PHOTO COURTESY OF BOMBAY TO BURGH

Indian cuisine in the United States has long been reduced to a predictable trio: butter chicken, naan and the occasional tikka masala. It’s a well-worn script, served alongside laminated menus and Bollywood soundtracks. But back in India, food is anything but static. It’s an ever-changing mosaic of regional flavors and seasonal ingredients, shaped by generations of culinary ingenuity and bold experimentation.

Pittsburgh’s Indian food scene is finally catching up. A wave of new restaurateurs is dismantling the butter chicken monopoly, replacing it with dishes that embody the diversity and dynamism of India. These chefs bring personal stories, regional influences and a willingness to push boundaries, creating menus that feel both authentic and fresh.

Here are 5 standout establishments in Pittsburgh.

1. Bombay to Burgh

GAURAV NAVIN, OWNER OF BOMBAY TO BURGH IN SWISSVALE | COURTESY OF BOMBAY TO BURGH

“I didn’t come to Pittsburgh to open a restaurant,” says Gaurav Navin, owner and head chef of Bombay to Burgh. “Honestly, it all started with Mohak coming over for dinner.” Mohak Chauhan, a student and fellow Indian expat at Carnegie Mellon University, where Navin was working at the time, had no idea what he was starting when he devoured Gaurav’s lamb curry and naan. He said, “You need to open a restaurant. Pittsburgh needs this.”

It was an offhand comment. But it stuck. Bombay to Burgh was born — a restaurant where Indian food is as much about the flavors as it is about feeling at home. Navin had not dreamed of owning a restaurant. He dreamed of Sundays spent in Rishikesh in Northern India with his dad. “My dad, a doctor with no clue about cooking, would take over the kitchen,” Navin recalls. “He’d make these massive onion parathas (flatbread) — 10 inches wide, half an inch thick — and we’d struggle to finish even one. But it was a ritual: Rahman on the radio, Mom out socializing and the kitchen looking like a war zone.”

His culinary career began in India but quickly took him across borders. In the U.S., Navin’s talent blossomed as a chef at Omni Hotels and MGM Resorts, where he specialized in Italian, French, and creative American cuisine.

“Indian food? I left that to the experts,” he says. “I was too busy perfecting beurre blanc and risotto.”

The irony wasn’t lost on him. “I’d spend hours cooking for guests, then go home and crave dal and rice.”

Fast forward to 2022 when Navin opened Bombay to Burgh in Swissvale. He envisioned a menu that captured the soul of Indian cuisine while incorporating his experiences in global kitchens. But executing that vision proved challenging. “When we opened, I relied heavily on my chefs because I didn’t have the technical background in Indian cooking,” he explains. “But the food wasn’t where it needed to be. Most restaurants start strong and then plateau; we started at a 4 out of 10. It was humbling, to say the least.”

Navin embraced the critique, rethinking everything from the menu to the spices. Over time, the menu evolved into a thoughtful, flavor-forward ode to India’s regional richness — a curated mix that showcases both the classics and the creative. Start with the Samosa Chaat — crispy samosas drowned in tangy tamarind, cooling yogurt, and spices. Or the Paneer Kurkure, a bite-sized revelation made with cottage cheese dredged in spiced gram flour batter and deep-fried to golden goodness. From the rich, velvety Chicken Korma to fiery, coastal Goan Fish Curry, there’s no shortage of flavor here. And, yes, there’s bread — flaky Malabar Paratha to sop up every drop of curry.

True to Bombay’s own melting-pot ethos, the menu here blends the best of the subcontinent, from Punjabi comfort food to Mumbai street-style snacks. Seasonal dishes, like methi parathas (flatbread stuffed with fenugreek) or slow-cooked black urad dal, hook the menu in India’s agricultural rhythms.

But the real magic is in the community. “We’ve had Bengalis, Punjabis and Gujaratis who miss food from the homeland, and also folks who are trying Indian food for the first time ever come in,” says Gaurav. He recalls a young couple from Gujarat bringing their American-born child in to try gulab jamun for the first time. “Seeing their joy — it was priceless,” he says.

Swissvale: 1814 S Braddock Ave., 15218; bombaytoburgh.com

2. Masala House Bistro

TANDOORI CHICKEN, CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA, DAAL OF THE DAY (LENTILS), ADRAK SAAG (SPINACH COOKED WITH LOTS OF GINGER), ALOO MATAR (POTATOES AND PEAS), CHICKEN VINDALOO, RICE, CRISPY PAPADUM, AND A SWEET FINISH WITH MANGO RICE PUDDING. THERE IS NAAN TO SCOOP EVERYTHING WITH, AND MANGO LASSI AND SPICY LEMONADE TO SIP. | PHOTO COURTESY OF MASALA HOUSE BISTRO

“Rice is life where I’m from,” says Prasanna Kumar. “In Karnataka, we don’t ask if you want rice; we ask how much.” Each dish in South India — whether it’s a fragrant biryani, a comforting dosa  or a hearty curry — begins and ends with rice.

