Bhojan Indian Restaurant and Bar Papatoetoe

About Bhojan Indian Restaurant and Bar Papatoetoe

Bhojan Indian Restaurant and Bar brings the flavours of home-style Indian cooking to 477 Great South Road in Papatoetoe, Auckland. The name says it all: 'Bhojan' comes from the Sanskrit 'Bhojana', meaning the act of eating or having a meal — a word so central to Hindu culture that it often appears in ritual and ceremonial contexts. In the dining room it becomes a promise of 'ghar jaisa khana': food the way you'd get at home.

The kitchen describes its menu as a journey through the heart of India, where authentic spices and traditional recipes come together. The range is genuinely wide — from a full chaat counter celebrating India's street food, to charcoal-tandoor kebabs and grills, to curries spanning chicken, lamb, goat and seafood, alongside a large vegetarian selection built on paneer, dals and vegetables. Ingredients are sourced fresh, locally and from India, and the menu reaches into biryani, Indo-Chinese dishes, mini thali and sweets.

As a restaurant and bar, Bhojan suits long dinners as well as quick meals, and families are covered by a dedicated kids menu. Takeaway is available through the website's online ordering, with a happy hour discount applied automatically at checkout, and tables can be reserved online or by phone.

Bhojan Indian Restaurant & Bar Papatoetoe: Chaat, Tandoor and Home-Style Curries on Great South Road

On Great South Road in Papatoetoe, Bhojan Indian Restaurant and Bar is built around the simplest idea in Indian life: the meal. The name 'Bhojan' comes from the Sanskrit 'Bhojana' — the act of eating — a word so woven into Hindu culture that it often appears in ritual and ceremonial contexts. In the dining room it becomes something warmer: a promise of 'घर जैसा खाना' — ghar jaisa khana, food like you would get at home — served in an ambiance the restaurant describes as making you feel like you're in India.

The kitchen frames the menu as a journey through the heart of India, where authentic spices and traditional recipes come together. Ingredients are chosen with care — fresh and fine, sourced locally and from India — and the range runs from the classics everyone knows by heart to regional dishes that rarely leave home. Whether you're craving familiar favourites or eager to explore, there is a path through the menu for both.

Start at the Chaat Counter

Few places in South Auckland give chaat — India's irresistible street food — a full chapter of the menu. Bhojan does, with a dozen options. Pani puri arrives as crisp, hollow puris stuffed with potato and black chickpeas, ready to be flooded with spicy, tangy water and sweet chutney. Dahi puri and sev puri layer the same crunchy shells with yogurt, green and tamarind chutneys and clouds of nylon sev. There is bhelpuri tossed with roasted peanuts, aloo tikki and samosa chaat smothered in chutneys and curd, papdi chaat, paneer chaat, and the street-corner classics vada pav and dabeli — spiced potato tucked into soft dinner rolls.

Straight From the Tandoor

The charcoal tandoor is the engine room of the kitchen. Whole Bhatti ka Murg — tandoori chicken marinated in yogurt, ginger and garlic — comes off the coals in full or half birds, while boneless options range from Murgh Malai Tikka, with its creamy, mildly spiced marinade, to hariyali tikka brightened with fresh mint and coriander. Lamb seekh kebabs, cheese-stuffed Kadak Seekh Kebab and Mansoori lamb chops cover the red-meat side, and the grill works its magic on prawns and fish as well. Vegetarians are looked after with paneer ke sholey, tandoori mushroom, tandoori soya chaap and a striking falahari chaat of fruit marinated in spiced yogurt and charred over the coals.

Curries From Every Corner

The curry list is where Bhojan's range really shows. Butter chicken — tandoor-cooked boneless chicken finished in a mild creamy tomato gravy — leads the way alongside chicken tikka masala, korma, madras, saagwala, vindaloo and a mango chicken. Adventurous orders include gongura chicken, built on a tangy leaf pickle, and the smoky Murgh ki Chingari, or RA-RA Chicken, a Bhojan special with minced chicken folded through the gravy. Lamb runs from rogan josh to the Southern Railways Lamb Curry, a rail-era dish of lamb and potatoes sweetened with dates and tamarind. Goat gets its own section — saagwala, kadai and a classic goat curry — and seafood covers prawns and fish, including the coconut-rich Malabari versions.

