Casual Dining & Bistros · Little India · North Indian
The best North Indian restaurants in Singapore — and why Khansama, on the Norris Road corner, is our pick for 2026
Little India has dozens of Indian restaurants. This guide has carried a different name at the top before. Here’s the current pick, the honest reasoning behind the change, and six other names worth knowing.
By the Solstium Editorial Desk
August 2026
11 min read
Why we changed the pick — September 2026
This guide previously ranked Mini Panjab first. We’ve moved Khansama Tandoori Restaurant to the top spot instead, and we’d rather explain that plainly than quietly swap it and pretend nothing happened.
The reason: a run of recent Google reviews on Mini Panjab, which we flagged in our last update, hasn’t settled. Reviewers over the past year have reported an unmanaged unruly-guest incident, a 1.5-hour wait with food arriving cold, and disorganised table handling on a separate visit. None of that shows up in the smaller booking-platform samples we also cite, and Mini Panjab’s aggregate numbers there are still genuinely good — this isn’t a case of the food or the concept falling apart. But a “best in Singapore” pick has to hold up on a random Tuesday night, not just on its best-reviewed nights, and three independent, specific service complaints in a year is enough that we don’t feel comfortable keeping it at number one while it’s still an open pattern.
Khansama earns the move up rather than winning by default. It’s been running the same Norris Road corner since 1999, carries a 4.1 rating across 809 TripAdvisor reviews built up over decades rather than a shorter, newer sample, and its open-air alfresco setup with a working bar gives it the same food-plus-drinks combination that made Mini Panjab distinctive in the first place. Mini Panjab remains in this guide, further down, with the same honesty applied to it.
⭐ Our top pick — North Indian
Khansama Tandoori Restaurant
4.1
TripAdvisor, 809 reviews
1999
Open since
~$20/pax
Typical spend
Daily
Open every day
Norris Road meets Serangoon Road at a corner that’s been Khansama’s for over two decades now, and on a busy evening the restaurant more or less spills onto the pavement — alfresco tables, the smell of a working tandoor, a soft-Indian-music hum under the traffic. It’s not a quiet or particularly polished room. That’s part of the point. The ground floor is open-air and loud; there’s an air-conditioned dining hall upstairs on the second level for anyone who wants the same menu without the street noise.
The kitchen has been run since 1999 under general manager Dr Rakesh Kumar, and the pitch is straightforward: dishes cooked to order rather than held in a steam tray, spices brought in from India rather than sourced locally, no MSG. Whether all of that reads as marketing copy or genuine kitchen discipline probably depends on which night you go — but the TripAdvisor number, built from 809 reviews accumulated over a long stretch rather than a recent spike, suggests the discipline holds up more often than not.
“I went to Khansama expecting a good dinner. Instead, I got life-changing Afghani chicken and garlic naan that made me question every dietary decision I’ve made so far.”
The menu runs squarely North Indian — tandoori meats, kebabs, curries, biryani — with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian sections. Mutton seekh kebab, chicken dum biryani and the butter chicken get named most often in reviews. No pork or beef is served, which widens who can comfortably order at a mixed table, though it’s worth being direct that this isn’t the same as halal certification, since the restaurant does serve alcohol.
“The food is exceptional. We tried the chicken butter curry and garlic cheese naan with pineapple rice and biryani. Must try 100%.” — plus multiple reviewers separately singling out the Afghani chicken and the seekh kebab.
The alfresco setup is also where the bar comes in — beer and mixed drinks served streetside, which is unusual for a restaurant this squarely focused on traditional North Indian cooking rather than a lounge-first concept. It’s a genuine point of difference from most of the other names in this guide, none of which run a bar at all.
None of this makes Khansama flawless. It’s a two-storey shophouse operation, not a purpose-built restaurant, so the ground floor gets genuinely loud and warm on a packed night, and the alfresco seating means weather and street noise are part of the deal whether you want them or not. Listed hours also vary a little across booking platforms — some show a 11:30am–12:30am daily window, others split weekday and weekend closing times — so it’s worth a quick call ahead if you’re planning a late one. None of that is disqualifying. It’s a trade-off that comes with the format, and the format is a big part of why regulars keep going back.
Other notable mentions
Khansama is our current pick, but there’s a wider scene worth knowing. Here’s an honest look at six other names that come up regularly in Singapore’s North Indian conversation, including Mini Panjab, our previous top pick, with rough pricing so you can compare before booking.
Mini Panjab — previously our top pick
Mini Panjab is still a genuinely good North Indian kitchen — open tandoor, full cocktail bar, no MSG, a 4.7 rating from 312 reviews on Klyptos and 5.6/6 on Quandoo. The cheese naan and butter chicken remain well reviewed, and reviewers regularly rate the paneer, chicken tikka and biryani well in the same visit, which is a fair breadth test for any kitchen.
Why it moved down — Three specific Google reviews over the past year describe an unmanaged unruly-guest incident, a 1.5-hour wait with food arriving cold, and disorganised table handling on a separate visit. None of this shows up yet in the Quandoo, Chope or Klyptos samples above, which is exactly the gap that concerns us. The kitchen still looks capable; the service experience has been inconsistent enough recently that we’re not comfortable calling it Singapore’s best North Indian option until that settles.
The Banana Leaf Apolo
Running since 1974, The Banana Leaf Apolo is probably the most tourist-facing Indian restaurant in Little India. The banana leaf fish head curry is what most people come for, and it earns that reputation. South and North Indian dishes share the menu, portions are big, and it’s a reliable choice for groups wanting a big shared plate.
