Bhojan Indian Restaurant and Bar Royal Oak

About Bhojan Indian Restaurant and Bar Royal Oak

Bhojan Indian Restaurant and Bar on Mount Albert Road in Royal Oak, Auckland, takes its name from the Sanskrit word 'bhojana' — the act of eating a meal — and its philosophy from the phrase ghar jaisa khana: food like home. It is a restaurant and bar where a team of talented chefs works with fresh ingredients sourced both locally and from India, bringing authentic spices and traditional regional recipes to a warm, vibrant dining room designed to feel like the streets of India.

The menu is broad and deeply Indian. It opens with a full chaat and street-food section — pani puri, bhelpuri, sev puri, aloo tikki and samosa chaat, vada pav and dabeli — before moving to the charcoal tandoor for paneer tikka, soya chaap, tandoori chicken, seekh kebabs and lamb chops. Curries cover chicken, lamb, goat and seafood alongside an extensive vegetarian list of paneer dishes, dals and vegetable classics, with Indo-Chinese plates, biryani, side dishes, sweets, mini thalis and naan breads rounding things out, plus a dedicated kids menu for younger diners.

The Royal Oak branch is the group's head office location, with a sister restaurant on Great South Road in Papatoetoe. Tables can be reserved online or by phone, and takeaway orders placed through the website have a discount applied automatically at checkout.

Bhojan Indian Restaurant & Bar, Royal Oak: Chaat, Tandoor and Homestyle Curries in Auckland

On Mount Albert Road in Royal Oak, Bhojan Indian Restaurant and Bar does exactly what its name promises. 'Bhojan' comes from the Sanskrit word 'bhojana' — the simple act of eating a meal — a word used in Hindu culture often in a ritualistic, celebratory sense. That spirit runs through the whole place: this is a restaurant and bar built around the idea that a meal should feel generous, familiar and a little bit festive. The kitchen sums up its aim in three words: ghar jaisa khana — food like home.

The team describes its culinary journey as an adventure through the heart of India, where authentic spices and traditional recipes come together in mouthwatering dishes. In practice that means talented chefs working with fresh, quality ingredients sourced both locally and from India, and a menu that travels confidently from the street corners of Mumbai to the charcoal tandoors of the north. The dining room is designed to be vibrant and welcoming — ambiance that makes you feel like India, as the restaurant puts it — whether you are settling in for a long curry dinner or a quick plate of chaat.

The chaat counter is where to start

Bhojan's most distinctive section is its chaat list — twelve takes on India's street-food classics. Pani puri arrives as crispy, hollow puris to fill with boiled potato and black chickpeas, then douse in spicy tangy water and sweet chutney. Bhelpuri tosses puffed rice with tamarind and green chutneys, roasted peanuts and chaat masala, while aloo tikki chaat tops fried potato patties with yogurt, chutneys and a scattering of nylon sev. There's samosa chaat, sev puri, dahi puri, papdi chaat, paneer chaat and chana jor garam for the devoted, plus vada pav and dabeli — spiced potato tucked into a soft dinner roll — for a quick, cheerful taste of Mumbai.

From the charcoal tandoor

Then comes the tandoor, which anchors both the vegetarian and non-vegetarian entree lists. Vegetarian picks include paneer ke sholey, tandoori paneer tikka, hariyali paneer tikka, tandoori mushroom and tandoori soya chaap, all marinated in yogurt and spices and grilled over charcoal; there's even a tandoori falahari chaat of smoky grilled fruit. On the meat side, choose tandoori drumsticks, Old Gold chicken tikka, creamy murgh malai tikka, chicken gilafi kebab, lamb seekh kebabs, cheese-stuffed kadak seekh kebab, Mansoori lamb chops, tandoori fish tikka or tandoori prawns — or commit to Bhatti ka murg, a whole tandoori chicken marinated in yogurt, ginger and garlic with special tandoori spices.

Curries for every palate at the table

The curry list is long by design. Chicken classics run from butter chicken and chicken tikka masala to korma, Madras, saagwala, Mughlai, vindaloo, mango chicken and a gongura chicken. The lamb section includes rogan josh, lamb saagwala, lamb korma and a Southern Railways lamb curry with dates and tamarind; goat appears as goat curry, goat kadai and goat saagwala, and the seafood list runs from malabari prawns to fish tikka masala. Vegetarians are treated as a primary audience rather than an afterthought: palak paneer, kadai paneer, paneer tikka masala, malai kofta, dal makhani, baingan bharta, aloo gobi and Bhojan's own soya chaap curry and smoky paneer angara. The full menu also lists Indo-Chinese dishes, biryani, side dishes, sweets and mini thalis, and a basket of naan — plain, butter, garlic or cheese garlic — is the obvious partner for all of it.

Bringing children? There's a dedicated kids menu with chicken nuggets and chips, fish bites and chips, cheese and broccoli bites, and milder butter chicken or butter paneer with rice.

Planning a visit

Bhojan Royal Oak takes table reservations through its website booking system, and there's a phone line for bookings as well. Takeaway is available via the restaurant's online ordering platform, where a website discount is applied automatically at checkout — an easy weeknight option. This Mount Albert Road dining room is the group's head office location, and a sister branch operates on Great South Road in Papatoetoe. The restaurant posts menu news on its blog and shares updates on Facebook and Instagram, and customer reviews are showcased on its homepage. Whether you come for a plate of pani puri, a whole tandoori chicken or a bowl of dal makhani, the brief stays the same: food like home, served in the heart of Royal Oak.

