It’s funny… I’ve found that people from England often trash the Indian food in Vancouver because they feels it’s not a ‘proper’ curry! At least not the same style of Indian food they’re used to in the UK.

Likewise, it’s like a Vancouverite heading elsewhere in the world, wondering why there’s no cheap and delicious sushi on every corner!

Favourite Indian place?

Does East is East on W Broadway count? Cheap, delicious, healthy… and what a cozy interior! Every month they host events at Chai upstairs (live music, story telling, dance, drumming, etc). Fun times indeed!

Oh my gosh… Saravanaa Bhavan on Broadway is just amazing. Out of this world. Unreal. FABULOUS. I’ve gone there twice in two weeks. Affordable too. Great dosa and fabulous weekend buffet.

I’m drooling just thinking about it

http://www.saravanaabhavan.ca/

Vij’s is fabulous. The wait is crazy, but they have appies.
Also try Bombay Bhel on Hastings in Burnaby, Tandoori Kitchen on Canada Way (just before Grandview) and Samosa Garden on Kingsway, Yogi’s Vegetarian close to Commercial.
All fantastic places to eat, and not too badly priced (except maybe Vij’s which is on the slightly pricier side)

I love Taste of Punjab in Surrey – King George and 100. Their service is amazing and the food is to die for! Good portions and affordable.

Another favorite is Tandoori Chaat House on 56th and Fraser – good food at affordable prices.

Saffron on Kingsway is good, especially for lunch (their buffet is a really good value).

Of course there’s Vij’s which is simply delish! A tad pricey though. But the BEST place for Indian food in Vancouver? My mom’s kitchen, hands down! Healthy, free, and sustainable as much as possible.

Vij’s for upscale. Hands down.
Dosa House for South Indian cheapeats.
Curry Point for cheap buffet.

I get most of my dose of Indian food at home as well! Sustainable and inexpensive, no?

Impressed that you mentioned South and North Indian! Most people I meet seem to know only samosa, butter chicken and naan, all of which are North Indian (I’m from the southern part of India, and no, we don’t make butter chicken at home)

I see that my favourites for South Indian (Saravana Bhavan – the original one with its restaurant chain in Chennai has only one “a” as in “Saravana” Bhavan) and North Indian (Taste of Punjab in Surrey, hard to beat for its taste, quality, generous portions and service) have already been mentioned.

So I’ll add Aggarwal Sweets (a North Indian fast food & sweet shop in Delta, great value) and Mayuri (for its spicy dosas, idlies, vada etc in Surrey) for North & South Indian eateries respectively.

** PS: I’d love to see a list of vegetarian (regardless of ethnicity) eateries as well – probably as another topic..?

Darn Vancouver centric food questions! I will once again differ to my Richmond expertise. You never know when you might be in East Richmond, jonesing for Curry, right?

Hands down, best Indian I have ever had is at Tandoori Kona. 170-11700 Cambie Road in Richmond (the complex that has the new Shoppers Drug Mart, across from the Coast Capital where Mitchell Elementary used to be.) They have the most exquisite butter chicken known to man. You could suck the sauce through a straw for hours, and still want more. Lunch special for $6.95 is fantastic – butter chicken, rice, massive naan, daal & veggies.

Now I’m sad to be in Chilliwack.

I think it would be Rangoli Raul, It’s pretty good & simple.

I remember going there back when I was in college and got introduced to it by my friend Lovedeep (she is from New Delhi) and she loved it. After telling me I don’t know how many times that I should go with her, I finally decided to go and it became a favorite with my college friends.

There was another one on the 1200th block West Broadway pretty close to Raga but I think it’s gone, I don’t remember the name, that was pretty good as well. (Or is it still there?)

I have to say that Vij’s is the best Indian food probably anywhere in North America, let alone Vancouver. I’ve never had a meal there that was less than simply amazing. If you’re not up for the pricier Vij’s you can get carry out from Rangoli, also owned by Vikram Vij (and right next door!)

Aside from Vij’s my other favourite would be Palki at 15th & Lonsdale in North Vancouver. The food is great and it’s also great value–especially if you hit up the daily lunch buffet.

Tandoori King on Fraser has closed but is reopening at 56th and Main in Nov and ate amazing with arguably the best garlic naan in Van. Simply Curries at Kingsway & just south of Joyce has mind-boggling samosas (spinach/chickpea is to die for) you can buy wholesale, 12 for $15, and ask for his homemade fresh mint-cilantro chutney. For take-home tandoori chicken you can grill or bake, the Punjab Meat Mkt at 51st and Fraser.

Original Tandoori K King just off Fraser at 65th. Garlic Naan and Prawn Biryani are fabulous.

I like Samosa Garden on Kingsway, which has an interesting African take on Indian food (the owners are of Indian ancestry, but grew up in Africa). Their Naan is the best I’ve found (huge, wonderful texture, blistered from the tandoor), and I’m really fond of their lamb karai and butter chicken too. Service can be a bit spotty, but it’s worth it, and the takeout is a great idea — it’s our most frequent Indian takeout option, since it’s not far from where we are just over the border in Burnaby.

Two of my favourite Indian places haven’t been named here yet:

-Indian Oven on 4th
-All India Sweets and Restaurant at 49th & Main – they have an all-you-can-eat vegetarian buffet that is to die for.

I also second the recommendations for Saravanaa Bhavan on Broadway (amazing South Indian and there are not very many South Indian places in Vancouver, really) and Curry Point at UBC – it may look like a food court place, but it so doesn’t taste like food court food!

Vij’s, which I’ve only been to once because it’s so expensive, is awesome.

Tandoori Raj 65th ave & fraser st, vancouver

Apart from “Saravana Bhavan” for South Indian food, which has already been mentioned by several people here, my fev indian resto is a hole in the wall; http://newbhaiasweet.com/
Don’t go here if you want ambience; the guy at the counter rarely smiles; the women who serve here and the ones in the kitchen are super nice and they do all the hard work.
I love their samosas, paneer pakoras and their veggie thali.