Kolkata Social is the latest venture from Shaun Christie-David’s social enterprise hospitality group Plate it Forward. Talented chef and Firedoor alumni Ahana Dutt is at the helm, plating up the Bengali cuisine of her homeland. In fact, recipes featured on the menu have been derived directly from Dutt’s own family. Menu highlights include the dry chilli chicken, available only on the set menu. When you dine here, you’re not the only one who will end up well-fed: every set menu sold contributes a meal to someone in need in Sydney, and another in India through Kolkata Social’s partner Calcutta Rescue. 528 King St, Newtown; plateitforward.org.au

Another member of restaurateur and chef Jessi Singh’s family (Daughter in Law, Don’t Tell Aunty) is Pinky Ji. Step inside for a technicolour dream of plush red velvet furniture and neon lighting, with garlands of flowers strung up from the ceiling. The menu features the ‘inauthentic’ Indian food for which Singh is so well known. Top orders include the kingfish ceviche with a rich coconut cream sauce, and the eight-hour marinated lamb chops with apple-rhubarb relish and chimichurri. Start with an Indian-inspired cocktail (or some fried ‘Balls of Happiness’), or grab yourself a craft beer from the self-serve bar fridge. 89 York St, Sydney; pinkyji.com.au

Spiced by Billus brings authentic and colourful Indian cuisine to Barangaroo. Introduced to the city after the huge success of the flagship eatery in Harris Park, the CBD outpost offers a more decadent dining experience with a sleek fit-out, but the same delicious homestyle Indian food. Highlights include the unctuous chicken tikka masala cooked in a clay oven, the complexly spiced chicken xacuti, and a lunch banquet menu for under $40, which comes with unlimited naan breads. If you can find room for them. Speaking of naans, there are six to choose from, as well as rotis and paratha. Wulugul Walk, 7/33 Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo South, Sydney; spicedbybillus.com.au

Derrel’s is an Indian eatery that takes its inspiration from the Anglo-Indian restaurants and takeaways that are a mandatory part of a night out in London, with chip butties slathered in curry gravy, neon-red and blackened chook thighs, and just about anything you want wrapped in a naan. So yes, this is not your typical Indian restaurant, that’s for sure. Try the Tandoori Zinga Burger, with tandoori fried chicken, lettuce, pickles and chilli chutney; or opt for large curry – butter chicken, pork vindaloo, vegie or tikka masala. But if you’re out late of a weekend, the chip butty with butter chicken sauce is a no-brainer. 89 Parramatta Rd, Camperdown; derrels-caff.com.au

Expect an explosion of colours, sounds and flavours at Jessi Singh’s Bollywood-inspired Indian restaurant, Don’t Tell Aunty. The menu celebrates rule-breaking, with dishes that span the Indian subcontinent with some pretty out-there influences from Australia, and America as well. Some of the Singh signatures include an Indian take on nachos, Aussie lamb chops with tangy spices and eggplant pickle and a tandoori New York striploin with curry chips. The drinks list has been stocked with an impressive selection of natural-leaning wines, selected by winemaker and sommelier Rajat Parr, which sit alongside colourful Bollywood-inspired cocktails that will have you dancing on the table. 414 Bourke St, Surry Hills; donttellaunty.com.au

What more could you ask for than a sparkling water view while tucking into some of the best tandoori in town? Manjits caters to tables of all sizes, and serves up delicious Indian flavours in the form of authentic curry and tandoori. Opt for a lunch or dinner banquet, which comes with all the classics; or explore the extensive a la carte menu that ranges from field and sea to garden and curry kitchen. It’s also a great spot for a cocktail – try an ‘Indian summer’ which combines fresh strawberries with lychee, vodka and lime; or Manjits Saffron Negroni, which blends gin, Campari, vermouth and saffron liqueur. 49 Lime St, King Street Wharf, Sydney; manjits.com.au

Get your South Indian street-food fix here. The menu includes more than 200 snack foods, all of them vegetarian and many you’re unlikely to find anywhere else in Sydney. Expect all the roadside specials, from vada pav – a hot buttered roll filled with spicy fried potato balls – to the paper-thin dosa stuffed with chilli and cheese. The lively diner has been decked out in mismatched tiles and bright poster art that matches the colours and vibrancy of the food. Finish on a (sugar) high with the tooth-achingly sweet jalebi spirals, or gulab jamun balls in syrup. Locations also in Bella Vista and Wentworthville. Shop 4-6/14-20 Station St East, Harris Park; chatkazz.com.au

