So we analyzed EVERY restaurant name rated above 4 (as a general indication of customer love) on India’s most popular restaurant discovery app. That’s more than 3500 restaurants.

1. December 17,
2018
Indian Restaurant Name Ideas: What We learned from
3500+ Restaurant Names
limetray.com/blog/indian-restaurant-name-ideas
So you’ve been looking for Indian restaurant name ideas. And we get that it’s a big
deal. All those hours of hard work come down to these final few touches. You are inches
away from giving your dream project its final shape.
Getting your Indian restaurant a name is a very important task (merely stating the
obvious). If you get it right, your restaurant name could help you:
1. Capture the spirit of your food and service
2. Give your brand a personality
3. Help you differentiate from the competition
4. Help you resonate with customers
A catchy and creative Indian restaurant name idea can truly be a great asset to your
restaurant. It’s your first tool to catch your customer’s attention for your brand new
restaurant.
So we analyzed EVERY restaurant name rated above 4 (as a general indication of
customer love) on India’s most popular restaurant discovery app. That’s more than 3500
restaurants.
And this is what we found.
Note: We left out words like Cafe, Bar, Kitchen, Grill, lounge, Bistro, Resto bar, Restro bar and
various combinations of these from our raw data, in cases where they are used as an add-on
to the actual name. This is to remove the redundant information and yield more useful
results.
Which words are trending?
Hover over the image to Zoom.
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2. This word cloud helps you see Indian restaurant name ideas, as trends. The larger the
word the more commonly it is used these days. The more you go to the edges of the
circle, the more uncommon the name. If you are looking for something unique look, at
the edges. If you want to leverage a trend, look at the larger words. You could also do a
combination and arrive at a sweet spot.
Analyzing 3500+ restaurant names
We also looked at these names and have organized them into categories of ideas for
Indian restaurant names. This way you get a peek into the thought process that went
behind naming these restaurants. (By no means can we claim that these categories are
exact but only a logical best guess).
Here are your top categories of ideas:
The something-something
You won’t have to look too far for this category of Indian restaurant name ideas. And we
are pretty sure you know them already. We think they are neat, to the point and help
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3. set expectations for what a restaurant is all about. You could include the food your
serve, the ambiance you want to create or your restaurant theme in the name.
Examples:
The Burger Brasserie, The Gourmet Kitchen, The Clock Tower, The Nutty Bunch, The Breakfast
Story, The Cafe Baraco, The Back Room, The Deccan Epicure, The Urban Foundry, The Black
Rabbit, The Drunk House, The Yellow Cup, The Boozy Griffin, The Mad Teapot, The Tipsy
Project, The Velveteen Rabbit, The Heat Mexican, The Bangalore Pantry, The Town House Cafe.
______ & ______
These restaurant names have been quite the global trend for India restaurant name
ideas over the last few years. Often people’s names, or food pairings, or food and drink
pairings… you get the picture.
Examples:
Mirchi And Mime, Huber & Holly, Toast & Tonic, Love & Cheesecake, Cafeteria & Co., Madeira
& Mime, Kuchi n Kream, Cocktails & Dreams – Speakeasy, Coco & Basil, Here & Now, Kettle &
Keg, Sounds & Spirits, Yogurtbay & Wafflebay, Madison & Pike, Perks N Brews, Farmer & Sons.
3-word ideas
Often quite abstract, these kinds of Indian restaurant name ideas, help to heighten
intrigue around the restaurant. Because 3 words allow you to have more specific and
finished ideas as the name of your Indian restaurant. Getting a website domain for these
kinds of names might also be easier.
Examples:
Flying Spaghetti Monster, Art of Delight, Oh So Stoned, On The House, Salt Mango Tree,
Country of Origin, Rock the Salt, Raize The Bar, That Madras Place, LoveForSalad, One Step
Ahead, On The Edge, Over The Moon, Love Is Cakes, Chutney Sauce Murabba.
The humble vegetable, the glorious spice, and the actual food
They say simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. What could be more simple and elegant
than paying homage to the very ingredients that make up your food? This is definitely
a go-to for elegant Indian restaurant name ideas.
