Delhi Spice

My wife, me and few Indian friends were on a sight-seeing spree in Washington DC & and had to visit a friend in the adjoining Bethesda Avenue in Maryland MD recently (in the mid of Aug 2025). While crossing the Bethesda Avenue we spotted this board "Delhi Spice" and immediately it kindled/aroused our appetite. We decided to have our lunch at this place. We had an amazing dining experience at this Delhi Spice restaurant! From the moment we walked in, the warm aroma of spices set the tone for a flavorful meal. The menu has a wonderful balance of classic favorites and unique regional dishes, all prepared with authentic spices that bring out rich, bold flavors. The staff (especially Sister Olga) was friendly, attentive, and happy to explain the dishes, which made the experience even more enjoyable. We particularly loved the Chicken Kabab, Butter chicken / biryani / White Rice and chicken gravy which was cooked to perfection with just the right amount of spice. The naan was soft, fresh, and perfect for soaking up the delicious curries. The ambiance is cozy yet vibrant, making it a great place for both casual meals and special occasions. It’s clear that the chefs put genuine care into every dish, and it truly feels like a taste of India brought to the U.S. We Highly recommend this spot to anyone who loves flavorful, authentic Indian cuisine—you won’t be disappointed! Kudos to the excellent setup and service provided by the team.

Best chicken masala ever. So creamy. Great garlic naan bread. The chicken vindaloo was spiced right...expect a little sweat but not overwhelming. The mulligatawny soup was a great start, again..spiced right and so tasty.

We had a great experience at Delhi Spice in Bethesda. The food was absolutely delicious — we tried the Delhi Papri Chaat, Paneer Makhani, Fig Kofta, Daal Tadka, Onion Kulcha, and Garlic Naan. Every dish was full of authentic flavor and cooked to perfection. The staff was very accommodating. We mentioned we had kids with us, and the gentleman taking our order made sure their food came out first — really thoughtful service! Parking is a bit challenging in the area, but we parked in the Giant store lot behind the restaurant, which worked out fine. Highly recommend this place if you're looking for tasty Indian food in Bethesda.

Ate lunch here as part of a group. Decent Indian food at a reasonable price. I had the garlic chicken wings which were mildly spicy, topped with a flavorful but not noticeably garlic sauce, and could be eaten without spilling with a knife and fork. The veggie samosa was a small tower of food, heavily chickpeas, beautifully presented and spicier than expected. Another person liked the butter chicken, which was clearly the least spicy dish on the menu. The person who ordered the lamb vindaloo found it tasty but spicier than she hoped. The onion naan bread was enjoyed by all.

One of the best chicken Tikka Masala I've ever eaten, with so flavorful and rich sause you want to lick the bowl

I highly recommend dining at this restaurant. The food is delicious, not too oily and has a perfect heat level--heat is present but it's mild enough that most people can eat it. The quantity is good, reasonably priced, and they have a great variety of dishes. They are also so, so nice and responsive.

Hands down best chole bhature in DMV area served here. We also tried other chat items, and all were great. Highly recommend for authentic North Indian food!

We’ve eaten at many Indian restaurants over the years, and only a few have stood out. Sadly, Delhi Spice was not one of them. The food was quite solid - butter chicken and chicken korma were tasty, but nothing special. The flavors were pretty one-note without the layers of flavor we’ve come to love from our favorite Indian spot (which is also in downtown Bethesda). Portion size was decent and the prices are good, but we’ll probably go back to our favorite place after this.

Absolutely delicious and a very cozy atmosphere. The service was excellent. I live far from here, but it's definitely worth the trip!

I stopped into Delhi Spice while walking through Bethesda and decided to order the samosas to go. They were absolutely delicious -- flavorful, perfectly cooked, and such a great quick bite. If the appetizer is any indication of the rest of the menu, I'm really excited to come back, dine in, and try more dishes. Definitely a great first impression.

Delhi Spice is a very good restaurant. Their food selection is limited compared to other Indian restaurants, but the food is very good quality. The flavors are excellent and cooked very well. They accommodate special requests to your food order. Their service is attentive without being annoying. Atmosphere is ok. Several two person tables, some 4 person tables and a few seats at a small bar area. Delhi Spice is a strong recommend. I will certainly be a repeat customer.