For nearly two decades, Delhi ‘O’ Delhi on Erskineville Road has been serving a vibrant, complex and delicious interpretation of Indian dishes. Loyal to no particular region, the menu is a blend of traditional northern-style dishes, street snacks from the south, and more than a few inspirations drawn from the Inner West. Yes, you will leave with your belt a bit tighter, but you’ll also leave with flavours zipping on your tongue and without the heaviness of a stodgy takeaway. Try the sharing sampler platter for two, or opt for the signature shaan e raan – a 2.5kg lamb leg marinated in spices for 24 hours. Note that you will need to give 48 hours’ notice to order this one. 3 Erskineville Rd, Newtown; delhiodelhi.com.au

On a beautifully landscaped estate in Terrey Hills, Urban Tadka offers a sophisticated Indian dining experience that is reminiscent of a trip to the day spa. Visiting Urban Tadka for the first time can be quite mind-blowing, realising that some of the best Indian cuisine in Australia is hiding in the sprawling, leafy Northern Beaches of Sydney. Avoid food envy; it makes sense to try a few dishes, from the ‘holy moly’ guacamole and tandoori smoked prawns with coconut chutney to a fiery lobster lasuni chingari with ‘blazing garlic’ and coastal spices, and a spicy goat bhuna curry with Kashmiri chilli. 321 Mona Vale Rd, Terrey Hills; urbantadka.com.au

Inspired by India’s famed street food carts, Flyover Fritterie focuses on the classic subcontinental snack of pakora and chai. From the fritter family, there’s onion & cabbage, tofu, paneer, whole green chillies and sabudana vada, stuffed with potatoes and tapioca pearls. Dip each crunchy cake in the sweet-hot mint and tamarind chutney. The traditional accompaniment is masala chai, expertly made here from Assam black tea with cinnamon, cardamom and cloves, with freshly squeezed ginger juice for extra kick. Or try a spicy jaffle, for an Indian spin on the classic Aussie toastie. Fresh chutneys are also available to take away, so you can spice up your meals at home. 88 Regent St, Redfern; flyoverfritterie.com.au

Definitely not your usual curry house, The Spice Room transforms Indian street-food classics into an elegant sit-down affair. Head chef Darbyan Singh’s menu narrows in on the northwest region of India, with Peshawari plates like the hand-pressed lamb seekh kebab cooked in the tandoori oven, and the fragrant chicken biryani with spiced rice. The menu gives you the option to choose your own adventure (but be sure to start with the ‘deconstructed’ samosa chaat), or for a feast fit for a sultan, there’s the grand emperor’s banquet, which will probably require you skipping lunch, and breakfast, beforehand to tackle. The Quay Building, 2 Phillip St, Sydney; thespiceroom.com.au

One of Sydney’s longest-running Indian restaurants is also one of its best. Since 1990, Abhi’s in North Strathfield has been whipping up staunchly traditional South Indian dishes (with an occasional surprise like the salt and pepper squid-esque chatpata with tamarind and ginger sauce) with no sign of slowing down. Navigate your own spice trail through the a la carte menu, or opt for one of the well-priced banquet options, which will cover all curry cravings, and then some. If you have any room left at the end (unlikely), you have the option of adding on a sweet rose kulfi iced dessert for an extra $3.50. 163 Concord Rd, North Strathfield; abhisindian.com.au

This late-night Indian and Pakistani halal restaurant has long been an Inner West institution. The lighting is fluorescent, the walls are tiled and the seats are metal – but you’re not here for the decor. You come for the food, which includes all the favourites – think tandoori chicken, spicy fish tikka, beef korma and Kashmiri naan. Plenty of spice, and all at a very reasonable price. The crowd is as diverse as the menu is large – everyone from hungry families in the early evening and to hipster groups later at night to taxi drivers on their dinner break even later. There is also a Strathfield location. 194-196 Enmore Rd, Enmore