The Five Best Indian Restaurants in Wellington

It's that time of year when the nights are getting colder and all you dream of is hunkering down with a hot plate of curry and a steaming naan on the side. If you walk on the spicy side of life, we are sure you must have your local favourites. However, we want to expand your minds and appetites beyond an easy butter chicken or cheeky korma. Fortunately, us Wellingtonians have a lot to choose from in terms of flavours, style and price. Here are our top five Indian restaurants for a tasty, soul-warming feed in the city.

Kera-la-Carte

KERA-LA-CARTE

Located on Courtenay Place, Kera-la-Carte is in such a convenient spot to drop by for a hearty and flavourful meal. The whole dining experience is bright, open and friendly feeling. Kera-la-Carte also boasts itself as the only spot that brings all of the flavour and delights of Kerala, South India to Wellington. For vegetarians, I highly recommend the kadala koottan, a chickpea curry in a spicy rich gravy. For the carnivores, I highly recommend grabbing a side of their spicy beef ularthiyathu. Don't forget to side the dishes with their porotta, the layered flatbread that'll soak up all the remaining flavour. Finally, round the meal off with some toasty gulab jamun and ice cream. For maximum comfort food, try the sweet and rich payasam of the day, a creamy rice pudding flavoured with cardamom, raisins, saffron, and nuts. Kera-la-Carte offers an ultimate feast that can even be delivered right to your door.

25 Courtenay Place, Te Aro.

Lesley Wild

TASTE OF INDIA

There is a very good reason why there is often a queue forming along Cambridge Terrace around 5.30pm each evening. Even trying to call in an order at this time may need a few attempts as Taste of India certainly lives up to its name. This 'hole in the wall' takeaway prides themselves as officially having "the best butter chicken in Wellington", and obviously you've got to give it a go. However, don't just get stuck on old favourites, as they have a wide-ranging menu of all quality dishes. A personal highlight is the malai kofta, which is cottage cheese and potato dumplings in a creamy sauce. This dish is exactly as rich and even more satisfying than it sounds. We also highly recommend grabbing a side of tandoori chicken tikka, which is perfectly cooked in yogurt and spices and offered with a slice of lemon (you'll keep coming back for this one). Although the line may seem daunting, call ahead, jump the queue, and get home to a feast of flavour.

19 Cambridge Terrace, Te Aro.

Curry Heaven

CURRY HEAVEN

Everything about Curry Heaven is fun, bright and friendly — the staff, the restaurant and the dishes. The Curry Heaven experience is about sharing and trying a bit of everything, so we encourage you bring friends and a sense of adventure when ordering from the huge menu. First, for some great value, grab the mixed platter of appetisers that includes tasty pakora, samosas, chicken tikka and seekh kebab. Next try a new main, the risk will be worth the reward, and each dish is incredibly well described on the menu. For the lovers of lamb, we suggest the lamb sabnam, cooked with onion, crisp capsicum, mushrooms and tomatoes. The tarka daal is also loved by vegetarians. It's a rich spicy dish with slow-cooked lentils and vine tomatoes. They also cater well for any dietary requirements as all options are clearly noted and vast in number. Ultimately, we suggest making sure you go with an empty stomach or with plenty of mates as you really don't want to miss out on trying everything you can.

8 Bond Street, Wellington Central // 136 Riddiford St, Newtown

Roti Chenai

ROTI CHENAI

Hidden from plain sight on Victoria Street, Roti Chenai has been a staple of the central city for more than 25 years. Founder Richard Rajasekar gave Roti Chenai its unique and flavourful menu that mixes traditional Tamil (South India) and Malaysian dishes. Together these flavours pair beautifully when seeking a big feast at student friendly prices. The fame of Roti Chenai is of course the tasty namesake (only $9) and the crispy dosai pancakes, which come in nine different flavours. However, the menu extends across many more dishes from Tamil. We highly recommend the kothu barrota which is tomato and chopped up roti stir fried with egg, vegetable or mince — it is the ultimate comfort food. Comfort is what Roti Chenai does best as once you step in through the door it feels like you're dining in a family kitchen. This is not just because the service is friendly and fast, but the large grill is right in front of you so can see the entire process. The real fun of dining is it seeing the roti being made fresh in front of your eyes. It is similar to seeing the aerial acrobatics of pizza, but it smells even more amazing.

Planet Spice

PLANET SPICE

In the heart of Newtown, you'll find one of the most beloved Indian restaurants in Wellington. The draw of this place is the creative and home style cooking of husband and wife team, Govind and Hasu Patel. Hasu's modern take on traditional dishes from both Southern and North Indian cuisines sets themselves apart from rest. For the meat lovers we recommend the achaari chicken, a North Indian dish, with boneless chicken pieces marinated with pickled ingredients that are made onsite. The result is an incredibly aromatic and tangy curry sitting atop a sliced apple and onion salad. For the vegetarians we suggest trying the vegetable delhi dahiwala, a flavourful curry cooked in Planet Spice's special creamy yoghurt sauce. This Newtown hotspot has something for everyone, making even the most a casual dinner with friends something special.

128 Riddiford Street, Newtown.