Adelaide restaurant The Logical Indian has taken out the title of South Australia’s Best Indian Restaurant for the second consecutive year, continuing its more than a decade-long celebration of the flavours of India’s Coromandel Coast.
The Hutt Street restaurant was recognised at the Restaurant & Catering Awards for Excellence, following a journey that has seen founder and owner Mervin Joshua build a distinctive place in Adelaide’s dining scene around regional Indian cooking.
“Coming to the finals for six consecutive years from 2019 and finally reaching the No. 1 spot in 2025 was an incredible feeling,” said Mervin. “But staying on top is something entirely different, and I believe it is nothing but God’s grace.
“Above all, it is our customers who continue to believe in us, and a team that trusts the vision, encourages it and brings it to life, one plate at a time.”
Established in 2015, The Logical Indian has spent more than a decade introducing Adelaide diners to Coromandel Cuisine, the regional food traditions of South-East India.
Rather than following the latest food trends, the restaurant has built its identity around traditional recipes, cooking techniques and flavours passed down through generations, while incorporating quality South Australian produce.
That regional focus has become key to the restaurant’s story.
“The point of difference that Logical Indian makes is the story behind the food, because we are not just serving food. Every dish in Logical Indian has a story behind it. Maybe some are from my childhood days, some are my mother’s recipe, my grandmother’s recipe, or a food that impressed me on the street. It has some sort of an impact apart from taste,” said Mervin.
“I don’t want them to just come and have something and say, ‘Wow, it’s tasty,’ then go away and come back again. I want them to carry that story because the taste will fade away, but the story will never fade away.”
“To be recognised as the best Indian restaurant in South Australia for a second time, and two years in a row, is incredibly humbling. It also reminds us that we cannot stand still. We have to take our passion to another level, continue improving and, most importantly, continue contributing to the community,” said Mervin.
“For me, this feeling is something no revenue figure can ever provide. There is something deeply fulfilling about being recognised for simply telling people who you are, where you come from and what you are passionate about.”
And while the award celebrates what is happening inside the restaurant, Mervin believes hospitality has an important role to play beyond the dining room.
“At a time when the world is so divided by war, hate, religion, discrimination and racism, we in hospitality have something incredibly powerful in our hands, food,” he said.
“Every day, we have the opportunity to bring people from different cultures, backgrounds and beliefs to the same table. We can create harmony, happiness, love and joy through something as simple as sharing a meal.”
It is a philosophy that has become part of The Logical Indian’s broader identity, with the restaurant viewing food as a way to bring people together.
“And perhaps that is the greatest award of all. When people sit together, eat together, laugh together and leave happier than when they arrived, we are all winners.”
After reaching the awards finals for six consecutive years from 2019, The Logical Indian claimed the state’s top Indian restaurant title in 2025 before successfully defending it this year. Mervin said the achievement belongs to everyone who has helped the restaurant along the way.
“An award carries a name, but an achievement carries the fingerprints of many people. This belongs to our team, our customers, our supporters and everyone who has believed in our journey,” he said.
Mervin said the second win also changed the way he viewed the challenge of remaining at the top.
“Getting to the top is easy, but staying on top is what really matters. Sometimes we let the external pressures come in, and then we lose focus on what we really wanted to do in the first place when we were starting the restaurant. So I said, ‘I’m not going to be perfect, but I will be consistent. I’m going to do what I decided to do on day one.'”
For Adelaide diners, the award celebrates a restaurant’s decision to stay true to its roots, bringing the distinctive flavours and traditions of the Coromandel Coast to South Australia.
And after more than a decade in the city, The Logical Indian is showing no signs of slowing down, with Mervin and his team continuing to build on the food, culture and community that have taken them to the top for a second year running.
The Logical Indian
Where: 202 Hutt St, Adelaide SA 5000
When: Wednesday to Monday, 5:30pm to 9:30pm
For more information, click here.
