Jordan EllisMy friends and I usually rotate who’s going to plan our restaurant-hopping activity every other weekend.
The one assigned that day thought ordering from the first trendy spot she saw online would be enough. However, the curries arrived bland, and the naan (leavened flatbread) was already tough by the time we ate.
After that disaster, she quietly asked me for recommendations since I’m usually the one hunting for the most exciting yet underrated restaurants in the city.
To help her on our next foodie trip, we started comparing Indian restaurants in Columbus based on authenticity, spice levels, and portion sizes. So if you’re also craving authentic, bold flavors, here are the places we think are worth checking out.
1. Clove Indian Bistro
Address: 6642 Sawmill Rd, North West Square
Contact Details:
- +1 614 389 2527
- [email protected]
Business Hours:
- Mon, Wed-Sun: 11:30 am to 3:00 pm, 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm
- Tue: Closed
Clove Indian Bistro serves up bold, authentic Indian flavors with a twist of Indo-Chinese fusion at their Columbus spot.
They opened around 2022, making them a newer player with a quick buzz in the city. Now, this family-owned dining spot offers dine-in, takeout, delivery, and catering.
We like that they focus on real recipes with no shortcuts, using bold spices for street-style favorites and rich classics that many spots skip.
Our favorites are the chicken tikka masala (curry with chicken chunks), malai kofta (fried cheese dumplings), and tandoori (smoky grilled) items.
Their popular all-you-can-eat lunch buffet runs Friday through Sunday and is priced between $16.99 and $18.99. But for à la carte items, their popular curries and Indo-Chinese specialties range from $14 to $18.
These rates put them in a competitive mid-range option in the city. While some might find them pricier than others, we reckon their modern vibe and weekend value keep this reasonable.
Just note that their medium spice level can be significantly higher than typical American-Indian restaurant standards. For us, this might be too intense for some.
Clean restaurant and comfortable seating
“Always a great experience. The restaurant is clean, seating is comfortable, the staff and the service is exceptional, and the food is delicious. We love going there. This time our server was Manoj, and he was one of the kindest people we have known. He checked on us several times without being intrusive, perfectly timed all our orders so that the food came out hot and it was prepared with care and was delicious. Highly recommend. We will be going back again.”
-Akshay Sood, Google Review
Hands down the best food and service
“Amazing place! Food was phenomenal, we have tried Indian all around town and this was hands down the best food and service. Shout out to Manny for being so kind and awesome. Incredibly attentive staff who predicted all of our needs before we could even ask! Added bonus is the food is all very well-plated. Could come here every day and it would never get old :)”
-Madison Bushloper, Google Review
2. New India Restaurant
Address: 5226 Bethel Center Mall, Bethel Center
Contact Details:
- +1 614 442 7705
- [email protected]
Business Hours:
- Mon, Wed-Fri: 11:00 am to 2:30 pm, 4:00 pm to 9:30 pm
- Sat-Sun: 11:30 am to 3:00 pm, 4:00 pm to 9:30 pm
- Tue: Closed
New India Restaurant delivers classic North Indian eats with halal options, fresh breads, and bold curries in a cozy family-run spot.
This eatery has been in the business since 2002 and has been a long-time favorite for weekend buffets. Still, we think their strongest suit is their variety of vegan, gluten-free, and keto options.
This place even offers street food like pani puri (crispy hollow shells with spiced water) or chaats (savory street snacks) that other restaurants don’t have.
For sweet tooths, we also recommend the gulab jamun (soft milk-solid dumplings) and kheer (traditional chilled rice pudding).
They’re a mid- to upper-range option in Columbus, which is pricier than several direct suburban rivals. That’s still fair for us, given their dietary inclusivity.
This restaurant’s Grand Indian Buffet runs Friday through Sunday for around $20 per person. Meanwhile, most à la carte curries here range from $18 to $21, making a full dinner for 2 typically fall between $50 and $70.
However, a diner we talked to experienced a lack of attentiveness from the staff during busy shifts. While inevitable, we believe this dining spot still has room to improve with its service standards.
Everything was delicious with generous portions
“We tried the 3 courses in the vegan week and everything was delicious! Generous portions.”
-Cinthya Arechiga, Google Review
Most fantastic buffet among all the restaurants in the area
“The buffet is fantastic! Among all of the restaurants in the area, o definitely made the right decision to dine here. You won’t be disappointed!”
-Jeff Hafner, Google Review
3. Taj on Fifth
Address: 1021 W 5th Ave
Contact Details:
- +1 614 696 4844
- [email protected]
Business Hours:
- Tue-Fri: 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm
- Sat: 11:00 am to 10:00 pm
- Sun: 11:00 am to 9:00 pm
- Mon: Closed
Taj on Fifth mixes classic Indian dishes with modern twists and craft cocktails in their sleek Grandview spot. Opened in 2024, they’re tied to Columbus’ Indian food legacy for upscale vibes and bold flavors.
Their owner, Ajay Kumar, is the son of the founder of the original Taj Mahal, which was Columbus’ first Indian restaurant in the 1980s. For us, this adds to the premium vibe here.
This place is also known for its innovative small plates and signature dishes with global twists, like kale chaat (a crispy street food snack), instead of basic samosas.
