The best of
Wellington. Ranked.

Modern Indian gastro bar in Hannahs Laneway — regional dishes paired with handcrafted cocktails, in the Eva Street site that was Shepherd until 2023.

Local tip: The cocktail list is built to go with the food rather than sit beside it — order them together.

Manners Street veteran — north Indian classics, generous portions and one of the more consistent kitchens in the CBD.

Local tip: Order the lamb vindaloo with garlic naan.

Long-running Te Aro curry house with a proper tandoor and a lunch trade that fills the room on weekdays.

Local tip: Weekday lunch specials start at $13.99 — one of the better value plates in the CBD.

North Indian street food on Willis Street — chaat, snacks and the sort of small plates the CBD was missing.

Local tip: Lunch service is only Wednesday to Sunday, 12–2pm — a narrow window worth planning around.

Cuba Street Indian restaurant with a long menu and a loyal following — the reliable Cuba Street curry option.

Local tip: The butter chicken and the Tulsi Balti are the two dishes people order on repeat.

Jackson Street curry house in Petone — biryani, korma and a menu that rewards ordering beyond the obvious.

Local tip: Order the biryani or the fish korma. It opens later on Tuesdays — 5pm rather than 11:30am.

Wakefield Street restaurant running a casual buffet alongside the à la carte menu — whole-spice meat curries are the strength.

Local tip: The buffet is the cheap way in, but the whole-spice curries off the main menu are the better food.

South Indian kitchen in Avalon — the Hyderabadi end of the menu is what sets it apart from the city's north-Indian default.

Local tip: Order the Hyderabadi dum chicken curry or the sheekh kebabs.

Herd Street restaurant cooking from Rajasthani royal-kitchen recipes — a regional menu you will not find elsewhere in the city.

Local tip: Closed Tuesdays. The regional dishes are the point — the standard curries are beside it.

Karori Road Indian kitchen doing lunch and dinner for the western suburbs — roti, curries and a short, well-run menu.

Local tip: Lunch only runs Wednesday to Friday; dinner starts at 4:30pm, earlier than most.

Family-run halal kitchen on Adelaide Road — roti, puri and meat curries made fresh each day.

Local tip: The roti and puri are made fresh daily — go at a meal time rather than the tail of the day.