Student Eats: The 7 Best Indian Restaurants In Edinburgh

Indian cuisine has always held a special place in the hearts of us Scots, and luckily for students, there are so many Indian restaurants in Edinburgh!

With the foodie scene in Edinburgh incredibly diverse and exciting, knowing where to start seems like the hardest decision in the world.

So, to help you on your way, we pulled together some of the best Indian restaurants in Edinburgh, let’s take a look.

The best part? You’re never too far away from anything in our luxury student accommodation in Edinburgh!

1. Dishoom

3a St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, EH2 2BD

Based in the heart of the city at St Andrew’s Square you will find Dishoom which offers a slightly different menu from your usual Indian restaurant.

They offer a truly unique dining experience in a relaxed yet sophisticated atmosphere that gives you a true feel of what a cafe in the 1920s in Bombay would feel like. 

You will be seated by a very welcoming and friendly waiter/waitress, who are all very knowledgeable and will explain in as much detail as needed how the menu works.

The starters are classed as small plates which do come out first, but you can request for them to come out with your mains.

They offer a couple of choices of curry, along with a large selection of grills available – it’s almost like an Indian tapas if you get all your dishes together!

You have to make sure you try the cooling Lassis after your meal, which really does help cleanse the palate after such a flavoursome meal. 

The high ceilings, ambience, rustic smells, and plants all around the restaurant really give you the feeling of being rich and awesome!

If you’re not in the catchment area for deliveries at the moment, make sure you check this place out after lockdown. 

2. Pakora Bar

96 Hanover Street, Edinburgh. EH2 1DR

If you’re looking for some authentic home-made Punjabi street food, there’s no better place than The Pakora Bar on Hanover Street! 

The small, quirky, family-run Indian restaurant started off selling their amazing food around festivals from a van, where long queues of enthusiastic punters made them realise they were onto something!

Before long they set up full time in the city centre and have become a go-to for many people for a bite of lunch or dinner!

When we are not in lockdown they are open to 3am and will see many drunken, hungry revellers stop off for a late-night snack.

On the last Saturday of every month they even have a DJ until the early hours of the morning!  

They have a huge variety of yummy food available on their menu, which their staff are always more than happy to give you a full rundown of to ensure that you get something right for you!

One of their specialities is their haggis pakora, served with mango chilli chutney – which they also offer as a vegan option!  

You are guaranteed to have an amazing experience at The Pakora Bar, whether it’s a takeaway or when you are able to go into the restaurant and fully enjoy the cheerful atmosphere it has about it – it’s definitely one to check out! 

3. Ronaq

10 – 12 Craigleith Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2DP & 31 East Market Street, Edinburgh, EH8 8FS 

If you’re looking for Premium Indian restaurants in Edinburgh, Ronaq is the place to go! 

At Ronaq they strive to bring you a fine dining experience that is second to none, in a contemporary atmosphere, providing mouth-watering traditional homemade dishes.

They carefully select their chefs, who each carry over 25 years of experience in traditional Indian and Punjabi cooking, to ensure you have a truly authentic experience! 

They offer a great selection of dishes all cooked to outstanding quality to ensure you can experience true Indian-tasting foods.

You can be sure to be looked after by their extremely attentive and knowledgeable staff, who can point you in the right direction if you’re unsure what you are after! 

They have a restaurant at Comely Bank and more recently have opened up a new venture in the heart of Edinburgh’s £150 million New Waverley development, which is currently transforming the city’s Old Town.

The new restaurant includes a large ground-level bar leading upstairs to a stunning first-floor dining area – you have to check it out when we are out of lockdown! 

4. Kebabish

128 Dalry Road, Edinburgh, EH11 2EZ

Located just a 5- minute walk from Haymarket Station, you will find one of Edinburgh’s great no-frills restaurants – Kebabish! 

You definitely need to go and enjoy ‘The Thrill of The Grill’ and taste a range of flavours from across the Mediterranean, Pakistan and India, in a comfortable, contemporary environment.

They have a stunning open-plan real charcoal grill, which provides a theatre to the preparation of your meal! 

Kebabish is a BYOB restaurant and offers free corkage, which helps keep the cost of your meal down and the Co-Op is next door.

This is super ideal for grabbing any drinks you want for your meal just before heading in for your meal.

The food is full of flavours, reasonably priced, and well portioned – so it’s definitely worth a visit when lockdown is over or perfect for a takeaway! 

5. Mother India Cafe 

3-5 Infirmary Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1LT

Mother India’s Cafe offers an Indian twist on tapas that you absolutely must try, one of the many popular Indian restaurants in Edinburgh! 

Situated a short distance from the main University of Edinburgh’s campus on George Square, you will find the infamous restaurant offering a range of freshly prepared and tasty dishes. 

If you are going for the tapas experience, you would be best ordering two or three items per person as the portion sizes are generous!

The food is fantastic, fresh and full of flavour without being overly expensive, which alongside the attentive and courteous staff makes for a really enjoyable experience! 

They are always busy, especially at peak times of the weekend, so if you are going to try this place after lockdown make sure you make a reservation to ensure a table! 

6. Gautams

13-14 Dalziel Place, Edinburgh. EH7 5TP

Situated right across the road from Straits Meadow accommodation, you will find the family-run Indian restaurant Gautam’s. 

From the quality of the food to the service, your experience at Gautams is bound to be second to none.

The staff really add to the experience with their warm welcome from the moment you walk in, to their extensive knowledge of the cuisine being served which sets a lovely atmosphere for you to enjoy your dinner. 

They offer a wide variety of Indian Cuisine, but a stand out dish that customers always rave about are their chicken momos!

If you are unsure what a momo is, it is essentially a dumpling usually steamed and made of wheat flour and a filling inside – they really are mouth-wateringly good, a must-try! 

They are currently doing a 15% discount for collection orders Monday – Thursday, so make sure to utilise this offer whilst you can! 

7. Chaskaa Indian Restaurant

30-32 Leven St, Edinburgh EH3 9LJ 

Located in the heart of Edinburgh city centre, Chaskaa is an award-winning Indian restaurant which has been providing people with traditional Indian cuisines since 2020. 

The word Chaskaa comes from a Hindi word and symbolizes a taste that gets you addicted – no wonder people can’t get enough of it!  

If you’re looking for a quick bite to eat before exploring the tourist spots that Edinburgh has to offer, or if you’re a curry lover eager to find a new date spot, then this is the place for you. 

With halal food plus vegetarian and vegan options at this restaurant, there really is something yummy for everyone to enjoy. 

They are currently offering a 10% discount for all collection orders, so what are you waiting for? Go and try the best Indian food for yourself! 

Why not book with our Prestige student accommodation in Edinburgh so you can experience these lovely places for yourself!