Indian cuisine is being championed across the United States, pleasing diners from coast to coast with its comforting standards and sophisticated use of spices and herbs to infuse major flavor. While beer, tea and iced lassis go great with spicy curries and tandoori meats, Indian food also pairs quite nicely with wine. The possibilities are numerous and deliciously rewarding when matching wine with the tastes of India—think chicken curry with Chardonnay, roasted vegetables with Pinot Noir or savory dosas with Champagne.
Such choice wine-and-food pairings are at the heart of these 13 Indian restaurants. Scattered across the country; they’ve all earned Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards for their impressive wine programs that showcase a vast range of styles from California, France, Germany, Italy and farther afield. For more exciting dining destinations around the world, view all of Wine Spectator’s more than 3,700 Restaurant Award winners, including the 95 Grand Award recipients that hold our highest honor (63 of which are in the U.S.).
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Amrina
3 Waterway Square Place, The Woodlands, TX
Telephone (201) 562-9811
Website amrina.social
Best of Award of Excellence
[article-img-container][src=2024-11/rg_amrina081122_1600.jpg] [caption= Amrina’s dining room hints at Indian architecture and design through its columns and bar stools.] [credit= (David Ortiz)] [alt= People dining and drinking in the dining room of Indian restaurant Amrina in The Woodlands, Texas][end: article-img-container]
Best of Award of Excellence winner Amrina is an Indian-influenced steak house in The Woodlands, Texas, about 30 minutes north of Houston. Developed by brothers Surpreet and Preet Paul Singh of Kahani Social Group, the restaurant opened in 2022 with its primary menu as well as a chef’s table experience, a pintxos bar (with snacks inspired by those served in the restaurants of Spain’s Basque Country), private dining rooms, a dedicated cocktail bar and a large, covered veranda for outdoor dining.
What’s on the Menu
Chef Jassi Bindra oversees the menu at Amrina, mixing the classic steak house format with elements of traditional Indian dining. In addition to oysters on the half-shell doused in a Kashmiri chile mignonette, some standout starters include skewered ostrich kebabs with an avocado-cilantro chutney and jackfruit-stuffed samosas with a cabbage slaw. Guests can customize the rub, basting and sauce styles for their steak orders, with options including a masala dry rub, a chimichurri sauce and a Madras curry. A quintessential part of the Amrina menu is the bread section, which features a kulcha flatbread stuffed with spinach and goat cheese and a whiskey-lacquered naan, among the eight styles on offer.
Wine List Highlights
Wine director Lee Funderburk curates a cellar of approximately 6,000 bottles, with selections from California (particularly Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa Valley), France’s Bordeaux and Burgundy and farther afield. Expect to see bottles from well-known wineries such as Lucien Le Moine, Château Leoville Las Cases, Château Cos d’Estournel and Hundred Acre. There are also considerable offerings of sparkling wines, Rhône Syrahs and reds from Italy’s Tuscany and Piedmont regions. Amrina also has a robust collection of spirits available by the pour, including a few whiskies from India.
Azitra
8411 Brier Creek Parkway, Suite 101, Raleigh, NC
Telephone (919) 484-3939
Website azitra.us
Best of Award of Excellence
[article-img-container][src=2024-11/restaurant-guide-indian-azitra-112224_1600.jpg] [caption= Discover boldly flavored plates like peppercorn-mango lamb at Azitra.] [credit= (Courtesy of Azitra)] [alt=Peppercorn-mango lamb from Azitra in Raleigh, North Carolina][end: article-img-container]
Azitra is a bastion for Indian dining in Raleigh, N.C. Alongside its wide range of dishes (some drawn from culinary traditions in other parts of Asia), the restaurant offers a Best of Award of Excellence–winning list of 760-plus wines. (Azitra also has a sibling restaurant 20 minutes west in Cary, Award of Excellence winner Nazara Indian Bistro, which pairs Indian dishes with a 285-wine list that’s stacked with California selections.)
