The two countries might be almost 5,000 miles apart but Scotland has adopted a cultural affinity for Indian food, with the famous chicken tikka masala dish allegedly being invented in Glasgow. There isn’t a shortage of Indian restaurants across Scotland, but here is our pick of the best.
1. Dakhin, Glasgow
89 Candleriggs, Merchant City, 0141 553 2585. Open Monday-Friday, 12pm- 2pm and 5pm-11pm, and Saturday and Sunday 1pm-11pm, www.dakhin.com
Easy to miss upstairs above Bar 91, Dakhin is a real hidden gem amongst some of the better-known Indians in Glasgow. It specialises in South Indian cuisine, with its range of dosas (a thin, crepe-like bread) a particular speciality. It is also believed to be the only Indian restaurant in the UK that can boast a 100% gluten-free menu, making it a stress-free choice for coeliacs.
2. Sid’s Spice, Sutherland
Station Square, Brora, Sutherland, Highlands, 01408 621467. Open every day, 12pm-2pm and 5pm-10pm (Until 11pm on a Friday & Saturday), www.sidspice.com
With a population of just over 1000 people, the rural Sutherland village of Brora isn’t the first place that you would expect to find a sought-after Indian restaurant. But that is exactly what Sid’s Spice offers: with fresh, flavoursome food that is widely admired for its quality. It is a welcome stop for those doing the North Coast 500, offering something a bit different from the many pubs on the route.
3. Kismot Edinburgh
29 St Leonards Street, Edinburgh, 0131 667 0123. Open every day except Tuesday, 4.30pm-11.30pm, www.kismot.co.uk
Know someone who likes to boast about their tolerance of spicy food? If so, take them to Edinburgh’s Kismot restaurant and get them to try the Kismot Killer challenge. Claiming to be the hottest curry on the planet, the Kismot Killer combines five of the world’s hottest chilies in a dish that requires you to sign a legal disclaimer before you eat it. If you do finish the curry then it is yours for free, and if not, then you can boast of your tolerance no more.
4. Tabla Perth
173 South Street, Perth, 01738 444 630. Open Sunday-Wednesday, 5pm-10pm and Thursday- Saturday, 12pm-2pm and 5pm-10pm, www.tablarestaurant.co.uk
Tabla’s co-owner Praveen Kumar has plenty of experience in haute cuisine, having worked at both the Gleneagles and Turnberry Hotels. Alongside his wife Swarna he has brought this wealth of experience to Perth, with the couple’s Tabla restaurant proving popular with diners from far and wide. They pride themselves on creating authentically fresh food, with all the spices used in Tabla being grown in their family’s fields in India.
5. Motherland Spice, Salcoats
16 Bradshaw Street, Saltcoats, Ayrshire, 01294 462 706. Open Tuesday-Thursday, 12pm-2pm and 5pm-10.30pm, Friday-Saturday 12pm-3pm and 4.30pm-12am and Sunday, 4pm-10.30pm, www.motherlandspice.com
The no-frills approach at Motherland Spice results in a warm welcome, big portions and plenty of flavour. The Indian/Nepalese restaurant boasts a mammoth list of tandooris, biryanis and kormas that should satisfy even the fussiest of eaters, as well as a special kids menu with a range of both Indian and western dishes.
6. The Dining Room No10, Dumbarton
10 West Bridgend, Dumbarton, 01389 879759. Open every day except Tuesday, 4pm-11pm
The users of TripAdvisor are particularly hard to please, with even great restaurants rarely achieving a full five-star rating on the site. Dining Room No10 has gained just that, with its five star approval rating proving its popularity with the public and the great quality of its food. The Lamb Rogan Josh is a standout among many good dishes, and it proves a relatively cheap night out with a BYOB policy and no corkage charge.
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7. Wild Ginger, Aberdeen
367 Union Street, Aberdeen, 01224 581000. Open every day except Monday, 5pm-11pm, www.wildgingeronline.co.uk
The beautiful interior (and immaculate food presentation) at Wild Ginger makes it the perfect choice for special occasions. Yet it remains very reasonably priced – with a 10% discount on collections – and will leave you feeling like you got good value for money.
