Novelty Sweets & Restaurant in Sydenham is the Christchurch branch of a New Zealand-wide Indian sweets and restaurant brand, serving pure vegetarian Indian food and authentic Desi Ghee (clarified butter) Indian sweets. The business describes its food as bringing the authentic taste of Punjab to New Zealand, drawing on North Indian cuisine, South Indian cuisine and Indo-Chinese dishes alongside a full range of traditional Indian sweets from across India.
Novelty positions itself as a leading Indian sweets brand in New Zealand, with branches across both the North and South Islands. The Sydenham store on Wordsworth Street offers dine-in, takeaway and delivery, giving Christchurch customers access to the same 100% vegetarian menu and sweets counter found at the brand's other locations.
Customers highlight the restaurant as one of the few fully vegetarian options in their area, and mention dishes like chole bhature and bread pokera among their favourites, alongside the shop's range of Indian sweets.
On Wordsworth Street in Sydenham, Novelty Sweets & Restaurant brings a fully vegetarian slice of Indian cuisine and traditional sweets to Christchurch. The store is part of a wider New Zealand-wide Novelty brand, which was built on the idea of bringing the authentic taste of Punjab to Kiwi customers through pure Desi Ghee (clarified butter) Indian sweets and pure vegetarian Indian food.
Rather than sticking to one regional style, Novelty's menu draws on North Indian cuisine, South Indian cuisine and Indo-Chinese dishes, alongside a dedicated range of traditional Indian sweets sourced from recipes across the country. For anyone after a Chatpata (tingling) flavour hit or a craving for something sweet, the restaurant aims to have it covered in one visit.
As its name suggests, sweets are central to what Novelty does. The brand describes itself as a leading Indian sweets business in New Zealand, and the Sydenham store carries that same sweets counter alongside its restaurant menu, meaning customers can pick up traditional sweets like gulab jamun as easily as they can order a full meal.
Regulars single out dishes like chole bhature and bread pokera as favourites, and several reviewers note that Novelty is one of the few genuinely all-vegetarian restaurants in their area, making it a reliable choice for vegetarian diners rather than a restaurant offering a token meat-free menu.
The Sydenham branch, like Novelty's other stores, is set up for dine-in, takeaway and delivery ordering, so customers can eat in or order ahead for collection. The restaurant can be reached directly on 03 365 2677 or by email at [email protected].
Novelty operates stores across both the North and South Islands of New Zealand, including other Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington-region locations, and continues to expand through franchising. For Christchurch customers, the Sydenham store offers a local, easy-to-reach option for pure vegetarian Indian food and sweets without needing to travel further afield.