You moved to Albert Park and your Indian dinner radar is still pointing at Lygon Street. Start closer: this is the short, opinionated pick list for curry, naan and group dinners around Victoria Avenue, Bay Street and Park Street.
The Verdict
Spice Art Authentic Indian Restaurant at 183 Victoria Avenue is the Albert Park pick if you only want one answer. It has the strongest local case: 4.7 stars from 262 Google reviews, a proper Albert Park address rather than a neighbouring-suburb compromise, and the kind of menu that works for both a quiet weeknight curry and a four-person table that wants to share. The key difference is location. If you live around Victoria Avenue, Bridport Street or the lake side of Albert Park, Spice Art is the one that feels like your local, not a fallback you ordered from because delivery apps pushed it first.
Dhaba 517 in Port Melbourne is the serious challenger, also sitting on 4.7 stars, but from 88 reviews and at 321 Bay Street. That makes it a good pick if you are already closer to Port Melbourne or heading out along Bay Street. Aagaman Indian Nepalese Restaurant at 271 Bay Street has the biggest review base here, with 741 reviews and a 4.4-star average, plus a listed price point of $15-30 a head, so it is the safer choice when you want a busier, more proven room. Bedi’s Indian Restaurant at 118 Park Street in South Melbourne is the lower-rated option at 4.1 stars from 409 reviews, but it still belongs on the list because plenty of regulars clearly back it. Do not default to the first butter chicken you see on a delivery app; if you are in Albert Park proper, pick Spice Art first and make the others earn the detour.
What It’s Actually Like
Indian food around Albert Park is not a big strip-dining situation. You are working with one true Albert Park address and a few nearby options in Port Melbourne and South Melbourne, so geography matters more than it would in Carlton or Footscray. Spice Art on Victoria Avenue is the most convenient if you are near Albert Park Village, the tram corridor or the homes between Bridport Street and the lake. It is the one to try before you start convincing yourself that Bay Street is basically local.
The Port Melbourne pair, Dhaba 517 and Aagaman Indian Nepalese Restaurant, make more sense when you are already west of Albert Park Lake or heading toward Bay Street after work. Aagaman has the heavier review count, which usually means more predictable service rhythm and a menu that has survived a lot of repeat ordering. Dhaba 517 has the sharper rating but fewer reviews, so treat it as the more interesting swing rather than the automatic group-dinner bet. Bedi’s on Park Street is useful if South Melbourne is where your night is actually happening, especially if you are closer to Clarendon Street than Victoria Avenue.
The warning: skip the long dine-in mission if all you want is perfect naan on the couch. Naan does not travel well, and Indian delivery from this pocket can turn a good kitchen into a lukewarm compromise. If you are west of Albert Park Lake, probably go to Bay Street and choose between Dhaba 517 and Aagaman instead. If you are east or south toward Park Street, Bedi’s becomes more logical than crossing back through Albert Park for the sake of a suburb label.
Who This Suits
If you are an Albert Park local who wants the cleanest answer, pick Spice Art Authentic Indian Restaurant. If you are a Port Melbourne-side renter or you are already on Bay Street, pick Dhaba 517 when you want the higher-rated punt and Aagaman when you want the broader, more proven crowd-pleaser. If you are organising dinner for cautious friends who will ask about reviews before they agree, Aagaman’s 741 reviews make the conversation easier. If you are starting or ending the night in South Melbourne, pick Bedi’s and stop pretending the best restaurant is always the one with the highest rating.
Cost-wise, the clearest numbers in the source data are Aagaman and Bedi’s at $15-30 a head. Spice Art and Dhaba 517 did not have a listed price in the verified data, so do the basic check before booking a big table: look at current menus, ask about corkage if you are thinking BYO, and do not assume every curry house lands at the same spend. For most casual dinners, expect the bill to move with how many breads, rice dishes and shared starters you add.
Time of day matters. Couples can usually gamble on weeknights, but groups of four or more should book Friday and Saturday nights. Vegetarian diners are fine at all four venues, but vegans should ask directly about ghee before ordering. For delivery, use it when convenience wins, not when you are judging the restaurant properly. Dine-in is the fair test, especially for bread, tandoor dishes and anything that dies in a sealed plastic container.
What to Do Next
Book Spice Art first if you are in Albert Park proper. If Bay Street is closer, choose Aagaman for the safer group dinner or Dhaba 517 for the sharper-rated punt. For the wider local food map, read Best Restaurants in Albert Park.
Sources
Venues verified via Google Places, April 2026. Ratings and details reflect data at time of verification and may change.
- Google Places API — maps.google.com — accessed April 2026
Data-sourced guide. Last refresh: April 2026. Found an error? Contact us.
