Essence of India

Essence of India Restaurant, located at 4601 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60625, offers an authentic North Indian dining experience in the heart of Chicago’s Lincoln Square neighborhood. The restaurant’s ambiance is enriched with décor representing distinctive regions and artwork of India, providing a cultural passage to the subcontinent . The Essence of India Restaurant menu features a diverse array of traditional North Indian dishes, catering to both vegetarian and non-vegetarian preferences. Popular appetizers include Vegetable Samosas—crispy pastries stuffed with spiced potatoes and peas—and Paneer Pakoras, which are homemade cottage cheese fritters. Signature entrées encompass Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani), where tandoori chicken is simmered in a rich tomato and butter sauce, and Shahi Paneer, featuring fresh cottage cheese cubes in a cashew, tomato, and cream gravy. For vegetarian patrons, the Vegetable Korma offers a medley of mixed vegetables and cottage cheese in a flavorful curry sauce .Complementing the main courses, the restaurant serves a variety of traditional Indian breads such as Garlic Naan and Peshwari Naan, the latter topped with cherries, pistachios, and coconut. Dessert options include classics like Gulab Jamun—golden fried milk pastry dumplings soaked in sweet syrup—and Kheer, a traditional rice pudding made with basmati rice, sugar, and nuts.