Signature items

• Butter Chicken
• Pani Puri
• Bhatti Ka Murg
• Tandoori Paneer Tikka
• Samosa Chaat
• Lamb Rogan Josh

Menu

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 Malabari spices.
• Prawns Masala — Prawns in a richly spiced tomato tikka masala gravy with Indian spices.
• Fish Curry — Fish pieces 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-marinated fish finished in a richly spiced tomato tikka masala gravy.

Kids Menu

• Chicken Nuggets & Chips — Crispy chicken nuggets served with chips.
• Fish Bites & Chips — Golden fish bites served with chips.
• Cheese & Broccoli Bites — A kid-friendly serve of cheese and broccoli bites.
• Butter Chicken & Rice — Mild butter chicken served with rice.
• Butter Paneer & Rice — Mild butter paneer served with rice.
• Frymes — A basket of fries.

Naan Breads

• Plain Naan — The classic tandoor-baked flatbread and curry partner.
• Butter Naan — Naan finished with butter.
• Garlic Naan — Naan topped with garlic.
• Cheese Garlic Naan — Naan with cheese and garlic, baked in the tandoor.

Goat Curries

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

Indian Chaat

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

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-marinated lamb finished in a richly spiced tomato tikka masala gravy.
• Lamb Vindaloo — Lamb cooked in a hot and tangy Goan sauce.
• Lamb Korma — Mild lamb marinated in cardamom, cinnamon and yogurt in a slow-cooked gravy.
• Lamb Mughlai — Lean lamb in a thick curry sauce with aromatics, cream and nutty ingredients.
• Chef Special Lamb — Lean lamb pieces 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 — Boneless chicken with tomato, onion, garlic, ginger, curry leaves and secret spices.
• Chicken Korma — Mild dish of chicken marinated in cardamom, cinnamon and yogurt, slow cooked.
• Chicken Madras — South Indian-style curry with coconut gravy and red chilli sauce.
• Chicken Saagwala — Northwest Indian-style boneless chicken in a mild spinach sauce.
• Mango Chicken — Boneless chicken in mango-flavoured cream with a lightly spiced sauce.
• Chicken Mughlai — Juicy boneless chicken in a thick sauce of aromatics, cream and nutty ingredients.
• Chicken Vindaloo — Boneless chicken 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 Bhojan-style with fresh tomato, the traditional way.
• Murgh ki Chingari — Boneless chicken with exotic smoky flavours in Bhojan's special smoky gravy.
• Chicken Tikka Masala — Tandoor-marinated chicken finished in a richly spiced tomato tikka masala gravy.
• RA-RA Chicken — Tender boneless chicken in Bhojan's Ra-Ra gravy of minced chicken, tomatoes and spices.

Vegetarian Curries

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

Vegetarian Entrees

• Vegetable Samosa (2 Pcs) — Deep-fried conical pastry stuffed with spiced potatoes and peas.
• Onion Bhaji — Spiced onion mix in 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 Pcs) — 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 mint, coriander and spices, roasted over charcoal.
• Tandoori Soya Chaap — Soya pieces marinated in yogurt, sauces and spices, grilled in the tandoor.
• Tandoori Falahari Chaat — Seasonal fruits marinated in yogurt and spices, grilled for a smoky twist.

Non-Vegetarian Entrees

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

What does the name 'Bhojan' mean?

Bhojan is a Hindi word from the Sanskrit 'bhojana', meaning the act of eating a meal — commonly used in Hindu culture in a ritualistic or ceremonial context.

Where is Bhojan Royal Oak located?

At 563 Mount Albert Road, Royal Oak, Auckland 1023, New Zealand — the group's head office location, with a sister branch on Great South Road in Papatoetoe.

Can I book a table?

Yes. Reservations for the Royal Oak branch can be made through the booking link on the Bhojan website, or by calling +64 9 600 1466.

Is there a kids menu?

Yes. It includes chicken nuggets and chips, fish bites and chips, cheese and broccoli bites, butter chicken with rice, butter paneer with rice and fries.

Are there good vegetarian options?

Very — there are dedicated vegetarian entree and curry sections, from chaat and tandoori paneer to dal makhani, palak paneer, malai kofta and soya chaap curry.

Can I order takeaway online?

Yes. Orders placed through the restaurant's website automatically have a discount applied at checkout.

What are the opening hours?

The website doesn't publish opening hours for the Royal Oak branch, so it's best to call +64 9 600 1466 to confirm before visiting.

Tips

• {"body":"Takeaway orders placed through the Bhojan website get the current deal applied automatically at checkout — no code needed.","title":"Order online for an automatic discount"}
• {"body":"The chaat section is the menu's standout — pani puri, bhelpuri and samosa chaat make great shareable starters.","title":"Start with the chaat"}
• {"body":"The curry list spans mild kormas and butter chicken through to hot, tangy vindaloo, so pick to suit the table.","title":"Know your heat"}
• {"body":"Reserve a table via the website's booking system or call +64 9 600 1466, especially for tandoor platters worth planning around.","title":"Book ahead"}

Good to know

• {"family":"Dedicated kids menu with nuggets, fish bites, cheese & broccoli bites and mild curries with rice.","dietary":"Extensive vegetarian menu — chaat, paneer, dal and vegetable curries — plus tandoori and Indo-Chinese options."}