Atlanta Good Food category interest

Indian food is just as diverse as the country’s people. Each of the 28 states in India has its own cuisine, form of attire, and distinct dialect. Regionality is key in this cuisine — for example, dishes from the northern part of the country will feature more dairy and meats, whereas the southern foods have more coastal influences and heavier spice. Here is a richly diverse list of some of the best regional Indian dining around Atlanta, from a Michelin-recommended restaurant, hidden gems in grocery stores, to places where you can enjoy a casual meal with cricket and Bollywood.

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Read more: Explore the Wonderful World of Chaat Around Atlanta

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Set in Ponce City Market, this boisterous stall is part of the Chai Pani brand of restaurants, and the brainchild of award-winning chef Meherwan Irani. The hyper-casual restaurant stall with counter service offers popular Indian street foods like chaat and sev puri dahi puri or SPDP — a snack mix of puffed crisps filled with potatoes, doused in spicy, sweet, and tangy chutneys and smothered in chickpea vermicelli or sev. With a large selection of wraps like chicken tikka and lamb boti kebab rolls, tamarind glazed spare ribs, burgers, and grilled skewers, there is something for everyone at Botiwalla. It includes a few vegetarian and vegan options, too. The staff is happy to make recommendations for dietary preferences. The in-house spice blends from Irani’s Spicewalla are available for purchase here.

This second restaurant backed by James Beard award-winning chef Meherwan Irani brought Decatur a spot dedicated to Indian street foods like disco bhel, samosa chaat, matchstick okra fries, vada pav, and kale pakoras. Michelin-recommended Chai Pani also features curries on the menu, including kolhapuri mutton and Goan prawn masala, along with other dishes like a paneer sandwich and tomato cheese uttapam. Look for a lunch buffet and pani puri nights every weekend.

With two locations in Midtown and Buckhead, Tabla is a sleek Indian restaurant that serves lunch and dinner. The standout on both menus is the table kofta, a potato and cheese dumpling simmered in a creamy tomato sauce. The kofta is huge, too. Sop up the sauce with plenty of naan or rice. The Hyderabadi Parda Biryani is also a showstopper, cooked with layers of rice, spices, and a choice of chicken, lamb, shrimp, or vegetables, served in a pot sealed with dough.

With two locations in Decatur and Alpharetta, and two more coming soon in Suwanee and Duluth, this is a growing international restaurant group. Completely vegetarian, it prides itself on offering a selection of trendy street fare and sumptuous traditional meals from the markets of Mumbai. Lined in plush green velvet couches, the restaurants have a welcoming, bright, and friendly vibe. Choose from regional Indian street fare or traditional family-style meals. Wash them down with a chili guava mocktail or the classic sweet lassi, or save the calories for a decadent Sindhi style Kulfi “falooda” — which has neither the sweet basil seeds nor the sev-vermicelli and instead is a rich, creamy Kulfi ice cream doused in a nutty and luscious rabdi, a sweetened condensed-milk-based dessert.

First opened on Scott Boulevard in North Decatur over 25 years ago, Zyka continues to offer a broad range of dishes from Hyderabad and the surrounding region. Think dishes like aloo tikki and gobi Manchurian and popular favorites like Chicken 65, saag paneer, Hyderabadi biryani with mutton, and malai kofta. The restaurant also serves halal meats. Make sure to order kulfi — a dense frozen dessert sporting flavors like pistachio and mango served in clay pot. There’s also a location in Alpharetta.

Asian supermarkets have always had simple food courts with homestyle eats. With locations in Decatur and Duluth, Atlanta-based Cherians has served the community with South Asian groceries for over four decades. The cafe at the Decatur location offers freshly made south Indian vegetarian snacks and lunch dishes like various dosas and steaming idlis, complete with chutneys. Look for daily ready-to-eat specials such as thoran or stir-fried vegetables. A small dining area is available for dine-in options.

Another old guard of Indian cuisine from 1939, New Delhi, Nathus Sweets is the Atlanta branch of a North Indian eatery with a bright and airy casual vibe offering a wide selection of classic north Indian and south Indian cuisine. The favorite, Choley Bhatura, is an Amritsari style choley, where chickpeas are soaked in tea and come swimming in rich and flavorful mahogany-colored sauce paired with two soft, slightly sweeter-than-usual bhature or fried bread. The red onion slivers tossed in cayenne pepper and a homestyle Punjabi lemon-carrot preserve is the perfect condiment. Their south Indian dishes are equally nuanced and sumptuous. Loaded thali’s are only available on the weekdays. Contrary to its name, they have a rather small selection of sweet confections. Head over to Gokul Sweets in the Patel Plaza to fix that craving.