The vegetarian list is just as serious, from dal makhani and baingan bharta to malai kofta, kadai paneer and the house paneer angara. Naan bread comes off the tandoor to scoop it all up, and the kitchen's menu also reaches into biryani, Indo-Chinese dishes, mini thali and sweets.

Made for Every Table

Bhojan is a restaurant and bar, so the evening can stretch over drinks as well as dinner. Families have a dedicated kids menu — nuggets, fish bites, cheese and broccoli bites, or mild butter chicken and butter paneer with rice. Takeaway is easy: order online through the website and the happy hour discount is applied automatically at checkout, and tables can be reserved online for Papatoetoe or by phone.

However you arrive, the rhythm stays the same: a round of chaat to share, breads and curries in the middle of the table, and the sense — right down to the name — that a proper meal is one of the best things there is.

Signature items

• Bhelpuri
• Bhatti Ka Murg (Tandoori Chicken)
• Butter Chicken
• Paneer Ke Sholey
• RA-RA Chicken
• Vada Pav

Menu

Chaat

• Chana Jor Garam — Boiled black chickpeas flattened with spices, tossed with tomato, onion, chilli and lemon.
• Chana Dal Chaat — Deep-fried Bengal gram with chaat masala, onion, tomato, chutneys and nylon sev.
• Bhelpuri — Crispy puffed rice tossed with tamarind and green chutneys, peanuts, onion, tomato and sev.
• Paneer Chaat — Marinated paneer cubes with chutneys, onion, tomato, boiled chana and chaat masala.
• Aloo Tikki Chaat — Fried potato patties topped with tamarind and green chutneys, curd, onion and nylon sev.
• Samosa Chaat — Crushed fried samosa with tamarind, green and yogurt chutneys, onion, sev and chaat masala.
• Panipuri — Crispy hollow puris stuffed with potato and black chickpeas, with spicy tangy water and sweet chutney.
• Dahi Puri — Puris stuffed with potato and chickpeas, topped with sweet, green and yogurt chutneys and sev.
• Sev Puri — Puris with potato, black chickpeas, onion and chutneys, showered with nylon sev and coriander.
• Vada Pav — Dinner roll stuffed with golden-fried spiced potato vada, chutneys and garlicky masala.
• Dabeli — Spicy, tangy-sweet potato filling in a soft roll with chutney, peanuts, onion and sev.
• Papdi Chaat — Crisp papdis topped with tomato, onion, potato, assorted chutneys, chaat masala and sev.

Seafood

• Butter Prawns — Prawns cooked in a mild, creamy tomato-based gravy.
• Prawns Do Pyaza — Prawns cooked with diced onion in the chef's special gravy with spices and herbs.
• Malabari Prawns — Prawns in onion-tomato gravy with coconut cream and Indian Malabari spices.
• Prawns Masala — Prawns in a richly spiced tikka masala-style tomato gravy.
• Fish Curry — Fish cooked with ginger, garlic, tomato and classic Indian curry ingredients.
• Fish Malabari — Fish in onion-tomato gravy with coconut cream and Malabari spices.
• Fish Tikka Masala — Tandoor-cooked fish finished in a richly spiced tomato-based gravy.

Kids Menu

• Chicken Nuggets & Chips — A simple kids favourite of nuggets with chips.
• Fish Bites & Chips — Crispy fish bites served with chips.
• Cheese & Broccoli Bites — Golden bites of cheese and broccoli.
• Butter Chicken & Rice — Mild butter chicken served with rice.
• Butter Paneer & Rice — Mild butter paneer served with rice.
• Frymes — Golden french fries.

Naan Bread

• Plain Naan — Freshly baked tandoor naan — the perfect partner for any curry.

Goat Curries

• Goat Saagwala — Lean goat cooked with herbs and spices in a mild spinach sauce.
• Goat Kadai — Goat with fresh roasted ground spices, onion, tomato and peppers, cooked in a kadhai wok.
• Goat Curry — Goat cooked with ginger, garlic and tomato in classic Indian curry style.

Lamb Curries

• Lamb Rogan Josh — Lamb pieces cooked in special herbs and intense spices.
• Southern Railways Lamb Curry — Tender lamb and potatoes with dates and tamarind sauce.
• Lamb Saagwala — Lean lamb cooked with herbs and spices in a mild spinach sauce.
• Lamb Tikka Masala — Tandoor-cooked lamb finished in a richly spiced tomato-based gravy.
• Lamb Vindaloo — Lamb cooked in a hot and tangy Goan sauce.
• Lamb Korma — Mild, slow-cooked lamb marinated in cardamom, cinnamon and yogurt.
• Lamb Mughlai — Lean lamb in a thick curry of aromatics, cream and nutty ingredients.
• Chef Special Lamb — Lean lamb cooked with diced onion, spices and herbs.

