Brampton has one of the highest proportions of South Asian residents of any city in Canada, most of them Punjabi, and its restaurant scene shows it. There are Punjabi dhabas, sweet shops that stay busy late into the night, lounge-style Indian bars with live music, and a growing number of Hyderabadi and South Indian kitchens. This list picks ten of the best-rated places, with a note on what each one does best.
How we chose: We started with every South Asian restaurant in our Brampton listings, ranked them by public rating, and chose a range of styles and neighbourhoods. Ratings change over time, so check the listing before you go.
1. PunjabLand
50 Kennedy Road South · Rated 4.9
One of the best-rated restaurants in Brampton, with outdoor seating, cocktails and live music. It's a Brampton institution for classic Punjabi food.
2. Signature by Punjabland
378 Queen Street East · Rated 4.9
PunjabLand's fine-dining sister restaurant, in downtown Brampton. It has a strong drinks list (beer, cocktails, coffee and tea) and well-regarded desserts. It's the right choice for a celebration.
3. Tikka Lounge
7985 Financial Drive, Unit 6A · Rated 4.9
A modern Indian lounge with cocktails and live music. It also opens for breakfast, which is unusual. It's a good choice for a night out in south Brampton.
4. Taste of Amritsar
27 Main Street North · Rated 4.8
Named after the Punjabi city famous for its food. Amritsar is best known for Amritsari kulcha, a crisp, stuffed, tandoor-baked bread served with chole. It's open for breakfast and has live music.
5. Fidaa Authentic Hyderabadi Kitchen
50 Sky Harbour Drive, Unit 3 · Rated 4.8
A specialist in the food of Hyderabad, the city best known for its dum biryani and rich, slow-cooked curries. Our biryani styles guide explains what sets Hyderabadi biryani apart.
6. Street Chaat
332 Main Street North, #3 · Rated 4.8
A downtown restaurant for Indian street food, with an all-you-can-eat option. Try pani puri, papdi chaat, samosa chaat and pav bhaji. See our chaat guide.
7. Kesar Sweets & Restaurant
10886 Hurontario Street, Unit 1A · Rated 4.8
A sweet shop and restaurant in north Brampton, noted for its desserts and tea. Stop in for breakfast, a plate of chaat, or a box of mithai (Indian sweets) for Diwali or a family visit.
8. Delhi Momos – Downtown Brampton
1 McArter Lane · Rated 4.8
A women-owned restaurant for Delhi-style momos (dumplings), with outdoor seating and even a drive-through. Read our momos guide to choose a style.
9. Malai – The Indian Lounge
4525 Ebenezer Road · Rated 4.8
A lounge-style restaurant in east Brampton with a cocktail and wine list and live music. It's another good choice for an evening out.
10. Aardi's South Indian Traditional Kitchen
11635 McVean Drive, Unit 55 · Rated 4.7
A South Indian restaurant focused on traditional home-style cooking. It opens for breakfast. Our dosa guide explains the menu.
Also worth knowing
- Queen Street East: Badshah Bar & Indian Cuisine and Tawa Ghar are both well rated.
- Drive-throughs: Desi Road at Bramalea and Desi Bar & Grill on Main Street North have drive-through windows.
- More lounges: Mastani on Bovaird Drive and Musafir Kitchen & Bar on West Drive.
- Quick Punjabi bites: Balle Balle Fast Food on Chesterwood Crescent is a casual spot for small plates.
Tips for eating in Brampton
- Many places are open late, especially sweet shops and lounges on weekends.
- Order sweets early for festivals. Before Diwali, Lohri and Vaisakhi, sweet shops are extremely busy.
- Try the breakfast. Several Brampton restaurants open early for parathas, chole bhature and chai.
- You'll want a car. Brampton's restaurants are spread across the city in plazas with their own parking.
For more on the neighbourhoods, and the full list of restaurants with hours and phone numbers, see our Brampton, ON city guide.