One of the absolute best restaurants in Ottawa! I moved to Boston years ago and still think about this lovely restaurant and all the wonderful people there all the time. It is the best Indian food I have ever had and I must say I miss it and think of it often.

My personal favorites were the korma and ragan josh - unbelievable. When I next visit Ottawa this will be my first stop!

One of my favourite Indian restaurants in Ottawa.
Portions are reasonable, service is formal without being snooty, prices are good. It's a family business so you may encounter several generations in a single visit. One of the sons who works there is very chatty and great at helping you pick out menu choices based on your food preferences - he will also customize dishes so everybody leaves happy.

Easily my favourite Indian restaurant in Ottawa. The food is always excellent, with varying levels of spice and a large enough selection of vegetarian dishes to satisfy everyone.

The head waiter is extremely friendly, and seems to remember all of his patrons. If you ask, he will recommend combinations of dishes that compliment each other so that you can have a great spread of different... more

Friendly staff but that doesn't make up for the food

Love the free papadam chips they give as appetizers!
Staff was very friendly which you don't always see nowadays. Food was unfortunately underwhelming. If you look at the pictures, the salad looked like it was leftovers from the previous day...not even from the lunch buffet.
The butter chicken was just ok, not the best I've had.
Overall ok and would... more

Good fare

I was staying in the walkely/bank street area, and decided to try this restaurant. Ordered the tandoori chicken. It was very tasty, and tender. Good portions, and the service was prompt. The price was reasonable, and the experience was very satisfactory.

Tremendous Indian Meal

Not sure why there were complaints with this restaurant. My family and I tried it last night and it was excellent. The naan was huge, crisp, hot, and fluffy. Where appropriate they used different parts of the chicken, dark meat for some dishes, and white meat for others. The vindaloo brought a slight run to the nose but was not... more

excellent

Never had Indian food. It was a real treat. Excellent flavors. Variety of lunch buffet food. personalized service that was very friendly and social.

Excellent Indian Food

Went here for dinner. Please note that the restaurant does not open until 5 pm for dinner. But, there are lots of tables. Menu is easy to read and understand. Love that they separate vegetarian plates, mild dishes, hot dishes, very hot dishes and extremely hot dishes on the menu. We asked for a dishes to be prepared without butter...... more

amazing food

My favorite indian restaurant in Ottawa. Always having a great service and delicious meals and recommending it.

Lovely Indian Restaurant

We almost did not go to Light of India after reading others' reviews of terrible service. Nothing could have been further from our experience. The service was prompt; the servers were knowledgeable, friendly, informative and attentive. We had a number of dishes and all were very good. The sauces, whether mild or spicy, were complex with subtle flavourings. And this... more

Very good restaurant

I make a point to attend this restaurant when i'm in the Ottawa area. The service is fantastic. Our server recommended items on the menu based on our likings and new the menu inside out. The portions are very generous. The platters were all very tasty. I would recommend if in the area.

Thanks for the memories

I have been eating at Light of India on Bank Street in Ottawa since the mid-1990's. It was once untouchable - hands down the best Indian food to be had in Ottawa. Since moving away from the capital I often dream of the Butter Chicken, Begun Bajii and many other delicious dishes that I would have there. Even the basmati... more

Extremely unpleased

The group I had attended the restaurant with had carefully picked out the restaurant. We'd gone online and read the reviews for multiple Indian restaurants in the east end of Ottawa, loving the reviews we'd read about this one. It took almost half an hour to order, then another hour and a half to receive our food. The staff did... more

Perfect - Don't go anywhere else

Light of India is the only restaurant in Ottawa that we order takeout from. And we order about once a week. I've had Indian food in about 6 cities around the world and this is by far the best. Chicken Madras and Aloo Ghobi are phenomenal.

Not good

Food here is very costly, and taste is not up to the mark, not worth the money spent here, service is not good either, they don't wan't to take AMEX.

Love the food but the service is attrociously slow

The food is one of the best I've hsd in town. Although the service is friendly, by the time you get served, you are so frustrated that you don't care about the friendlyness. You might think while waiting 25 to 30 mintutes sitting at the table before anyone sees you that maybe someone called in sick. Don't! It's always like... more

A Good one to visit

We were in Ottawa for Tulip festival and ended up with having lunch in this place. Though named after India and they are serving Indian food, but it is owned and managed by Bangladeshi person. Food was warm and good. We took the buffet option and it was quite an extensive buffet at least for the price they took. Only... more

I have mixed feelings about the dinning experience that I had Friday night.