The hottest New-ish restaurant (for me and my dining companion, anyways) is Delhi Spice, which is a homecoming of sorts as Managing Partner Sudhir Kumar and Chef/Partner Edwin Dass are alums of the former Indique (which closed in early 2024)--one of our two long-time favorite Indian restaurants (the other still being Passage to India). Whereas Indique was difficult for us to frequent due to the arduous drive and parking, Delhi Spice is far easier to access for us and just as exciting culinarily! Set in a cozy and inviting space only a few doors down from one of our favorite bakeries (Fresh Baguette Bethesda), Chef Dass's cuisine shines with an abundance of flavors of their restaurant namesake, refinement in execution, and just enough heat to amplify the flavors! Here are what we enjoyed in our first two visits! - BONE-IN GOAT BHUNA Hands down, this is one of the 2 best dishes we have enjoyed so far in 2025 (the other being Passage to India's Goat Curry). DS's version stars a symphony of incredibly savory notes, ever delicately leaning pleasantly towards medicinal, with fried curry leaves and green cardamom occasionally chiming in with cooling notes. Along with incredibly harmonious flavors, the textures are incredibly tender, from the lean meat to the collageny parts between it and the bone. Truly an exceptional dish! - CHICKEN CHETTINAD While the description sounds intimidatingly fiery, the dish is subtly very complex in that there is a gentle tart note at the beginning, a fruity expression of chilies along with the tomato-base of the curry, and a savory expression of the chilies as a finishing note. Plus, the texture of the meat is outstandingly tender while still retaining its meatiness. While the Goat's complexity and flavors are very evident from the get-go, this chicken dish rewards mindful eaters who take time to appreciate its depth. - MULLIGATAWNY DS's version of the popular yellow lentil soup shines thanks to the throat-tingly spicy peppers and generous heap of fried curry leaves. This reminds of Indique's signature Shellfish Bisque in its heat and floral coconut milk base, but in a more dietary-inclusive vegan form. - GOA SHRIMP CURRY A beautiful interplay of delicate natural tartness and sweetness from the kokum and coconut milk, this is a lovely and lighter tropical dish as the Yin contrast to the Goat's Yang. - SAFFRON TANDOORI CHICKEN The only mild dish we had so far, it was loaded with juiciness and savoriness, which amps up even more with the side of Cilantro Chutney. - GOBI LASOONI From the outside, it resembles the Korean-Chinese "Tang-soo-yook" (sweet and sour pork) in that it is crunchy batter-fried, glazed with a sweet and tart tomato-garlic sauce, and generously topped with spring onions. With the hint of cruciferous notes coming from the cauliflower core, it is certainly different but simultaneously and intriguingly familiar. All in all, DS is one of the best restaurant regardless of cuisine thanks to Chef Dass's exceptional cuisine. Bethesda, which at one point appeared to suffer from a dearth of truly excellent restaurants, now boasts two of our very favorites in the DC area--both just happened to be Indian, albeit very complimentary to one another from being so different stylistically!

Exceptionally good food, great quality, prices and service. Ordered the chicken Chettinad, lamb skewers, Dal Makhani, rice pudding, lassi and drinks.

This is a small but mighty Indian restaurant in downtown Bethesda. Great hospitality, superb food, and average portions. I ordered an appetizer that they misheard so they made the correct one and I ate both like a glutton: aloo tikki papri chaat and aloo tikki chaat. They were both excellent but if you want a lighter app choose the papri chat. If you want more volume and fill up more, get the aloo tikki chaat. The mocktails are great--light, sweet, refreshing, and complemented well the heavy dishes. I forgot to take photos of my chole batura (a chickpea dish) but I highly recommend it. It was fresh, tasty, and a good portion. I asked them to kick up the spice but it was still fairly mild, even for my white companion!

My friend, her toddler, and I came here for an early dinner, and it did not disappoint. I'd been wanting to check it out since the ratings were already pretty high for the area. The staff was super sweet and accommodating -- they even stopped us from cleaning up after her toddler, which was such a kind gesture. It was fairly quiet when we first arrived, but it filled up quickly as the evening went on. I ordered the fig kofta curry, and my friend got the salmon curry and roti. Everything was so good we ate it up before I even thought to take a photo! We also shared the veggie momos -- slightly spicy, really flavorful, and a great starter. The restaurant itself was clean, nicely decorated, and had a relaxed vibe. I'd definitely eat here again.

