An Indian restaurant and sweet shop on Great South Rd in Papatoetoe, Manukau City, Auckland. Halwai Sweets and Restaurant holds a 4.4 rating from 545 Google reviews, with diners praising the ras malai and frequently ordering jalebi, chole bhature and amritsari kulcha.
Halwai-style places differ from a standard curry house: the sweet counter leads, with mithai such as jalebi and ras malai made in batches through the day, while the kitchen turns out street-food snacks — chaat, samosas, chole bhature — alongside proper curries and breads. Regulars judge these shops on freshness, so it is worth asking when the sweets were made; a busy counter usually means quick turnover. They are as much an evening snack stop as a dinner destination, and larger ones often host family celebrations. Part sweet shop, part restaurant, this one sits on Papatoetoe's stretch of Great South Road, an easy stop for mithai and northern Indian cooking in South Auckland.