India Cafe

4.0 ( 268 reviews )
Checking... 11:00 AM - 2:30 PM See Hours
$10–20
227 E Washington St, Iowa City, IA 52240, United States
+1 319-354-2775

India Cafe, located at 227 E Washington St in Iowa City, is a vibrant gem for those craving authentic Indian cuisine. Customers consistently rave about the restaurant's flexibility in catering to individual spice tolerance levels, making it accessible for everyone—from spice novices to aficionados.

Highly recommended dishes include their garlic naan and onion kulcha, perfect accompaniments to the rich curries. The biryani options, including chicken, mutton, and lamb, have garnered praise for their wholesome flavors. Notably, the Goat Rogan Josh stands out for its exceptional taste, a rarity appreciated by discerning Indian diners.

The warm hospitality of owner Brother Ahsan adds a personal touch to the dining experience, as he takes the time to engage with customers and ensure satisfaction. His commitment to quality ingredients and serving halal options is especially notable. With a delightful lunch buffet that keeps the dishes fresh and a welcoming atmosphere, India Cafe is more than just a meal—it's a loving embrace of culture and community.

Overall, India Cafe is a must-visit for anyone looking to indulge in delicious Indian fare while enjoying an exemplary dining experience.

Amenities and More

  • Accessibility
    • Has wheelchair-accessible car park
    • Has wheelchair-accessible entrance
    • Has wheelchair-accessible seating
    • Has wheelchair-accessible toilet
  • Service options
    • Has no-contact delivery
    • Offers delivery
    • Offers takeaway
    • Serves dine-in
  • Highlights
    • Has fast service
    • Has great tea selection
  • Popular for
    • Popular for lunch
    • Popular for dinner
    • Good for solo dining
  • Offerings
    • Serves alcohol
    • Has all you can eat
    • Serves beer
    • Serves coffee
    • Serves comfort food
    • Serves healthy options
    • Quick bite
    • Serves vegan dishes
    • Serves vegetarian dishes
    • Serves wine
  • Dining options
    • Serves lunch
    • Serves dinner
    • Serves dessert
    • Has seating
  • Amenities
    • Has toilet
    • Has Wi-Fi
    • Free Wi-Fi
  • Atmosphere
    • Casual
    • Cosy
    • Quiet
  • Crowd
    • Good for groups
    • Popular with tourists
    • Popular with university students
  • Planning
    • Accepts reservations
  • Payments
    • Accepts credit cards
    • Accepts debit cards
    • Accepts NFC mobile payments
    • Credit cards
  • Children
    • Good for kids
    • High chairs available
  • Parking
    • Free parking lot

Reviews For India Cafe

toofurp (Toofurp)
Jun 6,2025
In the mood for Indian food? This is the place to go! They're great because they ask your spice tolerance every time, regardless if you've been there before. If you're accustomed to spice I think the 8 or 9 with curries would be pretty spicy. If you're looking for a very mild spice 5 or 6 is a good place to start. I highly recommend getting naan(bread) with any sort of curry dish from here and dipping it in said curry. I usually go with the onion kulcha or the garlic naan. Sidenote: The rice refills are free. Sharing dishes here is also easy to do here, in case you want to try someone else's.
Sandip Singh
May 27,2025
I ordered tandoori chicken and it was awesome i had tandoori chicken in exotic india and haveli restaurants there chicken was dry and unflavored I recommend india Cafe is the best
Dr. Mohammad Shamsuddoha
May 10,2025
Love to see Bangladeshi brother serving halal for his community. Brother Ahsan is lovely guy. I was overwhelmed with his hospitality. His tea is real chai from Bangladesh. I took their chicken, mutton and lamb Biriyani as well. You can try on the way back and forth through I80. Brother Ahsan is a great personality and always trying his best to provide food within reasonable price. He is so kind enough to serve us even we were little late. I wish him all the success in his business endeavors.
R L K
Apr 27,2025
Great lunch buffet. Everything was fresh and well-stocked.
Ryan Kar
Apr 15,2025
Being Indian and finding an amazing Goat Rogan Josh is extremely rare. The quality and taste of their food here is absolutely wonderful. The owner really goes above and beyond to get the highest quality ingredients. I can’t wait to go back.
Vivek Karmarkar
Apr 5,2025
The owner is very friendly and food is very tasty. I come here everyday. The fresh tandoori roti and delicious garlic naan is a must. All the vegetarian dishes are excellent. The buffet is also very balanced. You should definitely come here if you're in Iowa city. The chai feels great on a cold day
Olivia Croy
Apr 5,2025
Food is always amazing. I’ll drive from a town over to pick it up because I can’t have true Indian food anywhere else. The staff is always friendly, and the restaurant always smells so good the moment you walk in there. Juicy, tender meat every time.
S I
Mar 10,2025
I was visiting some cities in Iowa and I stopped for lunch. They have daily buffet with halal food, 12.99. The buffet was good considering small town restaurant. They had some veg, chicken and beef items. The owner was very friendly. It was not very crowded. There is no free parking nearby as it is a college town and the restaurant is at the center of downtown. Overall recommended considering a small college town restaurant but there are some scops of improvement regarding food quality.

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