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The Best Indian Restaurants in Adelaide

Eight Adelaide Indian restaurants spread from Rundle Street and Hindley Street out to Magill, Greenacres, Prospect, Highgate and Alberton. The list covers clay-oven North Indian cooking, South Indian dosa kitchens, chaat and momo street food and the Indo-Chinese wok dishes that turn up on more Adelaide menus every year. Each entry names a dish you can find on the restaurant's own menu so you know what you are walking into.

By Joel Bauer, Adelaide, South Australia

Illustrative photo. Photo: Unsplash.

Adelaide has plenty of Indian restaurants but they are not all cooking the same food. A Rundle Street kitchen that does tandoor, chaat and wok dishes on one menu is a different night out from a Hindley Street dosa counter or a vegetarian restaurant inside the Greenacres shopping centre. This guide sorts eight of them so you can match the place to what you feel like eating.

The list reaches well beyond the CBD. Chakna Tandoori Bites is in the East End and Nala Bhima Kitchen is on Hindley Street. Chaska Chaat Ka and Rasoi & Barrel are both in Prospect. Indian Club SA is at Magill, Thakar is at Greenacres, Samrat Tandoori is at Highgate and Mother India Kitchen is at Alberton.

Each pick has to meet the three checks in the methodology below. That means a Google rating of 4.4 or higher from at least 200 reviews (checked on 10 October 2026), a menu the restaurant itself publishes and independent ownership rather than one outlet of a chain. I only mention prices, licensing or BYO where the restaurant publishes them, which is why some entries say less than others.

A few things are worth knowing before you go. Thakar is fully vegetarian. Samrat Tandoori allows BYO wine only, with corkage listed on its drinks page. Chaska Chaat Ka says you choose your own spice level. Menus and hours change, so check with the venue before heading out.

Start with the entries below. The guide after them covers regional styles, spice levels and what travels well as takeaway.

Regional styles and what to order

Most Adelaide Indian menus lean North Indian: clay-oven tikka and tandoori chicken, naan, butter chicken, dal makhani and rogan josh. Chakna Tandoori Bites, Rasoi & Barrel, Samrat Tandoori and Mother India Kitchen all build their menus around the tandoor. If you want the South Indian side of the country, look for dosa, idli, vada and sambar. Nala Bhima Kitchen on Hindley Street lists twenty dosa variations and Thakar at Greenacres serves idli sambar and medu vada alongside Gujarati snacks like khaman dhokla.

Street food is its own category. Chaat (crisp shells or pastry topped with yoghurt, tamarind and mint chutneys) shows up as pani puri, papdi chaat and samosa chaat. Indo-Chinese cooking is the wok-fried hybrid of Indian spice and Chinese technique, so expect chilli paneer, veg manchurian, Hakka noodles and Schezwan sauce. Chakna has a whole wok section and Chaska Chaat Ka adds momos and manchow soup. A good first order at any of these is one tandoor dish, one curry, one bread and one chaat to share.

Spice levels and dietary needs

Heat varies a lot between kitchens and even between dishes on the same menu. Vindaloo, Chicken 65 and anything described with green chilli or Schezwan sauce will usually be the hottest things listed, while korma, malai kofta and butter chicken sit at the mild end. Chaska Chaat Ka says on its own site that you choose your own spice level, which is worth using on a first visit. Everywhere else, ask for mild, medium or hot when you order rather than assuming a default.

Vegetarians do well in Adelaide's Indian restaurants. Thakar is fully vegetarian and labels dishes that can be made Jain, vegan or without onion and garlic. Indian Club SA states on its FAQ page that all the meat it serves is halal. If you have an allergy, raise it when you book because many sauces use cashew, cream or ghee even when the dish name gives no hint.

BYO and licensing

Licensing varies, so check before you arrive with a bottle. Samrat Tandoori at Highgate publishes a wine list and also allows BYO wine only, with corkage of $8 per bottle on its drinks page. Rasoi & Barrel at Prospect runs a full drinks list that includes Indian single malts such as Amrut, Indri and Rampur alongside Kingfisher beer. Chakna publishes a cocktail menu.

For the other restaurants on this list we could not find a published BYO or corkage policy, so we have left it out rather than guess. A quick call is the simplest way to check. Lassi is on most menus if you would rather skip alcohol. It also goes well with the hotter dishes.

