People gather at Portland’s India Festival, which is held every August at Pioneer Courthouse Square.

Indian American Community

Find more about the Rose City's growing Indian community.

2 min read

Portland and neighboring suburbs are home to a thriving and growing population of almost 10,000 Indian American residents. Celebrate the Indian American community through events, festivals, food and cultural organizations.

Events & Festivals

The India Festival is held in August and has an estimated attendance of upwards of 8,000 visitors from the Portland community at large. The India Festival includes live music, dance, food and entertainment to give participants a taste of Indian culture. This free festival also gives the local community a glimpse of India’s arts, culture, history and people.

DJ Anjali and The Incredible Kid regularly host dance nights for those 21 and up, including ANDAZ: A Future Filmi, Bhangra, Bollywood and Desi Bass Dance Party. Anjali has also been teaching Bhangra and Bollywood dance classes at the Viscount Dance Studio in Southeast Portland for years. (Check out the website for more of their events information, and go to Viscount Dance Studio’s website for their current class schedule.)

Chai in Portland

This guide to Portland chai includes an abundance of house-brewed local brick-and-mortar options and those carrying Portland-made chai blends and concentrates.

More Chai

Local Eats

From food trucks to upscale dining, Portland offers a wide range of Indian food options. Maruti specializes in vegetarian and vegan food that is based on traditional family recipes and given a modern interpretation. Dil Se means “from the heart,” and the restaurant by the same name serves up Northern and Southern Indian cuisine. At the Springwater Cart Park, the Best Taste of India is the creation of chef and owner Jaswinder Singh. The cart is well-known for its curries. The Big Elephant Kitchen is a family-owned-and-operated Fijian/Indian restaurant on wheels in Multnomah Village that serves meat and vegan curry plates for lunch and dinner.

Bollywood Theater – Alberta

You won’t find movies at Bollywood Theater. Instead, grab a seat and sample high-quality, authentic Indian street food like flatbread kati rolls filled with cheese or meat, egg, pickled onion and green chutney.
East India Co. Grill & Bar

This restaurant features complex marinades and time-honored Indian grilling methods to reflect the food trends in today’s India. The menu remains true to classic Indian recipes while also featuring innovative combinations and intricate spicing.
Bhuna

Bhuna is a fast, casual Indian restaurant that offers thoughtful dishes based on family recipes.
Taj Indian Cuisine

Taj Indian Cuisine uses unique, freshly ground herbs and spices to create each flavorful dish. Menu items include samosas, pakoras, masalas, curry dishes and more. They also offer a variety of vegetarian and vegan options.
DesiPDX

DesiPDX is an entirely gluten-free food cart serving food inspired by Indian flavors blended with cooking styles from the West and other parts of the world.

Resources

India Cultural Association (ICA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing Indian cultural awareness in Portland. The Association was established in 1980 and hosts the popular India Festival every year in mid-August to celebrate India’s independence day.

The Kalabharathi School of Dance is committed to promoting and presenting Bharathanatyam, an ancient South Indian dance form, through instructional classes and professional performances.

Kalakendra Performing Arts is a nonprofit that was formed in February 1987. It is a premier dance school and dance company. Kalakendra’s programs draw from centuries-old, culturally diverse performing art forms from India.

PortlandIndian.com is an online community that shares recipes, classifieds, horoscopes, Hindu temple locations, community news and more. Those who visit the website have the opportunity to select a city near and around Portland to get more localized information.

Cultural Communities

Portland Indian Food Carts and Takeout

From comforting aloo gobi to softball-sized samosas, explore our non-comprehensive local’s guide to excellent Portland Indian food trucks and takeout.