28 Best Indian Restaurants in Berkeley

“Best Indian cuisine in all of Berkeley, do yourself a favor and stop in! great people, great food, a real gem in the city.“

“I went at 8:10PM (20 minutes before closing), and they treated me so kindly and let me stay and eat past the closing time. I had a great experience because not only was the food delicious, so was the service, ambiance, and treatment. The food is 100% made with love and you can taste it.“

“love this place. Food is fresh and delicious. Owner is also very hospitable and always greets us with a warm 😃“

“My dinner partner and I both agree that the physical atmosphere, and food were excellent. The place was almost empty on a Sunday night yet the service was mediocre. We had to keep tracking down the waiter for our hot water for the tea, box for take away, etc. Inattentive. The staff also seemed unhappy or dissatisfied with their jobs. The prices have gone up so don’t feel we got value for our money“

“We enjoyed daal makhani and veg korma with rice. All was delicious. But be forewarned, we asked for a spicy level between mild and medium, and we both found the spice heat level to be way above what would be considered medium at most every other place we've been to. Good food, but very spicy.“

“Arvin and Puja prepare authentic Nepalese Food that is delicious. My favorites are the Palak Panner, Mixed Vegetable, and Paneer Tikamasala as I am vegetarian. The Nan and Roti are to die for. I love the down to earth homie atmosphere and friendly service. It you want good quality wholesome food in a relaxed and friendly setting, this is your place. I highly recommend Mount Everest to anyone.“

“Went there for lunch today and loved it! Surprised it wasn’t more packed, I’m writing a review so more people can know about it and enjoy it! It’s super cute inside, color and vibrant decor, would be great for a casual lunch or a cozy dinner date! Service is friendly and not fussy. I shared a bunch of different things with a friend and everything was super tasty. One of my faves was the Dahi Puri Chaat. Gotta come back to try the other things on the menu!

Oh and the naan is the thinner crispy kind and seemed freshly made!“

“My dosa was good. Although I was surprised at the small amount filling inside. But overall I was happy with the food. Note, they don't sell beer or wine yet, but they're cool about letting you bring your own inside & no corkage fee. 👍“

“Solid food, gorgeous ambience.

Came for a late dinner on a Wednesday evening and this place was packed! We were seated within 5 minutes of arriving at 8pm.

To start, we ordered the watermelon salad to share. The presntation was gorgeous and colorful, was a refreshing appetizer to get us started.

For beverages, I had a pour of the fieldworks Belgian and my friend had a mango lassi. Both beverages were served in bespoke glassware and were delicious.

For mains, we ordered the butter chicken and lamb curry (both medium spicy) to share, with a side of naan and two sides of rice. The butter chicken was rich and creamy, while the curry lamb had a nice balance of flavor and heat. Both were enhanced by the side of garlic naan.

Overall, a solid meal and nice ambience.“

“I have come here a couple times to take out Kulchas and Parathas. The quality is extremely good and breads are tasty and hot and cooked through. The pricing is very good and the service has always been very friendly. I have yet to try any of the food yet but plan to do so because the menu looks super interesting. Probably“

“Munch India operates with quiet rigor from a compact storefront just off Shattuck. There is no dining room, only a kitchen. The entire floor plan is devoted to the hotline and prep station. There is no freezer, only refrigeration. Ingredients are purchased daily, mostly from Berkeley Bowl a few blocks away. Orders are placed online each morning before noon; cooking begins after.

The daily walk-in menu is limited, changes daily, and is prepared to order. The results are consistently superb. Spicing is precise, textures are balanced, and the dishes—drawn from across India—reflect deep training and care. The chefs, Diana Afroza and Nick Ahmed, have cooked professionally since the early 1990s, with backgrounds in Boston, Europe, and India.

Prices are extremely reasonable given the quality and labor involved. They are searching for a larger, dine-in location. If they find one, their costs—and likely their prices—will rise. For now, this is high-level regional Indian cooking, offered at below-market prices. It smells wonderful inside and the people you’ll meet are awesome. Order while you can.“

“I’d give it 10 stars if I could.

It is authentic Pakistani taste. LEGIT family owned and operated (the owner’s grandkids are often seen which is so sweet). I feel comfortable taking my baby there in her stroller as the temperature is perfect for her and they’re very kid friendly in case she has a meltdown.

Tastes like a feast in a Pakistani home. Which is like Indian taste but slightly better (in my honest opinion Pakistani taste and masalas are more flavorful)”. A Pakistani baji/aunty (who i think is the daughter in law of the owner) is the chef so it’s as authentic as it gets.

Their Nihari is second to none. I drive an hour from Pacifica to have it. Their chai (“milk tea”) is good too not overcooked at all which some establishments do.
Goat Paya is a delicacy of slow cooking mutton feet which isn’t attempted by many restaurants because of how time consuming and technical the dish is. They do it soo well.

Everything is halal. Highly highly recommended. They’ve been operating here for decades and have a fan base spanning years and years. And for good reason. They’re really sweet. Shout out to Hina baji who is the nicest server ever, she even remembered my order from when I used to come here with my pregnancy cravings!

