From Mumbai to Khatmandu, the Indian subcontinent generates endless inspiration for creative local chefs and while grouped under the culturally limiting umbrella of “Indian restaurants,” the metro hosts a dozen casual destinations to excite food lovers with a passion for authentic flavors.
Within the vast country of India, geographical differences thrive. In the north, meat and dairy dominate ingredients, while southern cities lean toward seafood and vegetables. Pakistan and Nepal sustain their own culinary traditions. All of which can help explain how similar dishes on Metro menus can feature different names, or spelling, when sourced from one region over another.
Thankfully, Des Moines has been able to attract a healthy number of restaurateurs motivated by the possibilities of South Asia cuisine. They’ve helped create a dining landscape vibrant enough to support two distinct Nepali restaurants, a Punjabi success story located inside a gas station, and even off-the-wall fusion creations like butter chicken poutine and tacos.
The following alphabetical list hints at their imagination and diversity.
It should be noted that following their busy lunch hours a number of these restaurants temporarily close before their evening service, making it worthwhile to check ahead of the latest opening times before making a long trip.
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Amruth Indian Grill
The newest restaurant on this list, Clive’s Amruth Indian Grill has grown a substantial menu that takes its cue from a variety of regional sources, and highlights its dosas, the perennial South Indian favorite, among the specialties. Located inside a former Mexican restaurant at the Creekside Shopping Center, the restaurant's tempting choices include layered and flaky parotta flatbreads, curries, biryani, goat and lamb dishes, and sizzling kebab and tikka platters. The restaurant also offers a collection of Chinese fried rice and noodle options, plus a series of "street eats," like masala fries, crispy puffed ball golgappa, and butter chicken tacos.
Location: 9974 Swanson Blvd., Clive
Contact: 515-207-1346, amruthindiangrill.com
Bawarchi Indian Grill & Bar
Celebrating four years in operation this fall, Bawarchi Indian Grill’s menu is inspired by classic dishes found across India and a commitment to serving locally raised halal meats as well as organic and natural ingredients whenever possible. During lunch, the corner space is the right size to accommodate a busy crowd for its popular weekday buffet. When the grill reopens in the afternoon, the full menu stretches to include spiced fusion creations and recipes inspired by the Indian city of Guntur. Also available, an extensive list of crispy, savory dosas and rice-centered biryani dishes. The restaurant’s social media account actively promotes weekly special offers and dining deals.
Location: 6630 Mills Civic Pkwy., Unit 3102, West Des Moines
Contact: 515-690-6099; bawarchidesmoines.com
Chowrastha
Chowrastha, a 2023 addition to West Des Moines, offers counter- and table-service restaurant for lesser-known Southern Indian specialties, plus Indo-Chinese options concentrated around fried rice and noodles. Convenient for diners wishing to share plates, the long menu includes savory fried vada snacks, Nepalese-inspired steamed and filled dumplings, and mutton fried with black pepper powder, as well as many tributes to Indian street food that are worthy of experimentation. Heat levels on any order can be raised or lowered depending on personal preferences. And guests can take out their phones for snaps of the large interior mural, pose in front of the Instagram-ready wall, and click away at the weekday buffet that promises a “feast of flavors.”
Location: 5910 Ashworth Road, West Des Moines
Contact: 515-348-1054; thechowrastha.com
Desi Bites
Unless you walk to the rear of the Konark Grocers store in Urbandale, you could easily miss out on the counter-service Desi Bites hidden at the back. part of a growing franchise now found in 10 states. Once you finish shopping among Konark’s huge inventory of Indian foods and goods, the Desi Bites counter-service menu will be waiting to serve its value priced deals. Frequently changing its menu specials, recent additions have included pulav, dosas, kebabs, biryani dishes, and Chinese-influenced dishes made with noodles or rice. The menu is particularly suitable to be taken home and creates a handy fast-food Indian alternative for the neighborhood.
Location: 3828 100th St., Urbandale
Contact: 515-608-6789; desibites.com
India Star
One of the metro’s longest running Northern India-inspired restaurants started in 1997 and has been operating a standalone restaurant on Douglas Avenue since August 2006. The modest space has long been a repeat destination for locals who have steadily worked their way through the menu over the years. Taking recipe cues from its native home, meals from the tandoor oven are prepared “grand Mughlai” style and spiced to great effect. India Star also rolls out the classics, often presented in familiar retro stainless steel serving dishes, and include biryani rice dishes, a broad collection of seafood curries, shrimp vindaloo, lamb saag, and vegetarian appetizers and entrees, all of which can prepared mild, medium or hot.
Location: 5514 Douglas Ave., Des Moines
Contact: 515-279-2118; indiastardm.com
Indian Tadka
Waukee’s sole Indian dining option, Indian Tadka, has added a dash of culinary imagination to their herbs and spices. Working out of a prime location on Hickman Road, the compact restaurant space offers a full menu of traditional specialties, plus green herb curry Hariyali appetizers made with paneer, chicken, or fish; a Punjabi chickpea masala dish; goat cooked in mint and spices; and Indian Flying Horse, Taj Mahal and Kingfisher beers. Uncommon choices include corn saag, a preparation of sautéed corn with spinach, and a collection of “Naanwiches," vegetable- and meat-filled sandwiches substituting traditional bread with a naan. The restaurant is also pioneers in serving butter chicken poutine, an Indian spin on the legendary Canadian staple meal.