Chicken Curries

• Butter Chicken — Tandoor-cooked boneless chicken finished in a mild, creamy tomato gravy.
• Methi Murgh Masala — Boneless chicken cooked with fenugreek, blended with herbs and spices.
• Chef Special Chicken Curry — Chicken with tomato, onion, garlic, ginger, curry leaves and secret homemade spices.
• Chicken Korma — Mild, slow-cooked chicken marinated in cardamom, cinnamon and yogurt.
• Chicken Madras — South Indian style chicken cooked in coconut gravy with red chilli sauce.
• Chicken Saagwala — Northwest Indian chicken cooked in a mild spinach sauce with herbs and spices.
• Mango Chicken — Chicken cooked in mango-flavoured cream with a lightly spiced sauce.
• Chicken Mughlai — Juicy chicken in a thick curry of aromatics, cream and nutty ingredients.
• Chicken Vindaloo — Boneless chicken cooked in a hot and tangy Goan sauce.
• Gongura Chicken — Boneless chicken cooked with gongura pickle and the chef's special gravy.
• Desi Chicken — Chicken on the bone cooked the traditional Indian way with fresh tomato.
• Murgh ki Chingari — Smoky boneless chicken in Bhojan's special smoky gravy.
• Chicken Tikka Masala — Tandoor-cooked chicken finished in a richly spiced tomato-based gravy.
• RA-RA Chicken — Boneless chicken in Bhojan's Ra-Ra gravy of minced chicken, tomatoes and spices.

Vegetarian Curries

• Dal Tadka — Yellow lentils cooked with onion, tomato, cumin, coriander and spices.
• Dal Makhni — Black whole lentils and kidney beans simmered with onion, tomato, spices and cream.
• Vegetable Korma — Vegetables cooked in a cashew gravy with onion, garlic and fenugreek.
• Pindi Chana Masala — Classic spicy chickpeas seasoned with Indian masala.
• Vegetable Kolhapuri — Mixed vegetables in homemade sauce and coconut masala, finished with coconut cream.
• Matar Paneer Malai — Green peas and fenugreek cooked together with cashew paste and creamy herbs.
• Chef Special Paneer — Cottage cheese in the chef's special gravy with onion, capsicum and secret homemade spices.
• Malai Kofta — Deep-fried potato and cottage cheese balls in a rich, spicy gravy.
• Palak Paneer — Cottage cheese cooked in spinach gravy with spices.
• Kadai Paneer — Paneer with fresh roasted ground spices, onion, tomato and bell peppers, cooked in a kadai.
• Paneer Tikka Masala — Tandoor-cooked paneer finished in a richly spiced tomato-based tikka masala gravy.
• Kaju Paneer Masala — Cottage cheese and roasted cashews cooked in a rich, creamy sauce.
• Baingan Bharta — Smokey roasted eggplant mashed with spices, onion, tomato, ginger and garlic.
• Butter Paneer — Cottage cheese pieces cooked in a mild, creamy tomato gravy.
• Bhojan Special Soya Chaap Curry — Soya pieces cooked with capsicum, onion, ginger, garlic, tomato and Indian spices.
• Vegetable Jalfrezi — Seasonal vegetables with ginger, onion, tomato, capsicum and freshly ground spices.
• Aloo Gobi — Potato and cauliflower cooked with onion, tomato, Indian spices and coriander.
• Lahsooni Paneer — Paneer cooked with lots of fresh garlic and roasted spices in an onion-tomato gravy.
• Bhojan Special Paneer Angara — Smoky paneer pieces cooked in Bhojan's special smoky gravy.

