Chicago's South Asian food scene has two sides. Devon Avenue, on the far north side, has been the city's South Asian main street since the 1970s, and it's the place for Pakistani, Hyderabadi and South Indian cooking. Meanwhile, downtown and the north-side neighbourhoods have filled up with Indian and Nepali restaurants, from Loop lunch counters to chef-driven tasting menus. 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 Chicago 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. Curry Kitchen
5304 West Devon Avenue · Rated 4.9
The best-rated restaurant on Devon in our listings. It serves tandoori dishes, Indian curries and Nepali food for lunch and dinner, and it's BYOB. Its chicken biryani is the house speciality.
2. Shaily's Rasoi
400 South Financial Place, Suite C · Rated 4.9
A family-run, 100% vegetarian chai stall in the Loop (rasoi means "kitchen"). Masala chai is brewed on the stove with whole spices, and chaat, vada pav and pav bhaji are made to order. It even has a drive-through.
3. Dhanteraz Indian Fusion
2116 West Roscoe Street · Rated 4.9
In Roscoe Village, Dhanteraz serves traditional Indian dishes alongside inventive fusion plates in a relaxed setting. It's a good choice if you want both the classics and something new.
4. Himalayan Sherpa Kitchen
518 West Harrison Street · Rated 4.8
A restaurant near the Loop combining Indian and Himalayan cooking. Order the momos. Our momos guide explains the styles.
5. Apna Indian Grill & Bar
3641 West Irving Park Road · Rated 4.7
A cosy Irving Park restaurant for the classics (tandoori chicken, butter chicken and biryani), with cocktails and sports on the TV.
6. Mild 2 Spicy
714 West Diversey Parkway · Rated 4.7
A modern Indian restaurant in Lincoln Park, pairing classic dishes with creative cocktails in a contemporary room.
7. Momo Factory
860 North Orleans Street · Rated 4.7
A relaxed River North restaurant for Nepali food, especially momos, with plenty of vegetarian options.
8. Rickshaw Pakistani & Indian Street Eats
4304 North Pulaski Road · Rated 4.7
The street food of Lahore and Karachi: chaat, rolls and bun kebabs. See our chaat guide for what to order.
9. Mintza South Indian & Kerala Cuisine
2245 West Devon Avenue · Rated 4.6
A Devon Avenue restaurant for South Indian and Kerala cooking, which is harder to find in Chicago than North Indian food. It opens for breakfast, which suits South Indian tiffin dishes like dosa and idli.
10. Coach House by Zubair Mohajir
1742 West Division Street · Rated 4.5
The special-occasion pick: a chef-driven South Asian tasting menu in Wicker Park, with wine pairings and craft cocktails. It's a very different experience from the rest of this list, and a good showcase of where South Asian cooking in Chicago is heading.
Also worth knowing
- Lakeview and Lincoln Park: Cumin on Belmont serves Indian food and Nepali momos, Gorkha Kitchen on Diversey is Indian and Nepali, and Mazala Pizza mixes Nepali dishes with Indian-style pizza.
- North Center: Basant has outdoor seating and cocktails.
- The Loop: Bhoomi Modern Indian Grill, Maharaj Indian Grill and The KTM Kitchen are good for a quick lunch.
- Upscale River North: Indienne on Huron Street is one of the city's more upscale Indian restaurants.
- Lunch buffet: India House on Grand Avenue has a menu of over 250 items and a lunch buffet.
Tips for eating in Chicago
- Getting to Devon Avenue is easiest by car. It's a long way from downtown, and street parking fills up at weekends.
- Check for BYOB. Several Chicago Indian restaurants, including Curry Kitchen, let you bring your own.
- Eat nihari and haleem in winter. The slow-cooked stews on Devon suit Chicago's cold months.
- Use the lunch buffets in the Loop and on Devon for the best value.
For more on the neighbourhoods, and the full list of restaurants with hours and phone numbers, see our Chicago, IL city guide.