New Indian Restaurants in Portland (August 2026)

TL;DR

• 🍛 Portland's Indian restaurant scene has real breadth in August 2026 — Bhuna, Bollywood Theater, Silsila, New Taste of India, and Indian Food Paradise each occupy a distinct register
• 👨‍🍳 Bhuna's Chef Deepak Kaul brings a Kashmiri-rooted, globally trained perspective that stands apart from anything else in the city
• 📍 The restaurants are spread across Portland — NE Alberta to NW 21st to South Macadam — so there is a strong option wherever you happen to be
• 🥘 From private party bookings to quick casual stops, this is a strong moment to explore what Portland's Indian food landscape can do

Portland's Indian Food Scene, August 2026

Portland takes its food seriously, and its Indian restaurant landscape has expanded meaningfully over the past few years. The range on offer now goes well beyond what you'd expect from a mid-size American city — from a formally trained Kashmiri chef running a precise, intimate kitchen on NW 21st to the boisterous street-food energy of Northeast Alberta to neighborhood staples that have built multi-year local followings across the city.

This guide covers five Indian restaurants that define Portland's current scene: Silsila, Bollywood Theater, Bhuna, New Taste of India, and Indian Food Paradise. They don't all belong to the same genre, and that's the point. Portland's Indian food community now has genuine choices — not just more of the same.

Bhuna: A Kashmiri Kitchen, Precisely Realized 🍽️

Bhuna, at 704 Northwest 21st Avenue, is the most distinctive entry on this list. Chef Deepak Kaul grew up in New Jersey after immigrating from Kashmir, and before opening Bhuna he trained in Cambridge, San Francisco, New York City, and London. What emerged from that journey is a kitchen that resists easy categorization — not the buffet genre, not the standard restaurant-Indian playbook, but something Kaul describes as light, fresh, layered, and soulful.

The restaurant is open Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 9pm. A Family Meal package offers a practical way to sample the full range of the kitchen, and Bhuna accepts private party bookings for groups of 7 to 20 people — a strong option for corporate dinners, milestone celebrations, or any occasion where serious cooking in an intimate setting matters. Reach Bhuna at +1 971-865-2176.

Bollywood Theater: The Alberta Arts District Standard

Bollywood Theater at 2039 Northeast Alberta Street has been a Portland reference point for years, and the energy has not dimmed. The restaurant channels the pace and spirit of a South Asian street food stall — casual, lively, affordable, and built around flavors that arrive with real conviction. It draws a broad audience: students, families, longtime Portland residents who make it a regular stop. The Alberta Arts District location fits the restaurant perfectly — the neighborhood's creative, community-centered character suits a place that has always felt more like a gathering spot than a dining room. Phone: +1-971-200-4711.

Silsila, Indian Food Paradise, and the Killingsworth Corridor

Silsila at 819 North Killingsworth Street occupies a more refined register. The name — silsila means "chain" or "connection" in Urdu and Hindi — signals something about the restaurant's sensibility: food as a link between generations, between traditions, between communities. The cooking here leans toward the considered end of the spectrum, with sourcing and presentation that sit comfortably alongside Portland's broader fine-dining culture.

Also on the north side, Indian Food Paradise at 625 Northeast Killingsworth Street offers a different kind of value — wide coverage of the Indian menu at prices that work for regular visits and family meals. Phone: +1-564-206-6973.

New Taste of India: The South Side Option

Portland's Indian restaurants are concentrated in the northeast, which makes New Taste of India at 6123 South Macadam Avenue genuinely useful for anyone who lives or works on the west side of the Willamette or south of downtown. The menu covers the classics with reliable execution — the kind of place you can bring guests who are eating Indian food for the first time and be confident they'll leave happy. Phone: +1-503-265-8806.

💡 Insider Tip

Bhuna's Wednesday lunch is typically the quietest service of the week. If you are booking for a private party or have a group with specific dietary needs, calling on a Wednesday (+1 971-865-2176) gives Chef Kaul's kitchen the most room to work through the details and build something specific for your event.

The Wider Portland Indian Food Map

Beyond the five restaurants above, Portland has an established set of Indian restaurants with longer track records. Swagat at 2074 Northwest Lovejoy Street has been operating for years with a Thali lunch served across multiple metro locations, offering lunch from 11:30am to 2:30pm and dinner from 5pm to 9pm. India House at 1038 Southwest Morrison Street has served downtown Portland since 1991 with a full North Indian menu including kebabs, curries, biryanis, and fresh breads. India Oven at 3450 Southeast Belmont Street runs lunch Monday through Saturday, dinner daily, and a daily happy hour from 4 to 6:30pm. Dil Se at 1201 Southwest Jefferson Street rounds out the southwest corner of the city's Indian food map.

The spread means you are rarely far from a good Indian meal anywhere in Portland. What August 2026 adds is genuine range of register: Bhuna's personal Kashmiri cooking alongside the exuberant street-food energy of Bollywood Theater alongside Silsila's fine-dining sensibility. That breadth is new and worth paying attention to.

Find the full Portland Indian restaurant directory, reviews, and upcoming community events at desi.net/portland.

FAQ

Is Bhuna open for lunch every day? No. Bhuna is open Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 9pm only.

Does Bollywood Theater take reservations? Bollywood Theater is a casual counter-service restaurant. Call +1-971-200-4711 to confirm current hours and any reservation policies before visiting.

Can I book Bhuna for a private event? Yes. Bhuna accepts private party bookings for groups of 7 to 20 people. Contact them at +1 971-865-2176 to discuss dates and menus.

Are these restaurants good for vegetarians? All five have vegetarian options. Bhuna's menu in particular leans toward lighter, vegetable-forward cooking.

Bottom Line

Portland's Indian restaurant scene in August 2026 is not a monolith. Bhuna brings a Kashmiri home-cooking sensibility shaped by training across some of the best kitchens in the English-speaking world. Bollywood Theater delivers the joy and pace of Indian street food at a neighborhood scale. Silsila pulls the cuisine toward fine-dining territory. New Taste of India and Indian Food Paradise keep the classics available and accessible across the city's geography. Between these five — and the established restaurants that surround them — Portland has an Indian food landscape worth exploring seriously. Start at desi.net/portland for the full directory, reviews, and events.