Master of India is an authentic Indian restaurant on Bridge Street in Ahuriri, Napier, and it describes itself without blushing as the best place for family and friends. That confidence is earned the ordinary way — regulars returning for their usual curry, staff who know the menu well enough to steer you right, and a room that works just as hard at a weekday lunch as it does on a busy Saturday night.
The restaurant runs a split day: lunch from 12.00pm to 2.00pm every day of the week, then dinner from 4.30pm, finishing at 9.30pm Monday to Thursday and Sunday, and at 10.00pm on Friday and Saturday. Because the kitchen closes between services, timing matters when you plan a visit. Both dining in and ordering in are easy — tables can be booked online in advance, and the online ordering system covers home delivery and takeaways across Napier.
The kitchen puts its chef specials front and centre: Mango Kulfi, Onion Bhaji, Tangoli Kebab, Vegetable Samosa, Fish Tikka and Gulab Jamun. Around them sits the classic Indian repertoire diners hope for — tandoori chicken, chicken malai tikka, chicken tikka masala, chicken bhuna and dal makhani, with fresh breads for mopping up. Flexibility is stated policy, not an afterthought: many options are available for customers with food allergies as well as vegetarian and vegan diners, and the team simply asks that you talk to staff about what they can do for you.
Guests do a lot of the describing themselves. Reviews on the restaurant's own site repeat the same words — service, value and delicious — and describe everything from a Tandoori Combo shared before mains to a full takeaway order of curries, breads and gulab jamun that was, in one diner's words, perfect. Between booths for small groups, a bar area with Sky Sport for bigger ones, and a private function room for up to seventy people, Master of India can flex from a quiet dinner for two to a full-room celebration without changing character.
Master of India sits on Bridge Street in Ahuriri, Napier, and describes itself without blushing as an authentic Indian restaurant and the best place for family and friends. That confidence is earned the ordinary way — regulars returning for their usual curry, staff who know the menu well enough to steer you right, and a room that handles a quick weekday lunch and a long, unhurried dinner with equal ease.
The restaurant runs a split day: lunch from 12.00pm to 2.00pm every day of the week, then dinner from 4.30pm, finishing at 9.30pm Monday to Thursday and Sunday and at 10.00pm on Friday and Saturday. Because the kitchen closes between services, timing matters when you plan a visit. Both dining in and ordering in are easy — tables can be booked online in advance, and the online ordering system covers home delivery and takeaways across Napier.
The kitchen puts its chef specials front and centre: Mango Kulfi, Onion Bhaji, Tangoli Kebab, Vegetable Samosa, Fish Tikka and Gulab Jamun. Around them sits the classic Indian repertoire diners hope for — tandoori chicken, chicken malai tikka, chicken tikka masala, chicken bhuna and dal makhani, with fresh breads for mopping up. A Tandoori Combo starter exists for exactly the right reason: to share while you decide on mains.
Guests do a lot of the describing themselves. One diner, on a second visit with her parents, called the experience consistent and quite positive and singled out a proactive, well-equipped team. Another arrived at nine and was among the last to leave because, as they put it, every morsel was to be savoured — a shared Tandoori Combo before mains, and a wine choice that really complemented the flavours. A third review reads like a tour of the kitchen: chicken malai tikka, tandoori chicken, dal makhani, chicken bhuna and chicken tikka masala with breads, then gulab jamun as a takeaway — everything, they said, was perfect, with outstanding customer service on top.
The words that recur across those reviews are service, value and delicious. That trio, more than any single dish, is what Master of India has become known for.
Flexibility is stated policy here, not an afterthought. The team notes that many options are available for customers with food allergies as well as vegetarian and vegan diners, and asks anyone with a requirement simply to talk to staff about what can be done. Online, the menu splits neatly into takeaway, dine-in, vegan, drinks, combo deals, lunch specials and dinner — a structure that makes planning an order or an evening straightforward, whether you are a first-timer or a regular lunch crowd member.
The seating is unusually well thought through. Soft, comfortable booths offer privacy for up to six people — a favourite for smaller gatherings. The bar area pairs high tables with cushioned chairs and a big TV showing Sky Sport, seating groups of up to twelve. The main dining area stretches from a table for one to large group bookings.
For bigger occasions there is a private function room, catering for up to seventy people with a set menu; the restaurant invites enquiries for details. Between booths, bar and function space, the same kitchen can host a quiet dinner for two or a full-room party.
You will find the restaurant at 79 Bridge Street, Ahuriri, Napier 4110 — reach the team on 06-834 3440 or at [email protected], and follow along on Facebook or Instagram. Book a booth, bring the family, claim the bar for the game, or order a curry to your door; the offer is the same in every case — authentic Indian food in Napier, served by people who treat hospitality as the main event.