If there’s one truth you should know in Tauranga, it’s this – there’s Indian food, and there’s real Indian food. What’s the difference? You can’t really tell unless you’re a serious foodie.

Luckily for you, our team took it upon ourselves (not that we’re complaining) to try the city’s best Indian food spots. Our staff, including our expert food reviewers and casual foodies, compiled this list after months of collective research.

If you’re ready to taste the best of Indian food, only trust our picks.

1. Great Spice Tauranga

The food is the undeniable star at Great Spice, with consistently high offerings in terms of flavour, portions, and presentation quality. They also carry many Indian cuisine staples, making them a real deal for food enthusiasts.

Some of their signature dishes include the butter chicken and biryani. They’re perfectly cooked, aromatic, and quite addictive, actually. The portion is just right, and the price really won’t break the bank.

Speaking of which, we appreciate how affordable their $13 lunch combo is. This one comes with rice, curry, naan, and a side. It’s ideal for a midday meal, particularly for students or those on a budget.

Service is fast and friendly, often offering thoughtful recommendations if there are dietary preferences at play. The venue itself is a winner too, with plenty of parking and solid acoustics to allow conversations, even when busy. 

However, our summary wouldn’t be complete without addressing one downside: we really wish the ambience, setup, and decor get an upgrade. Without modern styling or ambient upgrades, others may find dining here a little too underwhelming.

Top-notch food 

“Great Spice Otumoetai is the best Indian Restaurant I’ve been to. I was greeted with a smile as soon as I walked in, and guided to a table. The atmosphere is wonderful and very relaxing. The food is top notch, just how I ordered it. And the range of wines they have is vast. And of course, the server’s knowledge of the dishes was very helpful as I was wanting to explore more and he was able to give me a good recommendation.”

Fions Stephen | Google Reviews

Delicious food and a fantastic experience

“I had a birthday booking at Great Spice, and the experience was fantastic! The food was absolutely delicious, with authentic Indian flavors that stood out in every dish. The service was spot on—friendly, attentive, and efficient. The restaurant has a great ambiance, making it a perfect spot for special occasions or just a great meal out in Tauranga. Highly recommend for anyone looking for top-quality Indian cuisine! Will definitely be back.”

Keanu Mohammed | Google Reviews

2. Own Masala Indian Restaurant Bar and Takeaways

With their offerings, we find Own Masala to be a good choice for groups who love convenience and good food. They offer dine-in and takeaway options, so you can choose whichever is convenient for you.

We particularly loved their vegetarian plate for 2 that could realistically feed 3 to 4 people. It includes a large sizzling entree plate, four different vegetable curries, plain and garlic naan, and rice.

They also have a full page dedicated to vegetarian meals, as well as gluten-free and dairy-free options.

What impressed us the most was their fast and consistent service. During one of our visits, our orders arrived within 25 minutes despite the restaurant being full and despite ordering multiple dishes. 

The atmosphere is lovely as well, with warm lighting, classy table setups, and plenty of space. There’s free parking too, so arriving at the place is easy even with company.

Unfortunately, we can’t extend the same praises to their takeaway service – every single one we’ve tried took longer than expected. The food wasn’t up to their usual standards, which was a bit disappointing. 

Quick and friendly service

“Great tasting food with quick and friendly service. We took veg plate for 2. The food is ideally for 3-4 people. With large hot plate ontray  meal and 4 veg selection, plin and garlic naan plus rice”

Mohammed | Google Reviews

Beyond amazing food

“One of the best. No sorry by far the best Indian I’ve had in New Zealand in the 9 years I’ve lived here. I would highly recommend eating here. Food was beyond amazing service, and it was great. it only took 25 mins from ordering with a full restraint to recice all our food. I pre booked my table and i would recomend doing so. Staff are amazing 👏  I will be back! Thank you to you and your team for creating something incredible.”

Samantha Merrall | Google Reviews

3. Indian Pavilion

Indian Pavilion is a nice stop for those craving a more homey approach to Indian cuisine. The staff here are attentive and quick to accommodate dietary preferences, including vegan and dairy-free options.