A franchise from Surat in India, Royal Dine offers an extensive menu of Kathiyawadi fare from the westernmost region in the state of Gujarat. This hyper-regional cuisine is a fusion of Gujarati and Rajasthani fare. Pick from dishes such as Sev Tameta, an entree made with stewed tomatoes and topped with fine chickpea sev, or Kaju Gathiya Nu Shaak, a creamy entree using cashews as its main ingredient. To pair with the meal, ask for a ghee-laden, freshly made rotlo — a griddle-fried, gluten-free pearl millet bread. This bread does not show up on the menu. Add a side of Desi Gud with ghee, a homestyle condiment of shaved jaggery smothered in rich ghee. Additionally, there are three large screens playing sports, with at least one cricket match and a fourth playing desi music videos complete with karaoke lyrics.

An Atlanta staple for decades, Madras Mantra includes two locations in Decatur and Marietta. The menu features many iconic south Indian dishes like spicy rasam soup, the popular lentil stew sambar, and dosa and uttapam variations, all ideal for gluten-free or vegan diners. The menu also includes familiar north Indian entrees like dal palak — a spinach and lentil stew — choley masala — a stew of chickpeas — and south Indian regional fare such as the fiery hot gutti vankaya curry made with banana peppers and peanuts. Chutneys are available in takeout containers. There’s a sister restaurant, Madras Chettinaad, in Alpharetta.

With several locations including the one the new State Farm building in the Perimeter Mall area, owner Srinivasa Nimmagadda dubbed the restaurant “the Indian version of Chipotle.” Create build-your-own meals by choosing from proteins with carbs and vegetables as rice bowls, burrito-style rolls, or salads. Top it off with a house yogurt or tangy sweet tamarind sauce, and a side of vegetable samosas, mango chicken, or paratha. The menu includes several vegetarian and vegan options.

This Sandy Springs restaurant specializes in biryani, a slow-cooked layered dish of rice and proteins, available on its own as a Biryani Bucket or alongside a curry, an appetizer naan, and dessert to serve two. The extensive menu includes single-portion choices of biryani as well. In addition to traditional Indian restaurant dishes such as butter chicken and paneer, Bawarchi Biryanis features regional delicacies such as a fragrant and flavorful grilled chicken bihari kebab with notes of ajwain, the nellore chepala pulusu, Andhra-style fish curry with tamarind, and karaikudi goat curry with succulent chunks of meat cooked in a luscious sauce redolent with the flavors of fennel, coconut and a balanced myriad of other spices.

Owner-operated Rice and Pie is a hidden gem in a shopping complex off of Peachtree Industrial Road in Duluth. This establishment has operated since 2017, offering unique pizzas like a Chatpata Chat with chaat flavors, a chili pizza with curry leaves, or mobile-only pies like the corn and spinach pizza. The restaurant also offers a small selection of biryani. The owner here quickly offers her friendly personal suggestions for those needing help selecting from the menu. Add a chikoo (or sapote, a type of mamey fruit) shake with milk, honey, and ice cream for a delightful beverage choice, or their Stramba smoothie with strawberry, mango, and bananas.

A refreshing and new addition to the Suwanee area, this a homestyle eatery purely designed for Andhra-style takeout entrees. A large freezer contains a variety of dosa batters, two large glass cases are lined with unique spice blends far beyond garam masala or tandoori masala, and freshly made traditional Andhra-style sweet and savory snacks. Try one of their daily specials like a Mango Daal, or a Jackfruit Curry complete with crunchy peanuts. Place an order for a 16-ounce serving of one of their many vegetarian entrees. Also, pursue their selection of homestyle preserves.

Set in Ponce City Market, this boisterous stall is part of the Chai Pani brand of restaurants, and the brainchild of award-winning chef Meherwan Irani. The hyper-casual restaurant stall with counter service offers popular Indian street foods like chaat and sev puri dahi puri or SPDP — a snack mix of puffed crisps filled with potatoes, doused in spicy, sweet, and tangy chutneys and smothered in chickpea vermicelli or sev. With a large selection of wraps like chicken tikka and lamb boti kebab rolls, tamarind glazed spare ribs, burgers, and grilled skewers, there is something for everyone at Botiwalla. It includes a few vegetarian and vegan options, too. The staff is happy to make recommendations for dietary preferences. The in-house spice blends from Irani’s Spicewalla are available for purchase here.

This second restaurant backed by James Beard award-winning chef Meherwan Irani brought Decatur a spot dedicated to Indian street foods like disco bhel, samosa chaat, matchstick okra fries, vada pav, and kale pakoras. Michelin-recommended Chai Pani also features curries on the menu, including kolhapuri mutton and Goan prawn masala, along with other dishes like a paneer sandwich and tomato cheese uttapam. Look for a lunch buffet and pani puri nights every weekend.

With two locations in Midtown and Buckhead, Tabla is a sleek Indian restaurant that serves lunch and dinner. The standout on both menus is the table kofta, a potato and cheese dumpling simmered in a creamy tomato sauce. The kofta is huge, too. Sop up the sauce with plenty of naan or rice. The Hyderabadi Parda Biryani is also a showstopper, cooked with layers of rice, spices, and a choice of chicken, lamb, shrimp, or vegetables, served in a pot sealed with dough.