Arrived with a group of six around 7:30 and the place was packed, but getting a table was no problem. The restaurant was inviting,had a home style feel, and I enjoyed the dim lighting. Tables are very close together, and it can get pretty loud, so you can definitely hear other parties conversations.

BUT, and this is a... more

Busy Friday night, excellent food

It was a busy Friday night, and it took forever for them to take the order and for the food to arrive (50 minutes, to be precise), but the waiter was so friendly and cheerful, that I can't say I minded much. They did refill the water often, came to check on us, so it wasn't like they abandoned the... more

Tastiest Indian food in Ottawa

I've been going here for years and I've tried the others. light of Indian is consistent and the service is always friendly and attentive. The butter chicken is THE BEST that I've ever had and the Beef Vinadaloo, and Lamb Korma are outstanding-and I've eaten Benagli food all over the world. My only (small) complaint is that the owners are... more

Enjoed the food

Food was very tasty and delicious. The place was clean and tidy, the service as good. This is typical Bengali food not same as you would find in other Indian Restaurants. I would definitely recommend this place.

Great Indian Food

I first got introduced to this place by a friend so said that the place was pretty good and man did it live up to that expectation. Great friendly service and delicious food. Its a smaller restaurant and its always packed and busy! The menu is varied and there are too many dishes to choose from but my friends and... more

Worst Indian food ever

I don't know what the other reviewers ate but this is positively,definitely absolutely the WORST Indian food I have ever eaten in entire North America. For this to rank in the top 40 restaurants in Ottawa has to be a joke or testimony to poor choice of Desi food in Ottawa.
Everything sucked from service to atmosphere.The chicken tikka was... more

Walked past here for years finally went inside

Today was a very dull day in Ottawa with the weather so we went here for brunch.
It was the best butter chicken I have had since little India in Singapore along with an amazing egg plant dish
I will drop by more often and I can see why they have been here for over 30 years they are great!

Excellent flavours! Not fast though

Delicate seasoning and spicing. Perfection, really. Not swimming in ghee like many Indian places. Tables are cramped for space. Service is friendly but a little spacey. Often out of Kingfisher Indian beer, unfortunately! The food takes a long time to arrive sometimes, but it ALWAYS is excellent and totally worth the wait. Don't go here when you are in a... more

Authentic Indian Food

I love Indian food and this restaurant is one of the best I have ever had so far. We had saag gosht and chicken curry. They actually used fresh spinach for the saag (I have never seen that before in any Indian restaurant), and the chicken tasted amazing. Patient and warm servers, big volume of the dishes, and nice atmosphere.... more

Not as good as before

We have been going here for over 20 yrs but the last several times the food has not been as good as it was and a huge disappointment. We ordered take out this time and even though they always had great naan bread, the past several times it hasn't been as good - too dry and not at all as... more

Some classic Indian food with a very nice small atmosphere, sure the tables are close together but that is because the food is so good people do not mind eating close together, it's not like you are on top of the other tables.
beef Dansak is just the right hot, butter chicken is always a good dish, the best hands down samosa in the city, onion bagie is a nice app.
Try the Cobra beer.. They have... more

Delicious Indian food

Light of India is a fabulous restaurant for a date, group of friends or even casual business get together. Their all-you-can-eat lunch bruches are an amazing value -- freshly prepared.
The dinner atmosphere is intimate with great service. Fresh somosas. Great naan -- both regular and garlic naam. Butter chicken is their signature dish. I would rate their butter chicken... more

My new favourite Indian restaurant

First time visit to the Light of India turned out to a very satisfying dining experience for us.
I had Bangalore Pal chicken and my wife ordered the lamb biryani, while my mom ordered chicken Pasanda.
Service was friendly and efficient. Food was nicely presented, Portions were more than adequate and attractively presented. A warming rack was brought to the... more

Always awesome

I have eaten at this restaurant at leat a dozen times, and have always left happy, and full! the service is great, and the food is delicious! if you are looking for great, authentic Indian food in the Ottawa area, this is the place to go!

