As is well known, there is no disputing taste, but as far as Indian specialities are concerned, the people of Bonn are largely in agreement: They are particularly tasty in the Taj India Restaurant on Kölnstraße. Here you can enjoy the rich selection in a magnificent setting - the menu includes Indian specialities as well as pizza and pasta. Taj India also offers a delivery service.

Also very popular in Bonn is the Taste of India, which has a North Indian and a South Indian restaurant in Bonn (and is featured again in this article in the „near the opera house“ paragraph). In the Mogul on Heerstraße there are not only classic specialities but also desserts.

Many purely vegetable dishes, spicy, sweet or everything at the same time - Indian cuisine offers such a wide range of flavours unlike any other. No wonder that Indian cuisine is very popular with many Bonners. The Namaste, which offers a buffet every Monday and Wednesday, is also very popular.

The restaurant Indian Palace in Bonn-Bad Godesberg is very popular. This is also because the Indian Palace offers a particularly large selection: from pakoras for starters to tikkas or tandooris to desserts such as raagula, culfi or fresh fruit with ice cream, the Indian Palace leaves nothing to be desired. The ambience with thick carpets and decorative statues is also praised here. The Indian Palace restaurant is located on Gotenstrasse in Bonn-Bad Godesberg.

Popular Indian dishes include chicken tikka and tandoori. The classic Naan bread is often served with them. Typical drinks are lassi, a yoghurt drink in many different variations, and the "Golden Milk", which is now also appreciated in Germany.

By the way: The vegetarian vegan restaurant Ananda on Acher Straße also serves Indian-influenced food and drinks. And in Cassius Garden there are various chutneys that also belong (to) with the typical dishes. Cassius Garden is located on Maximilianstrasse.

The Taj India Restaurant is located in the Old Town of Bonn. If you can't agree whether you want to eat Indian food or pizza - here both are on the menu. The Himalayak is located in the old town and is the first Tibetan restaurant in North Rhine-Westphalia. Here you will find unusual specialities such as Tsam Tuk, a soup made from roasted barley flour, or Tibetan dumplings served with salad.

Namaste India in the Ippendorf district offers a menu with typical dishes both lunch and a buffet. The kitchen of Namaste India offers a large selection: From starters to meat and fish dishes, soup, Tandoori dishes with or without meat to delicious Kulfi ice cream, everything is on offer. By the way: "Namaste" is a greeting formula widely used in India, which means "I bow before you" and is also used in yoga.

If you would like to combine a visit to the opera with a culinary detour to India, the best choice is between the restaurant Mogul, which offers both Indian and Pakistani food, and the Taj India with its exotic-fine ambience. Taj India offers a particularly large selection, including pizza and pasta or special recipes such as the "Bollywood Burger". The Mogul offers popular dishes such as butter chicken, pakora and various curries. Also very near the opera house - as it is located practically directly across from it - you can find the Taste of India.

The South Indian edition of the Taste of India invites you on a culinary journey on Burbacher Straße. Indian food is served at The Indian Teahouse until 4 pm and on Mondays until 9 pm. And the Nisha's attracts with fresh and healthy cuisine from Sri Lanka.

Several restaurants also deliver. Among them is the Maharaja on Bahnhofstraße in Duisdorf, which also serves burgers. The Maharaja even offers genuine Indian desserts such as Gulab Gamun. Also the Sher Pur has beside pizza, burgers and salad also an Indian menu with meat, fish, vegetarian dishes and different Biryani. The Sher Pur is located in Vilich-Müldorf, but delivers free of charge to the whole of Bonn.

A delivery only service is at the Best of India. As the name suggests, there is said to be the best of Indian cuisine here. The Best of India even includes Indian pizza. The Gandhi House also supplies exclusively. There are also dishes with duck. Especially popular in the Gandhi House is the homemade Naan bread. Mama India offers classics of Indian cuisine such as Biryani, Curry and Tandoori. But Mama India also offers different Lassi.

Outside Bonn it is a little more difficult to find Indian restaurants. One is the Royal India in the Troisdorf district of Spich, which offers a buffet for lunch and dinner. In the Sankt Augustiner shopping centre Huma there is a branch of the chain Tando India Fusion.

In Cologne, of course, the choice is larger. The Masala Empire is located at Neptunplatz in Cologne-Ehrenfeld. The Ginti near Rudolfplatz also offers cooking courses in Cologne. It is supposed to be the best Indian restaurant not only in Cologne, but all over North Rhine-Westphalia. And the Kamasutra Cologne has already received several awards. Cologne is therefore one of the top locations for Indian food - a visit is well worth it.

Original text: GA Bonn Translation: Mareike Graepel