Spice Kitchen is an Indian takeaway restaurant at 490A Fergusson Drive, Trentham, Upper Hutt, specialising in authentic Indian cuisine prepared by qualified and experienced Indian chefs. The kitchen's mission is straightforward: deliver genuinely authentic Indian food that's both delicious and affordable.
The menu spans entrées, tandoori-cooked mains, chef's specials, a large vegetarian selection, seafood curries, Indo-Chinese dishes, biryanis and rice, a full range of Indian breads, side dishes and desserts. All mains come with complimentary rice, and dishes can be made to order across Mild, Medium, Hot or Indian Hot spice levels.
Spice Kitchen caters to a wide range of diners, with a strong vegetarian and vegan selection alongside the meat, seafood and Indo-Chinese dishes, and the team is happy to accommodate dietary restrictions or allergies on request. Fresh ingredients and traditional cooking techniques underpin the kitchen's approach to bringing what it describes as the rich and vibrant flavours of India to Upper Hutt.
On Fergusson Drive in Trentham, Spice Kitchen has built its name around a simple promise: authentic Indian food, prepared by qualified and experienced Indian chefs, at a price that doesn't stretch the budget. It's a takeaway-first setup, but the menu goes well beyond a standard curry-and-rice list.
The entrée section leans on tandoori and deep-fried classics — Onion Bhaji, Vege Samosa and Mixed Pakora sit alongside Chicken Tikka and Lamb Sheekh Kebab, both marinated overnight and finished in the tandoor for that distinctive smoky char. For anyone who can't decide, the Mixed Platter brings together onion bhaji, samosa, chicken tikka and sheekh kebab with salad, making it an easy way to sample several starters at once. Tandoori Chicken, marinated overnight in yoghurt and spices, rounds out the tandoor-cooked options as a whole-chicken option.
The mains menu covers the full spread of familiar Indian curry styles — Butter, Korma, Mango, Madras, Curry, Rogan Josh, Sagwala, Kadai, Vindaloo, Tikka Masala and Bhuna — each available with chicken or lamb. Every main comes with complimentary rice, and dishes can be adjusted to Mild, Medium, Hot or Indian Hot depending on how much heat you're after.
The Chef's Special section pushes a little further, with dishes like Jalfrezi, Handi, Mushroom Masala, Lababdar and Achari Masala, plus a Lemon & Honey Chicken for something sweeter, and Goat Curry for those wanting something outside the usual chicken-and-lamb rotation.
Spice Kitchen puts real weight behind its vegetarian offering, with a long Vegetarian Delight section spanning Malai Kofta, Butter Paneer, Palak Paneer, Dal Tadka, Dal Makhani and several potato-based dishes like Aloo Ghobi and Jeera Aloo — enough range that a vegetarian table doesn't have to settle for one or two token dishes.
Seafood gets its own section too, with Fish and Prawn versions of Madras, Curry, Butter and Vindaloo-style preparations, while the Indo-Chinese menu — Noodles, Veg Manchurian, Bombay Kebab, Chili Chicken and Chili Paneer among them — reflects a style of Indian-Chinese fusion food that's become a comfort-food staple in its own right.
Biryanis come in chicken, lamb, prawn and vegetable versions, alongside simpler jeera, coconut and plain rice options. The bread selection is extensive for a takeaway menu, running from plain Naan and Roti through to stuffed versions like Keema Naan, Paneer Naan, Kashmiri Naan and Chicken Naan. To finish, Gulab Jaumun, Mango Kulfi and Mango Lassi cover the classic Indian dessert and drink options.
Spice Kitchen makes a point of catering to dietary needs beyond the standard menu — vegetarian and vegan diners are well covered, and the kitchen accommodates allergies and other dietary restrictions on request. That inclusive approach, paired with fresh ingredients and traditional cooking techniques, is central to how the kitchen describes its own mission.
Spice Kitchen runs a split schedule: lunch service from 11am to 2pm, Monday to Saturday, and dinner from 4pm to 9pm, Monday to Sunday — meaning it's closed in the mid-afternoon gap between services. Orders can be placed online ahead of pickup, making it straightforward to plan a lunch or dinner run around the kitchen's hours.
For Upper Hutt locals after a proper Indian takeaway with real depth on the menu — from tandoori starters through to a genuinely broad vegetarian range — Spice Kitchen in Trentham is worth having on the regular rotation.