If you are looking for an Indian restaurant in Oslo, you have more choice than you did ten years ago. That is good news and slightly confusing news at the same time. Some places cook for Norwegian palates and pull the spice right back. Others cook the food they would serve at home. This piece is about how to tell the difference, and about one restaurant on the waterfront that has been doing it since before most of the others existed.
Menus in Oslo look similar. Butter chicken, rogan josh, tikka masala, naan. The menu will not tell you much. The kitchen will.
New Delhi has been run by the family of Gurdial Singh, who arrived in Norway and started cooking Indian food here in 1982. He was the first Indian chef in the country. That matters for a practical reason rather than a sentimental one: he spent forty years working out how to get proper North Indian cooking out of Norwegian ingredients, and the recipes on the menu today came out of that work.
Two dishes carry his name on the menu. Green Garlic Chicken, marked with two chillies, and Garlic Tandoori Prawns, which is scampi with garlic spice and salt and very little else getting in the way.
The restaurant is at Tjuvholmen allé 2, on the waterfront at the far end of Tjuvholmen. It is about a ten minute walk from Aker Brygge, past the Astrup Fearnley Museum. If you are staying anywhere central you can walk it.
The family spent nearly forty years in Øvre Slottsgate in the city centre before moving out to the water. Regulars followed. That is usually a decent sign.
There are 175 seats inside and space for around 200 on the outdoor terrace in summer, which in Oslo means roughly May to September, weather permitting.
Skip the safe choices for a moment. The starters are where the kitchen shows off, and they are built around Indian street food rather than restaurant standards.
For mains, the Classical Butter Chicken and Lamb Rogan Josh are on the Chef's Table menu for a reason. All main courses come with rice.
Three options, depending on how much time you have.
Tasting Menu, for two people. Four starters and three mains chosen by the kitchen that day, with rice, naan and homemade mango sorbet. There is a full vegetarian version at the same price.
Chef's Table Menu, per person. Five courses including the ajowain spiced tandoori salmon, tandoori lamb chops and the Green Garlic Chicken. There is an optional wine package, which brings a glass of prosecco, a white and two reds.
The "Secret" Menu, minimum four people, booked at least 48 hours ahead. This is the one to know about. It runs through the chef's signature dishes from 1982 to 2023 in one sitting, with two cocktails and two wines included. It is not cheap and it is not quick. It is also not something you can order anywhere else.
The menu is coded for allergens throughout, and vegetarian dishes are marked with a V. Gluten is marked separately. Some dishes can be adapted, for example the Amritsari Tikki can be made without milk.
If you are vegetarian, there is a full vegetarian tasting menu and a good number of vegetarian starters and mains. We wrote about that in more detail in our guide to vegetarian and vegan Indian food in Oslo.
| Address | Tjuvholmen allé 2, 0252 Oslo |
| Opening hours | Monday and Tuesday 15:00 to 23:00. Wednesday to Saturday 14:00 to 23:00. Sunday 14:00 to 22:00 |
| Google rating | 4.5 from more than 4,000 reviews |
| Access | Step free entrance, accessible toilet and seating |
| Also offers | Takeaway, outdoor seating, private dining |
Booking is sensible on Friday and Saturday evenings, and necessary for groups.
Is there an English menu? Yes. The full menu is available in English with allergen codes on every dish.
Do you need to book? Not usually on weekdays. For Friday and Saturday evening, and for any group of six or more, book ahead.
How spicy is the food? Dishes carry chilli symbols. Two chillies means genuinely hot. The kitchen will adjust heat if you ask when ordering.
Is there parking? Tjuvholmen has an underground car park. Most visitors walk from Aker Brygge or take the tram to Aker Brygge and walk the last ten minutes.
Can you cater for a group? Yes. There is a private room for 18, a separate venue called Lille Dilli for up to 50, and the main restaurant seats 175.
