The rise of upscale Indian restaurants in the U.S.

Executive Chef Vikas Khanna has climbed hundreds of dinner in the last 20 years – and he has seen for the first time how much Indian food has developed in America.

Khanna, a world-famous Indian restaurant, his high-end Indian restaurant, passion, was deeply launched in the sophisticated Indian food in the city of New York, was deeply taken deep into Indian food, eventually earning a Michelin Star for the restaurant-one of the Indian restaurants.

As an immigrant in the US after 9/11, Khanna said that his career was hesitated to start his career and use Indian cuisine deeply with a wide canvas. Instead, he worked for the American palette, which he knew: stereotypeical menu and flavor such as butter chicken and tikka masala.

But when American chef Anthony Bordene first visited Junoon, Khanna said that he received his career wakeup call.

“He said,” I do not understand why you want to eat your food to please the western world, “Khanna told CNBC. “He was saying,” You need to protect dishes. ” And it became the foundation of the bungalow in many ways. ,

Khanna’s next and highly popular enterprise in Bungalow, New York, is one of the increasing number of Indian Upskale and good-dining restaurants in the US which was ever being taken as menu and buffetts, Khanna said, said, “It is a business segment and has been overcome for a day.

According to Khanna’s business partner Jimmy Rizvi in ​​the bungalow, reservation for restaurants is sold within 30 to 90 seconds of being live, with night weightlinds average with more than 1,000 people. Rizvi said that the restaurant was opened less than two years ago, but serves 300 to 400 dinner every night, which becomes the top 10 restaurant on the reservation platform raj in New York City.

“I certainly think that there is a basis of knowledge that is growing; more awareness with Indian food,” Rizvi, who owns the restaurant Gupshap, told the CNBC. “And within Indian cuisine there are different dishes … about which people are becoming aware.”

Despite macroeconomic pressure inflation And one Pulback in consumer expenses, Portalatin said that the customer’s visit to the dining restaurant in July was 5% year-on-year.

“Currently, one of the bright places in the restaurant landscape is fine,” he said. “The evidence is that the American consumer is once again desiring these unique and differentiated experiences outside the house.”

In addition, Portelatin stated that small consumers such as generation Z and Millennials have increasing interest in global cuisine with “search for flavors”. It opens the door to search for dishes such as Indian food.

According to data from the market research firm Datsacious, the inauguration of the new Indian restaurant in December 2024 hit 115, above just 54 in September 2018. Currently, the firm counts 154 Upskale Indian dining restaurants in the US as compared to 101 in January 2018.

Rasi CEO Pablo Rivaro told CNBC that he has also seen the demand for high-end Indian restaurants in the last few years.

“Modern Indian restaurants are re -defined the category with ambitious menu and inventive formats – and showing no signs of slowing down dinner demand for these high experiences shows no signs,” Rivaro said. “It is a clear indication that dinners are eager to detect innovative expressions, innovative manifestations of Indian cuisine at the highest level.”

And while the growing American interest in global cuisine has stopped, the Indian American population has also reflected that development. As Pew research centerThe Indian population in the US has increased by about 3.1 million, which has been increasing by about 174% since 2000.

According to Pew, the population has also seen an increase in prosperity, which is making a high average domestic income of over $ 151,000 in 2023, while according to Pew, average was more than $ 105,000 for Asian American homes, in total.

El cateron supported by LVMHIt was announced that it was receiving a minority stake for an unknown amount in the dishum, marking the first external investment of the restaurant group. The firm connects Dishoom to its growing slate of restaurant investments, including Japanese Cobe Beef Chain Kisshokichi and Spanish casual dining brand Goico.

The new deal Allegedly The restaurant gives importance to about $ 400 million. El Cateron and Dishoom did not respond to CNBC’s requests for comments.

Ronnie Mazumdar, along with the James Beard Award winning Indian restaurant Semma, said that he has seen a direct increase in the interests of investors as the Upskale Indian restaurant has risen in the last few years.

Unapologetic Foods – The company behind many popular New York restaurants, including SEMMA, Dhamaka, Adda and more, is “constant conversation” with outside investors, Mazumdar told CNBC, but even when the group entered the scene of the restaurant for the first time.

“I don’t think no one has seen Indian cuisine as a viable alternative,” said Majumdar. “There are people with whom we have constant dialogues, with whom I don’t think it would have thought of this idea even five years ago,” Oh, it can be an interesting business model to see. “

Mazumdar said that the scenario is “moving rapidly” because more investors take notice.

“I wouldn’t call it a trend,” he said. “To take one of the oldest dishes in the world – I think it’s a mandatory. It’s a matter of time.”

The Indian Restaurant Association of America has identified hyper-regional tastes as one of its top 2025 Indian restaurant trends As chefs dig into hundreds of local dishes that dot the subcontinent.

Chef Chinton Pandya, including SEMMA in each restaurant of Mazumdar and Unapologtic Foods, emphasize regional cuisine, rather than decades of decades of typical Northwestern Indian menu.

“I think we see a very interesting pattern, where it is a sense of curiosity to find out what a community is through a food lens,” said Majumdar. “And I don’t think it was the same 20 years ago.”

For example, which was ranked at number 1 at New York Times’ 2025 Best restaurant listThe cuisine of South India examines, especially the state of Tamil Nadu.

Pandya said, “I think one of the glorious reasons is that Semma is doing great or some path-breaking because it touches the nerve of Indian food that is cooked in India,” Pandya said. “This is full faith, or standard, or the vision of our company, where we will touch and cook the real Indian food which we like to eat ourselves.”

Avatar Walia, the owner of Tamarind in Tribka, has been in the scene of the American restaurant for decades. When he first entered America in the 70s, he could not find out why the Indian restaurants were not at the same level as Italian and French restaurants.

Connecting more regional cuisine and classic Indian Street Food, Walia said that he began to look at the Indian restaurant – including his own restaurants – smooth, elegant food changes from typical buffets.

“For the last 47 years, I still follow the same pattern. Every month, and one half, I change my lunch menu,” Walia said. “We take a field … so that people can try different dishes, authentic cuisine, and they do not need to go anywhere else. And it does a great job for me.”

Walia estimated that about 95% of his customers are regular, with their restaurants become a head for the Wall Street Business Meeting.

And for Khanna in the bungalow, the lines outside the restaurant just last long.

His Ratan chairs have seated famous Indian celebrities like members of India’s billionaire Ambani family and Bollywood stars, as well as American Bigwigs Heroic Founder Jeff BezosWho visited the restaurant last year.

“When he came, he kept saying,” I know why every Indian in Seattle is on the phone at 8 am to illuminate a reservation, because for him, it is not just visiting a restaurant – this is a pilgrimage, “said Khanna. “And he was really with me.”