Liverpool’s Indian restaurant scene is more varied and more accomplished than most visitors — and many locals — realise. The city offers a remarkable sweep of the subcontinent’s regional cooking: Keralan seafood curries and freshly made dosas in a Victorian building on Victoria Street, Punjabi grills and saffron biryanis beside the waterfront at Kings Dock, Indian street food in a craft beer hall above Bold Street, and a fully vegetarian and vegan Indian kitchen quietly rated among the best in the UK by The Guardian and The Sunday Times. Whether you’re after a special occasion dinner, a quick affordable lunch, or a menu that takes you well beyond the standard curry house, here are the eight best Indian restaurants in Liverpool in 2026.

Mowgli was born to feed the raw need Indians have for tiffins overflowing with fresh, bright, and intense flavours — a restaurant that prioritises the herbs and spices used in recipes found in Indian family homes, bringing the zing of an Indian home kitchen and putting a modern twist on traditional South Asian flavours in the heart of Liverpool. Founded by Nisha Katona — barrister turned restaurateur, author, and television presenter — Mowgli opened its first restaurant on Bold Street before the Water Street location followed, found near the historic Town Hall and the iconic Liverpool waterfront, perfectly positioned for those exploring the city’s rich maritime heritage.

The swing seats have become something of a signature, but the food is the real reason the queues form: the Lamb Bhuna Bun, the Office Worker’s Tiffin — a four-tier stacked tiffin box with chef-chosen meat, vegetable and carb layers — and the Bunny Chow curry bread bowl are among the most inventive Indian dishes served anywhere in Liverpool.

Mowgli Street Food — Water Street, Liverpool L2 8TD | mowglistreetfood.com/restaurants/liverpool-water-street

Opened on Victoria Street in a Grade II-listed building, The Grand by Ikkayees seats over 100 and offers a diverse Indian menu drawn from India’s 28 states, developed after extensive culinary travels across the subcontinent — with an open kitchen letting diners watch dishes being prepared. Proud winner of the UK’s Best Curry Award, the restaurant is committed to quality, authenticity, and unforgettable flavour — with chefs combining traditional cooking methods with a modern twist, ensuring every plate tells a story of heritage, flavour and culture.

The Kozhikodan Chicken Biryani — made with the rare jeerakasala rice used in Calicut’s famous version of the dish — is one of the most technically distinguished biryanis served in Liverpool. The Kerala seafood dishes, the Malabar beef preparations, and an ongoing Dosa Festival helmed by Executive Culinary Leader Chef Rajesh Melkyur make The Grand by Ikkayees one of the most exciting and ambitious South Indian restaurants in the North of England. Rated 9.2 out of 10 on TheFork, it is rapidly establishing itself as one of the finest Indian restaurants in Liverpool.

The Grand by Ikkayees — 15 Victoria Street, Liverpool L2 5QS | thegrandikkayees.co.uk

It seems that everyone in Liverpool knows about Sanskruti yet it still feels like a bit of a secret — perhaps because of its unusual location in the Business District, down a staircase luring passers-by with delicious smells. Voted amongst The Guardian’s and The Times’ top UK restaurants, Sanskruti is a fully vegetarian and vegan Indian restaurant that serves an array of fresh, vibrant dishes across a menu of extraordinary length and variety — many of which you are unlikely to find at any other Indian restaurant in Liverpool.

The Sharing Tandoori Platter for two — a generously spiced selection of tandoori starters served with dipping sauces — is the ideal way to begin, while the Daal Makhani made with slow-cooked black lentils in a smoky, creamy base is one of the most comforting dishes on the menu. The impressive thali features a delightful selection of smaller portions showcasing a harmonious blend of starters, mains, dal, rice, roti, salad and dessert — perfect for first-timers who want a guided tour of the kitchen’s range.

Sanskruti — Bixteth Street, Liverpool L3 9LP | sanskrutirestaurant.co.uk/liverpool

EastZEast is a stylish and contemporary Punjabi restaurant located at Kings Dock, Port of Liverpool — a multi-award-winning Indian restaurant offering authentic Punjabi cuisine including traditional dishes and a variety of cocktails and mocktails, with views across the waterfront that make it one of the most atmospheric Indian restaurants in the city.

From the sizzling EastZEast Mixed Starter featuring succulent lamb chops and tender seekh kebabs, to the richly spiced seafood dishes, each plate tells a tale of culinary excellence — with the warm, welcoming atmosphere enhancing the experience and making it perfect for families and larger gatherings. The freshly baked naan bread draws particular praise from regulars — described consistently as obsession-worthy — alongside a mango and strawberry lassi selection that makes the drinks list as worth exploring as the food.