Examples:
Tomato’s, Truffles, Wasabi By Morimoto, Olive Bistro, Cafe Parmesan, Lemon Grass – Mayfair
Lagoon, Okra, Beetroot Bistro, Saffron Mantra, Lavaash By Saby, Nariyal Cafe, Olive Trails,
Olive, Oregano, Saffron, Nutmeg The Gourmet Shop, Green Onion, Imly, Star Anise Cafe &
Patisserie, Spring Onion, The Saffron Boutique, Fig, Nihari, Oregano, Saffron, The Saffron
Boutique, Nutmeg The Gourmet Shop, Star Anise Cafe & Patisserie.
Desi-cool
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4. These names are unique. Often taking a global concept and putting an Indian spin on
it. These are all the rage at the moment. Especially relevant for the “Modern-Indian”
genre. We would definitely recommend these kinds of Indian restaurant name ideas.
Examples:
BAR BAR, SodaBottleOpenerWala, Tapri Central, Tashan, The Gol Chakkar Cafe, The Sahib
Room & Kipling Bar, Lakshman Ki Bandi, Villa Vandre, Firangi Halwai, Shake Sahab, Masala
Bay, Chai Galli, Oye Kiddan, Lucknow Meri Jaan, Urban Tadka, Nakli Dhaba – Mayfair Lagoon,
HITCHKI, Mughal Khaan, Puh Se Pizza.
Pun-ny side up!
These little word nuggets are sure to tickle your funnies.
Examples:
Ming Yang, Belgyum, Oh! Fudge, Fusilli Reasons, Sindhful, Flying Duck, Sweetish House Mafia,
Chor Bizarre, Waf O’Bel, Berry’d Alive, Phobidden Fruit, The Serial Griller, Niice Cream,
AndaMental, Infinitea Tea Room & Tea Store, Mughal Dine-Esty, Mother Trucker, Pho King
Awesome, Lo-Cal, Ecstasea, Food For Thought, Bun Intended, Mirchievous, I Food You, Roll
Over, Ticca Tikka.
A crime not to rhyme
Lighthearted and catchy. Rhymes are an age-old trick to give more song to
words. Earworm alert!
Examples:
Momo Jojo, Burma Burma, Pandey’s Paan, Street Meat, Frooce – The Juice Bar, Oh Dough,
Aaoji Khhaoji, Santa’s Fantasea, Fozzie’s Pizzaiolo, AMPM, Hokey Pokey Ice Cream, Cheer Peer,
Belly Deli, Singh N Ching, Yum Crumb Co., Urban Turban, Cheffu ‘N’ Stuffu, Throttle Shrottle,
Alla Bella Mozzarella, Pine & Dine.
Alliterations are awesome
An alliteration is a repetition of words with the same first letter. This is a literary
technique used to give words a tune. A sing-song effect, if you will. Trying saying these
names and you will see how infectious they are. Some of these deserve to be the next
big tongue-twister too!
Examples:
The Sassy Spoon, Petits Plaisirs Pâtisserie, Buff Buffet Buff, Hungry Hippie, Fusion Fantasea,
Tandoori Taal, Lub Lub Lebanese, Canadian Crepe Company, Hungry Head, Sautéed Stories.
Mashups
1+1=5? The sum greater than its parts? Look through these to see if you get any India
restaurant name ideas.
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5. Examples:
The Bombaykery, Kebabsville, Big Brewsky, Burgrill, The Fatty Bao, Eatly, PitaBurg,
SugarLicious, Flavoroso, Puffizza, Kulfiano, dlicious.
From the map to your plate
The holy grail of neighbourhood restaurants or restaurants that are focussed on a
regional cuisine. These kinds of names help position your Indian restaurant name idea,
as “authentic” and a representation of a particular region.
