Indian food is delicious. There are so many different dishes and ingredients to try, and that’s part of the fun (and endless novelty) of Indian cuisine.

by Max Fisher

Indian cusine is uniquely flavorful, using complex blends of spices & offers a variety of dishes to try

YouTube Just Won’t Cut it

There are some things in life you just can’t make at home. I don’t care how good a chef you think you are. I don’t care about the bake sale you spearheaded in college to raise funds for your sorority or fraternity. I don’t care how many Yelp reviews you wrote that have positive upvotes. None of that matters! You can’t make everything at home and expect it to come out good. One of the more prevalent dishes I’ve encountered in my worldly travels (because yes, I do on occasion step out of the Elmwood area) where people think they can grasp the complexities of the dish with nothing more than a free afternoon, a working stove, and a 20-minute YouTube video only to be displeased with the end result being (drumroll please…) curry. And in my experience if you want good curry, you have to go to an Indian restaurant, this is a fact; nothing more nothing less.

So, if you’re interested in finding some good curry along with other great traditional Indian dishes, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s get started exploring the many Indian Restaurants in Buffalo Niagara!

So Much to Try, So Little Time

Now I know I started this piece talking about curry (and I’m going to talk a bit more about curry a little later on), but if I only focused on that one dish, I’d be doing the entirety of Indian cuisine a disservice, and I refuse to do that because they have so much great food to offer. Just to name a few there’s Lassi, which is a blend of yogurt, water, spices and sometimes fruit. There’s Samosa, which are fried, baked pastries with a savory filling like spiced potatoes, onions, peas, chicken, and other meats or lentils. It may take different forms, including triangular, cone, or half-moon shapes. And then there’s Biryani, which is made with Indian spices, rice, and meat; usually that of chicken, goat, lamb, prawn, fish, and sometimes eggs or vegetables such as potato. And believe me, that merely scratches the surface of what Indian cuisine has to offer. The list goes on and on.

Clay Handi Restaurant

India Gate on Elmwood

Now that we know that Indian cuisine is rich and varied (and I know some of you already knew about these dishes, but I appreciate you being quiet in class so others could learn about them as well). The question on the tip of your tongue is, “where can I go to eat these dishes?” To which my response would be just two words: India Gate. India Gate is a great place not only to get authentic Indian food, but it’s also just a damn good place to get a good meal. When you first walk in, the first thing you’ll notice is the lighting is super dim. You won’t have to have cat eyes to eat in either of their two locations (one is on Elmwood and the other is on Hertel, and yes, I did say that I do get out of the Elmwood area on occasion, but I never specified that it was this occasion).

So, it is quite dark, and although that may not be to everyone’s liking, (I like it, but I may be part vampire) it sets a nice mood if you want the feeling of intimacy for a date or you just want to be left alone. Plus, the place has a real calming feel to it, with quiet music in the background. It’s almost like an Indian lullaby and trickling water (because they have a small water statue in the front room). All the tables are spaced out for privacy, so it’s pretty easy to feel like you and your friends are the only people there, which is a vibe all to itself. The staff are great as well. From what I can tell from the times I’ve been there, everyone working there is very nice and hospitable, ready to answer whatever questions you have with a genuine smile.

Taste of India

But let’s not forget about the curry (I told you I’d get back to it). And of course, this isn’t just the curry in the packet that you find at the international section of Wegmans that you just heat up for five minutes then pour over some rice and call it a day. No, this is the real deal. From chicken to shrimp, it’s all made with authentic Indian spices as well as authentic Indian chefs, which results in wonderful dishes that any true curry lover owes to themselves to try at least once.

Indian Food Noob? Don’t Miss Out

Indian food is delicious. I’m not giving a particularly hot take by stating this, but it is true. There are so many different dishes and ingredients that go into preparing every meal that it can seem altogether alien to someone solely used to a Western diet, but that’s part of the fun. Enjoy the aspect of exploration, and the willingness to try something new and explore a different culture that’s completely different than your own through food. Maybe you’ve never had real curry. In that case, I strongly suggest you try some from an authentic place (skip the supermarket and the D.I.Y attitude on this one. Trust me, you’ll thank me later).

Buffalo

Zaika Indian Cuisine & Bar

Niagara Falls

What do you think of our guide to Indian restaurants in Buffalo Niagara? Have a favorite? Know a great one that we missed? Makhani or tikka masala? Dosa or naan? Let us know.

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