Beyond Butter Chicken: Next-Gen Indian Cuisine
From casual cafés to Michelin stars, Indian cuisine’s next chapter is bolder, more regional, and more confident than ever.
We named “Next-Gen Indian” the “Cuisine of the Year” in our af&co. + Carbonate 2026 Hospitality Trends Report. Now, we’re breaking down what that actually means—from the shifts shaping the category, to the dishes and concepts defining its momentum.
Indian cuisine in America used to be relegated to uber-approachable dishes like tandoori chicken and naan bread, and items primarily originating in Northern India. As the Indian population in America has more than doubled in the past two decades, Indian cuisine has pushed past old expectations, bringing a huge range of regional flavors and concepts into the spotlight. And chefs aren’t watering anything down—they’re serving bold, unapologetic dishes that reflect true Indian cooking. Combine younger diners’ openness to unfamiliar tastes with Gen Z’s obsession with spice, and you get a market eager for bold, surprising flavor experiences.
From Michelin-starred tasting menus to chai-fueled dance parties, we’re seeing a new wave of concepts across all categories that reflect the richness and range of India’s regional cuisines—and the creativity of the chefs leading the charge.
