Boston gets lots of attention for its outstanding seafood and standout Italian cuisine. But Beantown also deserves accolades for its booming Indian restaurant scene. Whether you’re looking for a fiery curry or warm, pillowy naan fresh from the oven, fantastic restaurants are cooking up Indian cuisine in town. Check out the ten best Boston Indian catering joints.
Mela Indian Cuisine (Tremont Street, Boston)
Look to this sleek restaurant, named one of the best in the city by Boston magazine, if you’re planning a special event. Customers rave about the tender chicken tikka masala, its flavors built on a creamy tomato sauce perfumed with chili and garlic. The rich saag paneer, scented with chili and garlic, also impresses. Add both dishes to a catering package with your choice of appetizer, two entrees, and fluffy basmati rice.
Diva Indian Bistro (Elm Street, Somerville)
At Diva Indian Bistro, don’t miss the shrimp dopiaza (made with juicy, pan-roasted prawns tossed in ginger, garlic, and onions) or the homemade naan stuffed with sweet onions. Customers love the easy delivery setup, as well as the staff’s attention to detail when it comes to providing extra mint chutney and sauces.
Tikkaway (Boston Wharf Road, Boston)
Over five years ago, owner Gopinath V. Nair opened this fast-casual Indian restaurant in New Haven, Connecticut, and recently Boston residents were lucky to get their own location. The restaurant’s build-your-own-entree catering package will appeal to groups of picky eaters who want the option to customize their bowls. Choose from bases like fresh greens or warm rice and toppings like spicy curried chicken, lamb, or potatoes. Also add accouterments like zesty red onions or chili peppers, and creamy korma or fiery vindaloo sauce.
Royal Bengal Restaurant (Medford Street, Somerville)
Owner Gita Mazumdar has been cooking up some of the best Boston Indian catering, favoring flavors authentic to West Bengal, for more than 17 years. This Somerville spot is a fantastic choice for spice fiends craving lamb or chicken vindaloo, a classic whose meat braises slowly in a fiery vinegar-based sauce with potatoes. Plus, the naan is always served fresh from the oven, and the prices are just right
Nirvana: Taste of India (Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge)
Although head chef Paramjit Singh hails from Punjab, he’s learned to cook a wealth of regional Indian dishes during his 20 years of cooking. The lamb rogan josh combines yogurt with nuts for a tasty curry and the flavorful chicken tikka masala always satisfies. If you find yourself in a pinch, this caterer can quickly assemble an order, and the food is guaranteed to arrive piping hot.
The Kebab Factory (Washington Street, Somerville)
Make the Kebab Factory your go-to for outstanding Indian food that can easily feed a crowd. This Somerville restaurant serves generous portions, and the staff is incredibly helpful when it comes to setup and delivery. The restaurant’s famous butter chicken, bathed in a velvety tomato-based sauce scented with garam masala, is available in the catering packages, along with crispy vegetable pakoras, fresh-baked garlic naan, or even creamy rice pudding dotted with nuts and raisins for dessert.
Bukhara Indian Bistro (Centre Street, Boston)
Look no further than Bukhara Indian Bistro for Boston Indian catering. The restaurant offers excellent versions of Indian favorites like spicy chicken vindaloo, creamy chicken tikka masala, and aromatic vegetable biryani. For your convenience, you can add an order of assorted naan, served plain or stuffed with onion or chicken.
Tanjore (Eliot Street, Cambridge)
While most Indian caterers feature chicken tikka masala on their menus, Tanjore differentiates itself with an extraordinary dish of salmon tikka whose cumin-scented fish contrasts beautifully with an acidic tomato sauce. Since the portions are always generous, it’s available as a tray to feed a mob, along with several other chicken, lamb, and vegetarian options.
Dosa Factory (Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge)
For a Boston Indian catering meal that has it all, start with crispy vegetable pakoras, and then move on to peppery chicken vindaloo, coriander-scented aloo masala, or vegetable biryani flecked with dried fruit. And remember to order some extra samosas—those pastry pockets bursting with turmeric-inflected potatoes are sure to go fast.
The House of Kebab (Broadway, Somerville)
Known for some of the best Boston Indian catering, the House of Kebab specializes in curries made with the finest meats and marinades. Take, for example, the sweet and savory lamb korma, slow cooked with yogurt, onions, nuts, and garlic, or ambrosial chicken saag cooked in an aromatic sauce of spinach and cream. Try both in an umbrella catering package that comes with your choice of two appetizers and three entrees.
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