Dosa in Columbus is not a specialty confined to one storefront; it is a menu line inside a much bigger Indian restaurant landscape that spans the city and its ring suburbs. This list weighs the kitchens that actually put a crisp, thin rice-and-lentil crepe on the table against the broader Indian dining strong across Central Ohio, from tandoor houses to lunch buffets.
№ 01
Layla's Kitchen Indian Restaurant
$$
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Butter chicken and saag paneer anchor the menu at this Columbus dining room, where low lighting and quiet music set a calmer register than the typical strip-mall counter. Biryani rounds out the order. Service reads as attentive at the table, though delivery orders have drawn more mixed notes on consistency than dine-in visits.
What to orderbutter chicken, saag paneer, biryani
№ 02
Indian Oven
$$
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Garlic naan gets singled out repeatedly here, alongside a tikka platter and chilli chicken that read as the table's anchor order. This Columbus spot runs a lunch special that locals treat as a standing appointment, and the room stays clean and unfussy. Roti and salads pull their own weight on the side.
What to ordergarlic naan, chilli chicken, tikka platter
№ 03
Haveli Bistro
$$
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Tandoori shrimp and tandoori chicken are the draw at this Columbus room built for groups, with gluten-free items clearly labeled on the menu, a rarity worth noting. Late tables on weeknights suggest a following that treats it as a standing group spot. The buffet has drawn sharper criticism than the tandoor plates.
What to ordertandoori shrimp, tandoori chicken, saag paneer
№ 04
Taste of Awadh By Chef Anand
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Chicken tikka and chicken kebab lead a menu that pushes past the standard Indian roster into pan-Asian additions, an unusual move for the category in Columbus. Biryani rounds out the order, and the kitchen offers a real range of spice levels rather than defaulting to one heat for every dish. Seating runs ample.
What to orderchicken tikka, chicken kebab, biryani
№ 05
Curry Kabab Handi Biryani
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Lamb korma comes recommended by name here, alongside biryani and a paneer tikka masala that vegetarian diners lean on. This Columbus restaurant runs dine-in and carry-out with a substantial vegetarian and vegan list. The buffet gets called out specifically as one of the stronger versions in the city.
What to orderLamb Korma, Biryani, Paneer Tikka Masala
№ 06
New India Restaurant
$$
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Onion bhaji and chicken curry stand out on a menu that flags vegetarian and gluten-free items directly, useful for diners managing restrictions. Samosa fills out the order. Service at this Columbus spot is attentive and to-go orders run on time, though occasional maintenance closures mean a backup plan helps.
What to orderOnion Bhaji, Chicken Curry, Samosa
№ 07
Awadh | India Restaurant
$$
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Dal tadka and navratan korma travel well, arriving warm and properly packed for delivery from this Columbus kitchen. Doi mahi mahi draws specific praise as a standout beyond the usual curry roster. The menu mixes newer dishes into a fairly recent addition to the city's Indian lineup.
What to orderdal tadka, navratan korma, doi mahi mahi
№ 08
Aab India Restaurant
Grandview Heights $$
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Tikka masala and chicken curry anchor the plate at this Columbus dining room, where the staff runs attentive and the space stays clean. Dal fills out a fuller order. The lunch buffet draws mixed opinions: the food reads as tasty, but the price point for midday has drawn some pushback.
What to orderTikka Marsala, Chicken Curry, Dal
№ 09
Clove Indian Bistro - Restaurant & Catering
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Tandoori chicken and saag paneer lead the takeout orders that keep regulars coming back to this Columbus bistro, with biryani rounding out the standard order. Staff read as friendly across repeat visits. The lunch buffet gets flagged as promising even by diners who have only eaten the dinner menu so far.
What to ordertandoori chicken, saag paneer, biryani
№ 10
Cumin & Curry
$$
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Paneer tikka masala anchors a lunch buffet that regulars return to specifically for the paneer selection, set in a strip near the Easton shopping district in Columbus with adequate parking. Chicken tikka masala and dal makhani round out the order. Service gets called reliable and the location convenient for a midday stop.
What to orderpaneer tikka masala, chicken tikka masala, dal makhani
№ 11
Dosa Corner
$
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Masala dosa is the reason to walk into this Columbus counter: crisp, paired with flavorful sauces, and repeatedly named the best version diners have had in the city. Idli and a mango lassi round out a South Indian menu that runs at fair prices, distinct from the North Indian curry houses that dominate the wider metro.
What to ordermasala dosa, mango lassi, idli
№ 12
Dakshin Indian Bistro
$$
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Dosa shares the menu with a lunch special that draws diners in specifically to eat until they are full, a hallmark of this Columbus bistro's approach to portions. Curry dishes read as fresh and well spiced. Service is called out as strong, and regulars note the room undersells itself relative to what lands on the table.
What to orderlunch special, dosa, curry
Frequently asked
What is the best dosa near me in Columbus?
Dosa Corner and Dakshin Indian Bistro are the two Columbus restaurants in this guide built around the dosa specifically, with Dosa Corner running a South Indian menu centered on it and Dakshin pairing it with a hearty lunch special. Rankings here reflect each restaurant's Insider Score, and no restaurant paid to be listed.
Is Indian food in Columbus mostly North Indian or South Indian?
The metro leans heavily North Indian, with tandoor, curry, and biryani houses dominating the roster. South Indian specialists like Dosa Corner are fewer, which makes them notable rather than typical. The Insider Score reflects the full record for each restaurant, and placement here is never paid.
Which Columbus Indian restaurants have good lunch buffets?
Curry Kabab Handi Biryani, Aab India Restaurant, Cumin & Curry, and Clove Indian Bistro all run lunch buffets that come up repeatedly in the record, though opinions on value vary restaurant to restaurant. Each restaurant's Insider Score is based on the full review record, with no paid placement.
Are these Indian restaurants actually in the city of Columbus or the suburbs?
Every restaurant in this guide is listed as being within the city of Columbus itself, not in a separate ring municipality like Bexley, Dublin, or Westerville. The Insider Score for each is drawn from its full review record, and no restaurant has paid for inclusion or ranking.
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The data first, then the verdict
We start with the review record, not a press release. Every room here is a real kitchen with a strong rating across a meaningful number of reviews, ranked on our 10-point Insider Score. We weight consistency over time and the rooms locals return to, not the ones tourists pass through once. The list updates as the data does. How we work →
Tommy Vu
Staff Writer · Top of Columbus
Tommy Vu is the Corridors and Heritage Editor at Top of Columbus. He grew up rolling silverware in his parents' pho shop in a Bethel Road plaza and has been eating his way through the city's strip-mall corridors ever since. If the best kitchen in the plaza has handwritten specials taped to the register, he has already ordered them.
