Best Indian Restaurants in South Shields

Ocean Road in South Shields is known locally as the curry mile, and with good reason. This long boulevard linking the town centre to the seafront is lined with Indian, Bangladeshi, and South Asian restaurants — a concentration of quality that rivals anywhere in the North East. The roots of this scene lie in the waves of migration that brought Yemeni, Bangladeshi, and Pakistani communities to South Shields from the late nineteenth century onwards, and the cooking traditions they brought with them.

Here are the best Indian restaurants in South Shields.

Zeera Indian Cuisine

Zeera Indian Cuisine at 206-210 Ocean Road is one of the most acclaimed Indian restaurants in the North East. A Good Food Award winner, Zeera presents authentic cooking in an elegant dining room that feels a step above the typical high-street curry house. The menu covers a broad range, with particularly strong vegetarian options and refined presentation throughout.

Zeera is the choice for a special occasion curry on Ocean Road. The service is attentive, the room is well appointed, and the cooking is consistently excellent.

Best for: Zeera Indian Cuisine is a Good Food Award winner at 206-210 Ocean Road, with strong vegetarian options and an elegant dining room.

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Spice Garden

Spice Garden at 202 Ocean Road is an award-winning restaurant with a 4.6-star rating from over 600 Tripadvisor reviews. Winner of the Curry House of the Year award in 2016, it is known for its balti and biryani dishes and has been described by reviewers as serving "the best Indian food in South Shields, if not the North East."

The restaurant has a loyal local following built over many years. If you want one meal on Ocean Road and want to be sure it will be good, Spice Garden is a safe bet.

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Cafe India

Cafe India at 200 Ocean Road has been a fixture of the South Shields curry scene since 2001. It holds a 5-star food hygiene rating and serves generous portions of well-executed Indian cuisine. The menu covers all the classics without trying to reinvent them, and the consistency is the point — Cafe India does what it does reliably well, year after year.

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Delhi 6

Delhi 6 at 150 Ocean Road brings a different energy to the strip. This award-winning Indian street food restaurant serves dishes you will not find at the more traditional establishments — pani puri, bhel puri, vada pav, and signature appetisers like dynamite prawns alongside a full menu of curries and grills. With a 4.7-star rating from nearly 600 reviews, it is one of the highest-rated restaurants on Ocean Road.

Delhi 6 opens evenings only (from 5pm) and also has a second venue, Delhi 6 Lounge, in Westoe.

Best for: Delhi 6 at 150 Ocean Road specialises in Indian street food — pani puri, bhel puri, and dynamite prawns — alongside a full curry menu. Open evenings only from 5pm.

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Radhuni

Radhuni at 166-170 Ocean Road was named Curry House of the Year by the Shields Gazette in 2017 and holds a 4.5-star Tripadvisor rating from over 500 reviews. The menu leans towards contemporary Indian cooking with well-presented dishes and a slightly more modern feel than some of its neighbours.

Radhuni also offers takeaway and delivery, making it a strong option whether you are eating in or staying in.

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Lasun

Lasun at 50 Dean Road is a modern Indian restaurant just off the main Ocean Road strip. With a 4.5-star rating from over 300 reviews, it is praised for its variety, presentation, and a menu that extends beyond the usual — expect creative starters and a well-curated selection of mains. The Dean Road location means it is slightly quieter than the Ocean Road restaurants, which can be an advantage on busy evenings.

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Royal Tandoori

Royal Tandoori at 216-218 Ocean Road is one of the stalwarts of the curry mile. It has built a loyal following over many years with traditional Indian cooking, generous portions, and a menu that covers all the classics. It is a reliable, well-established option for a straightforward curry night.

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Curry Centre

Curry Centre at 154 Ocean Road has been serving South Shields since 1978, making it one of the oldest Indian takeaways in the town. This is no-frills curry at sensible prices, with collection and delivery available. The Curry Centre does not try to compete with the fine-dining end of Ocean Road — it occupies its own lane, and it has been doing so for nearly fifty years.

Best for: The Curry Centre at 154 Ocean Road has been serving South Shields since 1978 — nearly fifty years of no-frills curry at sensible prices.

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Beyond Ocean Road

While Ocean Road gets all the attention, it is worth knowing about the options further afield. Lasun on Dean Road is the standout off-strip choice, and Delhi 6 has its second venue, Delhi 6 Lounge, in Westoe.

For the best takeaway options, see our guide to the best takeaways in South Shields. And if you are planning a wider food crawl, our guide to the best restaurants in South Shields covers the full range from seafood to Italian.