The Best Indian Restaurants in Cape Town

There’s more to Indian cuisine than chicken tikka masala and lamb rogan josh… One of the world’s most popular cuisines, as beautiful in its diversity as the country from which it originates, Indian food is a kaleidoscope of colours, flavours, textures and spices, coming together in complex combinations to produce flavour-bursting dishes.

It’s also one of the world’s most vegetarian-friendly cuisines.

Our multicultural Mother City has no shortage of curry houses, serving everything from fiery North Indian favourites to creamy butter chicken, tasty rotis and satisfying bunny chow.

We went on the hunt for the best Indian eateries in the city and unearthed these gems.

Which are your favourites? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below:

Bombay Brasserie

Bombay Brasserie at Taj Cape Town is a sumptuous space, where exemplary service, superb cuisine and a sophisticated ambience make dining here a memorable night out. On the menu is cuisine from all over India, with the addition of local style and flavour. The restaurant offers both vegetarian and regular set menus, as well as à la carte options, with highlights such as baingan bharta (clay oven-smoked brinjal with crumbled feta) and marinated broccoli florets; crowd-pleasers like butter chicken, prawns Alleppey and lamb bhuna gosht. For dessert, don’t miss the gulab jamun or South African favourite malva pudding.
Opening times Monday – Saturday, 6pm – 10.30pm
Contact 021 819 2000, restaurants.capetown@tajhotels.com
Where to find it Taj Cape Town, 1 Wale Street, corner of St Georges Mall, Cape Town
Book Through DinePlan

Maharajah Restaurant

Maharajah prides itself on offering food that lives up to its royal name, and has been owned by the same family for over 40 years. Having perfected their recipes over that time, and with skilled Indian chefs presiding over the kitchen, they’ve gained a devoted following at their comfortable Kloof Nek home (grab a two-person table right in the window for people-spotting and mountain views).
The menu spans North Indian cream-based curries, Southern Indian coconut ones (the lamb Madras is stunning), the deservedly popular butter chicken, and South African Durban curry styles, all of which you can order in mild, medium, hot (or Vindaloo for the burn). Share a platter to get some Tandoor tikka tenderness for starters (along with the most divine samosas and onion bhajis) and don’t miss the lassis – yoghurt-based drinks in salted, mango or banana flavours. If you have room for dessert (the portions throughout are generous) go for the comforting cardamom-scented vermicelli milk pudding, a hug in a bowl.
Good to know Maharajah Eatery in Rondebosch is their sister restaurant (021 685 0714)
Opening times Monday – Sunday, 12pm – 9pm
Contact 021 424 6607, maharajah.capetown@yahoo.com
Where to find it Corner Woodside and Kloof Nek Roads, Tamboerskloof, Cape Town

Annapurna

The food at this neighbourhood favourite is well worth the drive north. Regulars rave about owner Ricky Poovan’s delicious North Indian cuisine served at his restaurant in Durbanville’s Heritage Square shopping centre. Everything is prepared from scratch, including chicken, lamb and seafood curries according to your preference (mild, medium or hot), as well as vegetarian, vegan and innovative low-carb options (cauliflower instead of rice). If you love a naan or paratha on the side, you’re in luck: there are more than 10 to choose from! Add myriad rice sides and raitas, including banana, apple and pineapple raitas, and mushroom pulao or lemon-flavoured rice, and you’re all set.
Opening times Monday – Saturday, 4pm – 9pm
Contact 021 976 2046
Where to find it Heritage Square, corner of Vrede & Gladstone Streets, Durbanville, Cape Town
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Thali

Claire Gunn

Liam Tomlin’s stable of restaurants includes some of Cape Town’s finest, including Thali, whose lavish interior sets the scene for a journey of discovery, while the fairy-lit courtyard is the perfect place to dine on a summer evening. The meal – designed for two people and served tapas-style – is served in three courses and starts off mild, progressing to hotter dishes, and may include the likes of Gujarati dhal, masala duck tacos and linefish sashimi. Portions can be adjusted, if your party has an uneven number of guests. The restaurant does not take bookings, so you need to arrive early.
Good to know The restaurant only takes reservations for use of the private dining room (groups of 8 – 10 people).
Opening times Monday – Saturday, 5pm – 9.30pm
Contact 021 286 2110, info@thalitapas.co.za
Where to find it 3 Park Road, Gardens, Cape Town
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Vadivelu