My favorite Indian restaurant in the area. I will note that I've only ever ordered carryout. That being said, I've ordered carryout from here more times than I can count. My usual order is very basic--butter chicken, tikka masala and garlic naan--but I'm never disappointed. The curry is perfectly sweet and savory. Not too watery (which is a common issue I have with other restaurants). Good portion size. I highly recommend Delhi Spice!

Solid food! Comparing indian places, the prices are not as high, even despite the bethesda location. Honestly had no complaints but they never asked us about the spice level when ordering so i'm not sure if they have a scale you can pick from. We ordered the vindaloo which was good, pretty spicy and I was happy about the dark meat, juicy and tender! First bite tasted like coconut milk, maybe i'm mistaken but it was different from other vindaloos I've had, definitely creamier. The chicken chettinad reminded me of east asian curry, which isn't bad but something I'm familiar to and can easily make at home so it wasn't exciting. It was also nowhere near as spicy as the vindaloo. Onion kulcha and garlic naan was yummy, never disappointed. Overall would definitely go back, but wouldn't stop me from trying other indian places nearby

Came here on a Wednesday evening! We decided to split a bunch of entrees like family style which was a great idea! Prices were very fair and it was a lot of food. I left very full! The inside was cute and had a decent amount of seating. Workers were all kind. We ordered the Saag Paneer, aloo gobhi, butter chicken, and we decided to do something different the fig kofta curry. They were all tasty and hit the spot. We also ordered a garlic naan. Overall a nice meal!

Food prepared fast. I got it delivered, and it was hot. The paneer Mahkani was spicy in a good way, but has a sweet taste to it as well. The garlic naan wasn't as garlicky as I would have liked.

I've been wanted to try Delhi space lately in the actual restaurant but with everyone being sick, I decided to try it via take out! I'm not sure why I even waited to do that for so long! The food was outstanding! First of all, the food was still piping hot when we got it which I love! The worst thing is to get takeout and it's freezing cold! Just my opinion! We ordered the garlic naan, lamb vindaloo, butter chicken and prawn masala. I mean take out or not, those are staples dishes and if they don't taste good then what's the point of trying again. Well they were delicious! The garlic naan wasn't dry and had such flavor! The butter chicken was rich and there wasn't a lack of sauce. A little more chicken would go a long way for the price you pay, but I won't harp on that too much this time since it was so good! The lamb vindaloo had the right amount of spice without being overwhelming and inedible and the lamb was cooked to perfection. I will say I was expecting more Indian flavors out of the prawn masala appetizer but it gave me more Italian vibes. But it was delightful nonetheless! We consumed the food so fast, we forgot to take photos but trust me if you're looking for authentic Indian flavors you don't want to pass up trying Delhi Spice!

Came for my first time last night and walked away very impressed. The food was really good, the cocktail (smoke and curry) was right up my alley and the service was top notch. I will be back for sure. P.S. The portions were very generous as well.

For the first time ever, my parents and I decided to celebrate Thanksgiving... outside of a house, away from a kitchen. This felt so odd, yet so empowering and adventurous!! Despite being a holiday and being a restaurant that's actually open on one, it was not crowded inside. We made a reservation, and getting seated wasn't an issue at all. We got waters and menus and excitedly scanned them over. We were thrilled to see that they had naan stuffed with cranberry and goat cheese... the cranberry stood out as "hey, this fits the theme!" so we ordered it and the mint paratha because it just sounded so refreshing. Other appetizers included veggie momo and prawn masala. Every single appetizer was flavorful and satisfying... I was excited for my parents to try momos for the first time, and they were grateful! I had never tasted or seen prawn masala before, and so I'm glad to scratch it off my list. I also love how it was presented. The breads were sooooo delicious... and I know my niece would love that mint paratha, loving both mint and bread as much as she does. I could eat the cranberry goat cheese naan every day, but then how would I look...? Anyways, main entree -- lamb vindaloo. Spicy, flavorful, and paired with satisfying rice! I tasted my dad's saffron chicken and it came with a sauce that overpowered it a bit. The chicken itself was amaaaaaaazing with the ginger and saffron flavors. The sauce was nice to have, but definitely not necessary. Oh, and there's a full bar if you wanna drink. They had some seasonal cocktail options, though I didn't try. This is an awesome local Indian restaurant, and if you haven't been yet, you should definitely give it a try. Have a safe new year!