For Kumar, the journey from Karnataka to New Jersey in the early ’90s was nothing short of a seismic shift. He remembers stepping off the plane in New Jersey with a single suitcase, no kitchen skills to speak of and no plan for his next meal. “Pizza became my survival food,” he recalls. “Imagine a South Indian guy living on pizza for weeks. I’d close my eyes and dream of sambhar and hot rice.”

Cooking hadn’t been part of Kumar’s life in Bangalore. After days of craving a taste of home, he found salvation in a small Udupi (a town in restaurant in Karnataka) in New Jersey. It became his sanctuary — and, eventually, his first job. By day, he washed dishes and waited tables to save for the South Indian feast of dosas and idlis. Over time, his dedication caught the owner’s eye, and Kumar was invited into the kitchen.

“That’s where I learned the basics of dosa-making,” he recalls. “Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and just the right amount of tang from the fermented batter.” But Kumar’s real awakening came when he returned to India and joined MTR, the legendary Bangalore eatery. “MTR was like a university,” he says. “They taught me to cook food that speaks to the soul — simple but unforgettable. I learned to respect every ingredient.”

Armed with this knowledge and a new sense of purpose, Kumar returned to the United States in 2001, this time to Pittsburgh. He opened his first restaurant, Saffron, in Moon. Over the years, he became something of a culinary wanderer, working at Namaste India, running Mother India in Morgantown and eventually opening and selling Mintt, another popular Indian restaurant. Each experience shaped his understanding of the delicate balance between authenticity and adaptation.

In 2018, Kumar, alongside his brother Suresh Kumar, launched Masala House Bistro in Shadyside — a culmination of years of learning, experimenting and perfecting. The menu blends homestyle recipes with thoughtful craftsmanship. His Chettinad chicken, enriched with freshly ground coconut milk and a fiery blend of 22 spices, is a crowd favorite.

So is his biryani. Half-cooked basmati rice is layered with spiced, yogurt-marinated meat, crispy onions, and saffron-infused milk. It’s slow-cooked while sealed with a ring of dough to trap the steam and flavor. The payoff? Fluffy, fragrant rice, melt-in-your-mouth meat, and a riot of delicate but warm flavors.

Even with three restaurants (the other two are in Bridgeville and Washington, PA), Kumar remains hands-on. He grinds spices, oversees the kitchen and tastes every dish. “I don’t believe in shortcuts,” he says firmly. “Food deserves respect, and so do the people who eat it.”

Three locations; mymasalahouse.com

3. People’s Indian Restaurant

PHOTO COURTESY OF PEOPLE’S INDIAN RESTAURANT

“Seva first, always,” says Harpreet Pabla, encapsulating the driving force behind People’s Indian Restaurant.

A nod to its name, People’s Indian Restaurant in Pittsburgh is a tribute to the Sikh principle of seva — selfless service. The name reflects the Pabla family’s commitment to offering food as a gift to the community. Since opening their restaurant in Garfield in 1995, Kulwant and Harpreet Pabla have quietly upheld this principle. During the darkest days of COVID-19, they gave away freshly cooked Indian meals to anyone in need. Today, that offer still stands anyone can walk in and request a free meal, no questions asked.

Harpreet credits his father, Kulwant Pabla, for instilling these values. Growing up in Lasara, a tiny hamlet in Punjab (a northwestern Indian state bordering Pakistan), Kulwant experienced food insecurity firsthand. “He always told us stories about toiling in the fields just to earn a meal, and the family not having enough money for him to go to school,” Harpreet shares. “That’s why he made a promise to himself — and to us — that no one would ever leave our table hungry.”

In 1987, the Pabla family opened People’s Grocery Store on Penn Avenue in Bloomfield, laying the foundation for what would become a vibrant community presence. They eventually opened the restaurant across Penn on the Garfield side, initially serving burgers and fries — but soon realized it wasn’t the right fit. A trip to Boston to learn traditional Indian cooking from family members sparked a deeper connection to their roots, leading them to fully embrace Indian cuisine. They began crafting a menu of Punjabi classics, like chole poori (spiced chickpeas with puffy fried bread) and dal makhani (slow-cooked black lentils with red kidney beans). Over the years, People’s Indian Restaurant grew alongside the evolving neighborhood, becoming a go-to local spot.

The tandoor is the star here — a clay oven at the heart of North Indian cuisine, turning out smoky, tender tandoori chicken, paneer tikka and buttery naan. The naan comes out blistered and chewy, a little charred on the edges — perfect for scooping up rich curries. But beyond the usual butter chicken and naan, People’s offers lesser-known Punjabi flavors. Start with a flaky paratha stuffed with spiced potatoes or paneer, served with tangy pickle and creamy yogurt. Their rajmaah, a red kidney bean stew infused with ginger and garlic, is a soulful dish rarely seen on menus — capturing the essence of rural Punjab.