Vegetarian Entrees

• Vegetable Samosa (2 pieces) — Deep-fried conical pastry stuffed with spiced potatoes and peas.
• Onion Bhaji — Spiced onion mix in a chickpea and rice flour batter, deep fried.
• Paneer Ke Sholey — Cottage cheese and vegetables marinated in yogurt and chilli sauce, charcoal-grilled.
• Hara Bhara Kebab (5 pieces) — Deep-fried patties of spinach, paneer, potato, cheese and peas with mint chutney.
• Tandoori Mushroom — Mushrooms and vegetables marinated in tandoori paste, grilled over charcoal.
• Tandoori Paneer Tikka — Cottage cheese and vegetables in yogurt and spices, grilled over charcoal.
• Hariyali Paneer Tikka — Paneer marinated in fresh mint, coriander and spices, roasted in the tandoor.
• Tandoori Soya Chaap — Soya pieces marinated in yogurt, sauces and spices, grilled over charcoal.
• Tandoori Falahari Chaat — Seasonal fruit marinated in yogurt and spices, grilled for a smoky twist.

Non-Vegetarian Entrees

• Tandoori Drumstick (4 pieces) — Roasted chicken marinated in yogurt and generous spices, cooked over charcoal.
• Old Gold Chicken Tikka (5 pieces) — Boneless chicken chunks in yogurt and Indian spices — the boneless tandoori classic.
• Chicken Gilafi Kebab — Chicken mince mixed with aromatic spices, nuts and lime, roasted over charcoal.
• Bhatti Ka Murg (Tandoori Chicken, Full) — Whole chicken in yogurt, ginger-garlic and special tandoori spices, charcoal-roasted.
• Bhatti Ka Murg (Tandoori Chicken, Half) — Half chicken marinated in yogurt, ginger-garlic and tandoori spices and roast in the tandoor.
• Murgh Malai Tikka (5 pieces) — Chicken in a creamy marinade of yogurt, cream, cream cheese and mild spice, charcoal-roasted.
• Lamb Seekh Kebab — Minced lamb with chopped onion and Indian spices, cooked in a charcoal oven.
• Kadak Seekh Kebab — Charcoal-roasted minced lamb, cheese-stuffed and deep fried.
• Mansoori Lamb Chops (4 pieces) — Lamb chops marinated in yogurt, herbs and spices, cooked in the charcoal tandoor.
• Hariyali Chicken Tikka (5 pieces) — Chicken marinated in fresh mint, coriander and spices, roasted over charcoal.
• Tandoori Fish Tikka — Fish in yogurt, ginger-garlic and tandoori spices, roasted over charcoal.
• Tandoori Prawns — Prawns marinated in yogurt, herbs and spices, cooked over charcoal.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Bhojan Papatoetoe located?

477 Great South Road, Papatoetoe, Auckland 2025, New Zealand.

How do I book a table?

Reserve online through Bhojan's Papatoetoe booking page, or call +64 9 600 1466 for reservations.

Does Bhojan offer takeaway or delivery?

Yes. You can order online for the Papatoetoe branch through the website, and the happy hour takeaway discount is added automatically at checkout.

What does the name Bhojan mean?

It comes from the Sanskrit 'Bhojana' and simply means the act of eating or having a meal — a word often used in Hindu culture in a ritual or ceremonial context.

Are there vegetarian options?

Plenty. The menu spans vegetarian chaat, tandoori paneer, tandoori soya chaap, dals, koftas and a full range of paneer and vegetable curries.

Is there food for children?

Yes, a dedicated kids menu with chicken nuggets, fish bites, cheese & broccoli bites, and mild butter chicken or butter paneer with rice.

Does Bhojan have other locations?

Yes, Bhojan also has a Royal Oak restaurant in Auckland; this listing covers the Papatoetoe branch on Great South Road.

Tips

• {"body":"Ordering takeaway through Bhojan's website automatically applies the happy hour discount at checkout — just pick your location and food.","title":"Order online for the happy hour deal"}
• {"body":"Tables can be reserved online via the Papatoetoe booking page, or by calling +64 9 600 1466.","title":"Book ahead"}
• {"body":"Share pani puri, dahi puri or samosa chaat before the mains — the street-food section is made for the middle of the table.","title":"Start with chaat"}
• {"body":"The kids menu covers fussy eaters with nuggets, fish bites and mild butter chicken or butter paneer served with rice.","title":"Bring the kids"}
• {"body":"Ask about the regional specialties — Southern Railways Lamb Curry, Gongura Chicken or Malabari seafood — for something beyond the usual curry night.","title":"Go regional"}

Good to know

• {"family":"Dedicated kids menu with nuggets, fish bites, cheese & broccoli bites and mild curries with rice.","dietary":"Extensive vegetarian selection, from chaat and dals to paneer curries and tandoori soya chaap.","payments":"Online ordering and reservations available through the website."}