Ottawa doesn’t mess around when it comes to Indian food.
The city’s dining scene has quietly levelled up, moving past the days of cookie-cutter butter chicken and into a territory where spice, smoke, and tradition collide with creativity.
Indian restaurants here are bringing family recipes, centuries of culinary technique, and unapologetically bold flavors straight to your plate.
From tucked-away family joints to polished, elegant dining rooms where the spice levels pull no punches, these are the Indian restaurants in Ottawa worth your appetite.
So loosen your belt, order heavy, and don’t be afraid to use your hands, because the best Indian food in Ottawa is bold, messy, and completely unforgettable.
Tldr: Just tell me where to get the best indian food in Ottawa
Yeah, yeah. We get it. We are all busy.
So we made you a summary table for where to get the best Indian food in Ottawa – at a quick glance.
Check it out if you are in a rush.
| Restaurant | Primary Focus | The Vibe | Must-Order Dish | Why It Made the Cut |
| Coconut Lagoon | Kerala (Coastal South) | Refined, upscale, culinary destination. | Seared Cod Masala Toddy Shop Style | Precision, complexity, the pinnacle of South Indian finesse. |
| Kochin Kitchen | Kerala (Southern) | Casual, authentic, high-value spot. | Kodanadu Chicken | Unapologetic Southern flavors and outstanding value. |
| Thali | Conceptual Platter | Modern, stylish, strategically central. | The Thali Platter (Chef’s Choice) | Unique, structured dining experience, efficient and high-quality. |
| Ceylonta | Sri Lankan/Fusion | Sophisticated, but bold flavor delivery. | Mutton Kottu Rotti | The mandatory stop for chaotic, dense Sri Lankan excellence. |
| Biryaniwalla | Hyderabadi Dum Biryani | Niche specialty, flavor-focused. | Real Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani | Uncompromising focus on authentic, slow-cooked (Dum) preparation. |
| IC 22 Hakka Spot | Indo-Chinese / Hakka | Fast-casual, suburban magnet. | Chicken Majestic | Mastery of fusion, delivering proprietary, complex Indo-Chinese dishes. |
| Royal Paan | Chaat / Bombay Street Food | Vibrant, high-volume, fusion hub. | Royal Falooda / Chaat Bar | Successfully brings street food culture into a high-traffic, suburban setting. |
| The Dosa Spot | South Indian Staples | Functional, focused, technically specific. | Rava Dosa | Specialist execution of the highly technical Dosa staple. |
| Sundari’s Kitchen | South Indian Cuisine | Authentic, flavor-focused. | Spicy Chicken Curry (Max Heat) | Known for bold, intense, authentic South Indian spice profiles. |
| Kahaani Ottawa | Street Food / Traditional | Cozy, vibrant, celebratory destination. | Street Food + Traditional Combo | Successfully elevates street food into a high-ambiance, sit-down experience. |
| Sarangi Cuisine of India | General Indian Cuisine | Consistent, reliable neighborhood anchor. | Rogan Josh / Tikka Masala | Best quality general Indian food serving the Westboro residential core. |
| Dosa & Curries | South Indian/Value | Casual, budget-friendly. | Any Dosa + Curry Combo | Consistently high-quality option on the “lower end” of the price spectrum. |
| Wow India | General Indian/Value | Functional, reliable. | Any general Indian dish. | Delivers superior overall quality and taste on a competitive budget. |
| Light of India | North Indian/Snacks | Unassuming, takeout expert. | Chicken Samosa | Undisputed champion of perfectly flaky, spiced essential snacks. |
The List of Ottawa’s Best Indian Restaurants
Ottawa’s Indian restaurants cover the full spectrum. This is the curated hit list of where you should eat.
Each spot here earns its place for a reason, and trust us, they’re worth circling on your food map.
1. Coconut Lagoon
Signature Dish: Seared Cod Masala Toddy Shop Style. A culinary commitment to Kerala’s coastal firestorm: a “tangy and spicy gravy” that achieves a precise, sharp tang from the Malabar tamarind. This is oceanic, vibrant South Indian flavour. It’s thinner and more acidic than North Indian gravy, designed for complexity, not creaminess.
Vibe Check: Refined, upscale, and reserved. This is destination dining that respects the chef’s command. Expect polished service and a focus on high-end, specialized regional cuisine.
Address: 853 St. Laurent Blvd.
Why It Made the Cut: It sets the absolute benchmark for elevated Indian food in the capital. It earns its reputation by taking complex coastal flavours and executing them with fine-dining precision.
2. Kochin Kitchen
Signature Dish: Kodanadu Chicken (Kochin Kitchen Special). Made with roasted coconut paste and a special blend of Kerala spices. That roasting process imparts a smoky, earthy depth that grounds the heat and richness of the Southern curry.
Vibe Check: Casual, robust, and authentic. This is a community cornerstone prioritizing flavour and value over lavish décor. It is reliable for a vibrant culinary journey, often featuring a well-executed weekend buffet.
