We think Brighton's Indian restaurant scene is more epic than you realise: with slow-cooked banquets, seaside modern fusion, and everything in between. The Lanes and neighbouring Hove are packed with spots doing it properly, whether you're after a classic three-course spread, bold Nepali flavours, or something that plays with tradition rather than sticking to the script. From flaky, fresh-off-the-tawa paneer to hot wings with a serious kick, here's where to go when only a proper curry will do.
Located on Dukes Lane, Mowgli is pulling out all the stops when it comes to excellent Indian cooking. We're talking everything from sizzling ginger chicken and goan fish curries to tea-steeped chickpeas and much more. Wash it all down with a lychee martini or mango lassi.
Hidden away in the bustling Lanes, Permit Room is a vibrant all-day restaurant and bar that takes its inspiration from mid-century Bombay. Expect bold, colourful decor, filled with South Asian artwork, vintage album covers and quirky prints.
Begin the day with a hearty fry up with an Indian twist, or head down later on for the likes of aloo tikki chaat, spicy chicken puff and fragrant vegetable curries. Plus, they serve award-winning cocktails like the Feni Martini, alongside local beer.
There's a reason locals kept asking when The Chilli Pickle was coming back to The Lanes: this is where the whole thing began in 2008, long before its Jubilee Street years, and 2025's move to Meeting House Lane feels like it's come full circle. The kitchen doesn't do the standard curry house routine, expect regional dishes with real depth, from a lighter lunch of kebabs and street food to a dinner menu built for sharing, including the restaurant's cult-favourite Nepali hot wings, tossed in fiery Szechuan peppers and crispy chilli sambhal. Weekends get busy fast, so this is one to book ahead for rather than chance a walk-in.
Easy Tiger serves a colourful mix of curries, stews and wraps from its kitchen based in The Hampton. If you're a lover of smashing lots of poppadoms into dips (who isn't?), welcome to heaven, as loads of sauces and pickled delights are on the menu.
Indian Summer Brighton boasts a huge range of classy South Asian recipes to get your teeth around. Big groups are welcome here and you'd be wise to go for the venue's sharing platter, which includes mamaji chicken plus onion and potato pakodas.
When on a mission to find a vegetarian Indian restaurant in Brighton, Kitgum Kitchen may be your winner. East African flavours with Indian influence offer intriguing combos that leap off the menu; check out its signature Ugandan Rolex, an omelette-filled chapati with tamarind sauce, potatoes and carrots.
Manju's on Trafalgar Street is doing something entirely different. Every dish here is vegetarian, rooted in Gujarati home cooking and overseen by 86-year-old Manju, whose recipes prize delicate spicing over heat for its own sake. Tables stay small and conversation-friendly by design, service is incredibly warm and genuinely personal. If your idea of Indian food starts and ends with chicken tikka, this is the place built to change your mind.
Brighton's Indian food scene spans everything from Lanes institutions to modern fusion. Mowgli on Dukes Lane is a firm favourite for playful Indian street food, while Indian Summer has been a Brighton mainstay for over two decades, serving up classic regional dishes with real depth.
Yes, several venues cater well to larger tables. Indian Summer's sharing platters are built for groups, while Permit Room's all-day menu of chaats, curries and small plates suits a table that wants to order a bit of everything.
Definitely. Kitgum Kitchen is a strong pick for vegetarian diners, and most Indian restaurants across the city, including Mowgli and Easy Tiger, offer extensive vegetarian and vegan menus alongside their meat dishes.
Traditional curry houses focus on classic dishes like korma, madras and vindaloo, while Brighton's newer wave of Indian restaurants lean into regional specialities, street food formats and small plates, think tiffin boxes, chaats and tandoori snacks, alongside the classics.
