Indreni brings Nepalese and Indian cooking to Manukau Road in Royal Oak, with a kitchen that works in Indo-Nepalese traditional styles — earthy flavours, natural spices and chefs with years of experience behind the pass. The menu spans Indian, Nepalese, Indo-Chinese and North Indian dishes, from chicken momo sandheko and Indo-Chinese momo to samosa chaat, gunpowder prawns, mustard fish tikka, handi chicken, goat biryani and fresh garlic naan.
The welcome is part of the draw: the team talks about hosting guests 'all the way from Nepal to New Zealand', and reviewers agree, praising the lovely staff and consistent food — one regular even reports being greeted with a complimentary mango lassi on sunny days. Others single out the goat biryani, the saag kofta and what they call the best momo in the city.
Dine-in can be booked online for parties of one to fifteen, delivery runs to roughly seven kilometres with a $50 minimum order, and orders can be placed through the website or the Indreni Restaurant app on Google Play and the App Store. Catering is available for events, and a sister branch operates on pre-orders in Auckland CBD.
On a busy stretch of Manukau Road in Royal Oak, Indreni serves the food of two connected culinary worlds: the dumpling houses of Nepal and the tandoors and curry pots of India. The kitchen's stated mission is simple — bringing earthy flavours to life in Indo-Nepalese traditional styles — and it relies on chefs who bring years of past experience to the pass, working with natural spices to build what they call a traditional and culturally richer taste. The menu officially spans Indian, Nepalese, Indo-Chinese and North Indian cooking, which is why a single table can move comfortably from samosa chaat to sandheko to a handi curry.
Hospitality is treated as part of the meal. The team talks about welcoming guests 'all the way from Nepal to New Zealand', and repeat customers back that up: reviewers regularly single out the lovely staff, and one notes that on sunny days she was greeted with a complimentary mango lassi while waiting for her order.
Indreni's most-talked-about dish is momo, the steamed dumplings Nepal is famous for, and the kitchen takes them beyond one style. Chicken momo sandheko arrives tossed Nepali-style with spices and fresh aromatics, while the Indo-Chinese version adds a wok-tossed, spicy-savoury edge. It is a point of pride — one regular calls Indreni's 'the best Momo in the city'.
Around the momo sits a broad set of starters built for sharing: crisp onion bhaji, samosa chaat served street-food style, gunpowder prawns with real heat, squid rings with pickle mayo, mustard fish tikka, paneer shaslik skewers and achari broccoli in tangy pickling spices. It is a list that stretches comfortably from Indian classics to Indo-Chinese favourites.
The mains run equally deep. Handi chicken is cooked rich and aromatic in the handi style; soya chaap curry caters to plant-forward diners; baigan bharta brings smoky roasted eggplant; and saag kofta pairs soft dumplings with spiced spinach gravy. The goat biryani is named by returning customers as a firm favourite, and it is made for mopping up with garlic naan or flaky lachha paratha straight from the kitchen.
Reviews on the restaurant's own page hint at why people keep coming back: 'awesome food in affordable price', 'the service was beautiful and the food was amazing', and simple loyalty — 'I have been here several times and I must say the food and service has always been awesome.'
Dine-in is bookable online, with reservations open for parties of one to fifteen. If you would rather stay in, Indreni delivers within roughly seven kilometres of Royal Oak: delivery is free within about two kilometres, then charged in steps out to seven kilometres, with a minimum order of $50. Orders can also be placed through the restaurant's website or the Indreni Restaurant app on Google Play and the App Store.
Royal Oak is the original face of a small family of branches — Indreni also runs an Auckland CBD kitchen on Anzac Avenue, which operates on pre-orders. Catering is available for events through the website, and the restaurant shares news and dishes on Facebook and TikTok.
One cultural note: the restaurant closes for Dashain, Nepal's most significant cultural festival, a time for family gatherings, blessings and traditions. If you are planning a visit around early October, it is worth checking ahead.
For Royal Oak locals, Indreni has become an easy answer to two different cravings at once: a proper curry night with fresh bread, and a plate of steaming momo made by people who grew up with them. Both arrive with the same warm welcome.