Address: 271 Dalhousie St.
Why It Made the Cut: It operates as the everyday antidote to the high-end competition, delivering equally authentic, complex coastal flavors with generous portions and unmatched value.
3. Ceylonta Restaurant
Signature Dish: Mutton Kottu Roti. Shredded, oil-soaked roti bread pulverized with mutton, spices, and egg on a griddle. The sensory experience is loud, chewy, and deeply savoury—texture and intense heat combined into one satisfying, chaotic mess.
Vibe Check: Warm, welcoming, and sophisticated, utilizing traditional Sri Lankan touches and soft lighting. Despite the refined ambiance, the flavor profile is uncompromisingly bold, often featuring dishes that demand meticulous technique.
Address: 403 Somerset Street
Why It Made the Cut: It breaks free of Indian borders, providing the city’s essential Sri Lankan street food masterclass and a necessary, texture-driven counterpoint to refined curries.
4. Thali
Signature Dish: The Thali Platter (Chef’s Choice). The single, required order is the thali—a traditional round platter offering a complete, balanced, and flavorful journey across multiple curated curries, rice, bread, and accompaniments in one efficient meal.
Vibe Check: Modern, stylish, and strategically central. Located near Parliament Hill and the National Arts Centre, it’s designed for efficiency and sophistication, making it perfect for a business lunch or pre-show dinner.
Address: 136 O’Connor St.
Why It Made the Cut: It takes the concept of the meal and refines it, offering a unique, structured dining experience that eliminates menu anxiety while maintaining Coconut Lagoon’s pedigree.
5. Biryaniwalla
Signature Dish: Real Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani. The preparation is the key: slow-cooked (dum pukht) in a sealed pot so all the aromatic flavors are locked inside. The chicken is marinated overnight in yogurt and spices, guaranteeing an “explosion of flavors” that clings to every grain of basmati rice.
Vibe Check: Purely focused on the desi delicacy. The atmosphere is defined by the promise of authentic, labor-intensive preparation. The only thing that matters here is the perfectly cooked, layered rice and tender meat.
Address: 130 Riocan Ave #1.
Why It Made the Cut: It commits to extreme specialization. You don’t come here for variety; you come for the definitive, aromatic, slow-cooked Hyderabadi Biryani. A dish that requires absolute technical mastery.
6. IC 22 Hakka Spot
Signature Dish: Chicken Majestic. This signature preparation is a required order. Succulent chicken strips are deep-fried and tossed in a rich, tangy yogurt-based sauce.18 It’s a bold deviation from traditional soy/chili-based Indo-Chinese fare, creating a harmonious balance of spice and zest.
Vibe Check: Fast, high-energy suburban hub. This is a highly successful model for specialized fusion cuisine, located strategically to anchor the dining scene outside the core.
Address: 848 Merivale Rd Unit A.
Why It Made the Cut: It masters the competitive Indo-Chinese niche, delivering proprietary, complex fusion dishes that blend Indian flavors with Chinese techniques.
7. Royal Paan
Signature Dish: The Chaat Bar selections. You’re here for the street food classics, but the ultimate order is the Royal Falooda from the Milk Bar. A layered, sweet, and complex beverage that captures the chaotic energy of the Mumbai streets. For a savory hit, the Special Bombay Grill sandwich is mandatory.
Vibe Check: Casual, vibrant, and high-volume suburban magnet. It’s a high-traffic spot defined by its sheer volume of diverse street snacks and popular beverages. Expect crowds and fast service.
Address: 1943 Baseline Rd.
Why It Made the Cut: It successfully brings the high-flavor, quick-service culture of Indian street food (Chaat, Sandwiches, Rolls) into a clean, modern, high-volume suburban setting.
8. The Dosa Spot
Signature Dish: Rava Dosa. Skip the standard thin crêpe and go for the Rava Dosa: a thin, crispy fried crepe made specifically with semolina and rice flour. This variation offers a distinct, grainy texture and flavour profile that demands a focused Dosa specialist to execute correctly.
Vibe Check: Functional, staple-focused, and centered on efficiency. Located on a busy commercial strip, its focus is on reliably delivering the core South Indian staples like Dosa, Idli, and Uthappam.
Address: 895 Bank St.
Why It Made the Cut: It represents the city’s robust and necessary ecosystem of specialized Dosa houses, proving that perfection of a single, highly technical staple defines a successful culinary niche.
9. Sundari’s Kitchen
Signature Dish: Spicy Chicken Curry. The general consensus is that this is the place for those who seek the “bold spices of South Indian cuisine”. Order any chicken curry and specify the maximum heat; this kitchen is known for delivering the intensity others shy away from.
Vibe Check: Uncompromisingly authentic, focused purely on robust, traditional flavor profiles. The decor is secondary to the powerful flavor delivery.
Address: 1487 Merivale Rd.
