Halfway across the world lies one of the largest countries, home to about 1.3 billion people. With its own unique culture, and certainly flavor, many have come to Memphis to share it. Ever heard of Indian food? Let’s talk about it.

My first recommendation: Curry Bowl. This place is quietly tucked away in a shopping center on Hacks Cross Road. Although authentic Indian food is packed with spices, Curry Bowl offers mild spice but delicious food. 

“Here, they definitely make it milder because they know they’re going to get American customers and Indian customers, too,” Minnu Reddivari (10) said. 

My favorite items from Curry Bowl are the chicken biryani (a must-have at any Indian food restaurant), the tandoori lamb and shrimp and the vegetable samosa. Reddivari and I share the same liking, so you know it’s good. 

“Biryani is pretty good, but I also like samosas a lot,” she said.

Speaking of biryani, which is traditional Indian rice with beautiful spices, another spot to hit up is Hyderabad House, known for some of the best chicken biryani in Memphis. This place offers meatless biryani —for you vegetarians and vegans— and packs on the punch when it comes to spice. 

“You can’t get it mild, you’ve gotta get it spicy. Your mouth has to be on fire for it to be really good,” Chinnu Alli (12) said. 

If you’re not into that level of heat, there are, of course, more options in the 901, one being Mayuri Indian Cuisine. Located in the Kirby area, it’s a nice, clean setting with generally good food served buffet style; definitely one of the milder Indian restaurants I could find.  While in my opinion, the tandoori chicken, biryani and samosas don’t match up to the aforementioned spots, the spinach and onion pakora (a fried snack) both smack. They also have lollipops on the way out!

Memphis’s diversity is one of the key reasons as to why we have access to such awesome food. 

“Being apart of the culture itself, you need that to have that kind of quality,” Nila Manickavasagam (11) said. 

So next weekend, when you’re bored and hungry, get off the couch and get a little taste of India.