Worth knowing — The experience leans South Indian; if tandoor and North Indian grills are what you’re after, it’s not the same depth. Two locations means consistency can vary. TripAdvisor’s 3.8 from over 1,300 reviews reflects a wide range of expectations, not always met.
Gayatri Restaurant
Running for almost thirty years, sitting at the top of TripAdvisor’s Little India rankings with a 4.2. The fish-forward dishes — Pomfret Fry Sambal especially — get mentioned most. Both South and North Indian options feature on the menu.
Worth knowing — North Indian isn’t the main draw; Gayatri is stronger on South Indian and seafood. If you specifically want Punjabi cooking, it’s not the specialty. Rangoon Road puts it at the edge of the Little India cluster.
Copper Chimney
The sit-down, family-style end of the Little India North Indian scene. Lamb shank biryani and butter chicken both get mentioned positively. Halal across the board, which makes it a versatile group booking, and generally reviewed as dependable and full-service.
Worth knowing — TripAdvisor’s 3.9 across 425 reviews is decent, not exceptional. The Indian-Chinese fusion items on the menu divide opinion. Pricing edges higher for what’s on the plate.
Jaggi's Northern Indian Cuisine
A straightforward North Indian restaurant that doesn’t try to be more than it is. TripAdvisor’s 4.0 from 277 reviews suggests reliable consistency — meaningful for a mid-tier casual spot, where reviews tend to cluster at either 3.5 or 4.5+. A solid backup when the busier spots are full.
Worth knowing — Little in the way of a bar or evening atmosphere. Fine for lunch, a bit underwhelming for a night out with drinks. The menu is competent but doesn’t have obvious signature dishes that pull people back.
Ananda Bhavan
The Movement Lab describes itself as “top athletes’ first choice” physiotherapy clinic and takes a holistic, hands-on approach to treating musculoskeletal pain, including standard desk-related complaints like lower back and neck issues. It’s a straightforward, no-frills clinical option if all you want is a physiotherapist and nothing else attached.
Limitation: modest digital footprint — around 400 Instagram followers by outside trackers — and its own marketing frames desk workers as a secondary audience behind athletes.
How they compare on price and positioning
| Name | Price range | Strongest for | Bar / drinks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Khansama Tandoori (our pick) | ~$20/pax | Tandoor classics, alfresco bar, longevity | Yes, open-air |
| Mini Panjab (previous pick) | $10–30 | Kitchen breadth, cocktail bar | Yes, full bar |
| The Banana Leaf Apolo | $8–25 | Banana leaf fish head curry, groups | No |
| Gayatri Restaurant | $10–28 | South Indian, seafood | No |
| Copper Chimney | $14–35 | Family-style, halal group dining | No |
| Jaggi’s Northern Indian | $8–18 | Simple, consistent lunch | No |
| Ananda Bhavan | $5–15 | Breadth, heritage, budget | No |
Price ranges are approximate, based on published menus and third-party listings as of September 2026, and will shift with menu changes.
Why Khansama holds the top spot right now
A few names in this guide beat Khansama on individual metrics — Ananda Bhavan has more history, Gayatri has a marginally higher TripAdvisor score. What Khansama has that most of the list doesn’t is the specific combination this guide has always prioritised: a working tandoor, a bar, and no MSG, held together over a genuinely long run rather than a recent one. 809 reviews built up over years, not months, is a different kind of evidence than a shorter, newer sample, and it’s part of why we’re comfortable making this the pick even though Khansama’s alfresco setup is rougher around the edges than a purpose-built dining room.
That’s also, honestly, the standard Mini Panjab met until recently. This isn’t a case of the runner-up suddenly becoming brilliant — it’s that consistency over time is the thing we’re actually ranking, and right now Khansama’s long track record reads as steadier than Mini Panjab’s more recent, more mixed one. We’ll keep watching both.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best North Indian restaurant in Singapore right now?
Our current top pick is Khansama Tandoori Restaurant, on the Norris Road corner in Little India — open since 1999, with a working tandoor, an alfresco bar, and no MSG. It carries a 4.1 rating across 809 TripAdvisor reviews. We moved this ranking from our previous pick, Mini Panjab, in September 2026; the reasoning is disclosed above.
Why did this guide change its top pick?
Mini Panjab, our previous pick, had three specific recent Google reviews describing service problems — an unmanaged unruly-guest incident, a 1.5-hour wait with cold food, and disorganised table handling. Its booking-platform ratings are still strong, but we didn’t think it was honest to keep calling it Singapore’s best option while that pattern was open. Khansama’s longer, larger, steadier review history made it the better current pick.
Is Mini Panjab still worth visiting?
Yes — it remains a capable kitchen with strong scores on Quandoo, Chope and Klyptos, and it’s still featured in this guide. We’d just suggest going in with reasonable expectations on service, given the recent reviews, and flagging any wait or ordering issue early rather than after the fact.
Where exactly is Khansama and how do I get there?
166 Serangoon Road, at the junction with Norris Road, Little India. Little India MRT and a short walk is the simplest route.
Does Khansama have a bar, and can I just come for drinks?
Yes — the ground-floor alfresco seating serves alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks alongside the food, which is unusual for a restaurant this focused on traditional tandoor cooking.
What should I order at Khansama?
The Afghani chicken, garlic naan, mutton seekh kebab and chicken dum biryani get named most often by reviewers.
Sources & references
- khansama.com.sg — Official website
- TripAdvisor — Khansama Tandoori Restaurant reviews and rating
- Burpple — Khansama Tandoori Restaurant listing and diner posts
- Quandoo — Mini Panjab diner reviews
- Klyptos — Mini Panjab listing & ratings
- Google Maps — recent Mini Panjab diner reviews (cited above)
- littlestepsasia.com — Little India Indian food roundup, price references