Famous Restaurants for Indian Food in San Francisco

San Francisco is seeing a burst of high-quality Indian restaurants in recent times. These famous restaurants serve you with delicacies from all corners of the Indian subcontinent. You can enjoy lunch and dinner with your family, friends, and even colleagues - North Indian, South Indian, Bangladeshi, and Pakistani foods in a relaxed dining environment. Tuck in a wide array of happening curries (Indian as well as Bangladeshi), Kebabs, Tandoori dishes, home-style recipes, chaats, street foods, vegetarian delicacies, and diverse selection of spicy and slow-simmered delicious foods to feel the real touch of India.

Right from Berkeley to Mission in San Francisco, you can taste the best and authentic Indian foods at these famous restaurants in San Francisco.

(please click Next to know the names of the restaurant)

1. Aslam’s Rasoi

If you are craving for tasting the mouth-watering delicacies of the Indian subcontinent (including both Indian and Pakistani foods), you can’t afford to miss Aslam’s Rasoi (1037 Valencia St., (between 21st & 22nd), San Francisco). You’ll be spoilt of choices when it comes to this go-to restaurant in the Mission. Some of the specialties that you can try at Aslam’s Rasoi are Lamb Korma, Rogan Josh, spicier Vindaloo, curried lamb chops, Goat Cheese Naan, Tandoori Prawns, and many other amazing Indian/Pakistani foods. You can complete the food journey with a homemade chai (tea) spiced with cardamom-cinnamon-fennel.

2. ROOH

Rooh (333 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA 94107) is the first stateside restaurant from Good Times Group of India. This is an urban, Indian-inspired restaurant as well as a cocktail bar at the heart of Bay Area that offers you and your family/friends a relaxed social dining experience. Tandoori monkfish, a wide variety of curries, butter chicken, and vegetable berry pulao are only some of the specialties of this Indian restaurant. Interestingly, ROOH offers cocktail lovers an Indian flavor with cocktails inspired from the six Ayurvedic Rasas.

3. Taj Campton Place

Taj Campton Place (340 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108) is the eponymous Michelin-starred restaurant from the Taj family. The best aspect of this restaurant is that its chef blends Indian spices and influences with European fine dining as well as traditional American gastronomical experience. Some of their popular dishes are Maine Lobster Roll, Liberty Duck Breast, Truffle Naan, Holi Cow, and many more experimental dishes and desserts.

4. Dosa on Fillmore

Dosa on Fillmore (1700 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115) offer hyper-regional cuisine of India. They are known to serve traditional Indian recipes that are made of fresh, organic, seasonal, and local ingredients. Don’t forget to experience the gastronomic adventure at Dosa on Fillmore. Their most popular items are Truffle Masala Dosas, Shikampuri Kebab Slider, Chennai Chicken, Bengali fish curry, Hyderabadi chicken biryani, Pumpkin & Curry Leaf Soup, Autumn Uttapam, different varieties of dosas, chutney masala dosa, etc. The full bar serves you signature cocktails including the spice-driven ones.

5. August 1 Five

August 1 Five (524 Van Ness Ave. San Francisco, CA 94102) offers its customers traditional Indian cuisine with a twist. The lunch/dinner becomes more charming with tandoor, small plates, and boozy cocktails. Tantalize your taste buds with Spicy Indian slider, pistachio rubbed lamb chops, sea bass, pork spare ribs, ethereal and timeless gol gappa, dahi puri, and many more. This modern Indian cuisine restaurant became the Best of San Francisco magazine in 2017 and also featured on the San Francisco Chronicle’s “Top 100 Restaurants” for both 2018 and 2019.

6. Indian Paradox

Indian Paradox (258 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94117) has done the unthinkable by pairing Indian street food (from all corners of India) with eclectic international wines. Awaken your senses with the aroma of spices in the new ‘khau galli’ of San Francisco – Indian Paradox. Taste the nostalgic Chaats, Dahi Puri, Bhel Puri, Lamb Shish Kabab, Sundal, and other street foods from Maharashtra, Kerala, Chennai, and other parts of India. Their menu includes dinner, brunch, wine, beer, and other non-alcoholic drinks.

7. Ajanta Restaurant

Ajanta Restaurant (1888 Solano Ave., Berkeley, CA 94707) offers a sophisticated Indian dining experience. The renowned American chef, author, and activist - Alice Louise Waters – calls Ajanta Restaurant one of her favorite places for dining. This renowned Indian restaurant specializes in North Indian cuisine. You must tuck in the perfectly spiced tandoori dishes (chicken/ scallops/ portobello mushrooms), tikka masala, and many more. They serve only organic vegetables, sustainable seafood, hormone/antibiotic-free meats, and gluten-free vegan dishes. Ajanta Restaurant won several awards over the years: OpenTable’s Diners’ Choice Award 2012 & 2018 and Zagat’s Voted Best Indian since 2009.

Final Words

You can also visit some other famous restaurants to savour Indian food in San Francisco, such as Curry Leaf Restaurant, Amber, Mela Tandoori Kitchen, Little Delhi Restaurant, Shalimar, Tara Indian Cuisine, Saffron Grill, Deccan Spice, Zareen’s, Pakwan Restaurant - 16th Street, Viva Goa Indian Cuisine, Om Indian Cuisine, Ritu Indian Soul Food, Udupi Palace, Roti Indian Bistro, Vik’s Chaat, and many more.

Related Links:

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