If you’re looking for the best Indian restaurants in Bangkok, some people will point you towards the ‘little India’ enclave in Pahurat, but truthfully there are some incredible restaurants spread out all across the city.
There is a large and thriving Desi community in Bangkok and this has translated to an abundance of impeccable cuisine — from vegetarian South Indian, to spicy kababs and experimental fine dining.
It’s often said that Bangkok’s Indian restaurants are comparatively quite expensive, and that’s often true, but foodies will doubtless love what’s on offer regardless.
Here are our picks for the best Indian in Bangkok that are sure to make your mouth water…
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The Best Indian Restaurants in Bangkok
Gaggan
Via Facebook/Gaggan
Voted Asia’s best restaurant in both 2015 and 2016, Gaggan’s gargantuan reputation is well deserved. Named after the chef himself — Gaggan Anand — the restaurant is set in an impressive white timbered, colonial style mini mansion on Langsuan Road in downtown Bangkok.
There are three dining spaces to choose from; a cozy and intimate nook for four; a main dining room with wooden flooring and high ceilings; or a table for six with a window where you can watch Gaggan cook up his gastronomic wonders right next to you.
Anand describes his cuisine as ‘progressive Indian’, and he has successfully reinvented classic Indian dishes — often fused with Thai and other cuisines from around the world. He offers eating experiences rather than normal set menus, and each evening an extravagant parade of dishes takes each lucky diner on a unique culinary journey.
Sample dishes include ‘Viagra’ — fresh oyster in a spice marinade grilled and served with Kokum ice cream, ‘Portuguese Connection’ — Iberian pork sous vide for 24 hours with pickling spices served with a vindaloo curry reduction, and ‘Mom’s Love’ — hot carrot mousse with saffron and 100% silver.
Here’s a video of the man himself in action:
Gaggan is only open in the evenings Monday to Sunday from 6pm to 11pm and set menu prices start at 4,000 THB. Reservations are required well in advance.
Address: 68/1 Soi Langsuan, Ploenchit Road, Lumpini
Bawarchi
Only the best quality and most authentic Indian cooking ingredients are sourced direct from India by this award winning restaurant, and everything is cooked to perfection by a team of dedicated and talented master chefs.
Inspired by Mughlai cuisine from Northern India, Bawarchi prides itself on a traditional style of cooking, using a tandoor clay oven to turn breads, meat, fish and poultry into luscious aromatic curries, Biryanis, Kebabs, and Tikkas, plus delectable vegetarian dishes.
The restaurant’s elegant and exotic contemporary interior makes the perfect backdrop to the innovative menu featuring a range of beautifully presented recipes with surprising and original twists on old favorites.
Subtle live music entertains diners each evening as they tuck into delights such as ‘Awarchi Warchi Murgh Malai Kebab’ — plump chicken thighs marinated in a velvety mix of cream cheese, cardamom and black salt, served with fresh apple and pomegranate chutney; or the decadent ‘Saagar ke Moti — an extravagant dish of Alaskan lobster, Norwegian salmon, Caribbean crab, Canadian scallops and Phuket king prawns in a royal Saffron gravy laid on a bed of Basmati.
For dessert we like ‘Gulab Jamun’ — deep-fried thickened milk dumplings soaked in cardamom spiced sugar syrup.
Main dishes vary from 300 – 700 THB, with desserts and entree dishes priced at 125 – 150 THB. Bawarchi is open every day from 11am to 12am.
Address: Intercontinental Hotel, President Tower, 973 Ploenchit Road
The Great Kabab Factory
Expect buffet and a la carte dining at its best here at The Great Kabab factory in Sukhumvit. This is an Indian specialty restaurant which offers a unique dining experience, and recipes which combine the ancient with the contemporary.
The dining space on the lobby level of the Majestic Grande Hotel is lofty and modern and sparklingly clean, but warm and earthy tones of orange, rust and marine blue in the decor combined with exceptionally friendly service turn it into a cozy and intimate place to dine.
