Okay Nomsters, we need to talk about Indian food in Maryland, because this state is absolutely stacked. I get asked for Indian recs constantly, so I finally pulled together my favorite Indian spots across Maryland in one place. And the range here is wild, and I mean that in the best way possible.
We’ve got refined, farm-to-table fine dining, unbeatable weekday thali and lunch-box deals, all-you-can-eat buffets with fresh dosa stations, halal Hyderabadi biryani hiding inside a grocery store, and even Indian pizza (yes, really, and it’s SO good). Columbia and Howard County alone could keep you busy for weeks, but I’ve got picks from Baltimore to Catonsville to Laurel too.
As an FYI, these are in no particular order, just the spots I genuinely love and keep going back to, whether I’m planning a date night, chasing a budget-friendly lunch, or feeding a whole crew. Some are splurges, plenty are easy on the wallet, and a few are proper hidden gems. Let me put you on!
1. Royal Taj
Let’s start in Columbia with one of my absolute favorites in Howard County. Royal Taj is a full-service North Indian spot where the setting’s stunning, the food’s fantastic, and the service is so good it almost outshines the plates (almost, lol). If you only order one thing, make it the chicken tikka masala, it’s classic but done really nicely here, and do yourself a favor and grab their $4 hot sauce on the side.
I love ordering half portions of a few dishes so I can taste more of the menu, and the alu tikki chaat ($17), crispy fried potato patties over chickpeas with a bunch of yum sauces, is the perfect intro if you’ve never had chaat. The menu leans on tandoor-cooked meats, rich simmered curries, and those savory snacks, so there’s something for every comfort level.
It’s a refined, take-care-of-you kind of place that works just as well for date night as it does a special occasion. If you’re working your way through Columbia’s Indian scene, Royal Taj is the one I keep coming back to, and it’s a great answer to the “what’s the best Indian restaurant in Maryland” question.
📍8335 Benson Dr, Columbia, MD
2. Harbor Tandoor
Over in Baltimore’s Harbor East, Harbor Tandoor is one of the best Indian restaurants in the city, and the momos alone are worth the trip. The chicken steam momos ($9) are hands down the best I’ve had in the States, chewy skins, a nice kick of heat, and a 10/10 house tomato sauce.
The tandoori chicken ($17) shows up sizzling and smoky and is an absolute must-order, served with a side of tikka sauce for dipping. The baingan bharta (roasted eggplant) was solid but not my personal favorite, so I’d explore other dishes next time if eggplant isn’t your thing.
The biryani and curries round out the menu nicely too, and the lunch specials make it an easy midday stop. Between the bold flavors, the generous portions, and the warm hospitality, it’s the kind of spot that makes you want to come back again and again. And since you’re already right by the Inner Harbor, it’s easy to tack it onto a whole afternoon downtown.
📍803 S Caroline St, Baltimore, MD
3. Ananda
Ananda might be my favorite Indian spot in the whole Maryland suburbs, so save this one for when you want to be properly wowed. Tucked into Maple Lawn in Fulton with no big sign out front, it feels like a neighborhood secret, and the farm-to-table thing is no gimmick, they run Ananda Farm up the road and pull a lot of their produce straight from it.
The cooking’s refined and a little modern, built on traditional Punjabi methods, and every single meal I’ve had here has been spectacular. Start with the roasted zucchini and leek cakes with herbed goat yogurt and a spiced tamarind-date chutney, one of the best starters I’ve had in ages.
But the herb-roasted lamb shank is the showstopper, some of the best lamb I’ve ever had, so tender it falls right off the bone. The patio out back feels like a little secret garden, which only adds to the occasion. It’s a splurge and a special-occasion kind of place, and worth every single penny.
📍7421 Maple Lawn Blvd, Fulton, MD
4. Biryani and Bakers
Here’s a plot twist: one of my favorite things at Biryani and Bakers is the dessert. This little Hyderabadi spot’s tucked inside the Lotte grocery in Catonsville, a small food-court counter that punches way above its setting. The chicken dum biryani ($16.49) is my go-to, proper sealed-pot style where the marinated chicken and rice steam together so every grain soaks up the spice and the meat stays tender.
But the Apricot Delight ($6.59) is the sleeper hit, I’d make the trip for that dessert alone, and a flaky chicken puff ($3.84) is a great little add-on. The whole operation’s 100% halal, which makes it an easy call if that matters to you. Do not let the grocery-store food court fool you, this is some of the best biryani going around Catonsville, and exactly the kind of hidden gem I live for.
📍6600 Baltimore National Pike Ste J, Catonsville, MD
5. Bella Indian & Italian Cuisine
If you love a good comfort-food mashup, Bella Indian & Italian Cuisine in Laurel is a must, because this is my go-to for Indian pizza. My standing order is the butter chicken pizza plus the chicken tikka calzone, and both deliver. The 10-inch butter chicken pie ($13.99) comes generously topped, creamy and savory with real Indian spice depth over a cheesy, crispy crust, and you can customize your spice level (I go medium).
The chicken tikka calzone ($15.99) is big, baked golden and buttery, and served with a dipping sauce that takes it over the top. They do Italian staples too, but I stick to the pizza and calzones because that’s what I crave here. If you want something a little different from your usual rotation in the Laurel area, this one’s a really fun pick, and the kids will be into it too.