Delhi Spice had been on our radar of places to eat nearby since we moved here several months ago. We finally ordered takeaway, and the pickup was seamless. We ordered naan, butter chicken, lamb curry, and a dumpling appetizer. The food was top notch, and the portion sizes were adequate. They give you plenty of rice to accompany the entree dishes. Parking is not ideal, but it is not that terrible either, considering that you are in Bethesda.

Delhi Spice is an amazing restaurant for people who enjoy flavorful Indian food, delicious drinks and outstanding customer service and hospitality. Sudhir and Tina as well as other staff do a great job creating a welcoming atmosphere and the food truly reminds me of flavors from Delhi. Highly recommend this place in the heart of Bethesda.

I've only ordered from them via ChowNow/Doordash but multiple times and it is delicious every time. The very first time, I ordered for everyone in the office. While we each got different dishes, they put our rice in two big containers (which was hard to split). After contacting the restaurant directly, the manager and team were helpful and provided a suitable accommodation for the next time we ordered. And ever since then, the food, service, and requests have been handled with ease. This time around I got the butter chicken (medium), a half order of the Aloo Chole (chickpeas), and the garlic naan. All hits, no misses. Delicious! The medium could have been spicier but was perfect for me.

So... Deli spice. I really like this place. The Taj Mahal hit different, their crisper. The interior design warm. Bar cool enough that I could hang out at. Alone. When I asked for spicy lamb, Vandeloo, I mean it.! I may live a lonely life. However, I like to live in harmony with the Indian restaurants around me. I've tried multiple, multiple Indian restaurants in the area, I think five in total, and this is number one. Thanks for reading this review, make sure you get the spicy lamb vindaloo, chicken saak! Also for appetizer the prawns and cauliflower.

My roommate and I stopped by before going to a movie. She ordered the saag paneer and I ordered the samosa and mulligatawny soup. I tasted her food (because it looked really good and I couldn't resist haha), and it was flavorful and fresh tasting. The samosa comes deconstructed and presented beautifully at the center of the plate. It was delicious! Full of spice, flavor, and a slight sweetness. The service was great, and I never felt like we had to find someone to help us. The owner and his family are very involved and ensured we had a great experience. I'm hoping to become regulars!

A fine new Indian restaurant for the Bethesda area. We enjoyed the garlic naan. The palak chat was not as crispy as I prefer it, but that was probably a function of carry out rather than consuming it at the restaurant. We had lamb saag, chicken Jalfrezi, tandori chicken, and tandori salmon. All the dishes were beautifully executed, but they had moderate heat levels which I prefer. However, if you are averse to heat, it would be important to ask them to tone it down. Clearly this is a worthy addition to the area, and well worth a try.

Very nice ambiance perfect for dates or casual dinners. Our server and the owner were very kind and would always be checking up on us. Palaak chaat 4/5: Good portions and really liked the touch of pomegranate. Thought it could've been a bit crispier and wished the flavors were just a bit stronger Non vegetarian platter 5/5: A good option for sharing or if you cant decide what to get. A little of everything including butter chicken and lamb vindaloo. Flavors were great but the dal or lentils were a bit watery. Would come back!

My wife and I had a wonderful dining experience here after attending a show at the Strathmore. I knew it was going to be great after trying the Taj Mahal Indian lager for the first time. So good! We then had an Appetizer - a Vegetable Samosa Chatt. This was like a little piece of heaven! Our main course was the Chicken Chettinad with Onion Kulcha Naan. I'm telling you, this might be the best meal I have ever had anywhere, anytime. I doubt that we will ever eat at any other Indian restaurant. Please try this place if you can!

