The Best Indian Restaurants in Abu Dhabi
Indian food is the deepest category in Abu Dhabi and the one with the widest range. You can eat a banana leaf thali for the price of a coffee on Electra Street, or a tasting menu at the Ritz-Carlton, and both are genuinely good. These eleven are the ones worth planning around, scored on the criteria below.
Checked August 2026. Ratings and hours drift. Each entry links to Google Maps for live figures.
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Everest Tandoori / Pexels
How we rate Indian restaurants
Every place is scored out of 100 on five things, so the order is repeatable rather than a matter of taste.
Google rating
Public rating, with 3.5 treated as the floor.
Review volume
A 4.8 from ninety people is weaker than a 4.7 from four thousand.
Indian specialist
A dedicated Indian kitchen outranks a hotel restaurant with a curry section.
Community word
Local forums and independent write-ups, which surface neighbourhood places.
Price
Value counts, and Abu Dhabi rewards the cheap end.
No restaurant pays for placement and none is a GulfOnline advertiser. Figures were read in August 2026 and will drift.
GulfOnline Recommends
Six picks for six different reasons, chosen on the criteria above and not for payment.
Asha’s
A 4.9 across more than five thousand reviews, which almost nothing achieves at this scale. Contemporary Indian on banana leaf plates, a butter chicken people travel for, and a ras malai regulars rate as the best they have eaten.
India Palace
Trading since 1997 and still the most reviewed Indian restaurant in the emirate, with 11,657 reviews on Salam Street alone. Mughlai decor, biryani that holds up, and a second branch at Dalma Mall rated even higher.
Chatore
Pure vegetarian chaat done properly. Pani puri, vada pav, pav bhaji and chole bhature with bhature that come out light rather than oily. Cooked to order, which is why it takes a few minutes.
Punjab Grill
The most expensive on this list and the most polished. Licensed, refined North Indian cooking in a hotel setting, and the one to book for an occasion rather than a weeknight.
Kanchi Cafe
Pure vegetarian South Indian with a rotating daily special, banana leaf meals and filter coffee people rate above the competition. Small, so arrive early or expect fifteen minutes.
Sangeetha
A mini tiffin that has run at around AED 10 on offer, dosas that come out crisp every time, and quick service. The rating is the lowest here at 4.1, but so is the bill.
The 11 best Indian restaurants in Abu Dhabi, ranked
Ordered by score. Ratings and review counts are what Google showed in August 2026.
1. Asha’s
Contemporary Indian in the Galleria, and the highest combination of rating and volume in the city. Starters arrive on banana leaf plates, the butter chicken and biryani are what most tables order, and the palak chaat is the thing regulars push. The ras malai is not the standard saffron version.
- The Galleria, Al Maryah Island
- 11am to 11pm, to midnight at weekends
- Mid to upper range
- Butter chicken, biryani, palak chaat, ras malai
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Everest Tandoori / Pexels
2. India Palace
Since 1997, and the most reviewed Indian restaurant in the emirate by a distance. The Salam Street room is done out like a Mughal palace and the service is the reason people return. The Dalma Mall branch scores higher still at 4.9. Shrimp biryani and chicken ghee roast are the orders.
- Salam Street, Al Zahiyah, and Dalma Mall
- Noon to 11.30pm daily
- Trading since 1997
- Mid range, some find it pricey
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Mouktik Joshi / Pexels
3. Chatore
Gujarati and Rajasthani street food in a small room with real character. Pani puri, vada pav, papdi chaat, pav bhaji and chole bhature, all cooked when you order rather than sitting under a lamp. Parking is tight at weekends.
- Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street, Al Danah
- 8am to 11pm daily
- Pure vegetarian
- Budget, reasonably priced
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Rathaphon Nanthapreecha / Pexels
4. Zeera by Buddha-Bar
The licensed option, on the water at Yas Bay with live music and outdoor seating. The Journey Through India tasting menu runs seven courses, and the Kerala dishes are the ones people single out. Beetroot kebab is the sleeper order.
- The Pier, Yas Bay Waterfront
- 2pm to midnight daily
- Licensed, waterfront terrace
- Tasting menu, Thalassery biryani, pepper mutton
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Everest Tandoori / Pexels
5. GALA Restaurant
A quieter pick in the Tourist Club area with an elegant room and a menu covering both vegetarian and non-vegetarian properly rather than as an afterthought. Consistently strong service, and a common choice for anniversaries.
- Century Hotel Apartments, Al Zahiyah
- 11.30am to 11.30pm daily
- Good for occasions
- Mid range
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Eyes2Soul Eyes2Soul / Pexels
6. Pincode by Kunal Kapur
The celebrity-chef entry, and better than that usually implies. Palak patta chaat, chicken changezi and prawn biryani are the standouts, and the signature drinks are worth ordering rather than defaulting to a soft drink.
