Amsterdam has no shortage of curry houses, so picking the right Indian restaurant Amsterdam comes down to knowing what to look for. We have been cooking for this city for more than 20 years as a family-owned Indian restaurant in the Jordaan, and these are the signs we would check ourselves before booking a table anywhere.
This guide is for food lovers who want more than a quick bite. It covers the oven, the menu, the spice, the bread and the setting, so you can judge any place on the things that actually show up on your plate.
1. Start With the Tandoor
The first thing we look for in any authentic Indian restaurant is a working tandoor. According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, a tandoor is a cylindrical clay oven heated by a charcoal fire, where meats marinated in yogurt and spices are cooked on long skewers and naan is pressed against the inner walls to bake.
That heat is hard to fake. Britannica’s entry on naan notes that the inside walls of a tandoor can reach 480 °C, which is why tandoor dishes come out charred at the edges and juicy inside.
In our kitchen, the tandoor is not just for kebabs. Many of our curries begin there too: chicken for dishes like butter chicken, dhansak and vindaloo is marinated and grilled in the tandoor first, then finished in its sauce. When you read a menu, look for that detail. You can see more of what comes out of our oven in our guide to authentic tandoori food in Amsterdam and our piece on north Indian food from tandoor to table.
2. Read the Menu Like a Map
At a good Indian restaurant in Amsterdam, the menu tells you how each dish is built, not just what it is called. Clear descriptions are a sign that the kitchen knows its sauces and is not pouring one base gravy over everything.
Here is how a few of the curries on our own menu differ:
| Curry | How we make it |
| Korma | Creamy sauce with coconut powder, almond, sugar and raisins |
| Butter chicken | Tandoor-grilled chicken in a creamy sauce with almond slices and Indian spices |
| Dhansak | Split lentils, pineapple, lemon, chilli and sugar |
| Bhuna | Plenty of onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic |
| Saag | Cooked with spinach |
| Madras | Cooked with lemon in a thick gravy |
| Vindaloo | Cooked with potatoes in a thick gravy |
If you want to go deeper, we have written about korma, madras and vindaloo, about bhuna, dhansak and saag, and about the classic debate of butter chicken vs chicken tikka masala. Meat lovers can also browse our guides to lamb curry and chicken curry in Amsterdam.
Another small detail worth checking: how the meat is prepared. All our chicken, lamb and fish curries are made with fillets.
3. Ask How Flexible the Kitchen Is
The best Indian dining is cooked to your taste, not to a fixed heat level. Our OpenTable listing notes that most of our dishes can be adjusted, from fairly mild to very hot for adventurous diners. If a restaurant cannot change the heat of a dish, that usually means the sauce was made in bulk.
Dietary needs deserve the same care. Our menu covers vegetarian, vegan and meat dishes, and our staff can help with any dietary requirements. Vegetarian guests have plenty to choose from, including palak paneer, chana masala, tarka dal, bhindi bhaji and tandoori paneer tikka.
If you have an allergy, read the descriptions closely and always tell your server. Nuts appear in some dishes you might not expect, such as korma (almond), butter chicken (almond slices) and chicken hariyali (cashew). Our guide to Indian food in Amsterdam with dairy, gluten and nut allergies explains what to ask before you order.
4. Use Set Menus as a Tasting Route
First visit, or dining with people who never agree? A set menu lets you taste a starter, a tandoor dish, a curry, rice, bread and dessert in one go. It is the quickest way to judge a kitchen’s range.
These are the complete menus we offer, priced per person:
| Set menu | What it includes |
| Shahjahan Menu | Samosa, chicken tikka, lamb bhuna, pilau rice, naan, kheer |
| Mumtaz Menu | Onion bhaji, chicken tikka masala, palak paneer, pilau rice, naan, kheer |
| Fish Menu | Samosa, fish tikka tandoori, aloo mutter, rice, naan, kheer |
| Vegetarian Menu | Onion bhaji, paneer makhani, aloo mutter, pilau rice, naan, kheer |
| Children’s Menu | Dal soup, chicken tikka mughlai, pilau rice or naan, kheer |
Our restaurant takes its name from Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor who, as Britannica records, built the Taj Mahal in memory of his queen Mumtaz Mahal. Not sure whether a set menu or à la carte suits you? We compare both in set menus vs individual dishes.