EastZEast — Unit 1, Keel Wharf, Kings Dock, Liverpool L3 4FN | eastzeast.com/booking/liverpool

Bundobust Liverpool is a casual, lively beer hall on an open-plan first floor overlooking Bold Street — Liverpool’s independent food and drink capital — with communal bench seating inside and out, perfect for reaching across and sharing Bhajis and Okra Fries, as well as individual tables for smaller groups. The concept is straightforwardly brilliant: contemporary Indian street food served alongside Bundobust’s own craft brewery beers, with a two-dish Lunch Express deal available daily until 4pm that makes it one of the best value lunches on Bold Street.

Bundobust brings contemporary takes on Indian street food to Liverpool, with bhaji butty burgers, okra fries and lassis that won’t break the bank — and the 10 keg and 2 cask lines pouring Bundobust Brewery’s own beers alongside specially selected guest collaborations make it as much a destination for craft beer as for food. It’s perfect for a quick lunch, getting all your friends around one table, or a few beers before a big night exploring Liverpool’s other amazing independents on Bold Street.

Bundobust — 1st Floor, 55 Bold Street, Liverpool L1 4EU | bundobust.com/locations/liverpool

Located on Duke Street, Indian Tiffin Room has quickly become Liverpool’s go-to destination for Indian street food since opening — with guests raving about their dining experiences and calling them “phenomenal” and “out of this world.” The kitchen takes its inspiration from the bustling street food scenes of India, offering a menu that is healthier and less reliant on heavily flavoured spices than a traditional curry house — leaning instead on the authentic regional tastes that Indians eat at home, from South Indian dosas and chaat to the butter chicken that has already emerged as the restaurant’s most ordered dish.

The 102-cover venue is part of a group with sister sites in Cheadle, Leeds and Manchester, and co-founder Suresh Raje Urs has cited Liverpool’s Duke Street as a natural fit for a restaurant built around vibrant, authentic street food. The chicken lollipop leads the small plates, while the signature dosas — a South Indian rice and lentil pancake available across a range of fillings — have become the dish most closely associated with the restaurant since opening.

Indian Tiffin Room — 130 Duke Street, Liverpool L1 5AG | indiantiffinroom.com

Spice City is an authentic Indian restaurant tucked away in the heart of Liverpool on Stanley Street, and one that has quietly built one of the most devoted local followings of any Indian restaurant in the city centre. Reviewers frequently describe it as their favourite Indian in Liverpool — praising the warmth of the welcome, the consistency of the cooking, and the value for money across a menu of classic Indian dishes executed with real care. The tandoori mixed cocktail — a sizzling platter of mixed tandoori starters — is one of the most popular sharing dishes, and the chicken tikka Rogan Josh and Jalfrezi sauce both draw specific praise from regulars who return for them by name.

Spice City is the kind of Indian restaurant that anchors a neighbourhood’s dining identity — not the flashiest option on the list, but one of the most reliably excellent, and open for both lunch and dinner throughout the week. Its Stanley Street location makes it a natural choice for a meal near the city’s legal and financial quarter, and the affordable pricing makes it equally well-suited to a midweek work lunch or a relaxed Friday evening curry.

Spice City — Ground Floor, 18 Stanley Street, Liverpool L1 6AF | spicecity.co.uk

A speciality of Sultan’s Palace is tandoori cuisine, barbecued in traditional charcoal fired clay ovens — with the most highly skilled chefs from India and Nepal engaged to cook curries fit for the royals, all sourced using the finest ingredients. This family-run restaurant on Victoria Street has built a reputation for its delicious Indian dishes — including tender lamb curry and acclaimed garlic chicken — with a menu that is diverse enough to cover everything from vegetarian options to mouthwatering seafood dishes, shashliks and a mixed grill that draws regulars back by name.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 across over 2,600 reviews — an exceptional score for an Indian restaurant in a city with fierce competition — Sultan’s Palace is the kind of reliably excellent neighbourhood restaurant that rewards loyalty with consistency. The spacious dining room features comfortable individual booths alongside open tables, and the warm, unhurried atmosphere makes it well suited to a long family dinner or a celebratory group meal. With a price range of £8 to £16 per person, it is also one of the most accessible Indian restaurants in Liverpool city centre for quality relative to cost.

Sultan’s Palace — 75–77 Victoria Street, Liverpool L1 6DE | sultans-palace.co.uk