Your 2024 guide to the best Indian food for dine-in or takeout in the Charlotte area
From biryani to curry to samosas and more, if you love Indian food there’s no shortage of delicious dishes to choose among. But you might have trouble deciding where to get your meal from with all of the options in the Charlotte area.
This guide provides an overview of restaurants where you can get Indian food in the Charlotte area, so next time you want to snag your favorite Indian dish, you’re prepared.
AROMA Indian Grill & Bar
Location: 9648 Red Stone Dr, Indian Land, SC 29707
AROMA is an Indian food restaurant focused on the diversity of Indian gastronomy and the richness of Indian culture. Inside the restaurant, located at RedStone in Indian Land, you’ll find Indian decor, warm lighting and a diverse menu. The dishes bring flavors from Northern India and spices from Southern India together, making for a unique dining experience.
Blue Taj
Location: 14815 Ballantyne Village Way Suite 170, Charlotte, NC 28277
Nestled inside Ballantyne Village sits The Blue Taj, an Indian food restaurant with a cozy interior. Begin your meal here by selecting a bottle of wine from the wine cellar, then choose among appetizers like mango-chickpea chaat and crispy fried paneer. Main course options are plentiful, with sections on the menu dedicated to tandoori, biryani, seafood, chicken, lamb, goat and vegetarian dishes.
Botiwalla
Location: Optimist Hall, 1115 N Brevard St UNIT 203, Charlotte, NC 28206
Botiwalla is serving up traditional Indian street food inside of Optimist Hall. On the menu you’ll find appetizers and snacks like masala smashed potatoes, vada pav and bhel puri, and you’ll also spot a section titled sigri. Sigris are North Indian charcoal grills that fire up in the streets at dusk and serve spiced meats with simple flatbreads and herbs to hungry commuters. At Botiwalla you can try sigris like the chicken tikka roll and boti lamb kofta roll for yourself.
Cholanadu Indian Bistro
Location: 737 Stockbridge Dr, Fort Mill, SC 29708
At Cholanadu Indian Bistro, you’ll find an extensive menu filled with Indian cuisine. With options such as tandoori, fried rice, biryani, butter chicken, naan and curry, there’s sure to be something for everyone. Plus, there’s an extensive alcohol menu — including beers like Taj Mahal and Rupee — to pair with your meal if you choose to dine in.
[TRY IT YOURSELF: Make Indian cuisine with us as we explore a new Fort Mill area cooking class.]
Copper
Location: 311 East Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203
For upscale Indian dining, head to Copper in South End. Copper blends modern and traditional approaches by presenting Indian cuisine in an innovative way that doesn’t lose any of the ancient touches. Start your meal with a first course like tawa-roasted scallops. Then choose between the traditional dishes on the menu like murgh tikka masala and the modern dishes on the menu like kasundi glazed salmon for your main course.
Curry Gate
Location: 1240 Matthews-Mint Hill Rd, Matthews, NC 28105 (opening soon)
Location: 630 W 24th St., Charlotte, NC 28206
Location: 5516 South Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28217
Location: Monarch Market, 101 N Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Curry Gate, a no-frills Indian spot with authentic food, has become so wildly popular in Charlotte that it has recently expanded to four locations — with the Matthews restaurant opening soon.
Dine in and takeout options are available at Curry Gate, and with a large menu boasting everything from biryani to curry to tandoori. Plus, there’s a customizable spice scale from one to 10 on each dish, so there’s guaranteed to be something for everyone.
Curry N Cake
Location: 2015 E Arbors Dr #270, Charlotte, NC 28262
Curry N Cake is a restaurant that serves both Indian cuisine and cake. On the Indian food side of the business, you can enjoy dishes such as chaat, dosa, naan and biryani. As for the desserts, Curry N Cake offers 6 inch, 8 inch and sheet cakes for you to purchase. You can get your cakes eggless or with egg, and flavors include chocolate mousse, butterscotch and more.
Curry Place
Location: 5922 Weddington Rd #13A, Wesley Chapel, NC 28104
Curry Place in Wesley Chapel is a great place to grab Indian takeout or dine in. The menu features appetizers such as samosas and momo, entrees including butter chicken and aloo gobi, and sides of naan and roti. Mix and match your favorites for a filling meal.
Exotica Indian Kitchen and Bar
Location: 500 S College St #150, Charlotte, NC 28202
You can enjoy both vegetarian and meat dishes at Exotica Indian Kitchen and Bar. This restaurant has an extensive menu of Indian cuisine with special emphasis on meatless options. Choose among dosas, kebabs, dals, paneers and curries. Finish your meal with something sweet, like angoori jamun, which are tiny fried milk dumplings with sweetened milk porridge and gold dust.