Examples:
Asia, Asia Kitchen, Echoes Satyaniketan, Coast Cafe, Cafe Goa, Kochi Kitchen, 6 Ballygunge
Place, Mainland China, Manhattan Brewery & Bar Exchange, Mediterra, Prithvi Cafe, Brooklyn
Central, Piccadilly Square, The Konkan Cafe, Cafe Soho, Daawat-e-Kashmir, 11th Avenue Cafe
Bistro, Bricklane, (Any) Social, Madras Pavilion, Copa Cabana, Goa Portuguesa, Bombay
Vintage, The Coorg Food Co, 145 Kala Ghoda, Hunan, Mainland China, Oh! Calcutta, Fuji, By
the Mekong, Beyond Indus, Little Saigon, The G.T. Road, Bhatinda Xpress.
Classic concepts & trendy themes
A lot of new restaurants are choosing to go the concept route, where it’s not just about
the food anymore. The concept can be the way you order or the way prices move like
the stock market. Or the theme could be purely aesthetic where the restaurant
transports you to a surreal landscape. More and more restaurants are on the lookout to
carve out their own niche. And this is a great way to do that.
Examples:
Theobroma, Little Pleasures, Brownie Heaven, Agent Jack’s Bidding bar, Salad Days, Orchard,
Vapour Bar Exchange, Only Parathas, Office Canteen, Dirty Apron, Smoke House Deli, Global
Fusion, Puppychino, Vintage Machine, Three Guys, Scooter on the Wall, Desi Deli, After Stories,
Writer’s Cafe, Boa Village, Polka Dots, Whispering Bamboo, The Calorie Kitchen, Rose Cafe.
Colour
Colour creates a mood. It sparks the imagination. It helps your restaurant say “we are
more than just our food”.
Examples:
Indigo Delicatessen, Greenr Store & Cafe, Yello, The Yellow Chilli, Indigo, Golden Dragon,
Amethyst Cafe, Orange Wok, Blue Terrain – Novotel, Pink Sugar, The Yellow Straw, Pink Butter.
Monkeys, Elephants and other animals
These kinds of restaurant names speak casual and fun vibes. India seems to be
obsessed with Monkeys and elephants though.
Examples:
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6. The Black Sheep Bistro, Stoned Monkey, Frozen Monkey, The Flying Elephant, Elephant & Co.,
Monkey, Cafe Kangaroos, The Drunken Monkey, Drunken Monkey, Whistling Duck, Birdie Num
Num, The Rogue Elephant, Spice Elephant, Monkey Bar.
A call to action
These Indian restaurant name ideas, want you to do stuff.
Examples:
Shake it off, Havemore, Tossin Pizza, Deli Cravings, Remember Me Café, Binge, Swig, Smaaash,
Indulge.
Tools of the trade
If not the food itself then a tribute to the tools that make everything possible.
Examples:
Silver Platter, Hudson Chopsticks, Warm Oven, Cookie Jar, Coal Barbecues, Brik Oven, Banana
Leaf, Lemon Leaf, Chopstick City, Earthen Oven.
Like music to the ears…
Have you sometimes wondered how some words sound great and are pleasurable to
say but don’t mean anything? These “sound” names are universal and can work for any
cuisine or restaurant type. Also, because of their often ambiguous or non-existent
meaning, these names give you more scope to play around with your brand.
Examples:
Pa Pa Ya, Chi Na Chi Ni, Pluck, Gallops, ZORA, Shiro, Tovo, Aaira, Tinge, Tamra, Tim Tai, Yum
Yum Cha, Yum Yum Tree, Hoppipola, Smacznego, Prive, Ziu, Terttulia, Prego, Tien, Kapao,
RISO, Yuuka, Zizo, Kria, Dimcha, Cibo, Pra Pra Prank.
Whose line is it anyway?
Starting a restaurant is close to the heart. And we see a reflection of that in
restaurant names like these. Well, most of them.
Examples:
Basil With A Twist, Dialogue in the Dark, Oh! Calcutta, Oh So Stoned!, Once Upon A Flame, Stop
My Starvation, One Too Many, On the Waterfront, Someplace Else, Once Upon A Time.
