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Must-Try Indian Restaurants in San Francisco

You can find some great places to eat when you are out and about in San Francisco. I love trying new places and new flavors.

mutton masala anda at san francisco indian restaurants

I have been on a curry and Indian food kick lately, so digging into a plate of lamb vindaloo or doughy, butter-brushed naan makes my taste buds eager with excitement.

There are so many delicious spots to try.

Check out some of my favorite Indian Restaurants in San Francisco below.


ROOH SF

333 Brannan St #150, San Francisco, CA 94107
Phone: 415-525-4174
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Located right off of South Beach Harbor sits ROOH SF.

This progressive Indian cuisine restaurant has refined Indian fare in a sleek environment.

I had the Tandoori Artichoke soup. It was made with soya keema, Nizami salan, and fried onion.

It was warm and packed full of flavor!

My friend got the chickpea curry, and we shared an order of homemade garlic naan bread.

The naan bread was my favorite part!


Udupi Palace

1007 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Phone: 415-970-8000
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Udupi Palace is in the Dolores Heights district of San Francisco.

They specialize in vegetarian Indian fare.

I don’t normally eat a vegetarian diet, but every time I go to Udupi Palace it never has me missing the meat!

This affordable Indian restaurant is so good that I have become a regular there.

My favorite dishes are the Chana Batura and the Chana Masala Curry.

The Chana Batura is a deep-fried white bread served with vegetable korma and chana masala.


Aslam’s Rasoi

1037 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Phone: 415-695-0599
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Aslam’s Rasoi is located right outside of the Dolores Heights district in San Francisco.

I took my little brother out on a sibling date to Aslam’s Rasoi.

He had never had Indian food before, so I thought he better get it from one of the best Indian cuisine places in San Francisco!

My favorite dish is their tandoori chicken. Cooked in their clay oven the tandoori chicken is marinated in ginger, garlic, herbs, and spices.

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It is served over a bed of mixed vegetables and onions. My brother got the karahi gosht, a lamb dish.

It has lamb cooked in butter, garlic, ginger, and spices covered in a semi-dry sauce. It’s safe to say we will be back soon!


Campton Place Bar and Bistro

Taj Campton Place, 340 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94108
Phone: 415-955-5555
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I housed my in-laws at Taj Campton Place when they came out to visit my friend and I.

This landmark hotel has a unique experience with posh rooms and suites.

Located within the hotel are Campton Place Bar and Bistro. We came out to the hotel to visit them one night and decided to try it. I am glad we did!

I paired a smoked salmon brioche and mixed greens with the J sparkling wine.

My friend was starving and got the roasted chicken breast with potato puree and market vegetables.

I have never seen him not finish his food at a restaurant, but he had to get a box for this feast!


Curry Up Now

659 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Phone: 415-903-8700
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After playing with my nieces and nephews at Mission Playground, we were starving for a bite to eat.

We headed over to Curry Up Now, a hip cafe full of creative eats.

Wrapped in tin foil and ready to walk out the door is Curry Up Now’s burritos. My favorite burrito is the Tikka Masala Burrito.

It is stuffed with rice, chana garbanzo masala, and sliced onions wrapped in a tortilla with your choice of protein.

My favorite is chicken.


Pakwan Restaurant

Multiple locations
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When I was in school at City College of San Francisco, Pakwan Restaurant was a short walk from campus.

I became a regular at the casual fast-food Indian restaurant. I went through a vegetarian phase and loved the Bengan Bhartha.

It is eggplant cooked with onions and tomatoes and spiced perfectly.

After that phase, I wanted so much chicken. I changed my order to Chicken Biryani.

This chicken is cooked with spices and tomatoes and served with a side of basmati rice.

I always got some garlic naan to sop up the leftover sauce after I finished my meal.


Amber India Restaurant

25 Yerba Buena Ln, San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: 415-777-0500
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This upscale Indian restaurant is in the Soma district of San Francisco.

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After a visit to Yerba Buena Gardens, my friend and I stopped in for a fancy dinner.

We started our dinner with a Samosa off the appetizer menu. These crisp potato pea dumplings were to die for.

I got the Nawabi Chicken entree for my main course.

Mary’s Farm organic chicken thigh was spiced with the house spices and topped with a spiced yogurt marinade.


Besharam

1275 Minnesota St, San Francisco, CA 94107
Phone: 415-580-7662
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My friends and I went out for drinks at Besharam after attending a concert at The Midway. My favorite was the Chowpatty Sunset.

It had blue ice vodka, spiced California, loft dry, and raspberry syrup.

I had 3 or 4 of these before I decided I better try at least one more of their craft cocktails.

The Besharam Ruby was my second choice. A butterfly pea tea-infused pisco, Aperol, and pear liqueur made this drink delicious.

I was only able to get one before we decided the night was over. I hope to one day go back and try their dinner menu!


Curry Leaf

943 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133
Phone: 415-440-4293
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This modern Indian street-side cafe is a great place to go for classic Indian fare. It is in the North Beach district of San Francisco.

We decided to skip the appetizers for dinner, even though they all looked very tasty. I decided to go with the Seekh Kababs.

I tried one chicken, one beef, and one lamb.

They were all spiced with fresh ginger that gave them a little bit of a kick. My friend got lamb curry and a side of garlic naan.


Keeva Indian Kitchen

908 Clement St, San Francisco, CA 94118
Phone: 415-742-4010
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This is a casual stop for some Indian cuisine. It’s not far from Golden Gate Park, so I headed over after an afternoon run through the park.

I ordered ahead and went back to the park to eat because it was such a nice day. I went with the Chettinad Goat Curry.

It was delicious!

It was goat meat slow-cooked in freshly ground homemade spices, blended with black pepper and coconut milk. I will be going back soon!


Little Delhi

83 Eddy St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: 415-398-3173
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Little Delhi is classic Indian fare in a colorful setting within the Soma district of San Francisco.

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I had the Paneer Shashlyk Tandoori, the house special.

This Indian BBQ was so tender and falling off the bone. It was marinated with Indian herbs and spices to pack it full of flavor.

My friend got the Chicken Vindaloo. Chicken with potatoes cooked in a hot and spicy curry sauce.

He of course got naan on the side but decided to go with plain on this evening (instead of his usual garlic).


Ritu – Indian Soul Food

3111 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Phone: 415-874-9045
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Ritu is a contemporary neighborhood Indian cafe in the Mission District of San Francisco.

The dishes here challenge the eater’s perception of traditional Indian food.

They put a new twist on classic dishes like curry and tandoori. Their greenmarket-sourced ingredients give their dishes a fresh outlook.


Shalimar Restaurant

Multiple locations
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I went to the Shalimar location on Polk St. after a day at Benchmark Climbing.

This affordable Indian fare is great for stopping by for a quick lunch.

My favorite dish is the Saag Gosht. It is a combination of tender chunks of lamb cooked with fresh spinach, crisp coriander, and an array of aromatic herbs.


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Written by Brian Nagele

Brian attended West Virginia University, then started his career in the IT industry before following his passion for marketing and hospitality. He has over 20 years experience in the restaurant and bar industry.

As a former restaurant owner, he knows about running a food business and loves to eat and enjoy cocktails on a regular basis. He constantly travels to new cities tasting and reviewing the most popular spots.

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