What’s on the Menu
Chef Narinder Kumar reinterprets the hallmarks of Indian cuisine for Azitra’s menu, which features smaller plates such as fried Brussels sprouts with chile honey, lump crabmeat with naan wedges and samosas stuffed with potatoes, yellow lentils and dehydrated cranberries. For larger dishes, look to the Tandoori surf and turf (lamb and lobster with potatoes and spinach), the Mughlai shrimp (turmeric-seasoned shrimp in a buttery garlic sauce with a rotating vegetable pairing) and Azitra’s mixed grill plate (assorted tandoor-roasted kebabs with seasonal vegetables). There are also several vegetarian dishes on offer, each served with wild basmati rice, including kofta anarkali (vegetable croquettes with a cashew-pomegranate sauce) and bhindi amchoor (mango-seasoned okra with red onion, tomato, ginger and garlic).
Wine List Highlights
Overseen by wine director Harmandeep Hundal, Azitra’s wine list draws from a cellar of 4,600-plus bottles and prominently features selections from California, France and Italy. The list leads with 42 wines available by the glass, including Domaine De La Romanée-Conti’s Vosne-Romanée Cuvée Duvault-Blochet, among 15 labels served via a Coravin preservation system. Down the list are large-format and half-bottle choices as well as plenty of Champagnes, including picks from Jacquart and Bollinger, among others. Representing California are Chardonnays and Cabernets from wineries such as Peter Michael, Shafer and Pahlmeyer. There are also notable selections of Australian Sauvignon Blanc, Sicilian Grillo and Indian Chenin Blanc and Viognier.
Indian Accent
123 W. 56th St., New York City
Telephone (212) 842-8070
Website indianaccent.com/newyork
Best of Award of Excellence
[article-img-container][src=2024-11/restaurant-guide-indian-indian-accent-121224_1600.jpg] [caption= With great wine and dishes like this tofu medu vadai, Indian Accent has established its reputation as one of New York City’s Indian fine-dining leaders.] [credit= (Courtesy of Indian Accent)] [alt= Tofu medu vadai with sambar cream from Indian Accent in New York City][end: article-img-container]
Indian Accent is a fine-dining establishment renowned for modern interpretations of traditional Indian cuisine. In 2009, the first Indian Accent restaurant opened in New Delhi, with sibling locations opening in Manhattan and Mumbai, India, in 2016 and 2023, respectively. All three Indian Accents are Wine Spectator Restaurant Award winners. The New York location, on the ground floor of Hyatt’s Thompson Central Park New York hotel, presents a sophisticated menu in an equally sophisticated dining space, punctuated with white marble counters and velvet seating.
What’s on the Menu
In addition to brunch and lunch, Indian Accent serves dinner across three- and four-course menus (starting at $88 per person). Culinary inspiration comes from across the Indian subcontinent, with a few influences from farther afield. The results include dishes such as sweet pickle pork ribs with sun-dried mango, ghee-roasted lamb with roomali roti flatbread and chicken malai tikka with truffles and a green chile cream. The food is served on monochromatic plateware that matches the refined, minimalist aesthetic of the dining room.
Wine List Highlights
Wine director Amy Mitchell’s 440-selection list covers both established names and emerging producers. France is well-represented, with domaines such as Burgundy’s Olivier Leflaive, Domaine Parent and Pierre Meurgey as well as Bordeaux’s Château Pape Clément and Château Pipeau. California and Oregon stand out among the New World regions, with wines from Sandhi, Bergström and Bedrock among the lineup. And the Italian section will interest those in search of lesser-known varieties, with bottles of Teroldego, Sagrantino and Frappato appearing next to better-known selections from Tuscany and Piedmont. The list also includes 13 by-the-glass options, concluding with a compact but diverse collection of dessert wines.
JAYA at the Setai
Setai Hotel, 2001 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, FL
Telephone (855) 923-7899
Website thesetaihotel.com/miami-beach-restaurants/jaya
Best of Award of Excellence
[article-img-container][src=2024-11/restaurant-guide-indian-jaya-112224_1600.jpg] [caption= Luxury and comfort are cornerstones of the dining experience at JAYA at the Setai.] [credit= (Courtesy of JAYA at the Setai)] [alt= A pool of water, above which is a wood lattice, at Miami Beach’s JAYA at the Setai][end: article-img-container]
One of three restaurants inside the Setai Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida, Best of Award of Excellence winner JAYA focuses on sophisticated South and East Asian cuisine, with an emphasis on Indian and Chinese culinary traditions. Tandoor, wok and steam cooking methods are used to bring the diverse menu to life. The restaurant itself exudes an air of elegance, with a picturesque open-air courtyard that boasts a pool and decorative fountain.
