What is absolutely the best Indian restaurant in the world, and why?

What is absolutely the best Indian restaurant in the world, and why?

What is absolutely the best Indian restaurant in the world, and why?

First, my qualifications so you trust my opinion. In my visits to 79 countries, I’d say I’ve eaten quite a bit of Indian cuisine all over the world. My father, a professional chef, even specialized in the cuisine so I was raised on the stuff. I’ve consumed it in mass quantities around the United States, especially at the most heralded joints in Manhattan. I actually lived in India and basically survived exclusively on Indian food for a very long span. And I’ve eaten Indian food in various worldwide hotspots such as London and Southeast Asia where native Indian populations are high and authenticity is a necessity. My standards for Indian cuisine are incredibly high!

Here are my five contenders, in an order based on how I feel right now. But these restaurants are virtually equal, and you would have to try them yourself to determine your favorite. Shockingly, none of the world’s top five Indian restaurants (in my opinion) are actually in India, but there are several places I ate in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore, and other cities that would make my top 20!

1. Gymkhana - London, England: Reopening on February 18, 2020, after a massive fire, the greatest of the Indian restaurants in the UK - and possibly the world - is Gymkhana. Awarded a Michelin star in 2014, it sets itself apart from many quality Indian eateries in this major metropolitan area that supports well over half a million Indians. We hope Gymkhana’s reopened version maintains that quality.
2. Indian Accent - New York, New York: America has some incredible Indian cuisine, but some very picky Yelpers. But Indian Accent managed to become one of only four Indian restaurants to crack the 4.5-star mark on Yelp, with their ultra-finicky society of reviewers. So I knew it had to be pretty good. I tried it twice and was blown away by the quality. Despite being much more affordable than Gymkhana, it rivaled the quality and taste! You don’t have to earn a Michelin rating to make my top 5 list!
3. The Golden Peacock - Macau, China: Sure, it’s located in The Venetian, a Las Vegas owned casino in the middle of China. You wouldn’t think this is a recipe for the perfect Indian food. But needing a one-meal break from the magical cuisine of China, we gave it a try. Boasting a Michelin star, it was indeed some of the greatest Indian food we had ever eaten!
4. Rasika - Washington, DC: If it’s good enough for Obama to celebrate his birthday there TWICE, and if the Yelp community is so passionate about it, then it’s good enough for me to give it a try. Wow, yes it’s that good, among the best in the world for sure!
5. Paper Dosa - Santa Fe, New Mexico: This was a shocker! Indian food in the middle of the Southwestern United States with the highest combined ratings on Yelp-TripAdvisor-Google in America? What? Better than any restaurant I’ve tried in India? What? Indeed, the food is of stellar quality and well worth the visit!

Honorable mention:

Benares - London, England: Another Michelin-starred Indian restaurant, Benares is the only other London eatery that can compete with Gymkhana in my opinion.

The food of Gymkhana (below)

The exterior of Gymkhana (below)

Picture Source Wikipedia

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