5. Judge the Bread
Bread is the quiet test of any Indian restaurant in Amsterdam. Naan should come straight from the tandoor, blistered in spots and soft in the middle, not reheated from a stack.
Our naan is shaped by hand and pressed onto the walls of the tandoor. Alongside plain and butter naan, we bake garlic, cheese, onion, kulcha, keema (spiced minced lamb) and Peshwari (sugar, cashew and raisins), plus roti, paratha and aloo paratha.
A menu with several breads usually means a kitchen that takes the oven seriously. For a full rundown of each one, read our guide to naan, roti, paratha and kulcha.
6. Find an Indian Restaurant in Amsterdam With the Right Setting
Where you eat shapes how you eat. A restaurant on a quiet side street invites a slower meal than one on a busy tourist strip.
We are at Eerste Anjeliersdwarsstraat 18 in the Jordaan. Time Out describes the Jordaan as bordered by Brouwersgracht, Prinsengracht, Leidsegracht and Lijnbaansgracht, and calls it arguably Amsterdam’s most charming neighbourhood, full of galleries. It is a lovely area for a walk before dinner.
Inside, our OpenTable profile describes a room lush with plants and accented in gold and red. Our cosy atmosphere suits a romantic dinner as much as a get-together with friends or family. For a special night out, see our thoughts on Indian fine dining in Amsterdam.
7. Dine In, Take Away or Order Delivery
Some nights call for a table; others call for the sofa. A good Indian restaurant in Amsterdam should do both well, with dishes that travel without going soggy.
We offer take-out and delivery, and we also deliver through Deliveroo. You can browse dishes and order online or view our full menu (PDF).
For tips on getting the most from a takeaway, read how to order restaurant-quality curry delivery, enjoying fresh Indian flavours at home, and our guide to starters like samosas, pakoras and onion bhajis.
Your Quick Checklist for Choosing an Indian Restaurant in Amsterdam
Before you book any Indian restaurant in Amsterdam, run through these questions:
- Is there a real tandoor, and are curries and breads cooked in it?
- Does the menu explain how each curry is made?
- Can the kitchen adjust the spice level for you?
- Are vegetarian, vegan and allergy needs handled with care?
- Is there a set menu for tasting the range?
- Is the naan baked fresh to order?
- Does the setting suit the evening you have in mind?
- Can you order takeaway or delivery when you’d rather stay in?
For more pointers, our earlier article on how to find the best Indian restaurant in Amsterdam covers fusion and vegetarian options in more depth.
Come and Taste It at Shah Jahan
We would love to put our own kitchen to this test. At Shah Jahan, we cook with fresh ingredients, traditional spices and our family recipes, from tandoori specialities to slow-built curries.
- Address: Eerste Anjeliersdwarsstraat 18, 1015 NR Amsterdam
- Phone: 020 624 0122
- Email: info@shah-jahan.nl
Call us or get in touch to reserve a table at our Indian restaurant in Amsterdam. We look forward to seeing you with your family or friends.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I look for in an authentic Indian restaurant in Amsterdam? Look for a working tandoor, a menu that explains how each dish is made, fresh-baked bread, and a kitchen willing to adjust spice and dietary needs.
Can Indian food be made mild? Yes. At Shah Jahan, most dishes can be cooked anywhere from fairly mild to very hot.
Do you have vegetarian and vegan options? Yes. Our menu includes vegetarian, vegan and meat dishes, plus a dedicated Vegetarian Menu. Our staff can help with any dietary requirements.
Where is Shah Jahan located? We are at Eerste Anjeliersdwarsstraat 18, 1015 NR Amsterdam, in the Jordaan.
Do you offer takeaway and delivery? Yes. We offer take-out and delivery, including through Deliveroo, and you can order online.
What is a good first order for a group? A set menu, such as our Shahjahan or Mumtaz Menu,