For those seeking something different, try the baingan bharta — chargrilled eggplant mashed and cooked with spices, offering both smokiness and spice. Or the chicken saag, a blend of spinach, mustard greens, and fenugreek leaves that transports diners to cold winter nights in the agrarian state of Punjab, where saag is often enjoyed with a dollop of creamy white butter. Pair it with bullet naan, studded with green chilies, or Peshwari naan, infused with raisins, dried cherries, and spices from Peshawar, a city in Pakistan.

The Pabla family’s journey is quintessentially immigrant. Harpreet marvels at his father’s perseverance. “Every kid in our family is now college-educated,” he says. “Through one generation’s sacrifices, we’ve built a family legacy rooted in seva.”

Garfield: 5147 Penn Ave., 15224; peoplesindianpa.com

4. Allegheny Spice Kitchen

OWNER PAWAN GHIMERY OF ALLEGHENY SPICE | PHOTO COURTESY OF ALLEGHENY SPICE

Simple, rustic cooking with an earthiness that whispers of Nepali kitchens makes Pawan Ghimery’s Allegheny Spice Kitchen shine in the growing constellation of Nepali-Indian eateries in the South Hills.

“If you’d told me 10 years ago I’d own a restaurant, I would’ve laughed in disbelief,” Ghimery says. Born in Bhutan, raised in Nepal, and resettled in Texas as part of a U.S. refugee program, Ghimery arrived in Pittsburgh in 2011 to work as a heating and cooling contractor — a job that was unremarkable but, as he puts it, “a lifeline.”

“It wasn’t glamorous,” he says. “But it was stable, and for someone like me — an immigrant trying to find my footing — stability is everything.” Despite that, he couldn’t shake the desire to do something more — something that connected him to his roots. By 2023, he thought he’d found it when he and four community partners bought an Indian restaurant called Shagun. It seemed promising — one of his partners was the chef, and they all shared a love of food.

But as the months passed, it became clear they didn’t share the same vision. “We had too many cooks, literally and figuratively,” Ghimery recalls. “It was chaotic. Customers were confused. I was losing sleep.”

Faced with mounting frustrations, he made a bold choice: buy out his partners, take over the kitchen, and rebrand the entire operation. That’s how Allegheny Spice Kitchen was born in 2024. It was a gamble, one that came with its own set of challenges. Chief among them? Ghimery wasn’t a chef.

“In my culture, the women — my mom, my wife — they did the cooking,” he says. “But I knew if this was going to work, I had to learn.” His mother and wife became his mentors, guiding him through spice blends and techniques. When their knowledge ran thin, Ghimery turned to YouTube. “You’d be amazed what you can learn at 2 a.m. with a laptop and determination,” he says.

Slowly, methodically, he began to craft a menu that wasn’t just Indian or Nepali — it was his.

Take the Big Platter, for instance — a joyous mix of dishes that feel plucked from bustling South Asian streets: Indo-Chinese noodles, crispy pani puri, tangy jhalmuri, delicate momos, flaky samosas, and chutneys that range from sweet to “dangerous.” The momos, a house specialty, delicate dumplings filled with spiced chicken or vegetables, are Ghimery’s nod to his Nepalese roots and a recipe from his mother. The dough is thin and chewy, the filling succulent and aromatic, with hints of ginger and garlic. He describes it as “a little bit of everything I love.” Think of it as an Indo-Nepali charcuterie board—a spread designed for noshing and sharing, perfect for Pittsburghers ready to expand their palates.

The Nepali Thali offers a different rhythm — earthier, more introspective. Centered around a deeply spiced mutton curry, slow cooked until the meat falls apart, it’s served with austere, curried spinach, tangy pickled radish, raita, spiced potatoes, and black lentils simmered to creamy perfection, alongside naan and steamed rice.

The restaurant itself is a physical manifestation of Ghimery’s past and present. It’s not sleek or modern — it’s warm, welcoming, and a little rough around the edges. “This is the food I grew up on,” Ghimery says. “It’s not fancy, but it’s honest and full of memories.”

Baldwin Borough: 4871 Clairton Blvd., 15236

5. Sankalp

SANKALP IN CRANBERRY | PHOTO COURTESY OF SANKALP

Here’s a little secret: Sankalp in Cranberry is a local favorite, especially among Pittsburgh’s Indian diaspora. It’s easy to see why. The spacious, welcoming restaurant offers an impressive selection of well-executed dishes from all over India.

