Indian food is incredible.
From a humble roti, biryani or mango chutney to the big guns like rogan josh and jalfrezi, it’s all good when it comes to Indian cuisine.
It might be a little cliche, but we love a good butter chicken at Time Out Abu Dhabi, too, and we’ll take a second helping of dal makhani as well.
With rice, naan, samosas, whatever, it’s hard to go wrong with Indian food and we’re not afraid of a few green chillis either.
If you’re like us and you can’t get enought then here are the best Inidian restaurants in Abu Dhabi as revealed by the Time Out Abu Dhabi Restaurant Awards 2018.
We’re hungry already.
Winner
Tamba
A lot has happened since we crowned Tamba Abu Dhabi’s Best Indian restaurant in our restaurant awards in 2017. The capital has welcomed a string of new Indian eateries, including the stylish casual joint MYNT and the more high-end Namak, with both determined to claim their place at the city’s top table.So last year’s winner should really be given an A+ plus for keeping up the wonderful work. Other rivals might come and go but Tamba keeps evolving, inventing and impressing. From start to finish this place continues to make your jaw drop. The starters are served with a touch of theatrics. For instance the chicken 65 (deep-fried chicken served with a spicy yoghurt sauce on a red cabbage leaf) is served sizzling in a cast-iron pan. Meanwhile, the tiger prawns with coconut and mirchi is one of the greatest mains to have ever touched our taste buds.You can always be sure of top service and delicious bites at this innovative eatery, and that’s exactly why it remains a firm favourite. Hats off, once more.
The Hub at the World Trade Center Mall (02 672 8888).
Highly Commended
Mynt Indian Cuisine
Indian influences are all around us in Abu Dhabi — from the vibrant colour of Bollywood cinema to the pure theatre of the food. The city is brimming with top-quality Indian restaurants, adding a little extra spice to all of our lives. So you’d be forgiven for thinking that any Indian newcomer would struggle to make its mark in the capital, but there are no such issues for MYNT. The casual venue immediately soared into our top three in 2018. We got a warm welcome from the friendly team of staff right from our very first visit to the cosy venue. Its smart and understated décor makes for a relaxing ambience that you could easily while away a few hours in, too. The menu is packed with authentic Indian dishes, served with a modern twist. The dishes will have you reaching for your phone to get a swift Instagram snap, but once you pick up your fork, you’ll see there’s plenty of substance to go with the undoubted style. The daab chingri (beautiful Bengali prawns cooked inside a coconut) is just one of many reasons we love this place.
Al Zahiyah (02 666 6400).
Punjab Grill
Should swanky settings sway you towards where to dine of an evening, Punjab Grill is perfect. This restaurant isn’t overly showy, though, and all the better for it. Fine dining means different things to different people. To us it’s about letting the food do the talking, without having to rely on a slick interior, incredible service or distracting gimmicks. That’s why we’re big fans of Punjab Grill, a sophisticated Indian eatery in the beautiful Venetian Village. A wide-ranging menu packed full of modern twists on traditional Indian classics means the food is the undoubted star of the show here. The staple of butter chicken is absolutely nailed here, while the dakshini prawns always make us wish we’d ordered more (and more, and more).
The large open-plan dining area means it’s not the most intimate of restaurants, but if you count yourself as a foodie, you could do a lot worse than Punjab Grill. The prices are in line with other high-end Indian restaurants in the city but this is a meal worth splashing out on.
Venetian Village, The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal, Khor Al Maqta (02 449 9839).
Shortlisted
Angar
This rather excellent Indian eatery has a lot of fun with its food. But while sauce-laden syringes and liquid nitrogen effects might not be to everyone’s taste, the show is backed up with some fantastic flavours. The fiery lamb vindaloo knocks spots of many more tepid rivals, while the samosa chaat is a crispy, colourful thing of beauty.
Yas Hotel Abu Dhabi, Yas Island (02 656 0600).
Avasa
A previous winner of our Best Indian gong, the standards at Avasa are high. Avasa takes Indian street food, adds a touch of magic and leaves your taste buds tingling. The Legendary Butter Chicken is, well, totally legendary.
The Collection, The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi (02 674 2221).
Gazebo
This place has had a staunch following from day one, and its expanding empire is ever faithful to the original concept in Dalma Mall – a tried and tested yet still exciting take on Indian cuisine. Gazebo rustles up some of the finest kebabs in the country, while the biryanis will both fill you up and make you want to take home the clay pot as a memento.
Various locations, including Dalma Mall, Mussafah (02 418 2485).
Indigo
Granted, we gave this place a poor review in 2017, but we’re delighted to report that Indigo is once more currying our favour. And curries are what this venue does best. The Dhaba-style lamb version is a triumph and the fish offering tastes as good as those you’d find in Goa.
Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi, Al Zahiyah (02 697 9011).
Rangoli
Taking inspiration from the north, east, west and south of India, Rangoli masters this complex cuisine with amplomb. The kori gassi elevates a staple dish to something almost mythical, while the biryanis are equally as memorable.
Yas Island Rotana, Yas Island (02 656 4000).
Signature by Sanjeev Kapor
Let it be said, Sanjeev Kapoor is a master of his craft. His artistry when it comes to creating dishes is something only the most staid of critics could criticise. The style here is matched by the substance, and the one-pot mains, of which the lalla mussa dal (black lentil stew) is arguably the standout, never fail to impress.
Nation Galleria, Nation Towers, Corniche Road (02 666 4343).
Ushna
Next year will mark Ushna’s tenth anniversary. If the views of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque aren’t enough to impress, the menu of novel takes on Indian street food and some utter classics (the chicken tikka masala, for one) will leave you feeling suitably smug.
Souk Qaryat Al Beri, Bain Al Jessrain (02 558 1769).