Location: 280 W. Hickman Road, Waukee
Contact: 515-987-3165; indiantadkadsm.com
Kathmandu Restaurant
Kathmandu’s strip mall location bucks convention with a lunch buffet from Friday to Sunday and selections updated weekly. Inside the unassuming space, the extensive everyday menu is a must-visit for locals in the know, beginning their meal with momos, filled steamed dumplings, or traditional Nepali-style vegetable noodle soup, and uncommon specials including baingan bartha, made with mashed and cooked char-broiled eggplant. More familiar options of tandoori platters, chicken korma and lamb tikka are joined by Kathmandu’s spin on thalis, a traditional variety plate comprised of two entree items, rice, pickles, naan, spinach and black lentils at the oldest Nepali restaurant in the region.
Location: 7225-7229 Apple Valley Drive, Windsor Heights
Contact: 515-255-1270; ktmrestaurant.com
Lzaza Indo-Pak Cuisine
A close neighbor to Drake University, Lzaza offers low-key space that is a magnet for appreciative diners residing across the metro. The unfussy dining room can quickly fill up during lunch buffet hours with loyal regulars who dive into the serving trays offering an evolving menu of traditional favorites. Recent choices have included chicken biryani, allo palak and goat vindaloo, as well as the ever-popular tandoori chicken. Following a break, the restaurant reopens in the evening hours and the à la carte menu expands to a wider selection of dishes from the tandoor grill, plus more vegetarian beef, fish, shrimp and lamb options. Don’t overlook the naan, roti and paratha accompaniments, or pass on a sweet dessert finale.
Location: 1409 23rd St., Des Moines
Contact: 515-381-112; facebook.com/Lazaindopak
More:The 27 essential restaurants in the Des Moines metro: 2024 edition
Persis Indian Grill
Located a short distance to the south of the Jordan Creek Town Center mall, Persis Indian Grill doesn’t offer a lunch buffet, but provides its decade-old fanbase a lengthy full menu served in a busy, contemporary setting. The restaurant’s flavor inspirations include occasional nods to Manchuria and Indo-China fusion styles, plus western go-tos of butter chicken and lamb vindaloo. A specialty of the house are the slow-cooked biryani dishes, influenced by India’s Hyderabad dining scene. The restaurant frequently updates its social media with details of weekend additions that have recently introduced pulav dishes, deep-fried pakoda appetizers and vegetarian gobi to customers.
Location: 6925 Mills Civic Pkwy., West Des Moines
Contact: 515-777-1803; persisbiryaniindiangrill.com
Spices of Nepal
As the name suggests, Spices of Nepal intends to send its customers on an adventure of the senses, while it boldly pays tribute to its recipe roots. Also featuring a plethora of Indian standards, diners can sit in the comfortable booths and order Nepali classics like chicken sekuwa, Tibetan chicken thukpa noodle soup, or curried lamb dhansak prepared with dark lentils. Top off a meal with gulab jamun, a classic dessert from Nepal created with fried milk dough balls soaked in a sweet syrup. In an act of respect to vegetarian diners, that food is prepared by a separate chef from the culinary expert overseeing the remainder of the menu.
Location: 4804 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines
Contact: 515-285-0467; spicesofnepal.com
Spice Pot — Breads & Biryani
Spice Pot’s full name spotlights its bread and biryani specials that keep customers coming back for more. The informal Urbandale fixture since 2017 is influenced by multiple regions across India, then gives its dishes a self-described “western twist.” The corner property provides a lunch buffet option from Tuesday to Sunday featuring a roster of creative items. The full menu during its evening service adds more than 10 different biryanis, each prepared with more than two dozen spices. Also available, Southern India-inspired dosas, a house special egg masala dish, minced meat kofta creations, and a collection of vegetarian and vegan-friendly meals.
Location: 2731 100th St., Urbandale
Contact: 515-278-5813; facebook.com/spicepotus
Zaika
On the edge of the map for most casual diners in the metro, Zaika launched in 2023 and combines an unusual setting, with a creative menu dedicated to Punjabi-inspired flavors. Sharing its building with a Git-N-Go gas station convenience store, Zaika is open 24 hours and creates special parantha bread creations and chana items for breakfast. Although popular for counter-service takeout orders, there are plenty of indoor seats and a large menu that camouflages the restaurant’s small size. Menu favorites include tandoor-prepared plates, curries, vegetable options and savory chaat snacks. Zaika describes daal makhni as its signature dish, a mix of slow-cooked black lentils simmered with aromatic spices, butter, and cream.
Location: 3209 Henry St. S.W., Bondurant
Contact: 515-214-1460; zaikabondurant.com
Richard Lane is a freelance writer based in Des Moines.
