Indian Vegetarian Food in Bangkok

India invented vegetarian cooking. Over 50 vegetarian dishes on our menu — built around fresh in-house paneer set every morning, slow-cooked dals, vegetable curries, breads from a charcoal tandoor, and aromatic biryanis. Vegan and Jain options on request. At BHARAT Flavours Of India in Huai Khwang, Bangkok.

Why Indian cooking takes vegetarian food seriously

India has the largest vegetarian population on earth — about 30% of the country eats no meat at all. The cuisine evolved around that: vegetarian dishes are not afterthoughts or substitutions, they are the main event. Lentils, paneer (fresh cheese), seasonal greens, root vegetables, gourds, paneer, and yogurt are combined with the same depth of spicing and slow cooking as meat dishes. The result is vegetarian food that doesn't feel like restriction — it feels like abundance.

Our vegetarian menu — by category

Paneer dishes (in-house, daily-set)

Our paneer is made fresh in our kitchen every morning from full-fat milk. Lemon juice, three hours of pressing, cubed before service. Not vacuum-packed blocks from a supplier.

• Paneer Butter Masala — our makhani gravy with fresh paneer cubes. Our #1 vegetarian dish.
• Palak Paneer — fresh spinach pureed with garlic and ghee, folded with paneer cubes.
• Shahi Paneer — Mughlai-style mild and rich, cashew-yogurt gravy.
• Kadai Paneer — drier, more robust, with bell peppers and tomato.
• Paneer Tikka — charcoal-tandoor cubes, ideal as a starter.
• Matar Paneer — green peas and paneer in mild tomato-onion gravy.
• Paneer Bhurji — scrambled paneer with onion, tomato, green chilis.

Dals (slow-cooked, comforting)

• Dal Makhani — slow-cooked overnight, black urad and kidney beans with butter and cream. The iconic Punjabi dal.
• Dal Tadka — yellow lentils with tempered cumin, garlic, and dried red chili.
• Dal Palak — yellow lentils with spinach.
• Chana Masala — chickpeas in spiced tomato-onion gravy.
• Rajma — kidney beans in Punjabi-style gravy.

Vegetable curries

• Aloo Gobi — potato and cauliflower with turmeric, cumin, and tomato.
• Bhindi Masala — okra sautéed dry with onion, tomato, and spice.
• Baingan Bharta — fire-roasted eggplant, mashed with garlic, ginger, tomato.
• Mixed Vegetable Curry — seasonal vegetables in mild gravy.
• Malai Kofta — paneer-and-vegetable dumplings in creamy gravy.
• Navratan Korma — nine vegetables in mild cashew cream gravy.

Breads (from real charcoal tandoor)

• Plain Naan, Butter Naan, Garlic Naan, Cheese Naan, Onion Kulcha
• Tandoori Roti, Lachha Paratha, Missi Roti
• Aloo Paratha, Paneer Paratha

Rice & biryani (vegetarian)

• Vegetable Biryani — mixed vegetables, paneer, cashew, raisins, dum-cooked. More about our biryani →
• Paneer Biryani — paneer cubes dum-cooked with aromatic rice.
• Egg Biryani — for lacto-ovo vegetarians.
• Jeera Rice, Vegetable Pulao, Lemon Rice.

Starters & snacks

• Veg Samosa, Onion Pakora, Paneer Pakora
• Pani Puri, Bhel Puri, Aloo Tikki Chaat, Papdi Chaat
• Hara Bhara Kebab (spinach-and-potato tandoor kebab)
• Vegetable Cutlet

Vegan options at BHARAT

Many of our dishes can be prepared vegan on request — tell your server when ordering. The kitchen substitutes:

• Ghee → oil in dals, vegetable curries, and tempering.
• Butter → oil in makhani-style gravies (the dish is less rich but still authentic).
• Cream → coconut cream or simply omitted in most curries.
• Paneer → tofu (BYO if you want it — we don't keep tofu in the kitchen yet).
• Naan → roti (most naans use yogurt and butter, roti is whole wheat and water only).

Naturally vegan dishes that need no substitution: Dal Tadka, Chana Masala, Rajma, Aloo Gobi, Bhindi Masala, Baingan Bharta, Vegetable Pulao, Tandoori Roti, Papad.