With two locations in Decatur and Alpharetta, and two more coming soon in Suwanee and Duluth, this is a growing international restaurant group. Completely vegetarian, it prides itself on offering a selection of trendy street fare and sumptuous traditional meals from the markets of Mumbai. Lined in plush green velvet couches, the restaurants have a welcoming, bright, and friendly vibe. Choose from regional Indian street fare or traditional family-style meals. Wash them down with a chili guava mocktail or the classic sweet lassi, or save the calories for a decadent Sindhi style Kulfi “falooda” — which has neither the sweet basil seeds nor the sev-vermicelli and instead is a rich, creamy Kulfi ice cream doused in a nutty and luscious rabdi, a sweetened condensed-milk-based dessert.

First opened on Scott Boulevard in North Decatur over 25 years ago, Zyka continues to offer a broad range of dishes from Hyderabad and the surrounding region. Think dishes like aloo tikki and gobi Manchurian and popular favorites like Chicken 65, saag paneer, Hyderabadi biryani with mutton, and malai kofta. The restaurant also serves halal meats. Make sure to order kulfi — a dense frozen dessert sporting flavors like pistachio and mango served in clay pot. There’s also a location in Alpharetta.

Asian supermarkets have always had simple food courts with homestyle eats. With locations in Decatur and Duluth, Atlanta-based Cherians has served the community with South Asian groceries for over four decades. The cafe at the Decatur location offers freshly made south Indian vegetarian snacks and lunch dishes like various dosas and steaming idlis, complete with chutneys. Look for daily ready-to-eat specials such as thoran or stir-fried vegetables. A small dining area is available for dine-in options.

Another old guard of Indian cuisine from 1939, New Delhi, Nathus Sweets is the Atlanta branch of a North Indian eatery with a bright and airy casual vibe offering a wide selection of classic north Indian and south Indian cuisine. The favorite, Choley Bhatura, is an Amritsari style choley, where chickpeas are soaked in tea and come swimming in rich and flavorful mahogany-colored sauce paired with two soft, slightly sweeter-than-usual bhature or fried bread. The red onion slivers tossed in cayenne pepper and a homestyle Punjabi lemon-carrot preserve is the perfect condiment. Their south Indian dishes are equally nuanced and sumptuous. Loaded thali’s are only available on the weekdays. Contrary to its name, they have a rather small selection of sweet confections. Head over to Gokul Sweets in the Patel Plaza to fix that craving.

A franchise from Surat in India, Royal Dine offers an extensive menu of Kathiyawadi fare from the westernmost region in the state of Gujarat. This hyper-regional cuisine is a fusion of Gujarati and Rajasthani fare. Pick from dishes such as Sev Tameta, an entree made with stewed tomatoes and topped with fine chickpea sev, or Kaju Gathiya Nu Shaak, a creamy entree using cashews as its main ingredient. To pair with the meal, ask for a ghee-laden, freshly made rotlo — a griddle-fried, gluten-free pearl millet bread. This bread does not show up on the menu. Add a side of Desi Gud with ghee, a homestyle condiment of shaved jaggery smothered in rich ghee. Additionally, there are three large screens playing sports, with at least one cricket match and a fourth playing desi music videos complete with karaoke lyrics.

This Sandy Springs restaurant specializes in biryani, a slow-cooked layered dish of rice and proteins, available on its own as a Biryani Bucket or alongside a curry, an appetizer naan, and dessert to serve two. The extensive menu includes single-portion choices of biryani as well. In addition to traditional Indian restaurant dishes such as butter chicken and paneer, Bawarchi Biryanis features regional delicacies such as a fragrant and flavorful grilled chicken bihari kebab with notes of ajwain, the nellore chepala pulusu, Andhra-style fish curry with tamarind, and karaikudi goat curry with succulent chunks of meat cooked in a luscious sauce redolent with the flavors of fennel, coconut and a balanced myriad of other spices.

Owner-operated Rice and Pie is a hidden gem in a shopping complex off of Peachtree Industrial Road in Duluth. This establishment has operated since 2017, offering unique pizzas like a Chatpata Chat with chaat flavors, a chili pizza with curry leaves, or mobile-only pies like the corn and spinach pizza. The restaurant also offers a small selection of biryani. The owner here quickly offers her friendly personal suggestions for those needing help selecting from the menu. Add a chikoo (or sapote, a type of mamey fruit) shake with milk, honey, and ice cream for a delightful beverage choice, or their Stramba smoothie with strawberry, mango, and bananas.

A refreshing and new addition to the Suwanee area, this a homestyle eatery purely designed for Andhra-style takeout entrees. A large freezer contains a variety of dosa batters, two large glass cases are lined with unique spice blends far beyond garam masala or tandoori masala, and freshly made traditional Andhra-style sweet and savory snacks. Try one of their daily specials like a Mango Daal, or a Jackfruit Curry complete with crunchy peanuts. Place an order for a 16-ounce serving of one of their many vegetarian entrees. Also, pursue their selection of homestyle preserves.