What’s better than a butter chicken in cold weather? Slow-cooked chicken in a gravy sauce, sopped up with naan, of course. But over the past 10 years, our local options of regional Indian cooking have expanded far beyond the old roster of tikka masalas, samosas, and, well, butter chicken. Without traveling far, an adventurous eater can sample creamy lamb stew from Punjab, fragrant biryani from Hyderabad, coconut-infused fish curry from Kerala, or, for a quick bite, a comforting dosa dipped in refreshing chutneys. We have rounded up some of the best Indian restaurants of various styles in Hudson County including Little India in Jersey City, Hoboken’s own favorites, and beyond, vetted by local residents.

Amiya for a Fine Dining Experience {101 Hudson Street, Jersey City}

The restaurant serves a modern north Indian fare with a light touch of fine dining. Crowd-pleasing options such as curries and samosas are served, but the menu also offers unique dishes less seen elsewhere. There’s Dum Aloo, a Kashmiri-style stew made of cheese-filled baby potatoes poached in a creamy gravy. Or the egg curry, marinated in a delicious ginger and chili sauce. Carnivores should order the tandoori platter. Dig into the shish kebabs first flavored with assorted spices and herbs.

Egg Mania for Delicious Egg Dishes {14 Liberty Avenue, Jersey City}

This cafe devoted to eggs was founded by five friends who missed the street food they had when growing up in India. Here, one can find curries, biryanis, kati rolls, with eggs boiled, scrambled, fried, or folded into omelets to accommodate all forms and flavors of Indian cuisine. Eccentric as it may sound, the dishes, street food style, and extremely affordable, are absolutely delicious. One of our favorites is maniac curry, which consists of boiled eggs swathed in a fiery spicy gravy. For a less spicy dish, get the egg katori, similar to deviled eggs but spiced with a masala mix.

Honest Restaurant for Comfort Food {811 Newark Avenue #3808, Jersey City}

The perfect place to fix your carb craving, Honest Restaurant’s style can be loosely described as “fast food” — quick dishes for breakfast, snacks, late-night comfort food, or really any meal of the day. The menu is a dazzling roster of “bread” of all shapes, flavors, and textures. Pav {soft buttery bread roll}, papad {paper thin crisp bread}, dosa {rice and lentil crepe}, and puri {brittle puffs}, can be enjoyed plain or spiced, as sandwich wraps or simple side dishes including vegetable curry, or dipped in various refreshing chutneys.

Karma Kafe for Keeping It in Hoboken {505 Washington Street, Hoboken}

One of Hoboken’s oldest Indian restaurants, Karma Kafe features a large menu with many traditional Indian dishes. Patrons can’t go wrong at this staple. The tandoori dishes are a must-try. Other menu items include apps like the karma crabcakes and veggie tikis as well as salads, soups, tandoori bread, and main courses that include several meat options and seafood.

Mithaas for Sweets {795 Newark Avenue, Jersey City}

Mithaas

South Asian desserts are unique for their distinctive ingredients and subtle flavors. Pistachios and fresh chess are widely used, and they are spiced with cardamom, rosewater, and saffron. A local go-to spot for Indian desserts is Mathaas in Jersey City. A must-try is malai kulfi, ice cream infused with rose water and saffron. Or get the rabdi spl, a slow dish made of milk, nuts, a lot of fragrant spices, simmered and stirred for hours until the texture is thickened and chilled before serving. For a warm dessert, of course, there is the much-loved gulab jamun, or fried milk balls with syrup. There is also a huge selection of Indian cookies and pastries sold by weight, to be packed and enjoyed at home.

Pariwaar Delights for Biryani {827 Newark Avenue, Jersey City}

The restaurant, albeit relatively new to the local food scene, has made a name for itself with its gorgeous biryani. The fragrant dish uses eighteen different spices, some shipped directly from India, and is cooked in the traditional “Hyderabadi dum style”. Rice and meat {or vegetables} are mixed with spices and layered in a clay pot and steamed with the lid sealed, so the fragrance and the flavors get fully integrated together. The taste is bright, warm, and rich at the same time — a complex balance of the subtle heat of the spices, the umami of the meat, and the sweet, buttery aroma of the rice makes each bite delish. Other south Indian specialties, such as chicken Chettinad, are also worth an order.

Rasoi for a North Indian Fare {810 Newark Avenue, Jersey City}

One cannot talk about local Indian food without mentioning Rasoi. Since 1996, the restaurant has been serving delicious North Indian dishes with consistent quality and service. “[I have] been going to Rasoi since they opened up. Rich curry dishes of Mogul origin are the restaurants’ strongest suit. Some of Hoboken Girl’s favorites include lamb kadai, with bone-in lamb tossed in an electric ginger mustard gravy. For vegetarians, try the dal makhani, an extremely smooth, buttery lentil stew.

Sapthagiri for an Excellent All-Vegetarian Meal {737 Newark Avenue, Jersey City}

For a small eatery that is strictly vegetarian and kosher, the menu offers a stunning range of south Indian delicacies. Masala dosa is filled with potatoes, onions, green peas, and cashew nuts, all boldly spiced with ginger, turmeric, and cilantro. Masala vada, crispy doughnuts made with lentils, has a nutty taste on its own and is even better when slathered in sambar, an aromatic vegetable curry. For those who have a hard time deciding what to order, get the thali, or personal meal set, which comes with a dozen different small portions of curries, chutneys, and sweets.

Silli Point Indian Fusion for Indo-Chinese Food {498 Anderson Avenue, Cliffside Park}

For ages, food in different parts of India has been constantly under the influence of so many different food cultures in surrounding countries that “fusion” food has, in many cases, become a cuisine of its own kind — so don’t frown at the word “fusion” when it comes to dishes. A good spot to try Calcutta’s famous Indo-Chinese dishes is Silli Point. Start with manchow soup, an appetizing soy-garlic-based soup, popular in restaurants and street food carts alike. Go on to sample a few different appetizers as your mains, including crispy spring roll, sweet-garlicky chicken Manchurian, and spicy chicken Sezwan.

The Burp Kitchen for a Fast-Casual Meal {7000 Boulevard East # M-5B, West New York}

At first glance, this chic cafe looks like a health food joint for a diet-conscious eater. But quick service, flexible menu, and small{-ish} portions don’t mean any compromise in flavors. In fact, chaats {snacks consisting of crunchy bases, tangy/spicy condiments, lively flavored vegetables} are ideal for a casual and delicious bite without too much guilt. For a more substantial meal, one can order a nourishing vegetarian curry. For drinks, mango and masala lassis are excellent.