Food: The best Indian restaurants around the world, from Delhi to Dubai and London

Darjeeling Express restaurant, in the UK. Photo / Supplied

Auckland has some great Indian restaurants, but Ashia Ismail-Singer's list of her favourites around the globe shows there's a whole world on your plate

Bukhara, New Delhi: Bukhara is probably the most famous restaurant in India. It's got an extensive string of awards to its name and is consistently voted among the best in the world. Bukhara is known for its rustic atmosphere, open-fronted kitchen, and delectable North West Frontier tandoori cuisine — and for the fact that US Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama have dined there.

Indian Accent, New Delhi: With restaurants in New Delhi, New York and London, Indian Accent offers an inventive approach to Indian cuisine. Its path-breaking menu has been designed by chef Manish Mehrotra. He reinterprets nostalgic Indian dishes with an openness towards global techniques and influences. Manish has been called the most exciting modern Indian chef in the world today.

Paratha King, Dubai: For a huge variety of vegetarian stuffed parathas — fried, layered flatbread — Paratha King is hard to beat. Cheap and cheerful, this is one of the tastiest vege options in Dubai.

Ravi's, Dubai: Perhaps the most famous subcontinental restaurant in Dubai, Ravi's is no longer the hidden gem it used to be — but that doesn't mean it's any less delicious, especially its renowned butter chicken. Shop #245, Al Dhiyafa Rd.

Signature, Abu Dhabi: Sanjeev Kapoor's restaurant has revolutionised the dining experience in Abu Dhabi. Handpicked from India, the menu is a balance of unique and famous dishes from the Indian cuisine.

Jikoni, London: Opened by Ravinder Bhogal, a young Indian with parents from East Africa, who combines her love of different culinary traditions to present a fusion of flavours and cultures from parts of Asia, the Middle East, East Africa and Britain. With a pretty interior and a menu filled with interesting flavours, this is sure to impress you.

Mowgli, Manchester, Liverpool, Cardiff, Birmingham: Mowgli is all about how Indians eat at home and on their streets, reflecting the raw need Indians have for tiffins full of fresh, bright, intense flavour. Mowgli is not about an intimate, hushed dining experience — it is about the smash-and-grab zing of healthy, light, virtuous herbs and spices.

Darjeeling Express, London: Asma Khan operates the kitchen at this restaurant with an all-women crew and has done since day one. This restaurant often has long queues to get a table. The food reflects Khan's ancestry and the busy streets of Calcutta, where she grew up.

Ashia Ismail-Singer hosts an 11-day culinary and cultural journey in India, departing on April 13, 2020. Priced from $5790pp.
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