What’s on the Menu
Vijayudu Veena, the executive chef for the hotel, draws culinary inspiration from his childhood experiences at his father’s restaurant in India. Off the tandoor comes naan for curries such as chicken makhani (chicken thighs cooked in a buttery, fenugreek-seasoned tomato sauce) and sea bass tikka (herb-seasoned sections of fish with a tamarind chutney). Other notable dishes include nasi goreng (fried rice with beef tenderloin and shrimp, topped with a peanut sauce) and the Peking duck with steamed pancakes and a bean sauce. Across the dim sum section are comfort foods such as garlic-seasoned Chinese chive dumplings and shrimp-scallop dumplings with a black truffle emulsion.
Wine List Highlights
Wine director Hakan Balkuvvar curates a list of 550 selections, with ample picks from France, Italy and the United States. The diverse program includes everything from Salon Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Le Mesnil 2012 to a range of bottlings from Austria’s F.X. Pichler that can accompany the cuisine. Guests can also expect German Rieslings, Provence rosés, Napa Cabernets, Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs and more.
Junoon
19 W. 24th St., New York City
Telephone (212) 490-2100
Website junoonnyc.com
Best of Award of Excellence
[article-img-container][src=2024-11/restaurant-guide-indian-junoon-b-111224_1600.jpg] [caption= Complete a visit to Manhattan’s Flatiron District with a delicious meal and glass of wine at Junoon.] [credit= (Shannon Sturgis)] [alt= Guests eating and talking in the dining room at Junoon, where there are wood carvings depicting vines][end: article-img-container]
A Best of Award of Excellence winner since 2015, Junoon offers a premier wine list alongside exceptional food in the heart of the Flatiron District. Steps from Madison Square Park, the restaurant was founded in 2010 by Rajesh Bhardwaj, who’s also credited with co-founding the Café Spice Restaurant Group. Today, his son Akshay Bhardwaj helms the kitchen and routinely adds bold, fresh dishes to the restaurant’s offerings.
What’s on the Menu
Junoon’s Indian fare is available across two-, three- and five-course dinner menus (starting at $85 per person). Small-plate options include tuna puchka (deep-fried bread shells) with caviar, Bangla kodi (crispy chicken rolled with potato, mint-cilantro yogurt and squash) and charcoal-smoked pork ribs with chaat masala–seasoned apples. Recent main plates have included dry-aged duck breast with a Tellicherry peppercorn sauce and a southern-style pumpkin curry with a coconut-mustard sauce, as well as several types of curry. As for dessert, look to options like the Ghost in the Shell, which comprises a chocolate–ghost pepper mousse dressed in a pomegranate sauce.
Wine List Highlights
Wine director Michael Dolinski’s 300-selection list shows strength in France and the United States, with wines from well-known names such as Château Pichon-Longueville Baron in Bordeaux and Opus One in Napa Valley. Guests can also expect plentiful Riesling selections from Austria, Germany, France’s Alsace region and New York state’s Finger Lakes region.
Kiran's
2925 Richmond Ave., Suite 160, Houston
Telephone (713) 960-8472
Website kiranshouston.com
Best of Award of Excellence
[article-img-container][src=2024-11/restaurant-guide-indian-kirans-112224_1600.jpg] [caption= Chef Kiran Verma oversees not only the kitchen at her restaurant, Kiran's, but also the award-winning wine program.] [credit= (Chuck Cook)] [alt= Chef Kiran Verma with a glass of Champagne in her restaurant, Kiran's][end: article-img-container]
Chef Kiran Verma has received significant praise for her haute cuisine approach to Indian food. A regular guest judge on Top Chef, she is also the owner and chef of her namesake restaurant, Kiran’s in Texas, a Best of Award of Excellence winner since 2022. Just blocks from Rice University and other Houston hot spots, Kiran’s champions the flavors of northern Indian cuisine through the lens of classic French fine-dining techniques.
