Visiting White Plains? A South Asian Traveler's Food & Culture Guide
TL;DR: White Plains, Westchester County's urban center, is one of the best destinations in the New York metro area for South Asian food — with six Indian restaurants spanning everything from modern fusion (BANG) to classic North Indian (Royal Palace, India Cafe) to street food (MASKA Indian Street Food) and regional cuisines (RaaSa Indian Cuisine, Masala Kraft Cafe). Whether you are visiting for the day or relocating to Westchester, this guide covers the must-visit spots.
White Plains: Westchester's South Asian Dining Hub
White Plains occupies an unusual position in the New York metro dining ecosystem: it is urban enough to have genuine restaurant diversity, suburban enough to have free parking, and expensive enough that restaurants have to be good to survive. The result is a compact, high-quality food scene where South Asian restaurants compete at a level typically associated with the city.
Westchester County has a substantial South Asian professional community — particularly concentrated in the pharma, finance, and tech sectors centered in White Plains, Tarrytown, and Rye. This population supports a restaurant ecosystem that covers the full spectrum from casual lunch counters to date-night destinations.
BANG — Westchester Avenue
BANG (125 Westchester Ave Ste FS02A, White Plains, NY 10601; (914) 646-9455; eatatbang.com; sharfe@eatatbang.com) is White Plains' boldest Indian restaurant — modern, design-forward, and unafraid to reimagine the classics. Located in the Westchester food hall, BANG is open Monday–Saturday 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM and Sunday 11:00 AM – 6:30 PM.
BANG is the choice for a younger, adventurous crowd: think modern Indian small plates, elevated chaats, and cocktails that complement South Asian spice profiles. The Westchester food hall setting makes it accessible for both quick lunches and longer evening sessions.
Royal Palace — Knollwood Road
Royal Palace (77 Knollwood Rd, White Plains, NY 10607; (914) 289-1988; royalpalaceny.com) is a White Plains classic — the North Indian restaurant that generations of Westchester families have used for celebratory dinners, birthday parties, and Friday night takeouts. Located on Knollwood Road near the White Plains border with Harrison, it offers the full North Indian canon: biryani, curries, tandoor, and breads.
Royal Palace's consistent quality over the years has made it a trusted name in Westchester's South Asian community. For large group dinners, it is the most reliable option in the White Plains corridor.
India Cafe — East Post Road
India Cafe (92 E Post Rd, White Plains, NY 10601; (914) 997-6268; indiacaferestaurant.com) is a neighborhood staple on East Post Road — a more casual, everyday-dining destination than Royal Palace. It draws a mix of South Asian regulars and local White Plains residents who have discovered the quality of a home-cooked desi meal.
India Cafe is known for its lunch specials and dependable curry offerings. For visitors who want a satisfying, reasonably priced meal without the full-service restaurant experience, it is an excellent choice.
MASKA Indian Street Food — Hartsdale
MASKA Indian Street Food (15 E Hartsdale Ave, Hartsdale, NY 10530; (914) 437-5022; maskaindianny.com) is technically in Hartsdale — a hamlet that is effectively contiguous with White Plains — and is one of the most exciting street food concepts in Westchester. MASKA specializes in Indian street food: pav bhaji, vada pav, chaat, and Mumbai-style kathi rolls executed with the same care you would find at the best Chowpatty stalls.
For South Asian visitors missing the specific energy of Mumbai street food, MASKA is a genuine antidote. The location on East Hartsdale Ave is accessible from White Plains in minutes.
RaaSa Indian Cuisine — Elmsford
RaaSa Indian Cuisine (145 E Main St, Elmsford, NY 10523; (914) 347-7890; raasany.com) is in Elmsford — just 10 minutes from downtown White Plains — and brings elevated Indian regional cooking to the Westchester dining scene. The name references raasa (essence/flavor) and the restaurant delivers on that promise with a menu that explores beyond the North Indian standard.
Masala Kraft Cafe — Hartsdale
Masala Kraft Cafe (206 E Hartsdale Ave, Hartsdale, NY 10530; (914) 722-4300) completes the Hartsdale South Asian dining cluster alongside MASKA. It offers a cafe-format Indian dining experience — lighter meals, chaat, and Indian café beverages — well suited for daytime visits and casual evenings.
Insider Tip
The Hartsdale stretch of East Hartsdale Avenue — where both MASKA Indian Street Food and Masala Kraft Cafe are located — is becoming White Plains's best South Asian food corridor. A single visit to that block covers street food, cafe, and multiple cuisine styles within walking distance. For a larger evening out, pair a dinner at RaaSa Indian Cuisine (raasany.com; (914) 347-7890) with drinks at BANG (eatatbang.com; (914) 646-9455) in the Westchester food hall — two distinct interpretations of modern Indian dining that work beautifully together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Which White Plains Indian restaurant is best for a large family dinner? A: Royal Palace ((914) 289-1988; royalpalaceny.com) is the most experienced at large group bookings in White Plains. Call ahead to arrange a private dining area or large table for groups of 10 or more.
Q: Are any of these restaurants good for vegetarians? A: All six restaurants have solid vegetarian options. India Cafe and Royal Palace have especially comprehensive vegetarian North Indian menus. BANG and RaaSa offer modern vegetarian small plates and regional dishes that go beyond the standard menu.
Q: Is there a concentration of Indian restaurants in White Plains for a food tour? A: Yes — the Hartsdale block (MASKA and Masala Kraft Cafe) and the main White Plains corridor (BANG, India Cafe, Royal Palace) together form a walkable or short-drive South Asian food tour. Add RaaSa in Elmsford for a full Westchester Indian dining experience.
Bottom Line
White Plains and the adjacent Hartsdale–Elmsford corridor offer South Asian visitors and Westchester residents an exceptional range of Indian dining in 2026. From BANG (eatatbang.com) at the modern fusion end to India Cafe (indiacaferestaurant.com) for everyday classics, Royal Palace (royalpalaceny.com) for North Indian celebrations, MASKA (maskaindianny.com) for street food, RaaSa (raasany.com) for regional cooking, and Masala Kraft Cafe for casual cafe fare, the scene covers every mood and occasion. Westchester's South Asian food moment has arrived.