8. Mother India’s Café, Glasgow
1355 Argyle Street, Glasgow, 0141 339 9145. Open Sunday-Thursday, 12pm-10pm and Friday- Saturday, 12pm-10.30pm, www.motherindia.co.uk
Any foodie worth their salt should have already paid a visit to the Glasgow institution that is Mother India. The team have successfully turned tapas on its head by replacing Spanish nibbles with Indian food, encouraging diners to try several dishes at the same time. Customers will often queue out of the door for the takeaway or for a table in the café, with their Butter Chicken and Machi Masala proving particularly popular.
9. Eastern Touch, Anstruther
35 Cunzie Street, Anstruther, East Neuk, Fife, 01333 312836. Open every day, 4.30pm-11pm, www.eastern-touch.com
The sleepy fishing village of Anstruther is probably the type of place you would expect to find seafood restaurants and traditional old pubs. But, in fact, the village has a cracker of an Indian restaurant hidden up one of its side streets: offering a plethora of delicious dishes that will suit both meat eaters and vegetarians. And if you like Naan bread, then Eastern Touch offers an absolutely huge one that will comfortably feed a whole family.
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10. Kalpna Edinburgh
2-3 St Patrick Square, Edinburgh, 0131 667 9890. Open every day, 12pm-2.30pm and 5.30pm-10.30pm, www.kalpnarestaurant.com
Indian cuisine is one of the best suited to a vegetarian diet, with many Indians choosing to have meat-free meals. Most restaurants will offer a handful of vegetarian curries, but Kalpna goes one step further, with an exclusively meat-free menu that has a real variety of flavours and style of dishes. And, as an added bonus, several of the curries are also certified vegan.
11. Saffron Indian Restaurant, Inverness
Unit 5, Cradlehall Court, Inverness, 01463 795500. Open every day, 4.30pm-10.30pm
This intimate restaurant only has a few tables, but its small size means that the chefs can really spend time curating each individual dish. The front of house staff also do their bit to make diners feel special, with service that goes the extra mile and complimentary hand towels handed out after the food is served. Poppadoms with onion, relish and a small side salad are also offered free of charge to guests.
12. Daksh Indian Restaurant, Dumfries
55- 57 Queen Street Dumfries, 01387 253876. Open every day except Tuesday, 12pm-2pm and 5pm-10pm, www.dakshindian.co.uk
The team at Daksh pride themselves on the fact that they use no artificial colouring, preservatives or tenderisers in any of their dishes. Instead, the focus is on authentic, home-style ‘Thali’: platters of small dishes that includes a starter, curry, a daal, a naan and some yoghurt. But if you fancy a more westernised meal, then they also have plenty of larger dishes and curries.
13. Jewel in the Crown, Aberdeen
145 Crown Street, Aberdeen, 01224 210288. Open Monday-Saturday, 12pm-2.30pm and 5.30pm-11.30pm and Sunday, 2.30pm-10.30pm, www.thejewelaberdeen.com
The Jewel in the Crown is much loved by Aberdonians, who have been enjoying its family-made dishes for decades. Their curries are freshly cooked, flavoursome and reasonably priced, while the service is consistently faultless. And rather than being an afterthought, their rice is a real standout, with flavours that include mushrooms, garlic and even mince.
14. Wee Curry Shop, Buccleuch Street Glasgow
7 Buccleuch Street, Glasgow, 0141 353 0777. Open Monday-Thursday, 12pm-2pm and 5.30pm-10.30pm, Friday 12pm-11pm, Saturday 12pm-2pm and 5.30pm-10.30pm and Sunday, 5pm-10pm, www.weecurryshop.co.uk
‘Wee’ is no exaggeration: this restaurant really is tiny. Situated in what would have been a shop, it has only a handful of tables and a uniquely intimate atmosphere. The list of dishes on offer is also limited- but each one is exceptional and will not disappoint any fans of Indian food. Bonus points for the great service too.
15. Goa, Broughty Ferry
7 Erskine Lane, Broughty Ferry, Dundee, 01382 770730. Open Monday-Saturday, 5pm-11pm and Sunday, 4pm-11pm
It might be located slightly outside of Dundee, but Goa makes it well worth visiting the quiet suburb of Broughty Ferry. Starters include some delightful tempura prawns and lightly battered pakora, while the extensive choice of mains should have something that appeals to almost all taste buds. It is advisable to pre-book a table, but it is also worthwhile getting there early, as the pre-theatre menu offers three courses for a very reasonable £10.95.
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