What’s on the Menu
Born in Jharsuguda, in eastern India’s Odisha state, and raised in the bustling capital district of Delhi, Verma moved to Houston as a young adult and went on to open Kiran’s in 2005. She has preserved a through line to her past with her cuisine, delivering dishes that evoke the flavors of her childhood and Awadhi culture. Verma’s food is available across à la carte menus and a trio of tasting experiences—a chef’s tasting, a lobster tasting and a vegetarian tasting—that start at $145 per person. Broken up into sections that include street foods, tandoor dishes and classics, the à la carte menu includes dishes like porterhouse lamb chops with aloo methi (potatoes with fenugreek leaves), raj kachori (lentil dumplings) with a mint-tamarind chutney and bison meatballs in a rogan josh (tomato-based curry) sauce, plus a handful of kebabs and samosas. The menu is robust and caters to carnivores and vegetarians alike, with the bread section alone boasting more than a dozen offerings.
Wine List Highlights
Kiran’s program of 400 wines was previously overseen by wine director Jagdish Sharma, who died in May 2023 ; Verma now dedicates the book of wines to him. The program features many impressive wineries in Burgundy (Albert Bichot, Joseph Drouhin, Henri Gouges), the Rhône Valley (Beaucastel), Napa Valley (Groth, Schrader Cellars), Sonoma (Kistler, Merry Edwards), Oregon (Penner-Ash, Evening Land) and other well-known regions.
Lehja
11800 W. Broad St., Richmond, VA
Telephone (804) 364-1111
Website lehja.com
Best of Award of Excellence
[article-img-container][src=2024-11/restaurant-guide-indian-lehja-121224_1600.jpg] [caption= Seafood and poultry are celebrated throughout Lehja’s menu.] [credit= (Courtesy of Lehja)] [alt= A dish of chicken and shrimp with a glass of red wine at Indian restaurant Lehja in Richmond, Virginia][end: article-img-container]
In the heart of Richmond, Va., is Best of Award of Excellence winner Lehja, an Indian cuisine oasis led by chef and wine director Sandeep Baweja. One of restaurateur Ashok Arora’s several dining destinations in the South, Lehja is about an hour west of its Award of Excellence–winning sibling restaurant Amiraj in Williamsburg. Lehja’s well-rounded wine list pulls from a cellar of 2,200 bottles and complements brunch, lunch and dinner menus.
What’s on the Menu
Baweja’s two-page dinner menu leads with an array of mouthwatering starters, including coconut-curry scallops with masala-dusted apple sticks, firecracker chicken tikka (marinated with ghost chile peppers) atop pickled cucumber ribbons and pav bhaji–inspired samosas stuffed with carrots, potatoes and peas and served with a date-tamarind chutney. Chicken is the star ingredient in many of Lehja’s offerings, but the restaurant also offers a robust vegetarian section, with dishes such as the portobello-tofu kuzhambu (a tamarind-seasoned stew) and the kofta chaman dilkhush (vegetable croquettes in a cashew-tomato sauce).
Wine List Highlights
Comprising more than 500 bottles, the wine list shows strength in California, France and Germany, with particular attention paid to wines that complement the flavors of Indian cuisine. Expect Riesling and Gewürztraminer options, as well as Syrah and Grenache blends. Some exemplary options on the list include S.A. Prüm’s Mosel Rieslings and Hugel’s Alsace whites, as well as California Rhône-style reds. Also on offer are reds from some of the Rhône Valley’s leading domaines, such as Chapoutier, Château de Beaucastel, Delas and Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe, to name a few.