“Indian. With Attitude” is their slogan and it sums up the vibe at this bright and welcoming new Kloof Street restaurant. In the space that used to be Manna Epicure, Jason, Kevin and Tim (cousins and in-laws of a South African Indian family) reinvent the modern Indian idiom: sage and terracotta walls, jungle wallpaper featuring tigers and tropical birds, pistachio banquettes, pale-wood chairs and tables (and gorgeous Mervyn Gers tableware).
Chef Jai studied in Tamil Nadu (the southernmost state of India) and has a deft hand with streetfood snacks, such as the potato masala dosa (with coconut chutney and aubergine curry dip). Authentic Southern Indian dishes, (and a Durban curry or two) make up the mains menu – a divine prawn coconut curry, aloo gobi, and lamb tikka masala, mopped up with crispy parathas. And the short winelist is well chosen to play nicely with spices (with lots of options by the glass). It’s hospitable, generous (we took home leftovers) and already bustling and busy on a Tuesday night.
Good to know There’s an excellent selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes.
Opening times Monday – Saturday, 12pm – 10pm
Contact 021 300 5777, info@vadilvelu.co.za
Where to find it 151 Kloof Street, Cape Town
Book through DinePlan

Vintage India

The chefs at Vintage India use traditional Indian cooking methods – including the tandoor and tawa – to create authentic dishes that have made the restaurant a neighbourhood gem since 2001. Ingredients are carefully sourced locally, and spices come from India to ensure the best quality. The Indo-Chinese dishes make for an interesting change, while crowd-pleasers will satisfy those wanting the traditional treatment. Add exotic-opulent decor, and your passage to India is complete.
Opening times Daily, 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Contact 021 462 5106, vintageindiasa@gmail.com
Where to find it 2 Hiddingh Avenue, Oranjezicht, Cape Town
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Moksh Indian Restaurant

At Moksh, you can expect North Indian cuisine, known for its clay-oven dishes, all prepared to your preference and comfort level. There’s a large selection of tandoori starters on offer, as well as samoosas, chilli bites and bhajis. For mains, you’ll have a hard time choosing between myriad chicken, lamb and seafood curries, all served with basmati rice, as well as a host of vegetarian options. For dessert, opt for masala chai, kulfi or vermicelli pudding.
Good to know There are also branches in Durbanville, Kenilworth, Paarl, Somerset West, Welgelegen, West Beach and Kuilsriver.
Opening times Tuesday – Sunday, 11am – 10pm
Contact 021 525 9343, reservations@mokshrestaurants.com
Where to find it Paddocks Shopping Centre, Racecourse Road, Milnerton, Cape Town
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Awara

From the creators of Bukhara comes Awara, a modern interpretation of Indian cuisine and Asian grills. To start, there are tapas including the likes of pani puri (street-food snacks), aloo chat (spicy blackened potatoes with puffed rice and tamarind) and paper dosas (crisp rice pancakes) – order a few and have a taste of everything. If you fancy something different, try the gunpowder calamari and teriyaki octopus. For mains, sample the sesame salmon or go traditional with a tandoori or curry dish, accompanied by Bukhara’s legendary naan breads. There are loads of sides to choose from, too.
Opening times Sunday – Thursday, 11am – 10pm
Friday + Saturday, 11am – 11pm
Contact 021 424 0000, awara@bukhara.com
Where to find it 33 Church Street, Cape Town
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Curry Club

After starting out as a dark kitchen for deliveries only, it became a restaurant IRL (in a Victorian farmhouse in New Church Street), and recently moved to a buzzing new home at the back of The Cape Quarter on Jarvis Street. It serves London-style Punjabi curries (the head chef hails from the foothills of the Himalayas) that are fragrant rather than fiery! For mains, choose from chicken, lamb and seafood curries (the Goan prawn is chef’s-kiss-emoji), all prepared medium unless you specify otherwise. Or look out for the daily special that day might feature goat, wild mushroom or swordfish in freshly blended spices. The quirky decor, eclectic soundtrack (a lot of 90s Britpop when we visited), and dry-British-humoured owner (if you stay in his good books) make this an Indian dining experience with a difference. Oh, and the complimentary spinach bhajis, coated in gram (chickpea) flour and deep-fried, are rather moreish!
Opening times Monday–Friday 12:30 – 3pm; 5.30pm – 9.30pm
Saturday, 1pm – 3pm; 5.30pm – 9.30pm
Contact 021 300 3971, hello@curryclub.co.za
Where to find it Cape Quarter Lifestyle Centre, corner Jarvis + Napier Streets, Green Point, Cape Town
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Bihari

