In short
The best Indian restaurants in Exeter in 2026 are Namaste on Guinea Street and Richies on North Street for South Indian cooking, Ganges on Fore Street for classic curry-house dishes, and the Gurkha Kitchen on Heavitree Road for Nepalese cooking. Spice Magic on Fore Street is a useful takeaway. For other Asian food, try Thai Orchid, Goto and Oh My Kimchi.
Contents7 sections
What are the best Indian restaurants in Exeter?
The Indian restaurants we'd send a group of friends to in Exeter split neatly into three kinds. For South Indian cooking (dosas, sambar, coconut-based curries) go to Namaste or Richies. For the classic British-Indian curry house, where you get tandoori starters, a long list of curries and a pile of naan, go to Ganges, with Spice Magic on the same street if you'd rather eat at home. For Nepalese cooking alongside the Indian menu, go to the Gurkha Kitchen.
We confirmed every venue in this guide on the Food Standards Agency register at the stated address in September 2026, and checked trading against current sources such as the venue's own site where one was available. Where we couldn't confirm a restaurant was still trading, we took it out. That matters more than it sounds, because Exeter restaurants change hands quietly, and a guide that sends you to a shut door is worse than no guide.
A note on how to read this: we give our view of each restaurant as a place to eat with other people, so the questions are whether the menu works for sharing, whether the room lets you talk and whether it copes with a group. We haven't made up dishes we didn't eat or scores we can't check. If you believe, as we do, that sharing a meal can genuinely change your social life, this is a good place to start.
Where is the best South Indian food in Exeter?
Namaste Exeter, Guinea Street
Our verdict: the best choice in Exeter for a special-occasion Indian dinner, and the obvious first stop if you've never eaten South Indian food.
Namaste is at 1a Guinea Street (EX1 1BS), a short walk from South Street. The restaurant describes itself as a South Indian specialist aiming at fine dining, so come here for dosas and South Indian curries rather than a standard korma-to-vindaloo list. It also takes private parties and functions, which is useful if you're organising a birthday or leaving do for more than a handful of people.
Namaste now serves a weekend brunch on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 3pm. It's unusual in the city and worth knowing about if evenings are hard for your group. Tables can be booked online through the restaurant's own site, namasteexeter.co.uk. We'd book for any weekend evening.
Richies South Indian, North Street
Our verdict: the best alternative to Namaste, and the South Indian option to pick when you want something a little more relaxed.
Richies is at 18 North Street (EX4 3QS), just below the top of Fore Street and a few minutes from the Guildhall. It runs as a restaurant and takeaway and focuses on South Indian dishes, so dosas and biryani come first rather than being side attractions. It's a good one to try with friends who already like Namaste, because comparing the two is half the fun. Opening hours have varied, so check richiessouthindian.co.uk before you go rather than relying on anything printed elsewhere, including here.
South Indian menus suit groups well. Order two or three different dosas for the middle of the table, a rice dish and a couple of curries, then share everything. Dosas lose their crispness quickly, so eat them first.
Which Exeter Indian restaurants are best for a classic curry night?
Ganges Restaurant, Fore Street
Our verdict: the safe booking for a mixed group, where you need everyone happy and nobody surprised.
Ganges is at 156 Fore Street in St David's (EX4 3AT) and describes itself as Exeter's longest-established Indian restaurant. It's a traditional curry house with a long menu that runs from tandoori starters through the familiar curries, with plenty of vegetarian choice. It also does takeaway. The full menus are on thegangesrestaurant.com. Its strength for groups is breadth: whether someone wants a mild korma or something fiery, they'll find it, and that makes it easy to organise.
Spice Magic, Fore Street
Our verdict: one for a curry night at home rather than a table out.
Spice Magic is at 139 Fore Street (EX4 3AN), on the same stretch as Ganges. It is registered with the Food Standards Agency as a takeaway rather than a restaurant, so treat it as the option for when half your group would rather stay in. Our guide to ordering takeaway in Exeter covers the wider options.
Ganges and Spice Magic are both on the St David's end of Fore Street, so if Ganges is full on a Friday you can order a takeaway from a few doors along instead.
Is there Nepalese food in Exeter?
The Gurkha Kitchen, Heavitree Road
Our verdict: the most distinctive Indian-subcontinent menu in Exeter, and worth the walk out of the centre.
Yes. The Gurkha Kitchen at 164 Heavitree Road (EX1 2LZ) cooks Nepalese dishes alongside Indian ones. Heavitree Road is about fifteen minutes on foot from the High Street, which keeps it a neighbourhood restaurant rather than a city-centre one. That also makes it a good choice when you want a quieter table. Check thegurkhakitchenexeter.com for what's currently on.
Where can you get Korean, Thai and Japanese food in Exeter?
Oh My Kimchi, Blackboy Road (Korean)
Our verdict: the best quick, casual Asian meal in Exeter, not a long lingering dinner.