The Oven
201 N. 8th St., Lincoln, NE
Telephone (402) 475-6118
Website theoven-lincoln.com
Best of Award of Excellence
[article-img-container][src=2024-11/restaurant-guide-indian-the-oven-112224_1600.jpg] [caption= The Oven in Lincoln, Neb., boasts a cellar of 10,000 wines to pair with the flavors of northern India.] [credit= (Courtesy of The Oven)] [alt= Bread, rice and two other dishes of food on a table at the Oven][end: article-img-container]
First earning an Award of Excellence in 2002, the Oven has been in the Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards program for more than two decades. It was upgraded to a Best of Award of Excellence in 2010, and today the Oven boasts a wine list of 2,265 selections—the most of any Indian restaurant in the awards program. In addition to the main dining room, guests can reserve a table in the Cellar wine bar downstairs, which, true to its name, offers glimpses at the restaurant’s 10,000-bottle inventory.
What’s on the Menu
Northern Indian food makes up the bulk of the menu, with several marinated meat and flatbread dishes cooked in a traditional clay tandoor oven. There are a few biryanis (spiced rice dishes featuring raisins and cashews) and lamb entrées, as well as vegetarian dishes that showcase handmade paneer. The menu also incorporates southern India’s coconut milk–based Madras curries and Bhutan’s Thimphu chicken specialty (poultry and cauliflower cooked in a spicy sauce).
Wine List Highlights
Wine director Pratik Ghimire is passionate about pairing wine with Indian cuisine. He recommends matching salmon with red Burgundy and lamb with Côte-Rôtie and other bold, peppery reds, while noting that Champagne and Austrian Grüner Veltliner go well with much of the Oven’s menu. Ghimire’s list shows notable strength in California, France, Germany and Italy, with impressive verticals from the likes of Bordeaux’s Château d’Yquem, Burgundy’s Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Napa’s Shafer and Tuscany’s Tenuta San Guido. There are also more than 30 wines available by the glass, including sparkling, skin-contact and fortified bottlings.
Azafran
535 Zang St., Broomfield, CO
Telephone (303) 465-4444
Website azafran.restaurant
Award of Excellence
[article-img-container][src=2024-11/restaurant-guide-indian-azafran-112224_1600.jpg] [caption= Pair wine gems from France and California with vegetarian dishes at Azafran in Broomfield, Colo.] [credit= (Courtesy of Azafran)] [alt= Glasses of red wine on a table near shelves of wine bottles at the Indian restaurant Azafran in Broomfield, Colorado][end: article-img-container]
Rishu Chhabra and her husband, Saurav Mehta, are the couple behind Award of Excellence winner Azafran, in Broomfield, Colo., between Boulder and Denver. Chhabra managed the restaurant for seven years under its previous identity, Azitra Indian Cuisine, before purchasing it in 2021 and transforming it into Azafran. Working as wine director–general manager and chef, respectively, Chhabra and Mehta are passionate about bringing delicious, authentic Indian cuisine to the southwestern United States.
What’s on the Menu
Open for lunch and dinner, Azafran showcases Indian classics with a twist across its menus. Take, for instance, starters such as the hariyali fish tikka with green herb–marinaded salmon that’s been tandoor roasted, or the Manchurian-influenced gobi with fried cauliflower florets in a soy-tomato glaze. For larger plates, there’s the the surf and turf Malabari (lamb, salmon and prawns seasoned with tamarind and coconut), the bhindi amchoor (mango powder–dusted okra, onions and peppers) and the crab masala (jumbo lump crab in a creamy tomato sauce). The restaurant offers many vegetarian options, and a full vegan menu is also available.
Wine List Highlights
Comprising 395 selections, Chhabra’s wine list primarily focuses on California and France. Approximately 30 wines are offered by the glass, with a handful poured via a Coravin preservation system. For bottles, expect selections from leading wineries such as Champagne’s Nicolas Feuillatte, Burgundy’s Albert Bichot, Sonoma’s Rochioli and Napa Valley’s Salvestrin. Much of the list is devoted to Cabernet, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with solid selections from Argentina, Italy and Spain in the mix. And that’s not to mention the sweet wines, including tawny Ports and Banyuls, which pair deliciously with desserts such as the badam kheer (basmati rice pudding with almonds) and the limoncello-mascarpone cake.