Located inside the Southern Sun hotel in Newlands, Bihari is a grande dame on the Cape Town Indian restaurant scene, opened in 2007 by London-born Donna Ross who prides herself on the authenticity of the North Indian food served here. You’ll find all the tandoori and curry classics on the menu: paneer, vegetable, chicken, seafood and lamb, along with rice, salads, riatas, sambals and poppadoms – all you need for a proper traditional feast!
Opening times Tuesday – Sunday, 12.30pm – 3.30pm; 5pm – 9.30pm
Contact 021 674 7186, newlands@bihari.co.za
Where to find it Southern Sun Hotel, Main Road, Newlands, Cape Town
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Sundoo

Chef Seelan Sundoo, the man behind the eponymous restaurants, hails from Kerala, an ancient centre of the spice trade with Egypt. The decor in all three restaurants (Sea Point, Newlands and Woodstock) is contemporary: “paying homage to the past and looking to the future”, as Seelan explains. The menu is mainly south Indian (old recipes handed down from generations), but there are biryanis and tandoori dishes, too. Start with an assortment of tapas such as puri patha (small bites filled with spicy water-spinach patties); coal-smoked southern-Indian chicken wings or a Goan-style prawn cocktail. Maybe a mini bunny chows or roti?
For mains, we recommend the masala chops with saffron chutney from the clay oven; or try the Pondicherry fish curry or duck with fennel, curry leaves and chilli.
Good to know There are also branches in Newlands and Woodstock.
Opening times Monday – Sunday, 12pm – 10.30pm
Contact 021 433 0542, enquiries@sundoo.co.za
Where to find it Shop 6, La Rhone, 77 Regent Road, Sea Point
Book Through DinePlan

Indian Oven

This popular eatery in Hout Bay prepares meals to your preference, from mild to extra hot. Nothing is pre-made, and it shows in the quality of the food. They offer poppadoms to snack on while you wait for the main event to keep the hunger pangs at bay. Starters include samoosas, bhajis and pakoras, which are also available as platters for sharing. Specialities include madras curry, butter chicken and vegan brinjal curry. If you can’t decide, opt for the trio of curries and share – you really are spoilt for choice! Vegetarians and vegans won’t feel left out either, there’s an abundance of options. A long list of sides and breads for mopping up sauces finish things off beautifully.
Opening times Tuesday – Sunday, 12.30pm – 10.30pm
Contact 021 791 4805, christie.neil@yahoo.com
Where to find it Shop 8, Red Sails Building, Hout Bay, Cape Town
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Ninety One

Sea Point’s main drag is home to this local favourite that serves satisfying classics in a contemporary setting. Order a platter of starters for a taste of everything (available as vegetarian and tandoori options); think samoosas, parathas and pakoras. There is a wide variety of vegetarian main courses on offer, as well as more meaty dishes for those who enjoy chicken, lamb and seafood. Alternatively, opt for a biryani. Add your sides, breads and sambals and let the flavours speak for themselves.
Opening times Monday – Sunday 11.30am – 9.30pm
Contact 021 433 2069, emas@ninety-one.co.za
Where to find it 315 Main Road, Sea Point, Cape Town
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Prashad

Prashad has four branches (Sea Point, Rondebosch, Kloof Street and Constantia), all offering vegetarian menus, with most dishes available as vegan alternatives, too. At all of them you’ll find a range of samoosas for starters, and curries made with everything from paneer, potatoes, chickpeas, mushrooms, brinjal and butternut, and all served with rice. Biryanis are served with yellow-lentil dhal, and are made with mixed vegetables, paneer, soya, chicken or mushrooms. There are also a few Indo-Chinese options, as well as a variety of wraps and bunny chows. Add your choice of condiments (lime or mango pickle, raitas and sambals) and you’re sure to be satisfied. End your meal with one of their delightful desserts soji, vegan chocolate or their famous vegan carrot cake.
Good to know There are also branches in Kloof Street, Mojo Market in Sea Point and Constantia Village Mall.
Opening times Monday – Sunday, 11.30am – 9pm
Contact 021 685 7891, hello@prashad.co.za
Where to find it 6 Fountain Place, Rondebosch, Cape Town
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