The best Indian restaurant in Manchester city centre, you ask? Tucked away in the heart of the foodie paradise known as The Corn Exchange, Mowgli is a one-of-a-kind eatery serving up delicious street food grub. With its laid-back vibe and charming rustic decor, it's the perfect spot for chowing down with pals in a cosy space decked out with stylish canteen-style booths and twinkling fairy lights. Their flavourful menu is filled with tapas-style treats like Agra ginger chicken, tea-infused chickpeas, and tiffin-boxed Goan fish curry.

For the best curry in Manchester Curry Mile, Rusholme's Mughli restaurant brings you stunning soul food every night of the week. With a focus on charcoal pit grilled meats and tasty small plates, the restaurant also whips up some unique cocktails to sip on, including a Punjabi pornstar and tamarind margarita. With bold orange hues, vintage Bollywood prints, and plush, inviting furniture, dining here is as indulgent as the spices on your plate. While classic curries stand tall on the menu, the live tandoor steals the show. Dive into charcoal chicken thighs, seared lamb chops, and scorpion prawns for a flavour explosion.

This Peter Street destination needs no introduction. While there are no Michelin star Indian restaurants in Manchester, this place comes as close as you can get. Brought to Manchester by Bollywood star Asha Bhosle, Asha's is a gilded palace of treats that includes goodies like gosht dum biryani, kodi curry and an Emperor's Platter heaving with multiple flavourful dishes. Settle down to feast on contemporary Indian cuisine in a sophisticated, low-lit setting adorned with plush drapes and gold finishings. Here, you'll get to embark on a foodie journey through India's North-West frontier province, where tradition meets modernity for a regal dining experience like no other.

Looking for traditional Indian restaurants in Manchester? A staple when it comes to South Asian and North Asian cuisine, Akbars is a restaurant known for providing scrumptious food in locations all across the North - and the Manchester venue is no exception. Located away from the Curry Mile, the restaurant boasts a sophisticated interior and offers meat dishes cooked on the bone with a rich gravy, setting it apart from standard curry houses along with traditional Pakistani-style curries called Lahoris. Tuck into traditional favourites like tandoori chicken masala or karella gosht, all washed down with Cobra and scooped up by fluffy naan.

Specialising in Indian street food and craft beer, Bundobust is a vegetarian Indian restaurant in Manchester championing Gujarati flavours whose roots can be traced back to a collaboration between two popular Bradford hotspots, Prashnad and The Sparrow Bier Cafe. Pair your pocket-friendly eats, from bhajis and puris to tasty curries, with a beer from the extensive selection. We'd recommend trying out the Punjabi kadhi and biryani bhaji balls with a side of okra fries, of course.

The home of contemporary Punjabi cooking, this joint is all about style and substance. Renowned across the North West, East Z East is a tribute to the founder's father's flavorful journey. Their menu is a feast of the Indian subcontinent's finest, promising a culinary adventure with every bite. This 300-seater fine dining gem is located on Blackfriars Street and serves traditional Punjabi dishes like Lahori lamb chop handi, Peshwari chicken, karahi fish, and daal makhani. With top-notch ingredients and spices sourced both locally and from afar, your tastebuds are in for a mouthwatering treat.

A former food truck turned bricks-and-mortar eatery on First Street, Indian Tiffin Room has more than made a name for itself serving up some top-notch food. From the delicious puris to juicy kebabs and even a unique take on Chinese cooking, it's an impressive South Indian restaurant in Manchester. Cooked by two clever southern Indian students, this vibrant restaurant's menu is full of flavorful dishes from all over India, like gobi manchurian, nawabi kofta curry, dhaba-style chicken, and goat keema pav.

Serving Indian and Pakistani food, Zouk's home-cooked menu makes it a great pick for a curry in the heart of town. Nestled in Manchester's trendy Great Northern district, this hotspot spans three stylish levels, including one where you can take a front-row seat to all the kitchen magic. Dive into authentic classics like tokri chaat, chilli paneer, and aloo paratha, then quench your thirst with top-notch beers, spirits, and cocktails. For an extra kick, enjoy a variety of shisha flavours outside.

This authentic Indian restaurant is all about street food, promising everything from Indo-Chinese chilli paneer to masala dosa and railway lamb to boot. Their expert chefs have whipped up a menu full of veggie and meaty delights, from classic Indian favourites to exotic treats, all made with fresh, local ingredients for a flavour-packed experience like no other. Plus, Hungamaa has super Instagrammable interiors featuring elephant wall murals and plenty fun pops of colour sprinkled all over the buzzy venue.

Spinningfields hotspot Scene is in the running for the best cheap Indian restaurant in Manchester, mixing up a vibrant street food take on all your Indian favourites. Led by Asif Ali, this joint brings the vibrant and authentic flavours of the subcontinent to Manchester. With an airy, modern vibe, a whopping 150 seats and an open kitchen, you'll get to see, smell, and hear your meal being crafted. Plonk yourself on the outdoor terrace and tuck into the likes of railway burgers, stuffed chaats and a rich selection of curries.

After causing round-the-block queues at its various London locations, Dishoom has taken its brand of classic Bombay-style and cuisine north to Bridge Street. Offering a stunning selection of small plates and larger traditional dishes as a Manchester curry restaurant, it also has the added bonus of bringing the breakfast goods with Indian-style eggs and an excellent naan roll. We'd recommend diving into plates of their chicken berry Brittania, prawn koliwada and gunpowder potatoes.