📍7423 Van Dusen Rd, Laurel, MD
6. Rangoli
Right by Arundel Mills in Hanover, Rangoli is one of my go-to takeout spots and a buffet I’d put on any best-of list. What makes it a winner is the range, they cover North Indian comfort food like butter chicken and rich curries, South Indian specialties like dosas, AND a handful of Indo-Chinese dishes.
The lunch buffet’s one of the best deals around, $24 on weekends (Friday through Sunday) and $23 on weekdays, and you walk out completely stuffed. The move is going on a weekend so you can hit the dosa station, which isn’t part of the weekday spread. It’s been around since 2011 with thousands of glowing reviews, so it’s that reliable, always-solid spot you keep in your back pocket.
Whether you’re shopping the mall or just passing through, it’s an easy, generous stop, and a great answer if you’re hunting for a proper Indian buffet in Maryland.
📍7791-C, 7791 Arundel Mills Blvd, Hanover, MD
7. The Mint Room
Another dope buffet option for you guys! The Mint Room in Ellicott City is a must. The lunch buffet runs $19 a person, and the variety makes it worth every penny, from chili fish to lamb biryani and butter chicken. The spread changes day to day, so there’s always something new to try, and there are lots of options if you’re vegetarian.
It even comes with piping hot, fragrant chai, which is the perfect cold-weather bevvie. Beyond the food, the interior’s pretty and the service is warm and welcoming. I had a great experience and I’d absolutely go back, it’s an easy, satisfying way to graze through a bunch of Indian classics in one sitting without committing to a single plate.
📍9469 Baltimore National Pike, Ellicott City, MD
8. Chutney
Chutney in Columbia lived up to every bit of the hype, and I’m already scheming my next trip back. Tucked into Snowden River Parkway, it’s the kind of Indian spot where the curries have serious flavor, the naan comes out blistered and glossy, and the heat’s there if you ask for it (and you already know I ask).
The Chicken Hyderabadi ($19) was a first for me and I fell for it immediately, great heat and a deeply flavorful gravy. Don’t skip the aloo gobi ($17), the crispy vegetable samosas ($7), or more garlic naan ($5) than one person should admit to ordering. You get free raita and a spread of chutneys with your meal, they’ll happily bring seconds, and there’s free wifi, so it pulls off that rare date-night-and-takeout-regular double. Consistent and packed with flavor, this one’s a must.
📍9400 Snowden River Pkwy, Columbia, MD
9. Mango Grove
Mango Grove is my pick in Columbia when I’m after a filling Indian lunch. It’s been around since 1996, which says something, and the menu leans into both North and South Indian cooking with a genuinely big vegetarian and vegan section (plus gluten-free options).
The weekday chicken lunch box ($15.95) is a lot of food for the money, packing in chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken, channa masala, veg cashew korma, rice, naan, and a side of green sauce to tie it all together. It’s super tasty and leaves you happy and set for the afternoon. If you’d rather graze, they run a weekend buffet too.
It’s not the most budget option on this list, but for a quick, generous midday Indian plate in Howard County, Mango Grove’s an easy call, and the vegetarian crowd is especially well looked after here.
📍8865 Stanford Blvd Unit 107, Columbia, MD
10. Spice N Curry
The best lunch deal I’ve stumbled on in Howard County lately is hiding in an Elkridge strip mall, and I need you to know about it. Spice N Curry’s daily thali ($12.99 to $14.99) is basically a whole tour of North and South Indian cooking on one platter, an appetizer, dal, two entrees, naan, rice, raita, and the dessert of the day, with UNLIMITED refills.
It runs every day from 11:30 to 2:30, and the service was so good it almost made me emotional, lol. The menu’s ridiculously deep for such a low-key spot, with dosas and idlis (harder to find around here than they should be), Nepalese momos, and even some Indo-Chinese plates, all made in house. Oh, and it’s BYOB if you want to make lunch a whole thing. Come hungry, that’s my only warning! Easily one of my favorite lunch finds in the Elkridge area.
📍6590 Old Waterloo Rd, Elkridge, MD
11. Curry & Pie
Rounding things out with another Indian pizza spot, because I’m obsessed. Curry & Pie in Elkridge does delicious Indian pizzas for super reasonable prices, and the chicken tikka masala za is my favorite by far (the lamb vindaloo’s solid too if that’s your mood). The small starts at $11 for a 10-inch, and they’ve got a full menu of Indian dishes beyond the pies if you want to branch out. It’s mainly takeout so plan to grab and go.
One heads up from experience: when they ask mild or spicy, their spicy is pretty dang spicy, so consider yourself warned! A budget-friendly way to get your Indian fix in Elkridge, and a fun one to bring home for the family on a night when nobody wants to cook.
📍6500 Washington Blvd Ste 104, Elkridge, MD
So there’s my running list of the best Indian spots in Maryland, from white-tablecloth splurges to food-court biryani and everything in between. Whatever you’re craving, a blowout date-night dinner, an unbeatable thali lunch, or a buffet to graze through with friends, there’s a spot on here for it.
Have you guys been to any of these yet? And which Indian restaurant am I missing, because you know I’m always hunting for the next one to put you on. Drop your go-to in the comments, Nomsters, and if this helped you out, save it and send it to your favorite Indian-food partner in crime. There’s always another great plate of curry waiting in this state. Happy eating!