by Amy Glasgow
Five of the best Indian Restaurants in Glasgow
We’re extremely lucky in Glasgow that in the West End alone, there are so many incredible eateries to choose from. So much so that actually choosing where to dine can be quite overwhelming. Which ones are good? Which ones will let you down? I’m here to help!
Each month, I’ll bring you my top five spots for a specific category or type of cuisine. Today we’re talking Indian food. We all know that in Glasgow we love a curry, and the West End is full of fantastic curry houses. Here are my top picks for which ones to head to this month.
MOTHER INDIA
Honestly, it would be blasphemy to put together the best Indian restaurants in the West End and not include Mother India. It is, for many people, an institution, one that people from across Glasgow and beyond flock to for a quality curry. What Mother India does well is the true classics, I still think that their butter chicken is one of the best in Glasgow. But they also offer some dishes that you might not find on your average takeaway menu, like Cod Malabar, or King Prawn and Monkfish with ginger and dill. If you haven’t been, you really need to change that.
w: Mother India
MURPHYS PAKORA BAR
An old favourite given a new lease of life in Finnieston, Murphy’s Pakora Bar offers a menu that dares to be different, as well as probably the most impressive list of pakoras you will ever see. There are the classics you’d expect, like vegetable, mushroom and chicken, but then there are the more unusual, like the Hot Mirchi – fresh bullet chillies stuffed with masala aloo filling, not for the faint hearted. The rest of their menu features a selection of classic curries alongside some more unique, fusion-style dishes, like Indian Fish and Chips, Cauliflower, Amritsara Fish or Lamb Bhoona Tacos, and even ‘beef sliders’.
w: Murphys Pakora Bar
SHISH MAHAL
The supposed home of the chicken tikka masala, Shish Mahal is another Indian restaurant that is very much considered an institution, being one of the oldest running curry houses in the city. Over the years, it has garnered a loyal customer base who return time and time again to enjoy their traditional flavours. If you’re visiting for the first time, it feels only appropriate that you order the tikka masala, which Shish Mahal claims was invented in the kitchen of the restaurant all the way back in 1972!
w: Shish Mahal
LITTLE CURRY HOUSE
After a bit of a makeover post-covid, Little Curry House on Byres Road not only offers sit in and takeaway of its tapas-style Indian Menu, they have also diversified by offering their customers top quality ‘heat and eat’ at home options, so you can enjoy freshly prepared Indian food at any time. Their sit-in menu is designed to be shared, with smaller versions of classic curries and dishes like aloo saag, methi gosht, fish pakora and chef’s specials like butter chicken, chana daal and lamb kahari.
w: Little Curry House
THE MARIGOLD CAFE
The new kid on the block, this cocktail and wine bar serving up Indian inspired small plates has been open just over a month and is already receiving rave reviews. The menu is small but filled with unique dishes that offer a new twist on old favourites. Think prawn biryani bon bons, Indian fried chicken, pulled lamb samosas and even Amritsari fish tacos. We’re headed there to find out what all the fuss is about this weekend, so stay tuned for our full review in the July/August issue of the magazine.
w: The Marigold Cafe
For more of Amy’s mouthwatering reviews, her” 5 of the best” not just Indian restaurants in Glasgow, visit –
Amy Glasgow instagram @theglasgowdiet
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