There are two set menus on offer — vegetarian or non-vegetarian — which consist of a first course comprises a selection of delicious kababs, followed by a second course of naan bread with biryani and two lentil stews. Desserts are exotic offerings such as beetroot halva with dried fruits, or sweet dumplings layered with cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce.
The very best bit though is that this is an ‘all you can eat’ kind of restaurant, so if you take a particular fancy to a tasty fried fish and pineapple skewer, rose petal flavored cottage cheese, fennel-flavored naan, or curried prawn biryani with star anise and mustard seeds, you can ask for more.
TGKF have recently launched an a la carte menu which is colourful, experimental and performative. We reviewed it recently and couldn’t get enough.
The set menu costs 1,100 THB for non-vegetarians and 1,000 THB for vegetarians. The The Great Kabab Factory is open every day from 11am to 11pm.
Address: Majestic Grande, Sukhumvit Soi 2
Sri Ganesha
Sri Ganesha is veggie heaven! Describing itself as a ‘pure, homely and authentic south Indian vegetarian restaurant’, this unassuming little eatery certainly isn’t fancy, but it serves up unusual and exciting southern Indian gastronomy from within its four walls.
Food is served simply on no-frills stainless steel canteen style dishes, leaving the spicy taste sensations to speak for themselves.
All dishes are freshly prepared with exquisite ingredients to enhance the delectable Indian flavors and ensure the food is as high quality is possible. And all this at a very affordable price.
Individual dishes range from 60-100 THB, and a set Thali (an Indian-style meal, made up of an assortment of various different dishes served on a platter) with a tasty selection of fresh subji, soups, breads, rice and a dessert costs 179 THB. House specialities include ‘Iddly Manchurian’ – deep fried lentil patties in a spicy tomato sauce, and a delicious fenugreek curry.
Sri Ganesha is open seven days a week from 8am to 10pm.
Address: 19/ 13- 14 Sukhumvit Suites, Sukhumvit Soi 13
Charcoal
If the idea of a unique Indian dining experience that’s visceral, sensual and exciting sounds too good to miss, you’ll want to head on over to Charcoal Tandoor Grill & Mixology, where ancient Indian recipes are given creative modern flourishes to produce an intoxicating array of spices and aromas that will make your taste buds sing.
Inside this restaurant and cocktail lounge a sensual blend of dark woods, industrial decor, carved wooden screens and mellow lighting come together to form a romantic, intimate and classy dining space.
It’s kababs that take center stage at Charcoal. Skewers of succulent meats, fish and vegetables are flavored with exotic marinades and then cooked to perfection in traditional tandoor ovens. A lamb sheekh kebab — minced mutton with ginger, green chilies, coriander, royal cumin and freshly ground Indian spices — costs 390 THB, and a veggie version 290 THB. A juicy Tandoori Fish Tikka – chunks of Sea Bass marinated in yoghurt, mustard, cheese, green chilies and whole coriander – will set you back 500 THB.
The mixologists at the glamorous Charcoal bar muddle up a fabulous range of cocktails designed to perfectly complement and enhance each dish on the menu.
Stand out choices are ‘Muffety Mai’ — a floral and refreshing combination of Bombay Sapphire gin, fresh cucumber, tarragon, lemon, jasmine, and chat Masala, and the ‘Maharaja Mai Tai’ — a blend of Bacardi Superior with orange liqueur, fresh lime, almond, clove and cardamom, served with a fresh orange, pineapple and sweetened hibiscus. Cocktails are priced at 300 THB.
If you’d like to sample the culinary delights on offer at Charcoal, opening times are 6pm to 12am daily.
Address: Fraser Suites Sukhumvit, 5th Floor, Sukhumvit Soi 11
Indus
Via Facebook/Indus
The team at Indus create authentic Mughalai style Indian cuisine, and they pride themselves in producing food with excellent consistency, powerful yet delicate flavors, and dedication to quality. High quality organic ingredients are sourced locally and grown in sustainable conditions.
The restaurant, set in a 1960s art deco house, comprises an sumptuous stone walled dining room, a stylish bar, outdoor dining in a lush tropical garden, and an elegant private dining space.