Upscale, date-worthy restaurant serving top-notch Indian food that goes beyond the basics. Nestled in an unassuming strip mall in Bethesda, the world changes when you walk in the door with dim lighting and indoor "roofs" that make you feel like you're in a quiet street. The tables and attentive service bring the same upscale vibe and make it an excellent date spot. At the same time, we didn't feel too out of place with our two kids both under 10. We started with drinks and tried both the clovesome old fashioned (muted cardamom and cloves, but still good) and the Delhi sour (interesting with a wine float, but less interesting than the old fashioned). They weren't bad, but didn't live up to the rest of the meal. We started with the palak chaat, which was like normal chaat (think Indian nachos) but using crisped spinach as the base instead of bread. It was yummy, different, and amenable to my wife's need to keeep the meal low-carb. I got the chicken chettinad, which was earthy and spicy sort of shredded chicken. It was different than any other Indian food I've had in terms of the deep earthiness and slow, but substantial heat. I'd order it again in a heartbeat. My wife got the lamb saag, which was incredibly tender and deliciously spiced. Beyond that, there were at least half a dozen other things we wanted to try on the menu. Our kids ate butter chicken, rice and butter naan all of them happily.

Food was ok. Portions don't justify the cost. Would not order again due to price and portions.

The dishes are original, and show an intentional attention to detail. It felt Nepalese to me, meaning if one chose accordingly they could go with tandoori, or dumplings. The waitstaff is very polite and attentive, And I can tell you that when I ordered Chicken Saag, and requested some heat to the meal that it was finally a dish I didn't have to doctor. Normally restaurants assume my heat threshold. It was quite delicious! And I was pleased that a restaurant was able to supply some nice mixed pickle for a side. The Chai was also exceptional. For those who care, it is on a more pleasant side of Bethesda, so one could actually enjoy a quiet walk if they were so inclined after-not so busy.

We have ordered takeout a couple of times and love it especially chola bhatura. We decided to dine in last minute, great food, attentive service, and reasonable prices. We ordered samosa chaat, palak paneer, fig/paneer kofta. Everything was delicious. I highly recommend that you try it out.

Delicious food!! We started with chicken momo and a cauliflower dish, battered with a fragrant sauce then we progressed to our entrees which everyone enjoyed immensely. Tandoori chicken, shrimp curry, vindaloo, and sang paneer. We also got Nana, onionkulcha, garlic Haan, and cucumber Raina. ​​​the negatives were minor. We started with glass bottles of water on the tables but after we ordered drinks, they disappeared which was odd because we also ordered water. The food was spicier than I was prepared for. Saag paneer is not usually spicy but it is flavorful. Still delicious but. We had a good time, we did not feel rushed and the service was excellent. Would recommend

The food is super tasty. Each bite has layers of flavor. The samosa wasn't traditional but oh, so good! I took the time to tell the owner how outstanding it was. The chicken Korma was wonderful and the Padma yummy. We highly recommend this restaurant.

Got takeout tonight. Tikka masala too sweet in my opinion. And the garlic naan was stale and had no garlic flavor. Just okay. Sorry y'all.

We've tried a few different Indian places for take out around here and this is our favorite for that. Typically pretty fast and the classics (tika) are as expected and desired. Samosas and the naan are always good. They tend to also understand the right amount of increasing the spiceyness when requested without burning my mouth off. Very nice on the phone too.

The food and service is simply incredible. Sudhir is so hospitable and is proud of his restaurant. There are unique things on the menu. My friends and I had a great time. Will for sure go back!

Great dining experience at this relatively new Indian restaurant tucked in behind the Giant next to Cher Cher and the Fresh Baguette. The food is the best Indian in Bethesda which came as no surprise when I learned the owners came from Indique in Cleveland Park. One of the owners works the front of the restaurant and the other runs the kitchen. Portions were large, perfectly spiced and served hot. The garlic naan is not to be missed. The interior was quiet, cozy with a chill vibe.