- Al Maryah Street, Al Maryah Island
- 11am to 10.30pm, later at weekends
- Palak patta chaat, chicken changezi
- Mid to upper range
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Kunal Lakhotia / Pexels
7. Punjab Grill
The most expensive Indian restaurant on this page and the most refined. North Indian cooking in a hotel dining room, licensed, with service trained to steer the order. Premium pricing that not every diner finds justified.
- The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Canal
- 12.30pm to midnight daily
- Fine dining, licensed
- The priciest here
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Anil Sharma / Pexels
8. Malgudi South Indian Resto-Cafe
The newest arrival and the busiest opening in this category for a while, with waits reported in its first weeks. Malgudi dosa, bisibelebath in a portion built for four, porotta with Malabar curry, and a cold filter coffee people rave about. A separate Jain menu, which is rare here.
- Omniah Tower, Al Hisn
- 8am to 11pm daily
- Jain menu available
- Recently opened, quality still settling
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Eyes2Soul Eyes2Soul / Pexels
9. Antera Restaurant
A small Telugu kitchen doing chicken 65 biryani, prawns dry and chilli chicken at prices well under the island average. Family run in feel, opens at half past five in the morning, and the quantity surprises people.
- Al Danah, E6
- 5.30am to 11pm daily
- Budget, generous portions
- Few reviews so far
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Ars Visions / Pexels
10. Kanchi Cafe
Pure vegetarian South Indian with a different special every lunch and dinner, banana leaf feast catering, and filter coffee regulars rate highly. Seating is tight, so arrive fifteen minutes before you want to eat.
- Electra Street, near Royal Rose Hotel
- From 6.30am to 11pm
- Pure vegetarian
- Small, expect a short wait
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Eyes2Soul Eyes2Soul / Pexels
11. Sangeetha Vegetarian
The budget benchmark. A mini tiffin that has run at around AED 10 on offer, crisp dosas, quick service and a room that is usually full. The lowest rating on this page, and the lowest bill, which is the trade you are making.
- Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street, Al Zahiyah
- 7.30am to 11pm daily
- Pure vegetarian
- Cheapest on this list
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Kunal Lakhotia / Pexels
Where the Indian food is
Electra Street and Al Danah. The heart of it. Chatore, Kanchi and a dozen canteens within a few minutes of each other, mostly vegetarian, mostly cheap, mostly excellent.
Salam Street and Al Zahiyah. India Palace, Sangeetha and GALA. Bigger rooms, sit-down meals, mid-range prices.
Al Maryah Island. The polished end. Asha’s and Pincode in The Galleria, both licensed-adjacent mall dining with proper kitchens behind them.
Yas Island and the hotels. Zeera and Punjab Grill. Licensed, expensive, and where you go for an occasion rather than a Tuesday.
Mussafah and Dalma Mall. India Palace’s Dalma branch outscores its original, and the surrounding industrial area has South Asian canteens serving the workforce at the lowest prices in the emirate.
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Nourishment DECODED / Pexels
Common questions
What is the best Indian restaurant in Abu Dhabi?
Asha’s at The Galleria scores highest on our criteria, holding a 4.9 across more than five thousand reviews. India Palace is the long-running alternative, trading since 1997 with the largest review base in the emirate.
Where can I eat cheap Indian food in Abu Dhabi?
Electra Street and Al Danah. Sangeetha, Kanchi Cafe and Chatore all sit at the budget end, and the canteens around Mussafah are cheaper still.
Which Indian restaurants in Abu Dhabi are licensed?
The hotel and waterfront venues. Zeera by Buddha-Bar at Yas Bay and Punjab Grill at the Ritz-Carlton both serve alcohol. Most standalone Indian restaurants in the city do not.
Where is the best vegetarian Indian food?
Kanchi Cafe on Electra Street and Chatore for street food are both pure vegetarian. Sangeetha is the budget option, and Malgudi near the Corniche keeps a separate Jain menu.
Is there good South Indian food in Abu Dhabi?
Yes, and it is the strongest sub-category. Malgudi near the Corniche is the newest and busiest, Kanchi and Tamil Manam Aara serve the Electra Street crowd, and dosa and filter coffee are widely available from early morning.
Do I need to book?
For Asha’s, Zeera and Punjab Grill at weekends, yes. For the Electra Street canteens there is no booking, and you may wait ten to fifteen minutes at peak.
Try another cuisine
Other cuisines in Abu Dhabi, ranked and scored the same way.