Omar’s Indian serves up an easy feast of familiar favorites In Prospect Heights 

By Scott Lynch

Yes, of course, there are any number of exciting, regional Indian restaurants in Brooklyn, like the superb, Bengali-focussed Masalawala and Sons that opened last fall in Park Slope. But it’s not like you can waltz in there whenever you’re in the mood for a South Asian feast (for one, it’s one of the toughest tables in town).

If you were inclined to waltz in, though, be grateful for places like Omar’s Indian Fine Cuisine, which has become a local go-to in Prospect Heights for its menu of crowd pleasers like vegetable samosas, chicken tikka masala, lamb biryani, and paneer. The flavors are bold, the prices are gentle, and the portions are generous enough to satisfy without overwhelming your fridge with leftovers.

Complimentary samosas and pakora arrive at your table to start your meal (Scott Lynch)

Located on Vanderbilt Avenue, at the bottom of the hill that gives the neighborhood its name, there’s nothing about the place — inside, outside, online — to distinguish it from dozens of other thrown-together spots around town. But don’t let the generic vibe fool you: Omar’s is most definitely a labor of love.

“My late father opened this restaurant in November of 2021,” the young Omar Khan, who grew up on the block and essentially runs the place these days, tells Brooklyn Magazine. “But he started building it in 2010. He owned the building, and he had a dream of opening a restaurant. He was a contractor, so he did the work little by little, putting in the lights one night, the counter another, and then slowly over like 10 years he finished.”

And there are a few curveballs here, too. things that might make you think you somehow entered the wrong restaurant. For example, bagels are featured prominently behind the counter, and dominate the breakfast menu running along one wall.

“My father moved to this country in 1985, and his favorite thing to eat every morning was bagels,” said Khan. “He did not eat any other type of breakfast. So he was like, ‘that’s my favorite food, and I’ll put it in my restaurant, it doesn’t matter.'”

But what really got the neighborhood to take notice of the place last summer was Omar’s pizza, which tops standard-issue crust with things like butter chicken and creamy vindaloo sauce. “My dad was like, ‘why not sell pizza?'” said Khan. “He had money laying around and a pizza oven doesn’t cost that much, so he just bought one.”

They actually started off just selling regular New York pies (cheese, pepperoni, etc.), but Khan’s 8-year-old brother pestered him one day to make a slice with tikka masala sauce, a customer overheard him and wanted one too, and the Indian pizza niche was born.

Our party tried a pie — half chicken tikka masala, half Mughlai chicken seekh kabab — and it was, at best, pretty lackluster, tasting mostly of bell peppers and onions. Brooklyn has so much awesome pizza, it’s best to focus your attention elsewhere at Omar’s.

Omar’s Indian pizza: half chicken tikka masala, half muglia pizza, $25.95 (Scott Lynch)

For instance, the goat biryani (which was terrific), a molded mound of chewy mixed rice studded with chunks of tender, bone-in meat. There’s real kick to the seasoning, too.

Omar’s goat biryani, $17.99 (Scott Lynch)

My usual at sprawling-menu Indian spots like this, since my misspent youth getting BYOB-drunk on 6th Street in the East Village, has always been lamb vindaloo, and Omar’s makes a first-rate version. No pulled punches, sauce plenty creamy, meat nice and funky.

Lamb vindaloo, $15.99 (Scott Lynch)

In addition to all the meat and seafood, there’s a lengthy selection of vegetarian entrees and appetizers, many of which also happen to be vegan. The methi matar, our pick from among the 30 or so options, really hit the spot, an abundance of soft paneer cubes bobbing in a thick sauce flavored with fenugreek and curry leaves. There’s plenty of bread, too, including a wonderful flaky paratha, served scrunched up in a ball for some reason and slick with ghee.

Methi matar paneer, $13.99 (Scott Lynch)

When I marveled about the vast number of dishes available here, Khan just laughed. “This is nothing,” he says. “Our first menu contained 375 items. This is half of what my father opened with.”

Khan senior passed away last August, but not before witnessing the positive effect Vanderbilt Avenue’s popular Open Streets program had on the business. “He was so happy when he saw the restaurant take off last summer when the street was closed to cars,” says Khan fils. “It was really good for us. Hopefully they’ll do it again next year.

Omar’s Indian Fine Cuisine is located at 568 Vanderbilt Avenue, between Bergen and Dean Streets, and is currently open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Bagels and other breakfast items are also served daily, starting at 7 a.m. (718-618-0923)