Humour
Examples:
Mahabelly, Fat Guy Pâtisserie, Solid Gulp, SodaBottleOpenerWala, Circus, The Potbelly, Mad
Over Donuts, Fat Sindhi, Papacream, Hanglaatherium, Eggers Madhouse, Fat Cat’s Cafe, Ghaas
Phoos, Games Khopcha, The Moustache Headquarters.
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7. Pop culture
Let’s call it like it is. Movies, songs, and Tv shows are a huge part of everyone’s life. And
we think there’s nothing wrong with a few references to your favourites. These kind of
names are the way to go if you want to associate with a popular sentiment or a crowd
pulling favourite, as your Indian restaurant name.
Examples:
Lot Like Crepes, Hard Rock Cafe, Café Bae, Band Baaja Baaraat, Rang De Basanti Urban
Dhaba, Calendar Khana Laao, Momo I Am, LSD – Love Sugar & Dough, Lights Camera Action –
Air Bar, YOLO 21, Udta Punjab, Dilli BC, Hira Panna, Lollapalooza, Above & Beyond, Gabbar’s
Grill & Fry, Pirates of Grill, A Hole Lotta Love Cafe, Mama Mia!, Strawberry Fields, Winterfell,
Pop Tate’s, Hakuna Matata, Foodgasm, Burgertron, Tin Tin.
Family name
For some, food is legacy
Examples:
Pabrai’s Fresh & Naturelle, Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick Sweets, Batlivala &
Khanabhoy, Nirula’s, Gulati’s spice market, The Bohri Kitchen, Goila Butter Chicken.
Guy & girl names
Giving your restaurant guy and girl names makes it friendly and approachable.
Examples:
Joey’s Pizza, Bastian, Romano’s, Nini’s Kitchen, Joss, Zoe, Alba, Zoya, Oliva, Kristy’s Kitchen.
The darker side
No rest for the wicked!
Examples:
Prankster, Rehab Gastropub, feel ALIVE, Euphoria, Gossip Fusion Bistro, Melodrama,
Bohemian, Stoner, Guilt Trip, Komatose, Ecstasy, The Sky High, Goosebumps, Overdose, Crime
Cafe.
Numbers
You can use dates to invoke nostalgia or dial up the authenticity factor. Indian
Restaurants also use numbers in the their name to differentiate and be more
memorable.
Examples:
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8. 1441 Pizzeria, The 90’s Cafe, Number 31, Oudh 1590, Bistro 37, 212 All Day, Fifty Five East,
1135 AD, 7Violettes, Ink 303, 75 In A Box, Pier 38.
Traditional Indian
22 languages and thousands of years of culture to choose from! Traditional Indian
names like the following, help ground your cuisine to a specific region. And they scream
commitment. These kind of names are a true hit with tourists. So you could consider
it if want some of that foot-fall.
Examples:
Savya Rasa, Prems Graama Bhojanam, Dum-Pukht, Peshawri, Zaffran, Chitale Bandhu
Mithaiwale, Sanadige, Kama, Cafe Lota, Kabuliwala, Bukhara, Sigree, Kathputli, Zambar,
Andhikkadai, Aiwan E Shahi, Nellai Aappakadai.
What you see is what you get or WYSIWYG
Straight to the point. Cut to the chase. No room for doubt. No surprises. These kinds of
names have grown in popularity with the rise of online food ordering, where the
decision-making process is faster and much more functional. You click more when you
know exactly what you are about to get.
Examples:
Natural Ice Cream, Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt, The Sandwich Shop, Indian Grill Room, Pan Asian,
Kabab Corner, Hot Breads, Fresh Baked Goodness, Midnight Hunger Hub, Cheesy Juicy
Burgers, Burger Fries Factory, Fish Curry Rice.
Spice and everything nice
When in India…
Examples:
Spice Kraft, Malaka Spice, Pinch of Spice, Art of Spices.
What’s in a name?!
These examples should help you look at your options for Indian restaurant name
ideas. You can get some ideas from this list or go completely original. A name should
work for you in some way. Either to make things crystal clear to your customers or build
an association with your brand.