I was going to check out another well reviewed Indian spot in the area that will remain unnamed. The other spot was open for another hour and a half after we arrived but they turned us away saying they were too busy. I was disappointed but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise since it prompted me to find Delhi Spice which just opened a month ago. Our server Olga was very accommodating and warm. The owner Kumar checked in on us several times. The food was excellent overall. The vegetable samosa chaat was a little hotter spicier than I'm used to for that dish, but tasted great. The pomegranates were a distinct touch. The portion size was a little smaller than I'd have liked since I usually like to share appetizers, but it was a good size for one person. I ordered the lamb curry and I was pleased to find that it was not too hot OR salty. I'm not sure if other Indian spots are trying to appeal to American palates or if authentic South Asian curries are really that salty, but I've found even tasty curries often are way too salty for me to appreciate the other flavors. The meat was really tender too. Onion kulcha was tasty and fresh. My mom asked for the saag/spinach instead of standard veggies for her lamb chops and it was incredible. Definitely check out Delhi Spice if you're looking for quality Indian food in the Bethesda region!

Picked up dinner last night. It was absolutely perfect. Chicken Chettinad and Lamb Biriyani plus soup, Raita and Naan. Ruff Kensington

Delicious Indian food and interesting cocktails. We visited Delhi Spice on a Friday night and it was packed. The restaurant was pretty loud from an acoustic standpoint as well. I ordered the Delhi sour to drink, we split the gobi lasooni, I ordered the Punjabi baingan bartha, and we added an order of garlic naan for good measure. My drink was tasty although the bourbon was nearly invisible. The gobi lasooni and Punjabi baingan bartha were both wonderful. The garlic naan was standard. Overall, we had a fantastic experience, and I would highly recommend Delhi Spice for dinner in Bethesda.

Food was good but not the best I've had. Flavor was spicy but sometimes lacking. Staff was kind and drinks were great. I'd go back for sure. Kind of stuffy in terms of atmosphere but not bad

Pleasant decor, outstanding service, but the star is the food, truly exceptional flavors from a very standard Indian menu. Tiki masala is almost a cliche, but this one sings with flavor. Soup was spiced to perfection and even the naan was terrific. A neighborhood gem.

Delicious but the portions were a little small for the price. We got the fried cauliflower (really good), the Chana masala, and the tandoori salmon.

The quality of food and service all 6 times I've been here has been absolutely phenomenal. I've brought multiple friends here and they all fall in love with this restaurant. There is so much flavor! The prices are reasonable and the quality is amazing. Great addition to the neighborhood!

The service was great. The gentleman was very patient with my fiancee and her more picky choices/desires. The food was AMAZING. She loved her chicken Kadai, my step daughter loved her chicken curry, and my lamb vindaloo was spicy and incredible. Everything was wonderful about this place!

Great service and food was terrific. Liked that the papdam was not as salty as I've had elsewhere. Chicken Tiki Masala was also excellent and quite filling. I was fortunate to come in a non peak time but my guess is they will do just as well when busy!

Best Indian restaurant in the area. Good service, good presentation, good food. Would highly recommend.

The food was surprisingly good. I have a lot of experience with Indian food and this place has kept the flavors true to their origins. Using fresh ingredients. Pretty authentic. Worth trying. Very friendly service.

Classic Indian food. Off the Bethesda Row strip of restaurants but worth the walk. Imaginative cocktails, good service and reasonable ambience considering it's across from a sprawling Benz dealership. The food and spices are authentic as far as we could tell.

Ordered delivery, fast service Overall: cost, portion, flavors are good, default was too spicy to share wth kids Recommend: aloo chole, naan, paneer saag, samosa Probably not again: Kerala fish curry (flavor is good but a bit fishy), butter chicken (too much dark meat)

We ordered takeout (vegetarian only) given this is a new Indian restaurant in Bethesda and the 5 star reviews. We got the family size paneer makhani, okra, eggplant bharta and naan. Unfortunately, none of these dishes had any significant flavor or spice. In fact, my 5 year old son refused to eat the "pasta sauce" (the paneer makhani). The worst part of this experience was the naan. It looked like they just bought some frozen naan from Trader Joes. It was not properly cooked and definitely not made in a Tandoor. Will not come back here. Many other solid Indian options in Bethesda such as Kadhai or Virraaj.

Good and flavorful food, generous portions and very timely delivery!! One of my favorites when I am visiting Bethesda.

The momos sauce was good. Other than that, it was disappointingly average Indian food given the high ratings.

Stopped by for a drink, got the Angry Kokum. Must try if you are a fan of Negroni's. Amazing service, great ambiance for a date night. also managed to order the Chili Chicken. Delicious.