Best Places For Indian Food In The United States

But New York has a way of overshadowing the cultural abundance that percolates directly beyond its borders. That’s quite literally the case with Jersey City, just across the Hudson River. Here, the country’s most vibrant Indian neighborhood lies hidden under the silhouette of a lower Manhattan skyline.

Jersey City’s significance is by no means some well-guarded secret. Asian-Indians account for more than 11% of the local population — a higher proportion than any other major American city. It has hosted one of the country’s largest Holi festivals every spring dating back to 1992. And regional press has been highlighting its status as a Hindu hub since the mid-’80s. It is a tale seldom told to tourists, however.

India Square

The story centers around a two-block-long strip of Newark Avenue. This is India Square: a dense menagerie of eateries, grocers, jewelers and clothing shops representing one of the fastest-growing ethnic enclaves in the United States.

Satinder Saggar was among the first wave of restaurateurs to set up shop along the corridor. For 23 years, he’s been running Rasoi, an endearing diner specializing in Punjabi fare.

Hailing from a state in the northwestern part of India, this cuisine typically consists of savory proteins slathered in rich gravies. Chicken makhani and lamb vindaloo are long-running standouts on the lengthy menu.

“When I opened, I was the second one here,” he recalls. “Now there are more than 20 Indian restaurants on either side. And over the last 10 years, it is getting increasingly popular.”

Today he is joined by other hotspots such as Raaz, where diners can enjoy a smattering of delicacies ranging from the Indo-Persian flavors of a robust kadai paneer to a fruit and nut-studded stew of Punjab known as navratan korma. Kolkata style fish fingers inspired by Bengali flavors arrive alongside rara gosht — a goat curry from the north — and an aromatic vegetable biryani traditional to the south.

At Curry On, the aforementioned rice dish is instead built around chicken, roasted on the bone. A style known as Hyderabadi, it comes together under the slow-cooking method of dum pukht. The kitchen is equally adept at preparing rogan josh, a Kashmiri curry flavored with alkanet flower and red chilis.

Old, new and fusion fare

As of late, speciality shops are popping up, focusing on particular items and regions.

Paratha Junction excels at the eponymous flatbread — typically stuffed with potatoes and paneer. Korai Kitchen is a newcomer featuring a full Bengali menu. At Sri Ganesh’s Dosa House, you can select from vegetarian renderings of the southern Indian snack food staple.

While most of these establishments own an unassuming, ‘home-cooked’ kind of vibe, a polished, upscale element is emerging.

“There’s definitely a lot more higher-end places opening up,” observes Suvir Bhalla, a first-generation immigrant who has lived in Jersey City for eight years. “Raaz and Vaibhav have more of a modern vibe. And at Mantra they’re mixing in some Manchurian flavors. That’s a big thing these days — Asian fusion.” To wit, an entire section of menu here is dedicated to ‘Indo-Chinese’ rice and noodles.

Although he appreciates the experimentation, Bhalla is more compelled by preparations most familiar to his youth. “If I’m not eating my mom’s cooking, I’ll eat at Rasoi,” he admits.

Even before finding a new home here, ‘JC’ was already informing the flavors of his old one. “Long before I moved, my parents would always go food shopping in Jersey City,” he says. “It’s the hub for my people.”

The sentiment is shared by many Indian immigrants throughout the Tri-State area. And in a surprising role reversal, more and more New Yorkers — of all backgrounds — find themselves exiting to Jersey when its time for cultural exploration.