When you’re craving Indian food, you’re not just after something spicy, right? You want that sizzling street-food energy, with rich aromas, and that unmistakable Delhi-level combination of flavours. And guess what? You don’t need to fly to India for that!

Right here in Christchurch, there are plenty of Indian restaurants waiting to be uncovered. Some are popular among the Kiwi locals, while others are more attractive to Indian/Asian communities. Bottom line is – they’re all well-loved.

You’ll think you’ve landed in Delhi – minus the jetlag! 

1. The Bombay Brasserie

What we liked best about The Bombay Brasserie is how flavourful their dishes were, while offering generous portions at fair prices. They carry many Indian classics, including butter chicken, chicken korma, and butter paneer.

There are also vegetarian options like the palak paneer and aloo gobi. It’s not clear on the menu which ones are vegetarian-friendly, but the staff were friendly enough to make recommendations.

Speaking of the staff, we loved that they can adjust spice levels to suit both Kiwi and traditional Indian preferences. Just make sure that you make the request as you order, and clarify whether it’s possible for the meal.

The overall dining experience is pretty straightforward – ideal enough for those who want a modest meal without sacrificing quality. Plus, we found that there were also no wait times for dine-in orders, great for peeps on quick work breaks.

There’s plenty of free parking nearby, which was an absolute plus for us. We just wish that they elevate the ambience a bit – we don’t mind plainness, but we know how the overall feel of the place can be a dealbreaker for an authentic experience.

Best Indian restaurant 

“One of the best Indian restaurants in town. All the chicken curries are delicious. The vegetarian ones are also amazing. Chicken Korma, Chicken Tikka Masala, and Mango Chicken are our favourites. The service is great when dining in and also for take away.

I highly recommend it!”

Diego Seig | Google Reviews

Delicious food good portions

“Food was super delicious. We ordered lamb briyani, kadai lamb & palak paneer. Everything was delicious with lots of meat. Portion was good. 😋 no regrets trying here. Highly recommended 👍🏼 Staff is friendly as well 😀”

Pavithra Uthaman | Google Reviews

2. GunPowder Indian Restaurant & Bar

The quality of food at GunPowder definitely won our hearts. They’re consistent with the flavours, particularly for their best-sellers like chicken tikka masala and chicken jalfrezi.

Everything is perfectly cooked, with the right level of spices that we find tolerable, even for Kiwi preferences.

We like that vegetarians aren’t left behind either, though we’d like to see more options beyond the palak paneer. For something lighter, there’s the naan bread and tamarind sauce, with its perfectly fluffy and warm texture.

As for the service, we loved how the servers were quick to respond to requests, bringing orders in a timely fashion too. Speaking of which, orders arrive within 10 minutes (delays are occasional, but only during hours), which we loved.

The value for money is amazing, as guests only need to spend around $20 to $50 for a complete meal, including drinks and desserts. For students (or anyone on a tight budget), we appreciate the lunch specials that start at $10.

If you’re coming with your family, though, you may want to leave the kiddos at home. There aren’t a lot of kid-friendly features or menus. 

Excellent dishes 

“Really good Indian restaurant. Must-try dishes include the refreshing Mango Lassi and the delicious Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhanwala), served with rice. The Tandoori Chicken is also excellent, with generous portions even for a half order. Don’t forget to try their tasty Naan bread to accompany your meal.”

Dmitry Sadovnikov | Google Reviews

Good food with perfect temperature

“Had lunch special with Beer and one with a soft drink.

The food was good, Naan was good, and it could have been softer like a few other places in New Zealand. Rice was good. Asked for hot, which was just right”

Dip | Google Reviews

3. 29 Sweets

29 Sweets is a full-fledged vegetarian Indian restaurant that we consistently find to be good for food quality, variety, and affordability. Located conveniently with ample parking, it’s a popular spot among Kiwi locals, tourists, and immigrants.

We loved that they specialise in both North and South Indian palates. They carry pretty much everything, including classics like chole bhature, masala dosa, as well as street food favourites like papdi chaat and dahi, golgappa. 

The pricing is reasonable too – you can expect to spend $20 to $30 per person for a solid main meal. But prepare to spend up to $70 for larger meal combinations that include drinks, dessert, and any special requests.

