Elaborate platters of Gujarati cuisine are the reason why Rajdhani, of all the restaurants and sweet shops in Artesia’s Little India stretch, stands out from all the rest. Despite being situated by the sea, the western Indian state is known for its vegetarian—not seafood—dishes, and Rajdhani is no exception. Servers bring dishes tableside (there’s no buffet here), so you can get up close and personal with Rajdhani’s ever-changing thali—a selection of daal, chapati, okra stew and more, with vegan, gluten-free and Jain (allium-free) options abound. End the meal with the restaurant’s excellent desserts, like rose ice cream topped with basil seeds or sugary balls of gulab jamun.
Eating Indian food sometimes feels like an exercise in Comfort Food 101. Pile up a plate with basmati rice, lamb vindaloo and a sizeable wedge of naan, and suddenly the plate is clean and you’re already making a second batch. Luckily for us, Los Angeles is rife with South Asian eateries serving excellent cuisine from across the subcontinent, with plenty of hidden gems scattered around the city.
When it comes to traditional Indian cuisine, the best of the best can be found in Artesia’s Little India as well as scattered on the outskirts of Culver City, though you can now find new-school takes on Indian cuisine at restaurants in Downtown and Silver Lake. From the valleys to the beaches, these Indian (plus Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan) restaurants are the city’s best.
RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Los Angeles