The Top 10 Biryanis to Try in New York City – 2024

The Top 10 Biryanis to Try in New York City – 2024

New York City is home to thousands of restaurants serving cuisine from around the world. And one dish that is having a major moment right now is biryani. This aromatic, flavorful rice dish has origins in South Asia but has become a beloved staple across NYC.

From hole-in-the-wall spots in Queens to upscale Manhattan eateries, you can find mouthwatering biryanis made with chicken, goat, lamb, shrimp, and vegetables. The rice is perfectly spiced and layered with protein and veggies, creating a one-pot meal packed with textures and flavors.

Biryani first came to the subcontinent back in the 16th century from Persia. But over centuries it evolved into distinct regional variations depending on the locality. From Hyderabadi to Bengali to Punjabi styles, NYC restaurants serve authentic biryanis that will transport your tastebuds.

If you’re looking for the best biryanis the city has to offer, here are 10 must-try restaurants you need to visit:

1. Halal Diner – Lamb Biryani

This unassuming diner in Queens transforms biryani into the classic diner style – hearty, homey, and served heaping. Their lamb biryani features tender chunks of meat buried in lightly spiced tomato rice. It captures the essence of biryani in a simple, satisfying preparation. With a stack of pillowy naan bread, it’s the perfect budget meal.

2. Bombay Chowk – Shrimp Biryani

Made in a molded bundt pan, Bombay Chowk’s shrimp biryani is a work of art bursting with plump shrimp and flavored with mint. It’s inverted onto the plate so you see the dome shape and rice patterns. Served with yogurt raita and pomegranate seeds, it delivers on both flavor and presentation. This upscale NYC spot does justice to biryanis with unique style.

3. Hyderabadi Zaiqa – Chicken Gongura Biryani

The gongura leaf gives this Hyderabadi-style chicken biryani its signature tart and rich flavor. The leaves are pickled then mixed into the saffron rice, along with juicy chicken pieces. Served in Hell’s Kitchen, this dish transports you to India with authentic and complex spices. It’s a standout biryani even in a city with no shortage of options.

4. Fresh Curry – Lamb Biryani

This Bangladeshi spot in Tribeca dishes out lamb biryani in the dhaba style – homey, simple, and served stew-like with plenty of curry gravy. Hunks of tender lamb still on the bone are buried in this fragrant rice dish. Their street food style biryanis are flavorful yet affordable in an area where prices are typically sky-high.

5. Hyderabad House – Goat Dum Biryani

Cooks specially seal the pot when making dum biryani, allowing the meat to stew in its own juices and permeate the rice with rich flavors. Hyderabad House perfects this slow-cooking technique with its goat dum biryani. Savory, succulent goat meat with bones infuses the rice with its essence. Served under a dome of caramelized onions with sauces on the side, it’s a standout dish.

6. Baazi – Amma’s Chicken Biryani

This contemporary Indian restaurant puts a creative spin on biryani with a pastry crust sealing in the contents. Inside you’ll find aromatic saffron rice loaded with tender chicken pieces. The crispy pastry top provides great texture contrast. Made in the dum style, it’s a gourmet take on a traditional dish.

7. Kotha Grill and Kabab – Goat Biryani

The Bangladeshi gem Kotha Grill serves up goat biryani piled high with meat, including goat ribs on the bone for added flavor. Caramelized onions, spices, and a battered fried egg all come together for a satisfying bite. The goat meat is melt-in-your-mouth tender and infused in every grain of rice. It’s an indulgent Bangladeshi feast for cheap in this Jackson Heights spot.

8. Kailash Parbat – Spinach Biryani

For vegetarians craving biryani, Kailash Parbat creates magic with their spinach version. The rice is completely saturated with cooked down spinach that gives it an eye-catching green hue. With Sindhi spices, the flavors are complex and perfectly balanced. The texture of soft spinach and fluffy basmati rice makes for a comforting bite. A yogurt raita cools down the spices.

9. Semma – Dindigul Goat Biryani

Using short-grained Seeraga Samba rice native to Tamil Nadu, this Dindigul goat biryani is next level. Small pieces of tender goat and aromatic spices like curry leaves, chili, and mustard seeds add layers of flavor. The unusual rice variety gives it a nuttier taste and chewier texture. It’s an upscale NYC take on traditional Tamil street food.

10. Swadist – Vegetable Mughlai Biryani

For a vegan biryani loaded with textures and flavors, try Swadist’s version made with mixed vegetables and chickpeas. The spices are complex and slightly sweet, while the vegetables retain their bite. Served in a handy pot with a pastry seal, cracking open the crust floods your senses. The combination of spices and vegetable flavors is rich and addictive. A creamy raita cools down the heat.

