealing dish is their Mutton Rogan Josh (PHP 395) that consists of mouth-watering goat curry. Paired with aromatic Biryani Rice (PHP 165/Veggie, PHP 215/Chicken), you’ll find an explosion of lovely flavors. Vegans will be relieved to see another one of those Indian restaurants in Manila with several vegan-friendly choices.
Om Indian Kitchen
G/F The Grove by Rockwell, Pasig City
Facebook, Instagram
6Swagat Indian Cuisine
This place can be easily dismissed upon first glance. Don’t be fooled because they were nominated for the Best Indian Restaurant from Manila’s Best Kept Restaurant Secrets Awards in 2012. If you love spicy, this is the place to be!
Served right off the pan is the Machchi Masala (PHP 155). Its rich tomato sauce blends with spices that compliment the well-cooked fish meat. Vegetarian-friendly dish Malai Kofta (PHP 150) deserves to be on your list, too. These appetizing dumpling balls submerged in rich gravy. And did we mention that their dishes are really affordable?
Swagat Indian Cuisine
119 FCC Building, Rada Street, Makati City
7Ziggurat Cuisine Restaurant
One of Makati’s best-kept secrets, Ziggurat will take you on the ultimate culinary adventure. Explore African, Indian, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern cuisines any time of the day and night at Ziggurat because they’re open 24/7! Sit down and make yourself comfortable among printed cushions on a carpeted floor.
Ziggurat’s menu is massive that you’ll be feeling like a meal is not enough to try all the dishes you fancy! Feast with their Curry Set (PHP 650) if you wanna make the most out of their curry specialties! Try their tasty Chicken Tikka (PHP 150) paired with rice (choose from over 30 kinds of grains).
Ziggurat Cuisine Restaurant
G/F, Sunnette Tower, Makati City
Now’s the perfect time to try out something new like Indian food! Why not sample a dish or two at any of these Indian restaurants in Manila? Comment about your best gastronomic experiences or tag us on Instagram @philihappy.
