General Information
The first Indian restaurant in Vienna opened in 1970 in the first district. In the 1980s several more followed, primarily in the 7th district, which is why there is still a higher density of Indian restaurants here and in the surrounding districts. In the 1990s, many more restaurants followed, leading to a more varied choice; unfortunately, most of them quickly adapted to Austrian tastes so that many curries tasted very much like goulash. Even today, the lack of spices and the impossibility to find a truly hot curry in many restaurants can cause much frustration to curry addicts.
Indian food never became "hip" in Vienna; therefore there are only few restaurants that could be called "young", "modern" or "stylish": colonial decor prevails, and some even look a bit shabby. Not that the appearance of the restaurant would say anything about the food though.
So what is the best Indian restaurant in Vienna?
It probably doesn't exist. The customers' tastes are so varied that there seems to be no unanimous agreement on any one restaurant. If you read reviews on other websites, you will find a harsh critique for every enthusiastic endorsement. In the 15+ years that I have been publishing this website, I have learned not to trust "best-of" lists, which is why I'm not offering one.
Indian Restaurants that have been around for a long time
Bombay, Demi-Tass, Jaipur Palace, Koh-i-noor, Zum Inder, Zum Moghulhof
Younger, not-so-traditional restaurants
In-Dish, Indus, Nam Nam, Taste of India, Tulsi
Closed favourites which will not be forgotten
I Love Pizza, Indian Foodland, Indian Pavilion, Khajuraho Palace, Maharadscha, Rani (alt), Samrat, Shalimar, Taj Mahal, Tandoor, Zum Inder