Indian Restaurants in Oban: The Curry Houses Worth Booking

Coriander, Soroba Road: The Indian Option South of the Centre

Coriander sits at 8 Soroba Road, a short walk or drive south of the main shopping streets, and it is the pick if you want an Indian meal without weaving through central traffic. It does both dine-in and takeaway, so it works equally for a sit-down dinner and for collecting on the way back to a B&B on that side of town. The kitchen caters for vegetarian and vegan diners, but gluten-free needs confirming with the restaurant before you order.

Payment is straightforward, with cash, card and online payment all accepted according to the town round-up, which matters if you are splitting a bill across a group. The phone number published for the restaurant is 01631 570806, useful for checking a table on a busy evening. If you are weighing up a curry against a chippy or a pub meal, our round-up of cheap places to eat in Oban helps you compare the spend.

Taj Mahal, George Street: Central and Bookable Online

Taj Mahal at 146 George Street is the most central of the three, which makes it the easy choice before or after a ferry or a walk along the esplanade. Its own site lets you reserve a table online by picking your party size and date, and the confirmation comes back in real time, so you can lock in a group booking without a phone call. The same site also runs online ordering for pick-up, with each order confirmed by the restaurant.

That dual setup — book a table or order for collection — makes it a sensible fallback when plans are loose and you may end up eating in your room instead. Vegetarian dishes are offered, but gluten-free is a phone call rather than a menu guarantee; the number listed is 01631 566400. Cash, card and online payment are all accepted, so a group can settle up however it likes.

Spice World, George Street: One Kitchen, Several Cuisines

Spice World at 28 George Street is the flexible one: its menu ranges across Indian, Chinese, Thai and Bangladeshi dishes, and it offers sit-in, takeaway and delivery. That breadth is the point if you are feeding a mixed group where one person wants a curry, another a noodle dish and a third something Thai. The trade-off is focus — a kitchen spreading itself across four cuisines is not the place to expect a deep, regional Indian menu.

It is the most explicit of the three on dietary provision, listing vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, though you should still confirm specifics with the kitchen before ordering. Payment by cash, card or online keeps a shared bill simple, and the published number is 01631 358080. Its George Street address also puts it in the same central stretch as the Taj Mahal.

If You Would Rather Have Thai or Chinese

Two non-Indian options are worth knowing if the group's preference shifts. China Restaurant on Stafford Street serves classic Chinese with some Thai dishes and local seafood, and does both sit-in and takeaway, collected or delivered. Mandarin Thai Cuisine covers the Thai angle if that is what the table actually wants.

One practical quirk at China Restaurant: the round-up notes card payment only on orders over a set amount, for collection or sit-in, so carry cash if your order is small. Its number is 01631 563575. If your group cannot agree on one cuisine, Spice World's cross-cuisine menu is the simpler answer than splitting across two restaurants.

Booking, Takeaway and Dietary Requests

All three Indian kitchens do sit-in and takeaway, so the real question is how much certainty you want. Taj Mahal is the only one with online table booking confirmed in real time on its own site, which is the safest route for a group on a weekend. For the others, ring ahead on the published numbers rather than assuming a table will be free.

On dietary needs, vegetarian dishes are widely offered across all three, while vegan and gluten-free provision varies by kitchen. The round-up marks Coriander and Taj Mahal as needing a call before ordering for gluten-free, and Spice World as listing vegan and gluten-free options. Make that call before you travel, not at the door.

How to Choose by Area, Group and Walk

If you are on foot from the harbour or the ferry, choose between Taj Mahal and Spice World on George Street and skip the walk to Soroba Road. If you are staying south of the centre or driving, Coriander is the more convenient stop and saves you circling for a central space. Both central options also do takeaway, so a collection on the way back to your B&B is easy from either.

For a group with mixed tastes, Spice World's multi-cuisine menu avoids the argument; for a focused Indian meal, Coriander or Taj Mahal keeps things simpler. If curry is not the mood, Oban food leans heavily on seafood landed locally, and our guide to Oban food explains the rest of the town's strengths.

Which Curry House Should You Book?

Book Taj Mahal online if you want a central table confirmed in real time, especially for a group; choose Spice World if the table cannot agree on one cuisine; and head to Coriander on Soroba Road if you are staying south and want a simpler collection or sit-in. Check the menu when you book, as prices are not listed here.