Munich · Community

Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi community in Munich

Gurudwara, grocery, cricket, restaurants, and how to find your people when you land.

Munich's South Asian community is smaller than Berlin's or Frankfurt's but tighter-knit. Most new arrivals find their feet through three anchors: groceries, religious spaces, and cricket.

Gurudwara

Sikh Gurdwara Munich is the city's Sikh temple.

• Address: Neumarkter Straße 70, 81673 München
• Saturday + Sunday langar (community meal) — newcomers welcome.
• A great first stop to meet other Indians and Pakistanis, especially if you're Sikh or Punjabi.

Indian + Pakistani grocery

• Basmati Supermarkt — Schwanthalerhöhe. Atta, daal, spices, frozen parathas, paan leaves.
• Ashoka Supermarket — Karlsplatz area. Similar stock; often has fresher chillies.
• V-Markt and Asian supermarkets at Marienplatz / Hauptbahnhof cover most pantry staples too.

Restaurants that reliably scratch the itch

Munich has dozens of Indian and Pakistani restaurants; everyone's favourite is different. Places newcomers mention most:

• Saravanaa Bhavan (vegetarian South Indian) — a global chain with a Munich branch; reliable dosas.
• Goa (North Indian) — multiple locations.
• Natraj (Indian, Schwabing) — old favourite.
• Kabul Darbar / Alladin (Afghan/Pakistani) — strong meat + biryani scene.

Cricket

Munich Cricket Club plays in the Munich Cricket Club (Bayerische Cricket Bund). League matches run April through September; pick-up games happen on weekends in English Garden. Facebook groups like "Munich Cricket" list matches + hire.

Ahmadi community

Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Munich (Bait-ul-Kareem) runs a community mosque (Bait-ul-Kareem). Weekly gatherings + social events. Check the local Jamaat website for current schedule.

Diaspora groups online

• Facebook: "Indians in Munich" — ~20k members, classifieds + housing + events.
• Facebook: "Pakistanis in Germany" — federal-level group; filter by Munich for local questions.
• WhatsApp broadcast groups run by university student bodies (TU Munich, LMU) — ask a current student to add you.
• Meetup.com — "Desi in Munich" meetup hits ~800 attendees for big events (Diwali, Eid).

Festivals worth marking in your calendar

• Oktoberfest — late Sept/early Oct, community groups organise "Desi meet-ups" in family-friendly tents.
• Diwali — Hindu community halls + restaurants host public events.
• Eid al-Fitr / Eid al-Adha — the Ahmadi mosque and various Pakistani restaurants host communal Iftar during Ramadan too.

Practical advice from people who did this

"Don't skip the Gurudwara langar in your first month. Even if you're not Sikh, the community welcomes you, and you'll leave with 3–4 WhatsApp contacts who know Munich bureaucracy cold." — Arjun, came from Bangalore in 2024.

"Munich Cricket Club is where most Pakistani newcomers I know found their first roommate." — Imran, came from Lahore in 2023.