Empress of India

Waterloo, Canada

4.1

8 reviews

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Telephone:
+1 519-883-1314
Website:
www.empressofindia.ca
Address:
103 King Street N, Waterloo, ON, N2J 2X5
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
410 ftKing / Central
430 ftKing / Bridgeport
480 ftKing / Elgin
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Today

Today –
Local time (Waterloo) 8:34 AM Sunday, June 1, 2025

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday –
Wednesday –
Thursday –
Friday –
Saturday –
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

Empress of India specializes in Northern Indian cuisine. Every item on our menu is prepared with aromatic herbs and spices, which is traditional to this part of India. Our goal is to accommodate and adapt to the preferences of Western culture while remaining true to the roots of Indian cuisine. Many of our items are prepared in our authentic charcoal tandoor and we feature a lunch buffet six days of the week! (Sundays excluded.)

History

Established in 2008.

Our menu is a reflection of owner/​chef Baljit Hira and head chef Emamul Hosen Shaikh’s creativity and passion for cooking. Baljit Hira has been cooking for 25 years, having found her start preparing food with her mother as a child living in India. Emamul was born and raised in Calcutta India and was also taught by his mother who was a trained chef herself. He has since worked in some of the top restaurants across India and Canada. Together, they have developed a menu that Waterloo and travellers from around the world have been taken by since introduced in late 2008. This family owned restaurant has big hopes for the future, with eldest son/​manager Sonny Hira working towards opening many more Empress of India’s across the tricities!

Meet the Business Owner

Kamal and Sonny H.

Business Owner

Kamal Hira came from humble beginnings moving to Canada as a child. Now having a wife and children of his own he is always striving to provide them with the luxuries he never had. He is a generous and hardworking entreprenur whose passion for food and love for Indian culture have made him very successful in this business. Eldest son Sonny Hira completed a hotel and restaurant management program straight out of high school having known since he was fourteen he wanted to one day own the restaurant. He is passionate about food and knowledgeable in all things Indian cuisine, his hopes and dreams include taking Empress of India to new heights and providing delicious indian cuisine and outstanding service to as many people as possible!

Vicinity

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8 reviews of Empress of India

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Place rating: 5
Waterloo, Canada
This is my favourite restaurant of any kind, and in my opinion the best Indian restaurant in the region. Actually, I’ve tried a half dozen recommended Indian restaurants in Toronto, and the food has never been as good as the Empress’.
I love their curries, their garlic naan is spectacular. Some restaurant food tastes good on the first few bites, but it quickly becomes apparent the most of the flavour comes from salt, and by the half point I’m finding the food too salty. At the Empress the flavours are big, spicy, varied and rich … a party in the mouth. And I’m enjoying the last bite as much as the first. The food makes me make involuntary yummy noises.
Follow up comment: After reviewing the other comments, I don’t understand why almost every review includes the line «best Indian restaurant in the …», all of the reviews give 4 stars. Those are 5 star comments, so what’s with the 4s?
Place rating: 4
Toronto, Canada
Probably the best indian restaurant in Waterloo! The food is always fresh, authentic and overall delicious. In particular the chana masala and tandoori paneer are amazing. Would recommend for sure!
Place rating: 4
Kitchener, Canada
Nice atmosphere, and good service. I ordered the spinach paneer and found it to be too mild for my liking. If you like spicy food, definitely go for the 3 chili peppers level of spice. The downside is that the curry doesn’t come with enough rice for the entire portion, and the extra order of basmati rice is quite pricey compared to other places. However, the curry was creamy and delicious, and the naan was perfectly made. It’d be nice if the waitress came to refill our cups more often, but it was a busy night.
Place rating: 4
Sunnyvale, CA
We were searching for good Indian restaurant around Waterloo. Previous to this rest, we had been to other restaurant with very average food in terms of quality and taste.
But the food here is terrific. Quality was at top with any good rest in India. Food was very tasty. And I am sure to be a regular visitor here, whenever I come to Waterloo.
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
Mattar Paneer is my go-​to dish at Indian restaurants and Empress of India makes it pretty well. I’ve tried the Channa Masala, Vegetable Korma and the Vegetable Samosas and all are quite good.
It’s hard to find good Indian food in Waterloo. Most places I’ve tried in the area have fairly tasteless and watery food. Empress of India is not like that.
If you’re a student, flash your card and they’ll take 10% off. I learned this after the guy ringing up my order saw my WatCard in my wallet haha
Place rating: 4
Waterloo, Canada
Kids took me for Father’s day… Yummy stuff. I normally do not like to eat fish except sushi, but I’d go back in a heartbeat for the Amritsari Fish:
Fresh Halibut marinated in garlic & ginger paste, lemon juice,
special Indian spices and deep fried garnished with salad and lemon. Also had the veggie Pakora, Samosa, Naan and the Tandoori platter. Other mains were the Chicken Korma, Lamb Vindaloo and Dahl. While I wasn’t wild about the tandoori platter, everything else was excellent, especially the lamb Vindaloo. Excellent value and capable, attentive service. Can’t wait for my next visit.
Place rating: 4
Waterloo, Canada
This restaurant is excellent if you want great Indian food whether you want to dine in the restaurant or take it back to your dorm. It is a little pricey for students, but the quality is well-​worth the slightly higher expense in my opinion. I have only ever tried their vegetarian curries, however these have all been excellent. Their paneer tastes light and fresh, and their chickpea masala is delicious, with just the right amount of spice. They have an excellent selection of tame to hot curries, though you’re not going to find anything too intensely spicy. If you dine in the restaurant you will get complimentary papadum with two tasty chutneys. The servers are very helpful and polite.
I’m very happy that they seem to have replaced whoever was constantly burning the naan.
Place rating: 4
Waterloo, Canada
Empress of India is far and away the best Indian food in K-​W. I have tried a number of other places around here and they don’t come close. I’ve grown up eating Indian food on a regular basis, including going to India for it. And believe me, this is as close as you’ll get to the real deal in K-​W.
Often times people are daunted by the sheer number of things on an Indian menu, and this restaurant is no exception. To get you started, I recommend trying their Veg Pakoras, Tandoori chicken, Amritsari fish, Dal Makhani, Garlic Naan and Chana. That’s a fair bit of food across the board to get you going.
The atmosphere is nice and cozy. It gives the feeling of a traditionally cooked meal, rather than a pre=packaged commercialized food experience.
Now, I know lots of people who try Indian food for the first time are worried about spice. And not to worry, the food here is not too hot. I have brought many people here who are «noobs» in the Indian food world and they absolutely loved it… And left with their tongues intact, and their bellies full.