The atmosphere is simple, but warm enough to give off that perfect homey feel. The interior gets plenty of natural light, which helps with IG food shots, and the entire place is clear and spacious. Little things made big differences here.

However, some of our team members noted that certain dishes (the gujiya and papdi) have different textures and tastes compared to traditional Indian dishes. It’s likely to appeal to Kiwi palates as well, but it’s something to take note of when you’re there. 

Great variety of indian snack and sweets 

“Quality and taste food with reasonable price. Great variety of Indian snacks and sweets. Nice soups options, veg machow soup was good. Pav bhaji  is a must try. Lot of parking options and easily available.”

Venkatesh Srinivasaiah | Google Reviews

One of the best

“One of the best restaurants in Christchurch for Indian food. We had visited recently for lunch and had the famous street foods of India here. All the dishes we had were very fresh especially the Medu Vada. It was very delicious. You get a variety of Indian sweets if you have a sweet tooth.”

Rohit Iyer | Google Reviews

4. Maharaja Indian Restaurant/Bar

When we visited Maharaja the first time, we all agreed that it had a tasteful ambiance, with adequate lighting and temperature that’s comfortably regulated. We also liked that the seating areas were both flexible for intimate dinners and large groups.

Our team sampled various dishes, but the lamb bhuna and biryani stood out to us. They’re all served on brass bowls that complete the authentic Indian experience. And yes, the flavours, aromatics, and spiciness are all authentic too. 

Service is absolutely top-notch too – in fact, the manager here has become a sort of local legend already. Some nice touches he does include adjusting music to suit the mood and offering colouring activities to kids.

Dishes, like those of most eateries in the area, are reasonably priced. Guests spend an average of $20 to $50 for a complete meal. There are also no wait times for dine-ins, even without reservations.

Unfortunately, while we found the food delicious, we found the quality and taste to be inconsistent after ordering takeaways multiple times. We wish they could maintain their food quality better.

Delicious and succulent food 

“Was just us until another couple joined. Delicious and succulent meats in creamy spiced sauces served in brass dishes over a flame for warmth. Perfect rice, naan on the crispy side. Tap beers and a range of drinks available. Got to put my hand into the tandoor – 🔥”

Keiran Lond | Google Reviews

Great customer service

“The food here is amazing, we are the regular customers. Our new obsession is truffle nann. Suresh the manager here has always make sure that all the customers feel comfortable. He has a great customer services, very friendly always good at recommending the nice menu to us. Definitely come back again !”

Yen Fiona | Google Reviews

5. Two Fat Indians

Located conveniently in the Riverdale precinct, Two Fat Indians earned its spot with its fast service, welcoming ambience, and wide range of Indian classics. It keeps things straightforward for a good meal that doesn’t break the bank.

The restaurant’s strengths lie in the flavour profiles of dishes that are consistent among all the meals we’ve sampled. When it comes to a balance of tenderness and spice, options like the chicken malai tikka and lamb shank nihari were the best.

Other particularly memorable options include the lamb biryani with its perfectly rich and gamey profile, as well as the chicken yakhni – a creamy, subtly spiced curry that pairs perfectly with naan.

In terms of service, we observed generally prompt service. However, during peak hours (when our team came in as a big group), the service did slow down. Still, individual diners and smaller parties enjoyed quick turnaround for orders.

Prices average around $30 to $40 per person, depending on the number of individual meals, shared orders, and drinks. We find the value appropriate for the quality of the food and the location.

Really good service

“A new outlet in busy Riverside precint. Decent set up and cosy booths. Fast and prompt service. The food was really good. The colours, aromas, flavours and textures were all outstanding. We loved the crunchy Yorkshire puddings stuffed with chicken kebabs and delicious chutneys. The biryanis were presented covered with bread dough and it was beautifully done. We loved it heaps. We were in a hurry and didnt have time to dig into curries. Will be back for sure.”

Raunaq Bhogal | Google Reviews

Worth the stop 

“We shared the Two Fat Indians Platter (pictured), it was very tasty. I asked for the spicy green chili sauce and it was indeed spicy and good. Well worth the stop.”

Mark McNees | Google Reviews

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