Anthony Bourdain famously once said that New York didn't have good Indian food, and that may be because it's all in Jersey City, which has the largest proportion of Asian-Indians in the entire country. Centered around Newark Avenue (the two-block section running from Kennedy Boulevard to Tonnelle Avenue) in Journal Square is India Square, an enclave of Indian stores and restaurants offering everything from South Indian food like dosas to Biryani to North Indian curry to sweets. In addition to eating, it's a fun neighborhood to walk around and see shops selling traditional saris, spices, and jewelry. Here are our favorite spots:

RESTUARANTS

Rasoi
This North Indian restaurant (more specifically Punjabi) has been a true crowd-pleaser for nearly 25 years. It has all the items that tend to make their way onto American-Indian plates (chicken tikka masala, samosas, saag paneer), but native Indians will tell you that Rasoi's food is about as authentic as it comes. Don't miss the garlic naan, lamb vindaloo, chili paneer, and anything cooked in the tandoor oven.

Biryani Darbar
Not long before the pandemic, Eater NY's senior critic Robert Sietsema visited Biryani Darbar and gushed about the relative newcomer's menu of 15 different biryanis, a seasoned rice dish that usually features a lead protein. Traditionally, biryani is a shared meal, so we recommend coming with a group and ordering several different versions to try. As Sietsema explained, the Indian cities of Hyderabad and Vijayawada have a bit of competition as the biryani hotspot, and Biryani Darbar has versions originating in both locations. The most popular seems to be the Hyderabadi dum chicken biryani.

Sapthagiri
Dosa is a popular South Indian, vegetarian street food. Similar to a very thin but overly huge crepe, it's made with a fermented rice and lentil batter and can be filled with spiced mashed potatoes, peas, or onions. They're usually served with a variety of chutneys and sambar, a lentil stew. For dosa on Newark Avenue, we recommend Sapthagiri, which has 27 dosa varieties, including a non-traditional cheese version. They also have a selection of uthappam, a thicker dosa with toppings.

STORES

Apna Bazar and Patel Brothers
Both of these grocery stores have all the authentic Indian foods and spices you could ever want. The latter is a national chain that has items from the Indian sub-continent and the Middle East, while Apna is a local supermarket.

Sunanda Kumar
This clothing and jewelry store isn’t big, but it’s chock full of special occasion wear like bridal outfits, colorful salwar kameez and saris, and gorgeous traditional necklaces and headpieces.