Christchurch guide
The best Indian food in Christchurch
Christchurch does Indian exceptionally well, and broadly. This is a city with North Indian curry houses and tandoor, South Indian dosa specialists, Kerala and Sri Lankan kitchens, Nepalese-Indian crossovers, dedicated sweets houses, and no-fuss takeaway dhabas, all within a short drive.
33 of them across the city — thickest through Riccarton and the inner suburbs, out to New Brighton for South Indian, Sydenham and Papanui for the sweets, and the odd one over the hill in Lyttelton. Sit-down rooms, buffets and takeaway alike.
Many do a busy takeaway trade and the popular rooms fill on weekends — worth ordering ahead for a big feed, or booking if you're bringing a group.
Venue data checked weekly · Updated August 2026
The picks
- 01Everest Indian Restaurant Woolston · Restaurant · Woolston
The Woolston branch of Everest — Indian and Nepalese cooking, tandoori classics alongside momos and chowmein.
- 02Bikanervala Indian Sweets, Restaurant & Takeaway · Restaurant · Sydenham
An Indian sweets and street-food house in Sydenham — generations-old recipes for mithai, paani puri, raj kachori and the vegetarian classics.
- 0329 Sweets · Restaurant · Sydenham
A vegetarian and vegan Indian restaurant in Sydenham, big on sweets — plant-based curries, snacks and mithai, a favourite with local families.
- 04Maharaja indian restaurant/bar · Restaurant · Papanui
An Indian restaurant and cocktail bar on Restell Street, Papanui — tandoor classics and a house butter tikka masala in a contemporary room.
- 05Bolina Indian Sweets and Restaurant Christchurch · Restaurant · Central City
A Colombo Street spot for Indian sweets and a full menu alongside — mithai by the cabinet and proper plates to sit in for.
- 06Zyka Indian Cuisine, Upper Riccarton · Restaurant · Riccarton
An Upper Riccarton Indian doing authentic curries and a busy takeaway trade — proper spice, generous portions and the familiar north-Indian favourites.
- 07Himalayas Indian Restaurant City Centre Christchurch · Restaurant · Central City
North Indian cooking leaning on Punjab and the Himalayan regions, on Colombo Street in the city.
- 08Two Fat Indians · Restaurant · Central City
Modern Indian that puts real thought into it — biryani sealed under naan dough, Bengali-spiced fish, slow-cooked jackfruit, and breads from traditionally…
- 09Chanakya South Indian Cusine · Restaurant · New Brighton
South Indian cooking in New Brighton from a chef with 15-plus years behind him — dosa, biryani and curries across veg, meat and seafood, done with care.
- 10GunPowder Indian Restaurant & Bar -Christchurch City · Restaurant · Central City
Old Delhi styling on Victoria Street — leather booths, ornate arches, tigers on the walls — from two owners with a decade in Indian kitchens behind them.
+ 23 more on the map below ↓
Keep exploring
Common questions
- What's the best Indian food in Christchurch?
- A few to start with: Everest Indian Restaurant Woolston, Bikanervala Indian Sweets, Restaurant & Takeaway, 29 Sweets, Maharaja indian restaurant/bar, Bolina Indian Sweets and Restaurant Christchurch. The city's spoilt for it — North Indian curries and tandoor, South Indian dosa and Kerala cooking, Indo-Sri Lankan and Nepalese kitchens, sweets houses, and takeaway dhabas across the suburbs.
- Where do you go for South Indian or a proper dosa?
- Dosa Kitchen at Riverside, South of India and Chanakya out in New Brighton, Adipoli in Woolston for Kerala, and Pothichor in Riccarton all do the South Indian thing properly — dosa, idli, appam and the rest.
- Where's good for Indian sweets, or something a bit different?
- For mithai, Bikanervala in Sydenham and Novelty in Papanui go deep on the sweets; Two Fat Indians does a modern, considered take; and the Everest kitchens in Lyttelton and Woolston cross Indian with Nepalese.