Generally, meat dishes are more common in the north, notably Rogan Josh (curried lamb), Gushtaba (spicey meat balls in yoghurt), and the delicious Biriyani (chicken or lamb in orange flavored rice, sprinkled with sugar and rose water).

Mughlai food is rich, creamy, deliciously spiced and liberally sprinkled with nuts and saffron. The ever popular Tandoori cooking (chicken, meat or fish marinated in herbs and baked in a clay oven) and kebabs are also northern cuisine.

When eating Indian food in the south, curries are mainly vegetable and inclined to be hotter. Special dishes include: Bhujia (vegetable curry), Dosa, Idli and Sambar (rice pancakes, dumplings with pickles and vegetable and lentil curry), and Raitas (yoghurt with grated cucumber and mint). Coconut is a major ingredient of South Indian food. On the West coast there is a wide choice of fish and shellfish; Bombay duck (curried or fried bomnloe fish) and pomfret (Indian salmon) are just two. Another specialty is the Parsi Dhan Sak (lamb or chicken cooked with curried lentils) and Vindaloo vinegar marinade. Fish is also a feature of Bengali cooking as in Dahi Maach (curried fish in yoghurt flavored with turmeric and ginger) and Malai (curried prawn with coconut).

One regional distinction is that whereas in the south rice is the staple food, in the north this is supplemented and sometimes substituted by a wide range of flat breads, such as Pooris, Chappatis and Nan. Common throughout India is Dhal (crushed lentil soup with various additional vegetables), and Dhai, the curd or yoghurt which accompanies the curry. Besides being tasty, it is a good "cooler"; more effective than liquids when things get too hot. Sweets are principally milk based puddings, pastries and pancakes. Available throughout India is Kulfi, the Indian ice cream, Rasgullas (cream cheese balls flavored with rose water), Gulab Jamuns (flour, yoghurt and ground almonds), and Jalebi (pancakes in syrup). Besides a splendid choice of sweets and sweetmeats, there is an abundance of fruit, both tropical, mangoes, pomegranates and melons, and temperate apricots, apples and strawberries. It is common to finish the meal by chewing Pan as a digestive. Pan is a betel leaf in which are wrapped spices such as aniseed and cardamon.

Another custom is to eat with your fingers but remember only of the right hand. Tea is India’s favorite drink and many of the varieties are famous the world over. It will often come ready brewed with milk and sugar unless "tray tea" is specified. Coffee is increasingly popular, Nimbu Pani (lemon drink), Lassi (iced buttermilk) and coconut milk straight from the nut are cool and refreshing. Soft drinks (usually sweet) and bottled water are widely available, as, are Western alcoholic drinks. Indian beer and gin are comparable with the world’s best, and are not expensive.

The variety of Indian cooking is immense, it is colorful and aromatic, it can be fiery or not, as desired, and it is usually reasonably priced.

Note that many Indians are vegetarians or consume more vegetables than meat. As a result of this, there is large numbers of excellent traditional as well as modern Indian vegetarian dishes available. However, these dishes might not be Vegan because they might use ghee or yogurt.