Why It Made the Cut: It’s the essential stop for pure, intense flavour. It is the gold standard for genuinely “spicy” South Indian food, delivering a flavor profile that appeals to connoisseurs of heat.
10. Kahaani Ottawa
Signature Dish: A combination of their street food and traditional dishes. This is where you order a complex traditional curry alongside a high-impact, chaotic street-food appetizer to appreciate the contrast. The food is paired with a festive atmosphere.
Vibe Check: Cosy and vibrant ambiance, designed for a sit-down celebratory meal. It successfully elevates casual street fare into a cohesive restaurant experience.
Address: 3059 Carling Ave.
Why It Made the Cut: It successfully merges the two dominant trends. Traditional flavors and high-energy street food, within one festive, cohesive, and sophisticated dining environment.
11. Sarangi Cuisine of India
Signature Dish: (General North Indian Cuisine). Given its primary role as a neighborhood anchor, order a standard North Indian complex gravy dish, such as a Rogan Josh or Tikka Masala. The success of this establishment lies in its consistency and reliable execution of staples.
Vibe Check: Consistent, quality suburban generalist. It’s designed for daily family demand, acting as the crucial high-quality counterpoint to the high-concept downtown specialists.
Address: 2280 Carling Ave Unit 7.
Why It Made the Cut: It is the highest-quality, most consistently praised Indian food option closest to the Westboro residential core. Its value is proximity paired with quality generalist execution.
12. Dosa & Curries
Signature Dish: Any Dosa with a side of Curry. The name says it all. You are here for the high-value combination of a South Indian staple paired with a rich gravy. The best way to assess the price-to-quality ratio.
Vibe Check: Casual, functional, and budget-friendly. This is a segment success story, proving that high accessibility and value can compete with the high-end competition.
Address: 114 Gloucester St.
Why It Made the Cut: It consistently ranks as one of the best choices on the “lower end” of the price spectrum, delivering essential quality South Indian and North Indian food at an accessible price point.
13. Wow India
Signature Dish: Any general Indian dish. This spot is defined by its ability to deliver superior overall quality and taste on a competitive budget, making the basic Curry or Biryani a strong assessment of its core value proposition.
Vibe Check: Functional, reliable, and defined by customer satisfaction. Similar to its budget competitors, its success hinges on high-flavour delivery for the cost.
Address: 159 Montréal Rd.
Why It Made the Cut: It consistently earns praise for being “great” and sitting on the “lower end” of the price spectrum. It’s the reliable, low-risk, high-reward option in the budget tier.
14. Light of India
Signature Dish: Chicken Samosa. In cuisine, the simplest elements are the hardest to master flawlessly. This samosa has achieved legendary status among locals for its perfect execution: a razor-thin, flaky crust/wrap that shatters instantly, giving way to an intensely spiced, high-quality chicken filling.
Vibe Check: Unassuming, possibly functional, and entirely focused on expert takeout or production. Its aesthetic is completely secondary to the quality of its foundational snack.
Address: 730 Bank St.
Why It Made the Cut: Mastering the essentials is a sign of true culinary discipline. The unanimous local consensus and praise for their flawless samosas provide the definitive insider tip that generic lists always overlook.
Got naan cravings yet? Bookmark this list before hunger hits.
FAQ: Ottawa Indian Food Questions, Answered Without the BS
What makes a great Indian restaurant in Ottawa?
Balance. The best spots nail flavor, freshness, and consistency. Bold spice without being one-note, curries that don’t taste like they came from a jar, and a kitchen that respects both classics and regional specialties.
Are there vegetarian and vegan-friendly Indian restaurants in Ottawa?
Absolutely. Indian cuisine is built on lentils, legumes, and vegetables, so finding a killer chana masala, baingan bharta, or vegan dosa in Ottawa isn’t hard. Plenty of menus mark vegan options clearly, too.
Where can I find authentic South Indian dishes?
Look beyond the butter chicken. South Indian spots specialize in dosas, idlis, and sambar. Lighter, spicier fare that’s a world apart from the North Indian curries most people know.
Do Indian restaurants in Ottawa offer takeout and delivery?
Nearly all of them. Indian food travels well, and most kitchens know their customer base relies on takeout. But some dishes, like dosa, are best eaten fresh at the table.
How much should I expect to spend at a top Indian spot?
Expect $20–$30 per person for a proper sit-down meal with apps, mains, and naan. Takeout combos can be cheaper, but the full dine-in spread is worth it when you want the real deal.
Eat Like You Mean It Ottawa!
Indian food in Ottawa is a mix of centuries-old traditions, family recipes, and bold experiments that keep the cuisine alive and kicking.
Every bite tells a story of spice, of comfort, of communities that have made Ottawa their home.
Whether you’re in it for smoky tandoori, fiery vindaloo, or delicate dosas, these restaurants prove the city’s Indian food scene is as diverse as it is delicious.
So next time the craving hits, skip the bland options and eat like you mean it.