Ready to name your restaurant?
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9. Now that you have a fair idea about restaurant names, let’s help you come up with one
for your brand. Naming a restaurant starts with your concept. What your food or
experience is going to be about. The process for naming becomes easier when you ask
yourself the right questions. This section will help you with breaking the process into 4
neat steps and start you off with a set of ideas once you’re through.
STEP 1 – Build the basics
Answer the 4 questions below to get started.
What cuisine will you serve? (The actual food)
Examples:
Mexican, Californian, Italian, Indian, Chinese, Spanish, Burgers, Pizza, Sushi, Sandwich,
Desserts
What is your restaurant type?
Examples:
Fine-Dine, Casual Dine, Fast-Food, Cafe, Bar, Pub, Food Truck, Cloud Kitchen, Brewery
Which area or neighbourhood are you located in?
Examples:
Asia Kitchen, Brooklyn Central, Piccadilly Square, The Konkan Cafe, Cafe Soho, Parathe Wali
Gali
Which customers are you going to target?
Examples:
Family, Millennials, College/university go-ers, Working professionals, Elderly people
STEP 2 – Name your concept…with a twist!
Once you have the concept in mind, what is important is how are you going to pen down
the name. A good restaurant name will set you apart from the crowd.
Here are some more ideas for you to play with.
Induce an action or an emotion!
Examples:
Kill my hunger, Meat and Eat, Remember Me Café, Binge, Swig, Smaaash, Indulge.
Think up a concept.
Examples:
The four horsemen, Agent Jack’s Bidding bar, Salad Days, Vapour Bar Exchange, Office
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10. Canteen, Dirty Apron, Three Guys, Polka Dots, Whispering Bamboo, The Calorie Kitchen
Any guy or girl name?
Examples:
Joey’s Pizza, Bastian, Romano’s, Nini’s Kitchen, Joss, Zoe, Alba, Zoya, Olivia, Kristy’s
Kitchen
Think up a number.
Examples:
Your address, your birth date, your birth year, a day, or any random number
List down animals you like!
Examples:
Black Sheep Bistro, Stoned Monkey, Frozen Monkey, The Flying Elephant, Elephant & Co.,
Monkey, Cafe Kangaroos, The Drunken Monkey
Pay homage to the ingredients.
Examples:
Tomato’s, Truffles, Wasabi By Morimoto, Olive Bistro, Cafe Parmesan, Lemon Grass – Mayfair
Lagoon, Okra, Beetroot Bistro, Saffron Mantra
Now,
Give it a rhyme.
Examples:
Momo Jojo, Burma Burma, Pandey’s Paan, Street Meat, Frooce – The Juice Bar, Oh Dough,
Aaoji Khhaoji, Santa’s Fantasea
Play with puns.
Examples:
Ming Yang, Belgyum, Oh! Fudge, Fusilli Reasons, Sindhful, Flying Duck, Sweetish House
Mafia, Chor Bizarre, Waf O’Bel, Berry’d Alive, Phobidden Fruit, The Serial Griller
Colour your name up!
Examples:
Yello, The Yellow Chilli, Indigo, Golden Dragon, Red Dragon, Green Chilli’s
Combine two of your ideas using an “&”.
Examples:
Parts & Labour, Huber & Holly, Toast & Tonic, Love & Cheesecake, Cafeteria & Co.,
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11. Madeira & Mime
STEP 3 – Use the Naming Ball
Zoom into the Naming Ball. Select common descriptors that apply to you and keep them
aside.
STEP 4 – Finalise your restaurant name
Now list down all your thoughts and ideas from steps 1-3.
Try different combinations. You should have a good set of ideas to consider
Also read:
All the 11 licenses required to open a restaurant in India
Tying up with Swiggy and Zomato
Selecting the best restaurant billing software
A complete guide to restaurant management systems
Your restaurant Instagram page basics
How to set up a restaurant online ordering system that stands out
Promoting a new restaurant: 10 ideas that actually work
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