Oh My Kimchi at 57–58 Blackboy Road (EX4 6TB) calls itself "healthy Korean fast food". You order at self-service kiosks, pay, and collect from the bar when your number comes up. The restaurant says it uses free-range UK beef and pork and halal chicken, with the kiosk model keeping prices down. It now has a second branch in Plymouth. The ordering format suits friends who want a relaxed catch-up without a booked table, and the menu of bibimbap, bulgogi and Korean fried chicken shares well. Opening days are limited, so check ohmy-kimchi.com before you go.
New to Korean food? Start with bibimbap: rice topped with seasoned vegetables, meat or tofu and an egg, mixed at the table with gochujang chilli paste. It's filling and easy to adapt for most diets.
Thai Orchid, Cathedral Yard (Thai)
Our verdict: the best setting of any Asian restaurant in Exeter, and a good choice for a celebration.
Thai Orchid is one of Exeter's longest-standing Thai dining rooms. It's at 5 Cathedral Yard (EX1 1HJ), in a centuries-old cottage that looks out over the cathedral green. The menu covers curries, stir-fries, salads and noodles, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, and a long Thai menu is made for sharing. Our Thai and South East Asian guide goes further into the city's Thai scene.
Goto, New Bridge Street (Japanese)
Our verdict: Exeter's best independent Japanese restaurant, and it's small enough that you need to book.
Goto is at 38 New Bridge Street (EX4 3AH), at the bottom of Fore Street. The menu centres on sushi, ramen and Japanese curry. The room is small, so for anything more than two people, book ahead rather than walking in.
Wagamama, Bedford Street (Japanese-inspired chain)
Our verdict: the fallback when you haven't planned ahead, especially for larger groups.
Wagamama at 16 Bedford Street (EX1 1LL), in Princesshay, is a chain and doesn't pretend otherwise. What it offers a group is predictability: long shared benches, fast service and a menu most people already know. It's the answer when eight of you decide at 7pm that you want to eat together.
Where can you get cheap Asian food in Exeter?
Tyepyedong, Sidwell Street
Our verdict: the best-value sit-down Asian meal on this list.
Tyepyedong at 175 Sidwell Street (EX4 6RH) is an independent, family-run noodle bar. The name, pronounced "tye-pye-dong", is meant to mean "a place to eat without the fuss". Its menu blends Chinese and Japanese cooking with other Asian influences: noodle soups, stir-fries and rice dishes, cooked to order. The owners say the chef will modify dishes on request. It also appears in our cheap eats in Exeter guide. Menus and prices are on tyepyedong.com.
Which Indian or Asian restaurant should you book for a group?
The quick decision guide:
- A birthday or special occasion: Namaste, or Thai Orchid for the cathedral setting.
- A mixed group with fussy eaters: Ganges, because of its long menu.
- Vegetarians and vegans in the group: Namaste or Richies. South Indian cooking is naturally strong on vegetables. Our vegan and vegetarian Exeter guide has more.
- Something different: the Gurkha Kitchen for Nepalese, or Goto for Japanese.
- An unplanned evening or a large group: Wagamama or Oh My Kimchi.
- On a budget: Tyepyedong.
However you choose, order for the table rather than for yourself. Shared plates change the evening. People pass dishes, recommend things and try food they wouldn't have picked alone, and that's why food plays such a large part in emotional wellbeing and connection. Midweek is also easier to book than Friday or Saturday, and a midweek catch-up is often the more relaxed evening anyway.
Always mention allergies when you book, not just when you order. Many Indian and Thai dishes contain nuts, dairy or ghee, and kitchens can plan ahead far more easily than they can adapt a dish mid-service.
For the wider picture, pair this with our complete guide to the best restaurants in Exeter. If you're new to Exeter, working through this list with new friends is a very good way to find your regular spot.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best Indian restaurant in Exeter?
- For South Indian food and a special occasion, Namaste on Guinea Street. For a classic curry house that suits a mixed group, Ganges on Fore Street. For something different, the Gurkha Kitchen on Heavitree Road serves Nepalese dishes.
- Where can I get South Indian food and dosas in Exeter?
- Namaste Exeter at 1a Guinea Street and Richies South Indian at 18 North Street both specialise in South Indian cooking, including dosas. Namaste also serves a weekend brunch on Friday to Sunday from 11am to 3pm.
- What is the oldest Indian restaurant in Exeter?
- Ganges on Fore Street describes itself as Exeter's longest-established Indian restaurant.
- Which Indian restaurant in Exeter is best for a group?
- Ganges has a long menu that suits mixed groups, and Namaste takes private parties and functions. For a large group at short notice, Wagamama in Princesshay is the easiest option in the city centre.
- Is there Nepalese food in Exeter?
- Yes. The Gurkha Kitchen at 164 Heavitree Road serves Nepalese dishes alongside Indian ones.
The best meals aren't only about what's on the plate. They're about who's around the table.
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