Mela Eatery on George Street brings the flavours of the Indian subcontinent to the heart of Dunedin — and the name tells you exactly what kind of place it is. 'Mela' means gathering or fair in several South Asian languages, and this restaurant, the George Street branch of a small local group that also runs Mela Eatery Octagon, is built around that spirit: freshly prepared dishes, rich spices, and a table where friends and families can settle in any day of the week.
The kitchen describes its menu as a tapestry of flavours from across the subcontinent with a contemporary twist, and it genuinely ranges. There are Nepalese momos — steamed dumplings served plain, with chilli, or as jhol momos in a soupy broth — plus thukpa, the hearty noodle soup. An Indo-Chinese section covers chilli chicken, Chicken 65, fried rice and chow mein, while the curry board features classics like butter chicken, chicken korma, dal fry and palak paneer, with plenty of vegetarian choices throughout.
Inside, modern elegance meets traditional charm: warm hues, intricate decor and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere that works for a quick lunch just as well as a long dinner. The team's stated ethos is simple — authentic flavours, warm hospitality, and food as a universal language.
Mela Eatery George Street serves lunch Tuesday to Saturday from 12:00pm to 2:00pm and dinner Tuesday to Sunday from 5:00pm to 9:00pm, closing Mondays. Reservations can be made through the website or by phone, and online ordering is available for those nights when you'd rather stay in. Note there are two Melas in Dunedin — this one is at 375 George Street.
On George Street, a few steps from the centre of Dunedin, Mela Eatery does exactly what its name promises. "Mela" means gathering or fair in several South Asian languages, and this restaurant — the George Street branch of a small local group that also runs Mela Eatery Octagon — is built around that idea: freshly prepared dishes, rich spices, and a table where friends and families are welcome to linger.
Step inside and the room sets the tone. Warm hues and intricate decor blend modern elegance with traditional charm — an atmosphere the team describes as a culinary oasis in the heart of the city. It's a setting that works as easily for a quick city-centre lunch as it does for a longer dinner where the conversation outruns the plates.
The kitchen describes its cooking as a tapestry of flavours from across the Indian subcontinent, infused with a contemporary twist — and the menu genuinely roams. It opens in Nepal, with momos: the beloved steamed dumplings that have become a street-food obsession across the Himalayas and beyond. Order them plain as veg momos, spiked with chilli, or as jhol momos, served in a soupy, spoonable broth in veg or chicken form. Alongside them sits thukpa, the hearty noodle soup that doubles as a meal in a bowl, again with a veg or chicken option.
The second strand is Indo-Chinese — the fiery, wok-driven cooking that pairs Indian spice with Chinese technique. Chilli chicken leads the way, with Chicken 65, fried rice and chow mein rounding out a section built for sharing.
The third is the curry board proper. Butter chicken is the headline act — the restaurant's own write-up names it among its classic favourites — joined by chicken korma for those who like their heat gentle, dal fry for comforting lentils, and palak paneer for a vegetarian main with real presence. Vegetarians are well served across the whole menu, from the momo section through to the curries.
Mela Eatery George Street runs two services. Lunch is a short, sharp affair, Tuesday to Saturday from 12:00pm to 2:00pm — worth planning around if you're on a workday break. Dinner runs Tuesday to Sunday from 5:00pm to 9:00pm, and the kitchen rests on Mondays. If the evening is busy or the weather is grim, you can skip the trip entirely: online ordering is available through the restaurant's website, powered by Order Meal — just make sure you select the George Street branch rather than its Octagon sibling.
Reservations can be made through the website too, or by calling the restaurant directly on +64 3 470 1652.
A practical note for anyone arranging to meet friends: there are two Melas in Dunedin. This one is at 375 George Street; the other, Mela Eatery Octagon, sits at 11 The Octagon with its own phone line and slightly different hours. Double-check which one you're heading for before you set off — few things derail a dinner plan faster than standing outside the wrong Mela.
What ties both rooms together is the group's stated ethos: authentic flavours, warm hospitality, and the belief that food is a universal language. Whether that translates into a platter of momos demolished between friends, a steaming thukpa on a cold Dunedin evening, or a proper curry spread with all the classics, the idea is the same — taste, tradition and togetherness, every single day, exactly as the menu promises.