Takeaway or dine in

Curries and biryani travel well, which is why so many Adelaide Indian kitchens do a big takeaway trade. Chaska Chaat Ka and Nala Bhima Kitchen both take online orders through their own sites. Mother India Kitchen's online menu includes meal deals for one, two or a family. Ordering direct from the restaurant is usually cheaper than a delivery app and the money stays with the kitchen.

Some dishes are best eaten on the spot. Dosa goes soft within minutes, pani puri shells need to be filled and eaten straight away and sizzler platters lose the point once they stop sizzling. For a group, dine in and use a set menu: Chakna lists a feed-me menu at $69 per person for a minimum of two, which takes the guesswork out of ordering.

The list side by side

No.NameAreaBest forPriceRating
01Chakna Tandoori BitesAdelaide CBD (Rundle Street East End)Clay-oven North Indian plus an Indo-Chinese wok menu$$ Mid4.8 (1999)
02Indian Club SAMagillFamily-run sit-down dining in the eastern suburbsOn enquiry4.8 (843)
03Chaska Chaat KaProspectStreet food, momos and dosa with your own spice level$ Budget4.8 (1026)
04ThakarGreenacresFully vegetarian Gujarati, South Indian and Indo-Chinese$ Budget4.5 (1968)
05Nala Bhima KitchenAdelaide CBD (Hindley Street)South Indian dosa and biryani in the West End$ Budget4.6 (667)
06Samrat TandooriHighgateNeighbourhood tandoori with BYO wineOn enquiry4.8 (221)
07Mother India KitchenAlbertonWestern suburbs curry, tandoori and family meal deals$$ Mid4.7 (205)
08Rasoi & BarrelProspectPunjabi tandoor dishes with a serious whisky list$$ Mid4.4 (1535)

Price band is an editorial guide. $ entry-level, $$ mid-range, $$$ premium or destination. Check each business for current pricing.

Chakna Tandoori Bites

Adelaide CBD (Rundle Street East End). Clay-oven North Indian plus an Indo-Chinese wok menu

A Rundle Street restaurant whose menu covers three styles at once: chaat like pani puri and papri chaat, a clay-oven section with tandoori chicken, seekh kebabs and lamb chops plus a wok section with Hakka noodles, chilli paneer and veg manchurian. Mains such as butter chicken, dal makhani and goat rogan josh sit in the $21 to $32 range. Groups can order the feed-me menu at $69 per person.

  • Tandoor, curry, chaat and Indo-Chinese on one menu
  • Feed-me menu at $69 per person (minimum two)
  • Publishes a cocktail menu
  • Sizzler platters served with biryani rice
Rating
4.8 from 1999 reviews on Google
Visit website

Indian Club SA

Magill. Family-run sit-down dining in the eastern suburbs

A husband and wife run restaurant on Magill Road that opened in 2021. Its own site lists Restaurant and Catering Australia awards including Best Indian Restaurant in South Australia (2024) and Best Family Dining in SA (2025). The menu runs from samosa, pakora and papadi chaat to butter chicken with naan from the tandoor. The FAQ page states all meat served is halal.

  • R&CA Best Indian Restaurant in SA 2024 (per the restaurant)
  • All meat halal, stated on its FAQ page
  • Weekday lunch and dinner seven nights
  • Private room for functions
Rating
4.8 from 843 reviews on Google
Visit website

Chaska Chaat Ka

Prospect. Street food, momos and dosa with your own spice level

A Prospect Road street food kitchen with a long menu of chaat, sandwiches, momos and dosa. Plain dosa starts at $9.99 and there are variations like the Mysore masala and spring roll dosa with noodles. The restaurant says you choose your own spice level, which makes it an easy first stop if you are unsure how much heat you want.

  • Choose-your-own spice level
  • Steamed, fried and gravy momos
  • Indo-Chinese soups like manchow and hot and sour
  • Online ordering through its own site
Rating
4.8 from 1026 reviews on Google
Visit website

Thakar

Greenacres. Fully vegetarian Gujarati, South Indian and Indo-Chinese

A vegetarian restaurant in Greenacres Shopping Centre with a menu that crosses regions: Gujarati snacks like khaman dhokla and lilva kachori, South Indian idli sambar and medu vada, parathas and an Indo-Chinese section. Weekend breakfast runs 10am to 2pm with fafda and jalebi. Dishes are labelled for vegan, Jain and no onion or garlic options.