Great Experience

I am a repeat customer and this place has continuously provided great food and an enjoyable experience.

A friendly neighbourhood spot

For some time, this has been the place for Indian food in the Glebe, including take-out. There was a steady procession of men carrying out dinner on a Friday night. Despite being seated at 5:45pm , we found the service slow as the kitchen coped with the demand. The food is obviously good, especially the naan, and so are the... more

I really liked most of the food we had there.
There was a beef curry that was not great, but nice soup, fantastic naan, excellent eggplant bhajji, delicious tandoori chicken...
The buffet at lunch is also ok, but perhaps not quite as good as the evening dishes.
I didn't have any impression of reheated stuff. It all tasted quite fresh. Itś not the best restaurant in town but for now I don't know... more

Verdict after many visits: always pleasant, but it's a bland buffet with no really standout food

In fifty or so visits over 15 years, we've found the Light of India buffet experience to be always...nice. I suppose that's called "damning with faint praise", and that would be my long-term assessment: faint praise.
Let's be clear: we've returned a zillion times, and we've never been seriously disappointed. We've marked many an occasion at Light of India with... more

A delightful gem in the Glebe

This restaurant is easy to miss if you aren't looking as the entrance and window on Bank St aren't that big, but once inside it's warm and welcoming. The decor is pleasant, the music is subdued (you aren't having to shout to your table mates to be heard over others doing the same), the service is pleasant and the food... more

Dinner menu was delicious

I have not yet been there for the buffet that they offer at thelunch time hours, this was for an evening dinner. We ordered a combination of dishes, all so very tasty. I was surprised at how delicious the egg plant was. I have never, ever wanted to try eggplant, but with the combination of dishes in front of me,... more

Always good food and super service

Have dined at this restaurant over 100 times over the years. We are always met with friendly service and great food!

always delicious

located in the charming glebe neighbourhood, this family-friendly restaurant is always packed. and for good reason! without fail this is our favourite indian restaurant we've ever been to outside of india. each dish is as delectable as the next. if you live in the area, try their take-out! worth the long-ish wait as everything is fabulous, fresh & savory!
best... more

I decided to try this place again after watching a repeat of Man vs. Food where he goes to New York and eats phaal. I googled it and it looks like Light of India is the only place that has this curry in Ottawa. That's too bad.

So I got a whole bunch of samosas, they were soggy and looked like they were reheated and the sauce that came with them tastes like sweet and sour. Quite unappetizing. I... more

Light of India was a very pleasant surprise

We went to this charming little hole-in-the-wall restaurant on a whim,, wandering around the Glebe,, looking for a new place to try. The outside belies the quality of the food inside. We tried the lunch buffet on a Saturday. Very busy and chaotic (although the Dalai Llama spoke this morning, possibly contributing to the people) The staff was literally running... more

Always a Homerun

Earen chicken Korma here for 23 years excellent, nan bread out of htis world. Owners kind and caring......genuine. Food always good. Buttered chicken excellent. Lunch buffet varied and a a good price. Service wonderful and professional. Sit in window its a wonderful experience. Clean, organized large and very good take out.

Seriously good food

We had not been here before, so when friends suggested it we jumped at the opportunity. The restaurant itself is smallish, tucked into an older building at Bank Street and 1st Ave. Parking, at least on a Saturday night, was free, easy and right around the corner on 1st.
The food was wonderful. I would characterize it as more southern... more

Definitely worth a visit

The other great reviews are well deserved. The food was excellent and service was prompt. The place was a bit smaller than I expected, so getting a table could be hard at prime times. The $20 vegetarian meal was too much food for me, so the staff packed up the leftovers, which I enjoyed again for lunch the next day.... more

This is my favorite Indian restaurant in Ottawa. Huge portions, moderately priced Indian in a simple, unassuming, but clean atmosphere. It's never sold-out, but there are always people there for dinner. Comes with complementary papadums to start and pineapple + grapes + After 8 mint to finish. Butter chicken is creamy and sweet, with lots of almonds and raisins. Naan is perfect: crispy yet... more

Hot Indian

Some Indian restaurants are good and some are extraordinary. I would rate Light of India on the high side of good.
I went for dinner with a large group of friends (reservations a must, judging by the crowd on a Thursday evening.) I found a good variety of dishes on the menu, sev eral of which I was not familiar... more

