“Authentic” is printed on almost every Indian menu in this city, which is exactly why it tells you so little. If you want to find the best Indian restaurant in Amsterdam for real flavour, you have to look past the word and at how the food is actually cooked.
We have run our family-owned Indian restaurant in the Jordaan for more than 20 years. Our kitchen works from family recipes, fresh ingredients and traditional spices, and over two decades we have learned what guests notice, and what they miss. This guide shares the signs we would look for ourselves before booking a table anywhere: what to taste, what to ask, and how to order so a kitchen shows you what it can really do.
1. Taste for Spice Balance, Not Just Heat
Authentic Indian flavour is about layers, not burn. A good curry should taste warm, fragrant and savoury first, with chilli as one note among many. Heat that drowns everything else is usually covering for a sauce with little else going on.
Notice the spice working at different stages of cooking. Whole spices such as cardamom, cloves and cumin seed are bloomed in hot oil or ghee at the start. Ground spices go in with the onions, ginger and garlic. A warm blend may be added near the end for aroma. You cannot see these steps, but you can taste them: depth at the bottom, brightness on top.
The simplest test is to order two curries from opposite ends of the menu. A mild, creamy korma and a sharp, lemony madras should taste nothing alike. Ours share no base: the korma is built on coconut, almonds and raisins, the madras on lemon and a thick, spiced gravy. Our guide to korma, madras and vindaloo explains how each is made, and bhuna, dhansak and saag covers three more.
2. Look for a Kitchen That Knows Its Region
India is not one cuisine but many. The best Indian restaurant in Amsterdam will not try to cook the whole subcontinent; it will know which tradition it comes from and cook that well.
Most of the dishes Europeans know best come from two northern traditions:
- Mughlai cooking: rich, aromatic dishes from the royal kitchens of the Mughal emperors, with creamy sauces, nuts, dried fruit and slow braising. Korma is a classic example.
- Punjabi cooking: hearty, home-style food from the north-west, built around the tandoor, wheat breads, dal and generous use of butter and ghee.
Our own name is a clue to where we stand. Shah Jahan was the Mughal emperor who built the Taj Mahal, and our menu draws on both of these northern kitchens. Read more about Punjabi food and its regional roots and why Punjabi cuisine has become a global favourite.
A menu that lists dosa, Goan fish curry, Kashmiri rogan josh and Bengali sweets side by side is not necessarily bad. But ask which dishes the chef grew up cooking. Those are the ones to order.
3. Check What Is Made From Scratch
Authentic flavour is decided in the kitchen long before the plate reaches you. Three things are worth asking about.
The tandoor. A charcoal-heated clay oven gives tandoori dishes their smoky char and juicy centre, and it is very hard to fake with a grill or a regular oven. In our kitchen the tandoor is not only for kebabs: chicken for curries such as butter chicken and vindaloo is marinated and grilled there first, then finished in its sauce. See our guides to authentic tandoori food in Amsterdam and north Indian food from tandoor to table.
The paneer. Paneer is a fresh cheese made by curdling hot milk with an acid such as lemon juice. It is simple enough to make in-house, so a kitchen that does so is paying attention. Our menu lists paneer as homemade in dishes such as palak paneer and paneer makhani.
The bread. Naan should arrive blistered in spots and soft in the middle, straight from the oven, never reheated from a stack. Ours is shaped by hand and pressed onto the hot walls of the tandoor to order. Our guide to naan, roti, paratha and kulcha explains each bread and what to eat it with.
4. Read the Menu for Clues
You can learn a lot about an Indian restaurant in Amsterdam before you taste anything. These are the signals we look for on any menu, our own included.
| What you see | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Each curry has its own description | Sauces are made separately, not poured from one base gravy |
| Spice level can be adjusted | Dishes are cooked to order, not in big batches |
| Several breads, including filled naans | The kitchen takes its tandoor seriously |
| Vegetarian dishes listed as mains | The kitchen respects India’s long vegetarian tradition |
| Staff can explain what is in each dish | The team knows its recipes, which matters for allergies |
| A short list of house specialities | The chef knows where the kitchen is strongest |
On spice, our OpenTable listing notes that most of our dishes can be cooked anywhere from relatively mild to exceptionally hot. If a restaurant cannot change the heat of a dish, the sauce was most likely made in bulk hours earlier.
For dish-by-dish detail, browse our guides to chicken curry and lamb curry in Amsterdam, or our full menu (PDF).
5. Order a Table That Tests the Kitchen
One dish tells you little. A well-chosen spread tells you almost everything. When we eat out ourselves, this is roughly how we order for two to four people:
- One fried starter. Samosas, pakoras or onion bhajis show whether the oil is fresh and the batter crisp, not greasy. Our guide to samosas, pakoras and onion bhajis covers what good ones look like.