“It’s been a family thing from day one,” says Ankitkumar Patel, co-owner of Sankalp. And when he says family, he means it — his brother-in-law Parth Patel, his sister, and even their parents frequently pitch in to keep things running smoothly.

Their journey to restaurant ownership? A blend of engineering smarts, entrepreneurial risks and plenty of Gujarati gumption. In 2015, Parth was designing sleep apnea devices for Philips Respironics in Pittsburgh, while Ankitkumar, fresh out of college with an electrical engineering degree, was dreaming of starting his own business. In 2016, the duo took a leap into the food world, first with a couple of 7-Eleven franchises and later with Sankalp.

Enter Sankalp, the Pittsburgh outpost of a beloved Indian chain born in Ahmedabad, Gujarat’s foodie capital. “My sister found it first,” Ankitkumar says, recalling how she fell into an internet rabbit hole of foodie discoveries during the pandemic. One of those late-night sessions led her to this well-regarded Indian restaurant chain. The concept was simple yet compelling: authentic Indian cuisine with a modern twist, global reach, and franchising opportunities. For the Patels, who grew up enjoying the rich flavors of Gujarat, the idea was irresistible. After a quick trip to Plano, Texas (where they indulged in all the food), they were sold.

“We got this franchise right after COVID, in 2021. Perfect timing, right? Everyone was stuck at home, craving something familiar,” Ankitkumar says.

Sankalp’s menu is a vibrant mix of Indian regional specialties. While classics like chicken biryani and palak paneer are mainstays, Parth and Ankitkumar aren’t afraid to experiment with bold flavors. Dishes like Fish Amritsari, a spicy, tangy marinated fish deep-fried to perfection, and Gobi 65, a cauliflower version of the Indo-Chinese classic chicken 65, are crowd-pleasers. Pav Bhaji, a spicy vegetable mash served with buttered pav (buns), is another fan favorite. These creative twists invite diners to explore bold new flavors while keeping familiar favorites on the menu.

One standout is the smoky chicken malai tikka — a dish that Ankitkumar insists is a must-try. Sankalp’s version of this Mughlai classic is just like the ones served in New Delhi’s best kebab joints. Unlike the usual, red-colored tikka, this one gets its off-white hue from fresh cream and is delicately spiced, beautifully charred from the tandoor, and aromatic with ghee and kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves).

And then there’s the pièce de résistance: the four-foot dosa. This giant crispy crepe is made for sharing with your tablemates.

Sankalp is renowned for its dedication to authenticity. Every spice blend is made in-house, in small batches to ensure freshness. Their chefs, with experience ranging from New Jersey’s top Indian kitchens to luxury cruise liners, bring decades of culinary expertise.

For the Patels, food is personal — and their customers feel it. “People trust us because they see us. We’re not just running the place; we’re part of it,” Ankitkumar explains. Whether catering a Gujarati wedding (with undhiyu, a winter veggie medley) or greeting guests on a busy weekend, the family is always front and center.

Cranberry: 1187 Freedom Road, C-105, sankalppittsburgh.com

More Indian restaurants worth a try:

Reva: The Bold Younger Sibling

Following the success of Sankalp, the Patel family (Parth, Ankitkumar and their cousin, Pritesh Patel) launched Reva in East Liberty in 2024 — a sleek fusion concept with flair. The smaller menu features jalapeño and cheese samosas, salmon tikka and mint truffle naan with modern plating. While Sankalp celebrates India’s culinary diversity, Reva focuses on playful, innovative dishes that surprise and delight.

Hyderabad House: A Biryani for Every Mood

Hyderabad House in Cranberry serves up a biryani for every craving. Feeling bold? Dive into the spicy Vijaywada version. With a long list of varieties — from chicken to goat to veggie — each one is packed with bold spices and slow-cooked perfection. Want something a little tamer? The kaju paneer pulav, with its cottage and subtle spices, is calling your name. Pair it with their signature mirchi ka salan for the ultimate spicy, satisfying feast.

Udipi Café: South India in Monroeville

Udipi Café in Monroeville offers authentic South Indian vegetarian cuisine in an unpretentious setting. The service may be quick, and the decor basic, but the food speaks for itself. Pro tip: Bring friends — order everything.

The paper-thin dosa is crispy and filled with masala aloo (spiced potatoes), paired with coconut chutney and tangy sambar (south Indian lentils with vegetables). Mini idlis soaked in sambar are soft and nostalgic, while the onion uttapam is crispy on the edges with a tender center.

Don’t skip the filter kaapi: frothy, strong coffee from South India. Served in a stainless-steel tumbler and dabarah (a saucer-like cup for cooling and aerating the coffee), it’s strong, frothy, and sweetened just enough to offset the bitterness. Sip it slowly; this isn’t a Starbucks run.

This story is part of The New Americans, a project of Pittsburgh Tomorrow, which seeks to reverse population loss through revitalization. See more stories here.