They stop caring about the buffet halfway through service

After seeing many excellent ratings for this restaurant (Bank St), my father and I decided to try something new, going to the Light of India's lunch buffet (rather than going to the Taj Mahal, our usual location.) We arrived at 1 o'clock, with another hour of buffet service to go until closing. The atmosphere was okay - some of the... more

I go there at least once every 2 weeks, can't stay away from the food

I love trying restaurants, and it seems like Ottawa has a good variety. Light of India is in the Glebe area, and while parking is sometimes challenging (there's always a side street), it is 100% worth it.
The food is amazing. Large menu and very very tasty curries! My favourite is the chicken passanda; I cook my own curries and... more

Amazing food, price and service

This is BY FAR one of the best Indian restaurants in Ottawa - I have never had anything better - it is basically home made, because it tastes just as good as the authentic home made Indian food that our east Indian friends make for us every summer!
Great price - our bill worked out to $67.00 for 4 people... more

I absolutely love Light of India. When my boyfriend and I go for dinner, we always order three dishes so we have leftovers. The lamb Korma is sweet and delicious and when we get the very spicy dishes, trust me, it's almost painfully spicy (but oh so yummy). The only downside is the pre-meal bread; I didn't care for it.

This tiny restaurant has a really nice decor and great mellow atmosphere. I have been here for their buffet once and more recently for a friend's birthday. I had high expectations on both occasions based on the reviews but I must say I was really disappointed. The options in the buffet were okay and food was alright. But for a lunch buffet, I don't have a lot of expectations. My big... more

good food, horrible service

I enjoyed the food a great deal, especially the authentic nan, however the service was absolutely abysmal. A cranky woman routinely barked commands at the guests at our table, to "give me that!" and so on. Placing my order was painfully confusing, as the server didn't seem to understand my order even though it was straightforward. At the end, we wished to settle our bill, and there was much... more

This is a friend's favorite Indian restaurant. I do not understand why. the lunch buffet is not that great and my husband and i went for dinner only to find the service lacking. the food is ok not great and the tables are very close together. not my favorite.

After reading the various reviews I can't help but be disappointed with the whole meal.

I also was quite excited that they had a Pal/Phal on the menu (don't see that very often in Canada) so I ordered. They also had something else on the menu called a Ceylon Curry. According to the waiter it is supposed to be hotter/spicier than the aforementioned phall. Well - that was like a red flag to a... more

Indian restaurant of choice

We go to the Light quite often, though the decor may be a little worn, the food, selection and service is the best in Ottawa. They are always willing to accommodate any request and fit you in when it is very busy. Nice touches like little fruit cup after your meal makes for a very pleasant dining experience.

Best Indian Restaurant in Town

This is definitely the best Indian restaurant in town. I must say, Their samosas and NAN bread are the bests! I don't like spicy food so this place is great as they have their menu separated with the degree of spiciness you like.
They also serve you a bunch of complimentary foods.
The portions are BIG and not expensive at... more

Consistently good take out

We prefer the take out, but have dined in. Very good food. Excellent quality. We order it every few weeks especially in the winter. Very comforting. Love the Lamb Sag Gosh; and for a bit of spice the Beef Rogan Jos.

Very good food, you can ask for spicy and guess what? It will be. I love the begun bhaji. Service very friendly. Closed at 21:30, 22:00, not an after theater place.

Great Food! Will return again

The restaurant is small and cozy. The food was great and flavourful - love the Naan bread. Servers were friendly and answered all our questions about the menu.

Very good restaurant... a bit crowded... good prices... don't go alone... best if you are a crowd... order different

Very good restaurant... a bit crowded... good prices... don't go alone... best if you are a crowd... order different dishes.

The Light of India has tasty Indian food and great service. Their veggie korma makes my heart break it's so sweet and delicious. The mellow atmosphere and leisurely pace of the service means a great location for a date or a casual chat with friends. However, if you're looking for food in a rush, you should keep on walking or just splurge on the lunch or supper buffet. I've only had the buffet... more

Best Food in Town

All I would like to say about this place is that the food is amazing and the service is excelent. I love this place and the portion of the food is lot. I been to many Indian places and they really cheap on food but not this place. I also Indian and I do not agree with the negetive feed back that 2 of the people left. All I have to say is that go and tast the food and see for your self.