Bazil Indian Cuisine
6602 Glenwood Ave., Suite 1, Raleigh, NC
Telephone (919) 307-3034
Website bazil-indian-cuisine.com
Award of Excellence
[article-img-container][src=2024-11/restaurant-guide-indian-bazil-112224_1600.jpg] [caption= For Bazil Indian Cuisine’s award-winning wine program, wine director Abhishake Kumar has assembled a California-driven list of approximately 100 wines.] [credit= (Courtesy of Bazil Indian Cuisine)] [alt= The bar at Bazil Indian Cuisine in Raleigh, North Carolina][end: article-img-container]
In 2022, mother-and-son team Arti and Abhi Kumar founded Bazil Indian Cuisine, and the establishment earned its first Restaurant Award in 2024. Inside the Raleigh, N.C., restaurant, Arti helms the kitchen and Abhi manages the day-to-day operations. According to Abhi, the mission for Bazil Indian Cuisine is to honor the traditional flavors and techniques of Indian cooking, while also incorporating fresh, modern twists. In addition to brunch, lunch and dinner services, the restaurant regularly hosts dance parties and themed events.
What’s on the Menu
Arti’s menu offers a slew of Indian mainstays, including lamb vindaloo, vegetable samosas and a range of curries. Some of the chef’s signature dishes include lobster and crab malai tadka (in a creamy onion sauce), apricot-glazed sea bass and spicy tandoor-cooked paneer with sautéed vegetables. Many vegetarian options are available, such as dal tadka (yellow lentils in a creamy garlic, ginger and tomato sauce), Punjabi chole (chickpeas simmered in an aromatic gravy) and sarson ka saag (creamed spinach and mustard greens seasoned with fenugreek).
Wine List Highlights
Bazil Indian Cuisine’s wine list is strongest in picks from California, though several other regions are also represented. Sparkling wines from Taittinger, Ferrari Trento and Veuve Clicquot are on offer, as are Cabernets from notable Golden State wineries such as J. Lohr, Silver Oak and Robert Mondavi. Among the highlights of the list are wines from India’s Grover Zampa, which include sparkling rosé and Viognier from the Karnataka region.
Copra
1700 Fillmore St., San Francisco
Telephone (415) 873-0795
Website coprarestaurant.com
Award of Excellence
[article-img-container][src=2024-11/restaurant-guide-indian-copra-wine-112224_1600.jpg] [caption= Copra's wine program features everything from grand cru Burgundies to wines from lesser-known regions.] [credit= (Chad Santo Thomas)] [alt= A selection of wine bottles from the cellar of the Indian restaurant Copra in San Francisco][end: article-img-container]
Award of Excellence winner Copra in San Francisco is inspired by the cuisines of Sri Lanka and India’s southernmost states, Kerala (the home region of its chef, Srijith Gopinathan) and Tamil Nadu. The restaurant’s name refers to a term for dried coconut flesh, an ingredient that’s used heavily in South Asian cuisine. But instead of leaning on what’s familiar for its menu, Copra demonstrates how Indian and
Sri Lankan cuisines have evolved by embracing global ingredients.
What’s on the Menu
Gopinathan’s menu begins with small snacks, such as oysters with fermented chiles and soft egg appams (pancakes made with fermented rice batter) topped with Périgord black truffles. For smaller plates, look to crispy peppers in a green sambal sauce, chargrilled bone marrow with pickled onions, and an assortment of four seasonal chutneys with crispy papadum flatbreads. Gopinathan offers both vegetarian and meat entrées, including chicken biryani with jeera samba rice and a red onion raita sauce as well as the rotating Vegetable of the Day plate, which comprises three vegetarian creations inspired by family recipes.
Wine List Highlights
Wine director Andre Sydnor’s beverage program offers a wide mix, with everything from grand cru Burgundies to wines from lesser-known regions. Notable is the selection of grower Champagnes and other sparklers from Germany, Oregon and beyond. To optimize wine-and-food pairing, much of the list is categorized by style. Under the section of Light and Soft white wines you’ll find a Sicilian Zibibbo, while the Full and Rich Reds section has a Nebbiolo from Piedmont’s Roagna. There are also several impressive reserve bottlings, including Grosses Gewächs Rieslings, Camille Giroud Burgundy and Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.
