Empress Kitchen – Indian Cuisine is a family-owned eatery at 177 Sandringham Road, in the heart of Sandringham, serving soulful, homestyle Indian dishes packed with tradition, spice, and warmth. Step into a welcoming space where the aroma of fresh herbs, slow-cooked curries, and sizzling tandoori dishes fills the air — the unmistakable scent of a kitchen that takes its time.
The menu leans on the classics done properly: buttery Chicken Tikka Masala, aromatic biryani, crispy samosas to start, and flavourful Vegetarian Specials that are dishes in their own right. Whether you love your food mild or spicy, there's something to suit every palate, and every bite is a small celebration of India's rich culinary heritage.
Empress Kitchen prides itself on quality ingredients, generous portions, and genuine hospitality. It's an easy choice for a casual meal with friends, a family dinner, or a quick takeaway on the go, with vegan and gluten-free options available so mixed groups are always covered.
Dine in, grab a takeaway, or order online — if you're craving real Indian comfort food that tastes just like home, this is the spot locals call a hidden gem in Auckland's vibrant Sandringham neighbourhood.
Empress Kitchen – Indian Cuisine sits at 177 Sandringham Road, in the middle of one of Auckland's most vibrant food neighbourhoods. This family-owned eatery is all about serving soulful, homestyle dishes packed with tradition, spice, and warmth — the sort of Indian comfort food that, as the team puts it, tastes just like home. Family ownership shows up in the cooking, which leans on tradition rather than shortcuts.
Step through the door and the kitchen makes the introductions. The air is filled with the aroma of fresh herbs, slow-cooked curries, and sizzling tandoori dishes, and the welcome is as warm as the food. It's a casual, welcoming room rather than a formal one — the kind of place where you can settle in for a relaxed meal without any fuss.
The menu is organised into entrees, mains, sides and salads, and a rice and noodle section — a proper run through an Indian kitchen, with every bite a small celebration of India's rich culinary heritage. Sides and salads round out the table, and the rice and noodle section covers the comforting staples that tie a curry dinner together.
Certain dishes have clearly earned their place at the top of the list. The buttery Chicken Tikka Masala is the kind of rich, comforting curry people come back for, and the aromatic biryani is a house anchor. Crispy samosas are the natural way to start a meal, while the flavourful Vegetarian Specials make sure plant-based diners are well looked after rather than treated as an afterthought.
Spice is in the diner's hands here. Whether you love your food mild or properly fiery, there's something on the menu to suit every palate. If it's your first visit, the safest route is the classics: tikka masala for the butter-curry crowd, biryani for the fragrant-rice crowd, samosas to share, and a Vegetarian Special on the side for the table.
Empress Kitchen prides itself on quality ingredients, generous portions, and genuine hospitality. It shows in the details: curries that have clearly been given time, plates that leave you full, and service with real warmth behind it.
It's also an easy restaurant to say yes to. It works just as well for a casual meal with friends as it does for a family dinner, and if you're in a hurry, a quick takeaway on the go is always on the cards. Vegan and gluten-free options are available, which makes it a genuinely practical choice for groups with mixed dietary preferences — no one at the table has to settle.
Prefer to eat at home? You can order online for pickup, or make a reservation through the website if you're planning ahead for a bigger table.
Hours run in two services: lunch from 11:30am to 2:30pm, then dinner from 5:00pm to 9:50pm. That schedule applies Monday and Wednesday through Sunday — the restaurant is closed on Tuesdays, so time your curry craving accordingly, and note the afternoon gap between services if you're planning a mid-afternoon visit.
Ask the locals and you'll hear Empress Kitchen described as a hidden gem in Sandringham — a small family kitchen turning out real Indian comfort food in one of Auckland's most vibrant neighbourhoods. Whether you dine in, grab a takeaway, or order online, the promise is the same: honest, homestyle Indian food, cooked with spice, tradition, and warmth.