Offering diners a glimpse of just how innovative and imaginative Indian food can be, Amrina showcases Indian street food at its tapas-only bar, moving from course to course with a lively honk of a horn. All systems go in the dining room, which offers standout dishes like tender ostrich kebab, “holy moly bread” like butter chicken kulcha, a red wine braised lamb shank, and a smoky, gooey tandoori mac and cheese. Dessert is just as decadent, with a delicate masala chai marble cake, made with a pistachio biscotti crumble and milk ice cream.

Located within a grandiose ISKON temple, Govinda’s serves daily buffets of vegetarian food focusing on barbecue tofu and classic staples like dal makhani and bhindi masala — plus, serves an entirely vegan menu on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Be sure to take your plate outside, so you can eat in the shade of the main worship hall.

From the team behind Oporto, Da Gama fuses Portuguese and Indian flavors, taking guests on a rousing culinary journey in a vibrant and upscale setting. Find traditional plates like samosas stuffed with spiced potatoes, masala lamb chops, and crab pani puri, but also dishes like charred Portuguese octopus. Visit during social hour and find bar bites and cocktails discounted to $9 and less.

Among the many vendors in the newly opened Lyric Market, Kati Roll Wala puts the spotlight on kati rolls, a popular Indian street food roll up. Wraps can be rolled with fillings like spiced potatoes, paneer tikka, or cilantro chicken and taste even better when dipped in chutney. Hungry for more? Kati Roll Wala offers spiced fries, samosas, and chaat.

Live out your fantasies of royalty in one of Houston’s most opulent restaurants. Special touches like a vivid red beet powder on lamb chops, or a crystallized mint placed atop stewed goat ensure every dish is not only tasty but visually spectacular. Looking to imbibe? Gin-lovers can partake in sips at the bar, which boasts one of the most impressive gin collections in the city.

This time-honored restaurant from James Beard Award nominee Anita Jaisinghani is one of the best bets for sweet and savory Indian eats. Make a meal out of Madras chicken wings and a dosa, before venturing upstairs to the bake lab for a taste of something sweet after your meal. Chai pie, chile chocolate chip cookies, and saffron bread pudding all pair wonderfully with a cardamom latte.

Verandah mixes presentation from modern-American style fine dining with the flavors of South Asia. Chef’s creations like tandoori lobster tail or braised rabbit with korma sauce bring this vision to life alongside a cocktail menu based on updated versions of classic drinks like a tamarind martini or bourbon-infused chai.

An Upper Kirby fine dining staple, Kiran’s menu is elegant and refined. Find plates like tandoori quail, rack of lamb, plus seafood curry, along classics like butter chicken and creamy saag. Just as popular as its dining menu is Kiran’s afternoon tea service. A meld of Indian and British culture, tea time begins with dishes like tandoori chicken over chai and colossal crab with jalapeno jelly, and ends with adorable petit fours served after Earl Grey.

Indulge in some of the city’s boldest flavors at this charming South Indian counter service restaurant in the Mahatma Gandhi District. Expect perfectly fermented dosas that retains a notable crispness, plus one of the city’s richest chole bhatures — a bone-warming stew featuring earthy flavors like fresh cumin, coriander, and slow-cooked onions over silky chickpeas.

Dating back to the ‘80s, this historic dessert shop has bragging rights for being one of Houston’s very first Indian restaurants. For more than 35 years, the jalebi remains as well fried as always, giving diners a perfect, funnel cake-like dessert to bring to any social event. While known far and wide for its bounty of sweets, Raja Sweets also offers a number of savory menu offerings for dine-in or take-out.

This sleek cinema-themed counter service snack house serves some of the city’s best fried street eats in the Mahatma Gandhi District. With Bollywood movie posters plastered on the wall, and music videos playing from old films, the atmosphere is reminiscent of a real Indian theater. Go for Chowpatty’s mixed chaat platter and get a taste of four different dishes in one.

The city’s most famous Pakistani restaurant continues to delight, years into its run. The signature fried chicken mixes masala spices and a Southern buttermilk frying technique for a distinctly Houston experience, while the hara masala sauce brings a refreshing yogurt tang alongside its chili heat. Unsure of what to order? Pictures and article cutouts from more than a decade of stellar reviews show you the favorite dishes of just about every food critic to visit Houston.

This vegetarian counter service joint is known for its casual menu of street eats, including chaat, samosas, bhel, and pav bhaji, a spiced potato puree topped with ghee and served with toasted buns. At Shiv Sagar, they don’t refrain from spice, so pair your meal with a sweet lassi or an imported soda like Limca or Thums Up.

This outpost from Mumbai specializes in thalis, allowing you to sample a variety of dishes from India’s West coast in buffet style, but with convenient table-side service. With each thali containing around twenty items, and a menu that frequently changes, every experience at Maharaja Bhog is new and unique. Come hungry — Maharajah Bhog is all you can eat.

The menu at Aga’s is vast — goat chops, beef kababs, and chicken lollipops are among the favorites, and all are made with 100 percent halal meat. Complement the spice with a host of house-made cold drinks, like mango lassi and mint lemonade.

This charming Sugar Land Town Center restaurant puts a modern spin on Indian cuisine, and features a full bar showcasing a number of imaginative cocktails to pair with your meal. Start with a saffron spritzer and the sky high Chinese noodle chaat, then indulge in the grilled shrimp Goan curry or sizzling platter of toofani chicken.