Dakshin Indian Grill
Location: 16640 Hawfield Way Dr #103, Charlotte, NC 28277
At Dakshin Indian Grill, you can enjoy Indian cuisine while catching up on sports. If you’re with a large group for a game, the restaurant offers platters that feed three to four people, such as the assorted tandoor platter that includes tandoori murg tikka, lamb chops and tangdi kabobs. If you’re alone, enjoy dishes like chaat, chicken lollipops and paneer butter masala.
Dosa N’ More
Location: 709 Crossroads Plaza, Fort Mill, SC 29708
Located in the Tega Cay Village shopping center, Dosa N’ More serves Indian cuisine and street food. The menu includes kathi rolls, dosa, uttapam, and Indo-Chinese cuisine. The street food options are plentiful, with dishes on the menu such as samosas, chole puri, which is chickpea curry with fried flatbread, and dabeli.
Godavari
Location: 2130 E Arbors Dr, Charlotte, NC 28262
Indulge in all-you-can-eat South Indian food at Godavari restaurant. The buffet includes South Indian delicacies such as rasam idly and poori masala, as well as roti baskets and tandoori. For dessert you can try godavari payasam, which is a traditional Indian rice pudding with raisins, cashews, nuts and cardamom.
Indigrille
Location: 1600 E Woodlawn Rd #150, Charlotte, NC 28209
Indigrille is a fast-casual Indian restaurant in ParkTowne Village, serving traditional Indian food with a twist. One of the fusion menu items is curry burritos with options such as a tikka masala burrito and coconut korma burrito. You can also try the butter masala flatbread or a naan taco, piled high with your choice of tandoori chicken or paneer, butter masala curry, slaw and cilantro.
Joy’s Biryani N’ Kababs
Location: 212 N Polk St #101, Pineville, NC 28134
Joy’s Biryani N’ Kababs aims to have everyone enjoy authentic Indian food as a collective family. The restaurant serves biryani, curry and kabobs made with fresh Indian bread and halal meats. From hearty meals to light snacks, Joy’s Biryani N’ Kebabs has all types of Indian foods to satisfy your cravings.
King of Spicy
Location: 8829 E W.T. Harris Blvd #107, Charlotte, NC 28227
King of Spicy — a restaurant from the owners behind Curry Gate that will soon transition to become a Curry Gate, as well — serves up authentic Indian and Nepalese specialties in its kitchen. Choose from the extensive menu for takeout, with dishes such as tandoori, biryani and curry. Or, opt to dine-in and try out the lunch buffet. After you eat, enjoy a game of pool at the tables in the restaurant.
Krazy Curry
Location: 9101 Pineville-Matthews Rd H, Pineville, NC 28134
Try a chef’s special next time you stop into Krazy Curry in Pineville. Specials include butter chicken, chicken chilly fry, goat curry, a methi malai platter and more. Pair your meal with breads like naan and roti, and sides like basmati rice and a variety of chutneys.
Maharani Indian Cuisine
Location: 901 S Kings Dr, Charlotte, NC 28204
Maharani is a mom-and-pop restaurant that serves a variety of North Indian dishes. Some of the most popular menu items include butter chicken, murg tikka masala, naan and samosas. You’ll also find a variety of Indo-Chinese specials on the menu, like garlic chicken, mushroom chili and gobi manchurian.
Masala Mastee
Location: 107 N Main St #101, Davidson, NC 28036
Downtown Davidson’s Masala Mastee offers Indian street food for lunch and dinner and a Sunday lunch buffet. You can dive into pakora and samosas, try a fusion dish such as chicken tikka salad or stuff yourself on a vegan order of channa masala. Wine and beer selections are available.
Masti Indian Restaurant and Bar
Location: 128 Brevard Court, Charlotte, NC 28202
The team behind Masti has over 15 years of experience in the restaurant industry and is focused on bringing North Indian dishes to uptown Charlotte. The menu blends traditional and contemporary flavors and includes options like chaat, kathi rolls and dal. There’s also a selection of Indian street food like vada pav and cut mirchi on the menu, as well as Indo-Chinese dishes such as hakka noodles and fried rice.
Nirvana II
Location: 401 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Conveniently located in Wells Fargo Three in Uptown, Nirvana II is a great spot to satisfy your Indian lunch craving during the week. The restaurant serves combos such as the rice combo, which comes with white rice, your choice of two entrees, naan and raita for $10.99. Pair your meal with a speciality drink, with mango lassi, chai tea and other options available.