Indienne
217 W. Huron St., Chicago
Telephone (312) 291-9427
Website indiennechicago.com
Award of Excellence
[article-img-container][src=2024-11/restaurant-guide-indian-indienne-grill-112224_1600.jpg] [caption= At Indienne, chef Sujan Sarkar's refined menu includes a number of dishes cooked over open fire.] [credit= (Courtesy of Indienne)] [alt= Chef Sujan Sarkar cooking at a grill, with corn and other vegetables hanging above in the kitchen, at the restaurant Indienne in Chicago][end: article-img-container]
Indienne is a celebration of Indian culture. Situated in downtown Chicago’s bustling River North region, the restaurant merges the atmosphere of an industrial loft, with its exposed pipes and high ceilings, and the essence of fine dining, with its white tablecloths and plush seating. The luxurious thread continues into the plating of the food, where distinctive plates are used for each menu item to create pieces of edible art. A first-time Restaurant Award winner in 2024, Indienne also boasts an impressive wine list of 170 selections.
What’s on the Menu
Chef Sujan Sarkar calls on French culinary techniques for his tasting menus (starting at $125 per person), which include a vegetarian experience, a pescatarian experience, a vegan experience and a carnivore experience. Guests may notice a few similarities across the menus: Chicken katli appears on the meat menu, and there is a vegetable-based analogue on the vegetarian menu (with both options doused in an Amul cheese emulsion). Recent tasting menus have also included dishes like tomato chaat accented with compressed plums and a roasted lamb chop served with sweet bread fritters.
Wine List Highlights
To complement Sarkar’s multiple menus, wine director Tia Polite offers three wine pairing selections: a spirit-free option, a classic house option and a reserve option ($60, $80 and $120, respectively). The program primarily champions producers in California and France. Expect bottles from the likes of Ridge, Jean-Louis Chave and Clos Cibonne, among others. The list is broken down into sections inspired by art movements—Pop Art for sparkling wines, energetic whites and chillable reds; Impressionism for Chenin Blancs, Zweigelts and other soft-textured styles; Baroque for bold, savory whites and rich, structured reds; and Craft for unique wines that are essentially in a class of their own.
Masala Bites
2133 Upton Drive, Virginia Beach, VA
Telephone (757) 563-2828
Website masalabites.com
Award of Excellence
[article-img-container][src=2024-11/restaurant-guide-indian-masala-bites-112224_1600.jpg] [caption= A 15-minute drive from the Atlantic coast, Masala Bites offers the tantalizing flavors of Indian cuisine to Virginia Beach locals and tourists alike.] [credit= (Courtesy of Masala Bites)] [alt= A slice of herbed naan bread at Masala Bites in Virginia Beach][end: article-img-container]
Virginia Beach, Va., draws in millions of tourists every year with its lush golf courses and bountiful waterfront resorts, but the coastal city is also home to the Award of Excellence–winning Indian restaurant Masala Bites. Helmed by owner and wine director Bobby Gill, the restaurant is known for pairing comforting northern Indian cuisine with serious wines.
What’s on the Menu
Across chef Virsa Singh Gill’s dinner and lunch menus, guests will find everything from creative small bites and shareable plates to authentic Indian staples, such as tandoori kebabs, spicy samosas and savory biryani entrées. Everything is prepared to order, down to the spices, which are ground by hand and toasted to ensure freshness and maximum flavor. And no Masala Bites meal is complete without sampling the array of freshly baked breads, from garlic naan and whole-wheat roti to flatbreads stuffed with potatoes, onions and mint.
Wine List Highlights
Bobby’s 125-label wine program draws from regions around the world, particularly those in California and France. To start the meal (or pair with seafood dishes), there are Champagnes from Taittinger and Nicholas Feuillatte. For lighter dishes, look to Pinot Noirs from Argyle, Etude and Talbott. The list also highlights wineries in Virginia, including Barboursville and Williamsburg. Beyond wine, there are craft beers from India, including Himalayan Snowman, Kingfisher and Taj Mahal.
Edited by Collin Dreizen, Chris Cardoso, Julia Larson, Olivia Nolan, Greg Warner and Megan Tkacy.
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