- One tandoor dish. Chicken tikka or a seekh kebab should be charred at the edges and juicy inside.
- One creamy curry and one sharp one. Try butter chicken next to a madras or dhansak. Compare butter chicken vs chicken tikka masala if you can’t decide, or see where we think you’ll find the best butter chicken in Amsterdam.
- One dal or vegetable dish. Tarka dal or chana masala shows whether the kitchen gives vegetables the same care as meat.
- Fresh bread and rice. A garlic or Peshwari naan, plus plain or pilau rice.
First visit, or a group that never agrees? A set menu does this work for you, moving from starter through tandoor, curry, rice and naan to kheer for dessert. We compare both approaches in set menus vs individual dishes. For more ideas, see our 12 must-try dishes and our guide to the best dishes of India.
6. See How Vegetarian, Vegan and Allergy Needs Are Handled
Vegetarian cooking is at the heart of Indian food, not an extra. A kitchen that cooks authentically will have vegetarian mains with real depth: palak paneer, chana masala, tarka dal, bhindi bhaji or a tandoori paneer tikka. Our menu covers vegetarian, vegan and meat dishes, and we offer a full vegetarian set menu.
Allergies deserve the same care. Nuts turn up in places guests don’t expect, such as the almonds in korma and butter chicken or the cashews in some sauces. Dairy is common in creamy curries, and wheat is in every naan. A good team will tell you exactly what is in each dish and adjust where it can. Our staff can help with any dietary requirement, and our guide to dairy, gluten and nut allergies lists what to ask before you order. Always mention allergies to your server.
7. Red Flags to Watch For
A few warning signs suggest a kitchen is cutting corners. None is a dealbreaker on its own, but two or three together usually are.
- Every curry is the same colour. Different dishes should look different: golden korma, deep red rogan josh, green saag.
- The heat can’t be changed. Sauces made in bulk can’t be adjusted for you.
- Food arrives within minutes of ordering. Fresh tandoor dishes and naan take a little time.
- Naan is stiff or uniformly pale. Fresh tandoor bread has blisters and soft patches.
- Staff can’t say what’s in a dish. A problem for allergies, and a sign the recipes come from somewhere else.
- Reviews praise the decor but not the food. Read the most recent reviews for comments on consistency.
For a longer checklist, read our 10 signs you’re dining at an authentic Indian food restaurant, our food lover’s guide to choosing an Indian restaurant in Amsterdam and our complete guide to finding a great Indian restaurant. Curious how other places compare? We also share our 10 favourite Indian restaurants in Amsterdam, ranked by foodies.
Put Us to the Test at Shah Jahan
We would love you to bring this checklist to our own table. At Shah Jahan, an authentic Indian restaurant in the Jordaan, we cook with fresh ingredients, traditional spices and family recipes, from tandoori specialities to slow-built curries. Our cosy dining room suits a romantic dinner as well as a night out with family or friends. Planning something special? Read our thoughts on Indian fine dining in Amsterdam, and why guests tell us we are an Indian restaurant worth visiting again and again.
Would you rather eat at home? You can order online for takeaway and delivery. Our tips on ordering restaurant-quality curry delivery and enjoying fresh Indian flavours at home help it arrive at its best.
- Address: Eerste Anjeliersdwarsstraat 18, 1015 NR Amsterdam (Jordaan)
- Phone: 020 624 0122
- Email: info@shah-jahan.nl
Call us or contact us to book a table. We look forward to seeing you with your family or friends.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if an Indian restaurant in Amsterdam is authentic?
Look for layered spice rather than plain heat, curries that each taste distinct, a working tandoor, bread and paneer made fresh, and a kitchen that can adjust dishes for you.
Does authentic Indian food have to be very spicy?
No. Many classic dishes, such as korma, are mild and fragrant. At Shah Jahan, most dishes can be cooked from mild to very hot.
What should I order to judge an Indian restaurant?
Order a fried starter, a tandoor dish, one creamy and one sharp curry, a dal and fresh naan. Together they show the kitchen’s range.
What is the difference between Mughlai and Punjabi food?
Mughlai cooking comes from the Mughal royal kitchens and is rich, creamy and aromatic. Punjabi cooking is hearty home-style food from north-west India, known for the tandoor and wheat breads.
Do you have vegetarian and vegan options?
Yes. Our menu includes vegetarian, vegan and meat dishes, plus a vegetarian set menu. Our staff can help with any dietary requirement.
Where is Shah Jahan?
At Eerste Anjeliersdwarsstraat 18, 1015 NR Amsterdam, in the Jordaan.