NYC has no shortage of excellent biryanis. From street food joints to white tablecloth restaurants, you can taste biryanis made from family recipes passed down through generations. The next time you’re craving South Asian cuisine, grab a table and dive into one of these fragrant, flavorful rice dishes for a taste of home. With protein, veggies, and carbs swirled together in every bite, biryani is the ultimate one-pot meal.

Where to Find the 10 Best Biryanis in New York City

The Top 10 Biryanis to Try in New York City – 2024

New York City is a global hub with restaurants representing cuisines from around the world. And one dish that has become increasingly popular is biryani. This aromatic rice dish originated in South Asia but has many regional variations. From Hyderabadi to Bangladeshi to Punjabi styles, you can find it all in NYC.

The fluffy basmati rice is perfectly spiced and loaded with marinated meat, seafood, or vegetables. The ingredients are layered and slow cooked, allowing the flavors to really permeate the rice. Good biryani is the ultimate comfort food – warm, nourishing, and satisfying.

If you’re looking for a taste of home or want to try an authentic South Asian rice dish, here are 10 restaurants serving up the best biryanis in NYC.

1. Bawarchi Indian Cuisine – East Harlem

Located in East Harlem, Bawarchi is a no-frills Indian restaurant popular with the local Indian community. Their biryani is excellent – fragrant basmati rice and tender meat or vegetables cooked until perfectly melded. Go for the lamb biryani loaded with succulent pieces of meat. With huge portions at reasonable prices, it’s a comforting meal and great value.

2. Chote Nawab – Midtown Manhattan

This upscale Indian eatery does biryani the traditional Hyderabadi style. The lamb, chicken, goat, and vegetable biryanis are cooked dum style, which means sealed and cooked slowly over a low flame. This concentrates the flavors and produces biryani with complex aroma and taste. A cooling raita sauce balances the spices.

3. The MasalaWala – Lower Manhattan

Known for Indian street food, MasalaWala serves outstanding biryani showcasing regional diversity. The goat biryani is fiery Hyderabadi style while their veggie biryanis burst with the flavors of the Deccan plateau. The homemade biryani masala mixture sets their rice dishes apart with tantalizing spice blends.

4. Biryani Spot & Curry – Upper Manhattan

This laidback Indian cafe is popular with Columbia students and nearby residents of Morningside Heights. Their lamb and chicken biryanis, made in the Hyderabad style, are delicately spiced and satisfying. It’s an unpretentious neighborhood spot to enjoy Indian home cooking.

5. Indikitch – Multiple Locations

With several locations around the city, Indikitch offers authentic South Asian flavors in a fast casual setting. Their biryanis capture genuine Indian taste thanks to spices ground fresh daily with a mortar and pestle. Chicken and paneer biryanis, made to order with quality ingredients, are crowd favorites.

6. Deccan Spice – Midtown East Manhattan

Hidden on a side street in Midtown, Deccan Spice provides a refined yet affordable Indian dining experience. Their lamb biryani is extraordinary – fragrant, perfectly spiced basmati rice enriched with succulent lamb. With attentive service and classy decor, it’s great for a special occasion.

7. Haandi – Murray Hill

Haandi’s upscale Indian menu features regional delicacies fit for royalty. The Hyderabadi lamb biryani is intensely flavorful with basmati rice infused with lamb juices and spices. Cooked in the dum pukht style, the complex flavors have diners returning again and again.

8. Biryani Cart – Midtown Manhattan

This popular street food cart attracts long lunchtime lines for its outstanding biryanis. Located on 46th and 6th, the cart serves chicken and veggie biryanis that are fragrant, fresh, and full of flavor. It’s the perfect on-the-go lunch that reminds you why this dish is so addictive.

9. Hyderabadi Biryani & Chat House – Flushing, Queens

In the heart of Queens’ Little India, this modest restaurant makes Hyderabadi style chicken and lamb biryanis along with flavorful chaat snacks. Cooked slowly over a low flame, their biryanis are complex, aromatic, and incredibly tasty. The chaat starters like samosa and papdi make for a satisfying Indian feast.

10. Rajbhog Sweets – Jackson Heights, Queens

Known for Indian sweets and snacks, Rajbhog Sweets also prepares fantastic biryanis. The chicken and paneer biryanis served on weekends draw foodies from all over the city thanks to tender meat and perfect basmati rice. Their spinach and mixed vegetable biryanis are flavorful meatless options.

NYC offers so many places to savor excellent biryanis made with regional diversity. From street carts to white tablecloth restaurants, you’ll find biryanis cooked by chefs from all over South Asia. The next time you’re in the mood for the complex flavors and textures of biryani, head to one of these spots for an authentic rice dish that satisfies all your cravings.