Minnesota's Best Spots for South Asian Food

Located in the same Richfield strip mall as TBS Mart International Foods, Afghan Darbar fills a void left by Khyber Pass — the only Afghan restaurant in the Twin Cities. Mantu (dumplings filled with ground beef and garnished with yogurt, cilantro, chickpeas, and dried mint) and Kabuli pulao (basmati rice cooked with carrots, raisins and a secret blend of aromatic spices) are two of the many fantastic dishes that can be found in this hidden gem.

Located inside an unassuming truck stop off Highway 494, Biryani Stop has served authentic Pakistani cuisine since 2023. Beef nihari and tandoor-fired lamb chops are a few of the delectable options it offers in South St. Paul and a new Eden Prairie outpost. 

Located in the former Honey Ginger Hop space in Northeast Minneapolis, Curry Corner offers a sleek, modern Indian dining experience that strikes a balance between tradition and contemporary trends. Whether it’s the delectably spicy lamb vindaloo or their creamy cashew vegetable korma, the options and flavors are endless. Regardless of what you order, be sure to get some naan on the side to soak up all those wonderful sauces, chutneys, and curries.

Opening a restaurant was not in the cards when Padam Sharma arrived in the U.S. back in 1977 with his wife and two sons. However, as Sharma and his family discussed wanting to bridge the gaps between Nepalese and American cultures, Everest on Grand was born in 2000. Whether it’s meat or veggie curries, a focus on quality maintains the restaurant’s original mission of being a bridge towards forming long-standing community bonds.

Gorkha Palace owner Rashmi Bhattachan and chef Sarala Kattel have been serving authentic Nepali, Indian and Tibetan cuisine in Northeast Minneapolis since 2010. While it started as a simple food truck at the Mill City Farmers Market, Gorkha Palace has grown into a small restaurant group that includes MomoDosa stands at Malcolm Yards and the Minnesota State Fair, as well as a fast-casual concept (Thaliwala) located near Paisley Park and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. All of which source as many ingredients as possible from local, organic and sustainable farms.

Himalayan Restaurant has been nestled in the Longfellow area of Minneapolis since 2007. Specializing in Nepalese, Tibetan, and Indian cuisine, it offers bright and bold dishes that’ll pique even the most curious appetites, but is best enjoyed with family or friends. Himalayan’s combo meals section is an excellent place to start and will leave even the hungriest diners with leftovers.

India Palace opened its first location in Roseville in 1999 and has since expanded its portfolio to include locations in Uptown Minneapolis, Burnsville, and Woodbury. Their expansive menu offerings are the result of native recipes that have been passed down from many generations, and their lunch buffets are heavily attended by people who work and shop nearby. From its savory Rogan Josh to its delicate biryani, there’s a variety of protein options and vegetarian dishes to select from.

Whether one visits, lives or works in downtown Minneapolis, its skyway offers many beloved lunch break options. Kadai Indian Kitchen's cafeteria-style menu offers a taste of everything, from sweet gulab jamun to korma-topped basmati rice. Kadai also has a second location in Eden Prairie with expanded seating and a more formal restaurant experience.

Curious diners could find chef Jyotiee Kistner and her husband, Andy, at farmers’ markets and pop-ups throughout the Twin Cities for several years before the couple obtained a food truck and opened a brick-and-mortar location in Edina. Muddy Tiger is the first local restaurant built around Marathi cuisine. Heavily inspired by Jyotiee’s hometown (Maharashtra) in western India, it’s the only place where you’ll find a “frankie” — onions, salad, garlic aioli, mint chutney and your choice of protein wrapped in an egg-washed roti — and such difficult-to-find dishes as Parsi-style minced lamb (Bombay kheema), tapioca fritters (sabudana vada) and squishy, buttery sliders filled with spiced potato patties (vada pav) and veggie hash (pav bhaji).

Opened in 2006 inside a remodeled Victorian house in Uptown Minneapolis, Namaste Café is known for its spice-forward Chiya Chai blends, which it supplies to retailers and cafés throughout the Twin Cities. Chef-owner Saujanya “Sunny” Shrestha also uses local, natural and organic ingredients whenever possible, giving dishes like pani puri, chana chaat, and tangy mango curry extra flavor and zing.

Since opening in Edina around 2019, Raag has sought to distinguish itself by adding a more playful spin to Indian cuisine. Following an ownership change in 2022, the restaurant further evolved into a deconstructed, fusion-forward style — one that invites diners to rethink familiar flavors. Its lamb shank nihari arrives rich and aromatic, while a reimagined palak paneer offers a bright, unexpected twist. Together, they capture Raag’s appetite for bold ideas and its drive to present Indian food with both creativity and flair.

Open since 2021 off Rice Street in St. Paul, Taste of Nepal specializes in the comforting flavors of Nepalese and Tibetan cooking. Standouts include chicken thukpa — a hearty, aromatic bowl of chicken soup brightened with chiles and onions — and chicken and vegetable jhol momo, where delicate dumplings arrive floating in a rich, warming broth. But it’s the curries, especially the deeply spiced goat curry, that keep Twin Cities diners coming back for another bite.