Dishes are served in delightful authentic Indian copper and brassware dishes or on classical Thai celadon dining plates.
On the spectacular seven course tasting menu, a puri consisting of a crisp semolina puff, mango cream, kaffir lime dust kicks off your voyage of the senses. A tiger prawn Methi with cream and fenugreek, and smoked broccoli puree continues the experience, as well as a lamb chop with tempered sweet potato, truffle naan, and chicken dum biriyani.
The vegetarian tasting menu is equally appealing, with dishes such as dried plum dumpling with cashew and yogurt sauce, truffle naan, and subz dum biriyani. The vegetarian tasting menu costs 1400 THB, and the non-vegetarian version 1600 THB. Both menus can be sampled with carefully selected wine pairings for an additional 1000 THB.
There are also a la carte options, set menu weekday lunches and an excellent weekend brunch (750 THB). Indus is open for service every day 12:30am – 2:30pm and 6pm to 10:30pm.
Address: 71 Sukhumvit Soi 26
Rang Mahal
This chic, multi-award winning Indian restaurant is situated on the elegant roof-top of the Rembrandt Hotel Bangkok — 26 floors high. The floor to ceiling windows display a dazzling city panorama of glittering skyscrapers. Sparkling crystal chandeliers and charming Indian antiques and paintings emphasize even further the opulence of the dining space.
Tuesday to Sunday an authentic Indian band plays live music to soothe and amuse diners.
Rang Mahal specializes in northern Indian delicacies that are the essence of the Punjab.
The Premium set menu at 1295 THB features courses such as jumbo tandoori prawns, crispy deep fried samosas, black lentils cooked with asafoetida, garlic and tomatoes enriched with butter and cream, and mutton Mughal style curry flavoured with India’s best spices. Cream cheese dumplings in almond flavoured syrup are one of three luscious desserts to finish.
On the a la carte menu main dishes cost between 350 – 600 THB.
The Sunday buffet brunch here is a must. Priced at 849 THB you can fill up as much as you want from the multitude of appetizers, Indian pickles and sauces, rich curries, spiced roasted meats and fish, grilled vegetables, naan and roti, and desserts.
Rang Mahal’s opening and closing hours are 6pm to 12am daily. It’s also open for the buffet brunch on a Sunday from 11am to 2:30pm.
Address: Rembrandt Hotel Bangkok, 19 Sukhumvit Soi 18
Maya
Via Facebook/Maya
This sky high restaurant on the 29th floor has an incredible view and incredible food to match. This outstanding rooftop space encapsulates the best of Indian cuisine in a modern and electrifying setting.
After your dinner you can relax and unwind with a creative cocktail on the outdoor balcony, whiling away the hours until the late evening, listening to the DJ spinning cool tunes and enjoying the breathtaking view.
Maya’s award winning fine Indian dining focuses on northern Indian cuisine. Chef Hardip Bhatia creates classic Indian dishes with a blend of exotic spices using traditional techniques with modern presentation.
At 800 THB, the vegetarian set menu boasts no less than ten scrumptious dishes. Peshawari spiced paneer stuffed with green herbs, black lentils simmered overnight with tomatoes and garlic and finished with churned butter, and fresh pomegranate raita with masala yoghurt all beg to be savored.
The slightly more expensive meaty version of the set menu (1000 THB) includes chicken tikka morsels cooked in tomato gravy with butter and cream, boneless chicken marinated in kashmiri chilies, mustard oil & tandoori spices, and pot roasted spring lamb flavored with mint and kasoori methi.
A la carte options are more pricey, with dishes costing anything from 300 THB all the way up to 1500 THB for an incredibly extravagant Lobster butter Masala — a speciality of the chef.
Maya is open daily from 5pm to 1am. Come for the food, enjoy the sunset and stay to pass a glamorous evening in chic surroundings.
Address: Holiday Inn,Level 29, Sukhumvit Soi 22
What are your picks for the best Indian restaurants in Bangkok?