They even grind spices in-house for fresh tastes in elevated dishes like galouti kebabs (tender spiced patties), which we believe sets them apart from standard buffets.
Their appetizers typically range from $10 to $18, while their signature large plates fall between $21 and $28. Also, their drinks average around $12 to $15. This makes them more expensive than other typical Indian restaurants in the city.
Plus, someone we interviewed experienced a computer glitch that prevented servers from applying happy hour discounts at the end of the night. We think this could understandably frustrate some groups.
So flavorful with just the perfect amount of spice and seasoning
“Absolutely fantastic! Every dish is so flavorful with just the perfect amount of spices and seasoning. Great atmosphere, wonderful staff. We have found a new favorite! More”
-Danielle Moffat, Google Review
The flavors are so developed, deep, and pronounced
“Legit our new favorite Indian restaurant in central Ohio. The flavors are so developed, deep, and pronounced. Not your average anything. I had lamb vindaloo, wife had paneer tika. Kale chat appetizer. Here’s the kicker, their cocktails are delicious. Many use various indian spices. The spicy marg and jasmine were delish. We drive down from Powell for it.”
-Chuck X, Google Review
4. Taste of Awadh By Chef Anand
Address: 3011 Olentangy River Rd
Contact Details:
- +1 614 670 4730
Business Hours:
- Tue-Sun: 11:30 am to 3:00 pm, 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm
- Mon: Closed
Taste of Awadh By Chef Anand spotlights rare Awadhi (a historical region in North Central Uttar Pradesh in India) cuisine from Lucknow.
Chef Anand brings over 25 years of experience to this fine dining place with his authentic flavors that many patrons crave. Plus, we’re all for their traditionally less greasy and more aromatic food than standard Punjabi fare.
In our opinion, this spot nails Awadhi specialties like parda biryanis (sealed spiced rice) and galouti kebabs (soft meat patties). They also feature melt-in-mouth kebabs (grilled meat dishes) and slow-cooked curries.
When it comes to the costs, the average à la carte entrees here typically range from $15 to $22. So though they offer a luxurious atmosphere, we like that they provide a slightly more accessible price point for traditional entrees.
Just one thing, though. We think some portion sizes here can feel small for the price. A diner we spoke with also mentioned that their takeout containers seemed a bit underfilled relative to the cost.
Everything tasted fresh and well-prepared
“Tried the buffet at Taste of Awadh and had a great experience. The variety of dishes was impressive, with plenty of flavorful options across the buffet. Everything tasted fresh and well prepared. The hospitality was excellent—the staff was welcoming, attentive, and made the experience even more enjoyable. The pricing was also very reasonable for the quality and selection offered. Overall, it was a very satisfying dining experience. If you’re in Columbus and looking for a good buffet with great food, warm service, and good value, this is definitely worth trying.”
-Jeevan Raj, Google Review
They have the best food so far
“They deserve 5 star they have the best food so far I taste every Indian restaurant but this is the best one, you can’t get full for eating their delicious food and the service guy Peter he is nice guy understandable I will recommend to go get check it out thanks”
-Alika, Google Review
5. Rooh Columbus
Address: 685 N High St, Alexanders Jewelers
Contact Details:
- +1 614 972 8678
- [email protected]
Business Hours:
- Mon-Thu: 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm
- Fri-Sat: 8:00 am to 2:00 pm, 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm
- Sun: 8:00 am to 2:00 pm, 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Rooh Columbus delivers progressive Indian dishes with creative twists and killer cocktails in a colorful hotspot. Established in late 2019, they’re all about blending India’s soul with local flair for upscale nights out.
If you want something really flavorful, it’s interesting for us that they’re known for a menu that follows the Ayurvedic philosophy of 6 tastes. This involves sweet, sour, salt, bitter, pungent, and astringent.
They also fuse traditional spices with global techniques like tempura kale in chaat (crispy fried kale) or truffle naan (leavened bread). In our book, these elevated riffs go beyond basic curries.
But for their fine-casual vibe, you can expect they’re significantly more expensive than your average neighborhood curry house. They offer an experimental Michelin-style presentation, which we reckon tells us why.
More specifically, their small plates range from $14 to $19, while their main entrees range from $24 to $38. To go with those, their craft cocktails are priced between $14 to $18.
Do keep in mind that while vibrant, this space can get extremely loud. This can make intimate conversation difficult during weekend rushes. The tables are also packed quite closely together.
Top-tier food, with spices and flavors on 10
“This place was wonderful. The food was top tier. Spices and flavors on 10. Definitely recommend.”
-Jomika Sherrell, Google Review
The atmosphere was warm, and I’d give the service 11/10
“We tried Rooh for the first time this weekend, and it did not disappoint. Our server recommended the sweet potato chaat as a starter and it was probably my favorite dish of the night – amazing blend of flavors and textures. For our main course my husband and I shared the butter chicken and the lamb shank – both were incredible. Since we were celebrating a birthday we got a free mango coconut sorbet which was fresh and delicious. We also tried the strawberry chai tres leches cake which was so unique and amazing. The atmosphere was warm and I’d give the service 11/10. Definitely will be traveling back to Columbus just for this restaurant. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟”
-Allison Krukenberg, Google Review