  • 100% vegetarian menu
  • Labels for vegan, Jain and no onion or garlic
  • Weekend-only Gujarati breakfast
  • Online ordering through its own site
Rating
4.5 from 1968 reviews on Google
Visit website

Nala Bhima Kitchen

Adelaide CBD (Hindley Street). South Indian dosa and biryani in the West End

A Hindley Street kitchen with a list of 20 dosa, from plain and ghee podi through to Guntur karam dosa and the 70 MM dosa. The menu also covers idli, vada, mirchi bajji, Chicken 65 and gongura paneer biryani. Most plates sit between about $10 and $19 and it takes online orders for pickup and delivery.

  • 20 dosa on the menu
  • Idli, vada and uttapam
  • Biryani and Indo-Chinese starters
  • Online ordering through its own site
Rating
4.6 from 667 reviews on Google
Visit website

Samrat Tandoori

Highgate. Neighbourhood tandoori with BYO wine

A Fullarton Road restaurant that opened in June 2013, built around tandoori dishes and classic curries. Its drinks page lists a short wine and beer list and also welcomes BYO wine only, with $8 corkage per bottle. Weekday lunch specials start at $12.90 and dinner runs Wednesday to Monday.

  • BYO wine only, $8 corkage per bottle
  • Lunch specials from $12.90 (Wednesday to Friday)
  • Tandoori lamb, chicken, beef, seafood and vegetables
  • Dine in or takeaway
Rating
4.8 from 221 reviews on Google
Visit website

Mother India Kitchen

Alberton. Western suburbs curry, tandoori and family meal deals

A Port Road restaurant and takeaway in Alberton with a tandoor-led North Indian menu. Its online menu lists tandoori chicken and lamb chops, a chaat corner with samosa and channa chaat, Malabar-style fish and prawn curries and kulfi for dessert. Meal deals for one, two or a family make it a practical pick for a takeaway night.

  • Tandoori chicken, seekh kebab and lamb chops
  • Malabar fish and prawn curries
  • Meal deals for one, two or a family
  • Dine in, pickup or delivery
Rating
4.7 from 205 reviews on Google
Visit website

Rasoi & Barrel

Prospect. Punjabi tandoor dishes with a serious whisky list

A Prospect restaurant whose menu leans Punjabi, with chicken tikka, malai tikka, tandoori soya champ and Punjabi fish alongside street food and desserts. Tandoor starters sit around $23 on its published menu. The drinks list stands out for Indian single malts such as Amrut, Indri and Rampur, plus Kingfisher on the beer list.

  • Punjabi-style tandoor menu
  • Indian single malt whiskies by the glass
  • Vegetarian tandoor options like soya champ
  • Full cocktail, wine and beer list
Rating
4.4 from 1535 reviews on Google
Visit website

Frequently asked

What is the difference between North and South Indian food?

North Indian cooking in Adelaide usually means the tandoor (clay oven) dishes, naan, paneer and rich tomato or cream curries like butter chicken and dal makhani. South Indian cooking centres on rice and lentil batters, so dosa, idli and vada served with sambar and coconut chutney. Plenty of restaurants here cook both, but the ones that specialise tend to do their side better.

What is Indo-Chinese food?

It is a style that grew up in India's Chinese communities and mixes Chinese wok cooking with Indian spice. Common dishes are chilli paneer, chilli chicken, veg or gobi manchurian, Hakka noodles and anything in Schezwan sauce. In Adelaide you will find it on the menus at Chakna Tandoori Bites, Thakar, Chaska Chaat Ka and Nala Bhima Kitchen.

Are there good vegetarian Indian restaurants in Adelaide?

Yes. Thakar at Greenacres is fully vegetarian and marks which dishes can be made vegan, Jain or without onion and garlic. Most other restaurants on this list run a long vegetarian section with paneer, dal and vegetable curries, plus vegetarian chaat and dosa.

Can I bring my own wine to an Indian restaurant in Adelaide?

Only where the restaurant allows it. Samrat Tandoori at Highgate states it welcomes BYO wine only, with $8 corkage per bottle. We could not find a published BYO policy for the others, so call ahead if you want to bring a bottle.

How much does an Indian dinner cost in Adelaide?

On the published menus we checked, curries mostly sit between about $19 and $32, breads between $5 and $9 and most street food plates under $20. Chakna's feed-me menu is $69 per person and Samrat Tandoori runs weekday lunch specials from $12.90. Prices change, so check the current menu before you go.

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