Wonderful!

Best Indian food I've ever had. Lunch buffet is fabulous. Great variety of foods, along with many options for vegetarians. If you are going for lunch, get there early, as it can be busy and it is not a very big place. Overall it is great! I can't wait to go back!

I'm indian and...

On a recent hunger fueled restaurant search, i took my friend for her first indian taste of food. This place is very small, dimly lit, and the buffet had only 6 choices of sides wiht the stale, dry naan. The "service" consisted of one elderly man who kindly brought out hot buttered naan after i mentioned how dry it was. The buttered chicken was sweet and the chicken was rubbery..it may be... more

On Bank, a block North of Lansdowne Park. Love the wine list presented in a hinged wooden bottle. The food is very

On Bank, a block North of Lansdowne Park. Love the wine list presented in a hinged wooden bottle. The food is very tasty and fresh, and the service is very pleasant and helpful.

oh the sweet taste of India

::: oh the sweet taste of India :::

Great food, excellent service. Quality always dependable

Great food, excellent service. Quality always dependable.

Not that I've tried a lot of Indian places but this is the best of the bunch I've tried

Not that I've tried a lot of Indian places but this is the best of the bunch I've tried.

My craving Spot indeed

The staff is welcoming and super friendly. Good atmosphere. Welcome families and children. Just be prepared to wait a bit longer or ask for extra papadums to appease little antsy appetites if bringing children. Buffet is a must try for sure. Worth every penny. Ask for suggestions as a first timer.

Amazing Food

Was introduced by colleagues about 15 years ago. And even though we no longer work together, we still meet for brunch occasionally to catch-up on gossip. The buffet, which is all that I've ever had there, is phenomenal, the staff is great; friendly, always smiling. They seem to enjoy what they do. The food is unbeatable. I have tried other Indian restaurants but they never measure up to this... more

\"pathetic\"

The food was not at all good. We were just visiting Ottawa and had a terrible experience in this restaurant. The food was ABSOLUTELY "TASTELESS". It was nowhere close to the taste of Indian food. I wish them luck.

Always a Great Choice!

We love Light of India and have introduced it to many friends and family members. Be prepared to wait a little while for your meal, but the food will be worth it, so you won't mind at all!

would recommend to others, for sure!

The food was delicious, hot (temperature), good selection. I don't like hot spicey and I had lots to choose from. Very good service too. Reasonably priced for the quality.

Great People and Great Food

There is an authentic warmth to this restaurant and it's employees. Looks are decieving as they turn a small restaurant with a neon sign into a fine dining experience. This is the best indian food in town and theres many coffee houses and pubs nearby for post dinner consversation. A fantastic night out!! Shawn

A great place for lunch!

The buffet was delicious with an average price. Nice selection of dishes and used only well cut pieces of meat. The Dahl soup was superb and the butter chicken was to die for. The service was great. All around a great place for lunch. Would recommend to anyone who has a passion for Indian flavor!

There is better in Ottawa, but not downtown.

Excellent food and service. And always my choice when I'm downtown. But it should be mentioned that there is another contender in Ottawa for Best Indian and that's Taj across from the Colliseum on Carling Ave.

The best place in town

Light of India is located in the heart if Ottawa, in a great location surrounded by coffee houses, stadiums and arenas. The restaurant offers great food, a great value and great service. I don�t think there�s much more you can ask for.

The absolute best indian food in ottawa

I could say the same things as the people before me, but bar none, this is the best Indian food restraunt in the Ottawa area!

Excellent

The food is excellent - always doing takeout. We have friends who live in Sudbury who ask us to get takeout, freeze it and ship it via Greyhound to them just so they can have a wonderful Indian feast.

let's go to light of india

this is the best indian restaurant in ottawa.food and service is realy enjoyable.best indian food and service.quality of the food is great and the service is realy high standard

The Best Indian Food In Ottawa

If you are in Ottawa, like Indian food, and haven't tried it - you are missing out. Take out / Eat In.. either way the food is great!

Best curry.

Amazing food, trust me - have been eating there and getting take-out for ages. No delivery pizza for us!!

Incredible!!

Best Food, Best Service, Best Prices...My favorite rstaurant ever!!