Jain options (no onion, no garlic)

For Jain diners, most curries can be prepared without onion and garlic — tell your server when ordering. The kitchen will rebuild the base with tomato and spices only. Naturally Jain-friendly: Dal Tadka (without onion-garlic), Rajma, certain bhajis. Root vegetables (potato, onion, garlic) are avoided per strict Jain practice; substitutes are seasonal vegetables and paneer.

Halal-friendly vegetarian kitchen

Our entire vegetarian section is automatically halal by default — no meat involvement at any step. This works well for:

• Mixed groups where some diners are Muslim and want halal assurance.
• Indian Muslim diners who eat vegetarian by choice on certain days.
• Halal-conscious GCC travelers who want pure-veg meals.

Full halal policy: halal Indian food in Bangkok.

What to order on your first visit (vegetarian)

For a table of 2-3 first-time vegetarian diners, the highest-hit-rate combination:

• One starter — Paneer Tikka or Hara Bhara Kebab.
• One signature curry — Paneer Butter Masala (most popular) or Shahi Paneer.
• One iconic dal — Dal Makhani, slow-cooked overnight.
• One vegetable curry — Palak Paneer or Bhindi Masala.
• Breads — Butter Naan + Garlic Naan from the tandoor.
• Rice — Jeera Rice for simplicity, or a Vegetable Biryani if someone wants a one-plate meal.

Expect ฿250-400 per person for a sit-down vegetarian dinner.

Where we are

BHARAT is at 2055 New Phetchaburi Road, Huai Khwang, Bangkok 10310 — 2 minutes walk from Grand Mercure Bangkok Atrium. Open daily 12 noon to 12 midnight. The whole vegetarian section is available for delivery via GrabFood, LINE MAN, foodpanda.

Frequently asked

Is BHARAT a pure-vegetarian restaurant?

No — we serve both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. The vegetarian section is cooked on dedicated utensils to avoid cross-contamination, and the kitchen has been designed so vegetarian prep happens at a separate station. If full physical separation is essential, ask when reserving.

How many vegetarian dishes do you actually serve?

Over 50 — paneer dishes (around 7 variations), dals (5+ styles), vegetable curries (6+ classics), starters, chaat, biryanis and pulaos, plus the breads section. Indian cooking takes vegetarian food seriously (about 30% of India eats no meat at all) and our menu reflects that — vegetarian is the main event here, not a side option.

Is the vegetarian section halal?

Yes — halal by default. No meat is involved in any step of vegetarian prep, so the entire vegetarian menu works for halal-conscious diners with no extra checks needed. Helpful for mixed-group dining where some at the table are Muslim and others are vegetarian. Full halal policy on our halal Indian food page.

Do you have vegan-specific dishes?

Many of our dishes are vegan or can be made vegan on request. We don't have a separate vegan menu — easier is to tell your server "vegan, no dairy" when ordering and the kitchen substitutes appropriately (ghee → oil, butter → oil, cream → coconut cream or omitted, naan → roti). Naturally vegan with no substitution needed: Dal Tadka, Chana Masala, Rajma, Aloo Gobi, Bhindi Masala, Baingan Bharta, Vegetable Pulao, Tandoori Roti, Papad.

Can you do Jain meals?

Yes — most curries can be prepared without onion and garlic. Tell your server "Jain" when ordering and the kitchen rebuilds the base. Note that strict Jain practice avoids root vegetables (potato, onion, garlic, carrot) entirely; we substitute with seasonal greens, paneer, and tomato.

Is the paneer really fresh?

Yes. Set every morning in our kitchen from full-fat milk delivered fresh that day. Lemon juice, three hours of pressing, cubed before service. We don't use vacuum-packed paneer blocks because the texture and milk taste are unmistakably different — once you've had fresh paneer, supermarket paneer doesn't taste right anymore.

Are your vegetarian breads cooked in a real tandoor?

Yes — Plain Naan, Butter Naan, Garlic Naan, Cheese Naan, Tandoori Roti, Lachha Paratha, Aloo Paratha and Paneer Paratha all come off our real charcoal-fired tandoor at 480°C. The contact char on the top and the crisp edge on the bottom are signs of a real tandoor; gas tandoors cannot replicate them.

Is the food spicy?

Default is mild-to-medium. Tell your server "mild" or "spicy" when ordering — the chef adjusts the chili content. Vegetarian Indian food can be made as mild as buttery dal or as spicy as fiery vindaloo; we cover the range.