Passage to India
Location: 9510 University City Blvd #101, Charlotte, NC 28213
With over 130 menu items, you’re sure to find something you love at Passage to India, located in the University City area of Charlotte. The extensive menu includes sections for chicken, lamb, goat, seafood, tandoori, Indo-Chinese cuisine and breads. If you have dietary restrictions, Passage to India has multiple vegetarian and vegan options, so you can get your favorite Indian meals exactly as you’d like.
Persis Biryani Indian Grill
Location: 3130 Driwood Ct B, Charlotte, NC 28269
Try the lunch buffet at Persis Biryani Indian Grill, which is served from 11:30 a.m to 2:30 p.m. on weekdays and from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends. Or, order a la carte from the menu from a selection of appetizers, biryanis, tandoor, rice dishes and breads.
Persis Indian Grill
Location: 1504 Carolina Pl #101, Fort Mill, SC 29708
You can dine in or get takeout for lunch and dinner at Persis in Fort Mill, which offers popular Indian dishes such as Chicken 65, Lamb Vindaloo and Goat Curry from a variety of regions. You’ll also find plenty of vegetarian options on the menu, including Palak Paneer and Dal Bukhara.
Royal Biryani
Location: 9624 Monroe Rd, Charlotte, NC 28270
You’ll find Royal Biryani tucked away in a strip mall off Monroe Road in Charlotte. Don’t let the exterior fool you though, as inside the restaurant you’ll find a relaxed atmosphere to enjoy or pick up your favorite Indian dishes. Order butter chicken, tikka masala, buttery black dal, aloo gobi and more. Plus, if you ever have an event, Royal Biryani offers catering, as well.
Saffron
Location: 2135 Ayrsley Town Blvd B, Charlotte, NC 28273
Saffron is an upscale Indian restaurant that opened its doors to Charlotte in 2008. Sunil Handa, one of the owners of Saffron, learned to cook in his mom’s kitchen before acquiring 35 years of culinary experience, including a stint as a chef at a five-star hotel in New Delhi. On the menu, you’ll find seafood delicacies, fresh lamb, mint chutney and more.
Sangam Indian Cuisine
Location: 20910 Torrence Chapel Rd, Cornelius, NC 28031
Sangam Indian Cuisine offers North Indian and Indo-Chinese options for lunch and dinner, including a lunch buffet Friday through Monday. If you have a hard time choosing, there’s even a few combination options such as the Sagnam Special with Tandoori Chicken, Boti Kebab, Chicken Tikka Masala, Vegetable Korma, rice and naan or the Vegetable Thali, with Samosa, Kofta Lajwab, Palak Paneer, Chana Masala, rice, raita, roti or naan and rice pudding.
Sri Balaji Kitchen
Location: 11183 Davinci Dr, Davidson, NC 28036
Sri Balaji Kitchen serves a completely vegetarian menu of Indian dishes. The concept was conceived in June 2023, when founder Manikandan Raghavan realized there were no restaurants in North Carolina serving all vegetarian, South Indian food. Both vegetarians and meat eaters alike will enjoy dishes like kadapa mirapakaya dosa, vegetable biryani, masala dosa and Singapore noodles at Sri Balaji Kitchen.
Steamy Dumplings
Location: 1335 State Rd 16, Denver NC 28037
Steamy Dumplings is a food truck only open on Monday, so plan your visit accordingly. It offers North Indian cuisine and Nepalese momo, with a little Indo-Chinese chow mein and tacos thrown onto the menu for good measure, too.
Tabla
Location: 15025 Lancaster Hwy D8, Charlotte, NC 28277
Grab an Indian lunch special from Tabla, which includes your choice of appetizer, curry, rice, bread and dessert for $12, or try out its weekly special item. If you’d prefer to visit for dinner or pick up a meal, you’ll also find chaat, biryani, soups, sweets, tiffins and more on the menu.
Tikka Shack
Location: 400 S Tryon St Unit R1, Charlotte, NC 28285
Location: 2427 Cross Pointe Dr Suite 105, Rock Hill, SC 29730 (opening soon)
For a grab-and-go Indian meal, check out Tikka Shack. This Uptown spot — soon to be joined by a Rock Hill location — is perfect for a quick lunch during working hours, and the menu is largely customizable. You can craft your own curry by choosing a base, protein and bread. Alternatively, try one of the naan pizzas or Indian-inspired coconut curry or biryani wings.
Triveni Supermarket
Location: 300 S Polk St, Pineville, NC 28134
Triveni Supermarket is an Indian grocery store in Pineville that also has a food court, so you can buy ingredients and get pre-made meals all in one place. After shopping around the store and working up an appetite, enjoy dishes like onion uttapam. Plus, there’s an Indian food truck behind the supermarket on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
[LET’S EXPLORE: Visit this all-in-one South Asian grocery in Charlotte with a bakery, food court.]
