How to order for a table
Indian restaurant food is shared, and the whole meal is designed around contrast — one rich thing needs one sharp thing beside it. Order as a table, not as individuals.
The working ratio, for four people
| Order | How many |
|---|---|
| Starters | 1–2 between four. They arrive fast and fill people up |
| Gravy dishes | 2 — and make them different: one rich/creamy, one sharp or tomato-based |
| Dry dish | 1 — a tandoori or bhuna item, for texture |
| Dal | 1, always. It's the thing that makes the meal feel complete |
| Rice | 1–2 portions to share, unless someone is having biryani |
| Breads | 4–6 pieces, ordered in rounds rather than all at once |
| Sides | Raita and papad. Cheap, and they do a lot of work |
The mistakes
- Four gravies and nothing dry. The most common one. Everything ends up tasting similar and the meal feels heavy by the halfway point.
- Biryani plus rice plus bread. Biryani is a complete main course. Someone ordering it doesn't need the shared rice too.
- Everything at the same heat. A table where every dish is hot has nowhere to retreat to. See spice levels.
- All the bread at once. Breads go leathery within ten minutes. Order half, then order again.
- Skipping raita. Yoghurt is the temperature control for the whole table, and it costs almost nothing.
Say this to the server, honestly: "There are four of us, we'd like two vegetable dishes and two meat, nothing too hot, and we've not eaten here before — what's the kitchen good at?" In most Indian restaurants this produces a genuinely better meal than the menu will. Family-run places especially will steer you to what they cook best.
Vegetarians at the table
This is the one cuisine where the vegetarian order is not a compromise — paneer, dal, chana and vegetable dishes are core menu items, not substitutes. See vegetarian and Jain dining, and why so much of the food is vegetarian for the background.
Restaurants differ enormously — by region, by owner and by country. This describes what is common enough to expect, not a rule every kitchen follows.
See also: indian restaurant menu, decoded · spice levels: asking for what you want · vegetarian, vegan and jain dining · table etiquette when eating out
Last updated: 2026-08-12
Get new guides by email
Occasional emails when we publish something worth your time. Published by The Desi Network; you can unsubscribe in one click, any time.