The food consistently shines as well. We sampled various dishes, including their popular butter chicken combo. It comes with rice, naan, and a canned drink for only $22. There’s nothing extraordinary about the taste, but the value for money is solid.

The beef korma was extremely delicious too, a perfectly creamy curry with spice levels that can be adjusted. Even the sides like the onion bhaji and pakora were crispy and pair perfectly with the tamarind sauce.

The ambiance, while not the best we’ve seen, is still noteworthy. The decor keeps everything in theme, with elegant touches that aren’t overdone. Parking is another plus, with many free spots available in front.

Unfortunately, we did speak to guests who experienced miscommunications when relaying their orders, resulting in mix-ups. Fortunately, the staff was kind enough to address the issue as fast as they could.

Flavourful food and friendly service

“Wonderful Indian restaurant! My friend and I went spontaneously,  and we found friendly service, that understood immediately we were asking for our meal to be vegan. The pakora entry was perfectly crisp and delish, with the tangiest tamarind sauce to top it up. We had an Indian and a szechuan dish,  both full of flavour. Absolutely amazing place. And decently priced. Highly recommended!”

Danni Goffi | Google Reviews

Best curry shop 

“First order this morning and one of the best beef vindaloos I’ve had in a long time. The samoas are not soggy and not dry. Still the best curry shop in Greerton for years”

Daniel Lamberth | Google Reviews

4. House of Spice Bethlehem

House of Spice immediately impressed us with their ambience and interior that highlights both modern finishes and Indian decor. There’s even a Taj Mahal mural that disguises the bathroom door.

One of the things that truly earned our favour was the restaurant’s outstanding hospitality. Across 6 different visits, we observed that the staff consistently showed warmth and willingness to assist, especially for big groups.

The range of food met our expectations as well – the spice levels are customisable, with generous portions that’ll make you satisfied halfway through. Their signature meals include the butter chicken, rogan josh, and lamb saag.

We just happened to notice that the flavours of the food can be inconsistent. Some of our team members said their butter chicken was watery, while another noted that the naan was hard, though only on one occasion.

From a service perspective, the restaurant is efficient – takeaways are processed quickly, and dine-in wait times are generally minimal. Most meals are served within 15 to 20 minutes, even during busy weekend hours.

Great food and service 

“The place was clean, service was great food was amazing. Highly recommend the Tandoori Chicken and the Chef’s special. Sorry, we were starving we ate the food too quickly to take any photos 😁”

Ramiza Edwards | Google Reviews

Excellent and authentic food

“Excellent food here. Rogan Josh definitely on point as far as authentic flavour for a Rogan Josh. We had lamb biryani and both of us said was the best in NZ from all the other places we tried so far. The server was very pleasant and promptly checked our meals after digging in.  The toilet was hiding in the temple mural… clever disguise”

Watchman Nz | Google Reviews

5. Indian Junction Restaurant and Takeaway

Located conveniently at Gate Pa, this small but mighty eatery is known for its straightforward meals. Patrons often highlight how big the portions were, and how fast the service is despite being packed during lunch.

We find their $25 butter chicken combo to be a solid deal, as it can easily feed two people. It comes with butter chicken, rice, naan, and two drinks. 

It’s affordable, but the flavours are still there. Although, of course, it’s not on the same wavelengths as more refined options. 

In fact, the quality and presentation aren’t the most consistent – sometimes the chicken is too tough to enjoy. However, this seems to be a rare case – our firsthand experience was solid, and we only heard this complaint among a handful of guests.

We liked that their services cater to both dine-in and takeaway, with extended late-night hours and even food pickup around midnight. Service is commendable, with orders coming out in just about – or even under – 10 minutes.

We also liked their tea time offerings, which aren’t something you usually see in Indian food joints. For this afternoon treat, guests can enjoy options like pani puri, bread pakora, and samosas with spiced chai. 

Delicious and affordable food

“Delicious food! We usually get the $25 special which includes x2 butter chicken with rice and naan. Also comes with 2 drinks as well! Great deal! Very affordable 🙂 Highly recommend!”

Tania Cook | Google Reviews

Well-priced meals

“The Butter Chicken is just delicious, well priced. The staff is very friendly and the service outstanding! Highly recommended.”

Erina Puha | Google Reviews

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