Regional Indian · East Village
By Monty Khas, Anonymous Critic. Pays every bill.
Adda means a hangout, a place where friends gather for long conversations over food and chai. When it opened in Long Island City, Adda lived up to the name as a casual canteen that showed New York what regional Indian home cooking really tastes like. Today it cooks from a larger space at 107 First Avenue, and the team at Unapologetic Foods, the group behind Dhamaka and Semma, has kept the original spirit intact.
The room
The new Adda is more polished than the old canteen, but it's still a place for a loud, happy dinner rather than a hushed one. It's open seven nights a week, which makes it one of the easier Unapologetic restaurants to book.
What to eat
The menu reads like a tour of Indian households, with dishes you rarely see on American menus. Start with the lamb parcha, thin slices of lamb in a saffron and cashew sauce, finished with lamb butter and served with soft pao for mopping. It's the dish people come back for. Chicken karara fry, double-fried and hit with fiery Guntur chili, is a must for spice lovers, and the prawn recheado brings Goa's tangy red masala to fire-grilled prawns.
Goat roti kebab, minced goat on flatbread with walnut chutney, is a great shareable bite. Among the bigger plates, Mircha ka maas is braised short rib with green chili and garam masala, rich and warming. The Awadhi lamb shank korma is gentler and silkier, perfumed with mace, nutmeg and saffron.
Adventurous? The bheja masala, goat brain with steamed egg, is a limited, cult-favorite dish that rewards the brave. The Wagyu Bihari kebab is the indulgent pick, smoky and tender. Vegetarians are well served too, with paneer khurchan, a tandoor-style mushroom bhatti kumbh and a vegetable dhungar biryani.
For rice, the goat biryani, made with kid goat leg and aged basmati scented with black cardamom and saffron, is the one to share. Add a bowl of Dal Adda and some paratha on the side.
The Butter Chicken Experience
For groups, Adda offers a pre-ordered, full-table butter chicken feast, made with heritage chicken, house-churned butters and charcoal-smoked tomatoes, served with bread, rice and black dal. Book it on SevenRooms ahead of time.
Why it matters
Adda proved that New Yorkers were hungry for real regional Indian cooking, and it remains one of the city's most rewarding places to explore beyond the usual favorites.
The Quick Fix
What to order: Lamb parcha; chicken karara fry; prawn recheado; goat roti kebab; Mircha ka maas; goat biryani; bheja masala (limited); Wagyu Bihari kebab; Dal Adda
Pricing: Mid-to-upscale. The Butter Chicken Experience is a bigger, pre-booked group outing.
Best for: Adventurous eaters, groups, weeknight dinners and anyone who loves offal and big flavors
How it compares: Bolder and offal-friendlier than Bungalow; a more relaxed booking than Dhamaka, its sister restaurant; the best place in town for lamb parcha
See where Adda ranks: The Best Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi Restaurants in New York City: Our Top 10 for 2026
The food was always this good. We're just paying attention.