Craving Indian Food? 5 Cleveland-Area Restaurants Worth Trying 🇮🇳🍛
There was a time when finding good Indian food around Cleveland meant having only a handful of choices. Not anymore! From traditional biryani and curries to modern small plates and Indian-inspired cocktails, the Cleveland food scene has come a long way.
So, whether you’re Indian and craving a taste of home or you’re just beginning to explore Indian cuisine, here are five restaurants worth putting on your list.
🌶️ Amba – Ohio City/Hingetown
📍 1430 W. 28th St., Cleveland
If you’re looking for something beyond the traditional curry-and-naan experience, Amba is the place to try. It’s modern, moody and built around Indian-inspired small plates meant for sharing. The flavors are familiar but presented in creative and unexpected ways, making this a great choice for a date night or an evening out with friends.
✨ Safar – Cleveland’s West Side
📍 11526 Clifton Blvd., Cleveland
Another newer addition to Cleveland’s Indian dining scene, Safar takes traditional Indian flavors and gives them a contemporary, upscale spin. Beautiful presentation, creative cocktails and an elegant atmosphere make this more of a “night out” experience than your neighborhood Indian takeout spot. Their weekend brunch also brings South Indian favorites like dosa and idli into the mix.
🍛 The Great Indian Kitchen – Downtown Cleveland
📍 1701 E. 12th St., Cleveland
If variety is what you’re after, The Great Indian Kitchen has plenty of it. The menu ranges from dosa, idli and South Indian breakfast favorites to biryani, butter chicken, Andhra chicken curry and Indo-Chinese dishes. An added bonus? It’s open from breakfast until very late, making it an interesting option for those late-night Indian-food cravings.
🍚 Paradise Indian Cuisine – Cleveland & other Northeast Ohio locations
📍 Downtown Cleveland, Aurora, Gates Mills & Parma
For the biryani lovers—and I know there are many of us—Paradise Indian Cuisine deserves a mention. Paradise has a strong South Indian and Hyderabadi influence, with biryani being one of its biggest draws, but you’ll also find everything from dosas and curries to Indo-Chinese favorites. Their new downtown Cleveland location is also open late, which is always a plus.
🌧️ Masala Monsoon – Parma
📍 7401 W. Ridgewood Dr., Parma
Masala Monsoon is one of those places where you can go traditional—or have some fun. Along with curries, tandoori dishes, biryani and Indian street-food favorites, you’ll find fusion creations and Indian-inspired cocktails. Their menu has even featured dishes like butter chicken pasta and paneer tikka pasta! The stylish dining room also makes it a nice choice when you want Indian food in a more elevated setting.
Indian food is so much more than butter chicken and tikka masala, and these restaurants are a great reminder of just how diverse Indian cuisine can be. From the regional flavors of South India and Hyderabad to modern interpretations and fusion dishes, there’s a lot to explore right here in Northeast Ohio.
So the next time someone asks, “Where should we go for Indian food?”—you’ve got five places to start! 🇮🇳🍽️
And now the important question: Which one is your favorite?
