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Guide
Indian food represents many different regions and cooking styles, featuring far more than the curries that it is popularly known for — though those are certainly found in abundance at Tucson's Indian restaurants. For religious reasons, beef and pork are not common in the Indian diet, but carnivores can enjoy plenty of chicken, lamb, and seafood dishes. Most Indian restaurants have large sections of their menus devoted to vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free dishes, too.
Kitchens are almost always accommodating about adjusting spice levels but as a rule of thumb, the hottest dishes are the vindaloos, while the mildest are the kormas and biriyanis.
Fettucine Alfredo at Vero Amore (Photo credit: Jackie Tran)
12130 N Dove Mountain Blvd #104Marana
12112 N Rancho Vistoso Blvd #100Oro Valley
Keep Calm & Curry On: Guide to 12 Indian Restaurants in TucsonVegan food at Govinda's Natural Foods Buffet (Photo credit: Hannah Hernandez)
"Even as a non-vegetarian, Govinda's is one of my favorite buffet options in town. Govinda's is the good kind of buffet where everything tastes homemade and you have enough options to get the most bang for your buck, but you don't hate yourself after. And there's even a peacock around!"
— Addie Ibarra’s favoriteIndia Oven (Photo credit: Jackie Tran)
"My second visit to India Oven, Raksha offered to make any vegetarian options vegan for me. That care and mindfulness made me a lifer. And don't even get me started on their samosas."
— Sam Jump’s favoriteIndian Twist - Camp Lowell location (Photo by Isaac Stockton)
(Photo Courtesy of Kababeque Indian Grill)
845 E University Blvd #185Downtown
Photo Courtesy of New Delhi Palace-Cuisine Of India
"With so many choices here, picking my fave might be tough, but not really. I dream about the Peshawari Lamb Chops which are served in a traditional pot called a kahrai. Add naan and some fluffy rice for a fine dinner."
Keep Calm & Curry On: Guide to 12 Indian Restaurants in Tucson(Photo courtesy of Saffron Indian Bistro)
"Fabulous Indian Food... More expensive but worth it. Everything is good there. Vegetable Malabar is unique to them and their Chana/Bhature with a cold beer is fucking heaven."
— Edie Jarolim’s favoriteCurry Lamb at Sher-E-Punjab (Photo credit: Jackie Tran)
"Everday Indian Food... Homestyle cooking. Love the Lamb Vindaloo extra spicy and their Baingan Bharta (eggplant)."
Spice Garden Indian Cuisine (Photo courtesy of Discover Marana)
5815 N Arizona Pavilions DriveMarana
"Out-of-the-box Indian Food... it's way the hell out there, but totally worth it. The Gobi Manchurian is awesome, Mysore Masala Dosa is fire, Mehti Chaman is sublime -- plus they are the only restaurant [in Tucson] that makes these dishes!"
Twisted Indian (Photo by Hannah Hernandez)
Twisted Indian, located inside a Chevron station on East Ajo Way, offers a clean, modern space with a few tables and a compact counter. The aroma of spices greets guests upon entry, and the friendly staff ensures a welcoming experience.
While the Butter Chicken and Chicken Tikka Masala are the most popular dishes, try their Shahi Paneer, which features the Indian cheese in a spiced gravy with nuts.