BUT the best thing is that it is never too crowded that i cant find a seat. They always accept walkins. Prices are reasonable. Parking is easy to find too. Do try it!“

“Two of our party (not me) had the chef's tasting menu. It was an amazing value--an incredible amount and variety of food, and they thought it was really high quality. I had a chicken curry that was delicious and satisfying. The staff were very nice but maybe a little overworked.“

“Overall: Easy Indian street-food style lunch!
My Order: Tandoori Chicken over rice.
Price Breakdown: I believe around $15 total more or less. Typical pricing.
Portions: Great portions and very filling for the price!
Halal/Vegetarian Friendly: Chicken is halal! And clearly marked vegetarian options.
Would get again: Likely, especially one of their daily specials.

Stopped by here to try out some Indian food in Berkeley, and this did not miss! I believe we visited this spot for lunch last year, and I clearly remember the food being incredibly fresh and SO hot. Each bite was packed with flavor, and the gravy was delicious! Will be back soon to hopefully try their other meals.“

“A Berkeley treasure in the making! Stellar cocktails, delicious dishes, friendly staff and awesome Dj appearances make this place shine. Finally a quality bar in South Berkeley!

2022 Update: Still excellent.

2025 Update: They're back!

2022 Update 2.0: 👍🏼“

“Deeeelish! My favorite thing here is the chicken tikka roll, the pratha is so good and it’s very saucy and the perfect amount of spice. I also got the garlic masala fries and samosa and a mango lassi, all very good. Also the folks who work at wrap and roll are the best, so friendly. Highly recommend!“

“Yesterday I had the pleasure of walking into this family owned establishment, The environment was clean, and the people were very kind. The menu was exceptional with great prices. I got the chicken Marcella, the naan, and the salmon which was the daily special. The chicken Masala was perfectly spiced. I got the mild because I can't eat spicy food. I dipped the naan in it and it tasted perfect. The naan was big and fresh and its own separate bag, so I was able to take it home and munch on it later now the salmon was delicious. It was super crispy and juicy on the inside, and the seasoning was complementary to the fish. it was wonderful to be able to talk to the Chef and get to know the people that cooked my food. The chef that's been working there. He's on the establishment for a while and he's been cooking for over 40 years. He also told me that he is from New York, which definitely shows in his food because this Indian Pakistani restaurant is definitely authentic. I will drive an hour and a half to come back here again. Definitely would recommend them for Catering or a nice dinner date.“

“An excellent restaurant. As a South Indian, thayir sadam is a comfort dish you grow up eating, but rarely get outside the house. For a very affordable $10, I got a sizable portion of thayir sadam that took me back to my childhood days. I got thayir sadam (yogurt + rice) with paneer, pickle, cucumbers, carrots, and spiced peanuts, and it was INCREDIBLY refreshing and tasty. I spoke with the owner as well, and he is a very nice gentleman. Highly recommend this restaurant for those who love thayir sadam, and those who have yet to try this South Indian staple!“

“More curry variety than I'm used to, really well spiced. This is my go-too in Berkeley for Indian food. I think they also make their chai fresh, it took forever but was delicious.

They also independently do local delivery which is really cool in the era of Doordash. I live down the street and my friends and I love to order it for dinner parties.“

“Been eating here for the last 15 years. They have the most authentic South Indian flavors to be found in the Bay Area (not found at bigger places like Vik’s). Their staff is kind. Not a fancy place, but delicious and welcoming. Leaving them a 5 star deserved review today :)“

“Best Indian food I’ve had in a while, and my new go-to dinner spot after work! Momo is squishy and delicious (especially lamb!) curry was perfectly seasoned, and the naan was so scrumptious I couldn’t stop eating it (especially cheese naan omg!)“

“Loved the spicy egg biriyani that i had here. Just to be picky, it felt more like egg fried rice than egg biriyani but it was delightful for sure. I even got to know that they offer catering service which sounds great. A great spot for students for sure!“

“Great food and great drinks! Friendly staff. You have to come by and check it out.“

“I study right across the street, so I’ve been eyeing this place and its momo for a while. Well… curiosity officially cured. The momo was a solid C—, like the grade you get when you show up to class but don’t really try. I ordered the mixed ones, steamed, and the dough was a bit chewy and torn.The portion was big, the filling was so mysterious I couldn’t even tell what I was chewing—could’ve been chicken, could’ve been my hopes and dreams.

On the bright side, the service was terrific and the food came out steaming hot.“

“Clean efficient great for gathering (outdoors) or to grab and go. The food is fresh with dishes like dosa, made to order. Indian food is part of my heritage, so the grocery store next door is a bonus.“

“Great food and lots of outdoor seating“

“Got drinks here after dinner in the neighborhood and we were extremely impressed with the quality and inventiveness of the cocktails on offer. If you’ve been to East Bay Spice Company then you know the kind of creativity they offer- it’s the same situation here but closer to downtown. We loved our servers and would absolutely come back for drinks.“

“Good cheap eats. Sort of fun to get your own chai, as much as you want.“