India Today has been run by Sunny and his family in New Plymouth since 2001, combining North Indian cooking with Malaysian Indian influences in its Devon Street dining room. The chefs prepare dishes from scratch, and a dedicated tandoor specialist brings particular attention to marinades, breads and high-heat cooking. The restaurant supports dine-in meals as well as pickup and delivery, so the same kitchen serves both celebratory tables and practical weeknight orders. A full drinks programme and a polished interior make it more than a curry takeaway despite that flexibility.
The entree list encourages a broad first order. Papadums arrive with three house dips, while chicken tikka is marinated overnight in yoghurt and spices before meeting the tandoor. Mushroom-cheese pakora, onion bhaji and vegetable samosa cover crisp vegetarian choices. Seekh kebab brings spiced lamb mince from the tandoor, and steamed chicken momos add a Tibetan-influenced dumpling. Amritsari fish uses ginger, garlic and lime in its coating, while prawns finished with soy and ginger wine show the menu's willingness to move beyond one regional vocabulary.
Main courses range from familiar favourites to slower, deeper preparations. Grandma's chicken curry sits beside biryani, korma, butter chicken, tikka masala and tandoori chicken on a sizzling plate. Lamb saag combines meat with spinach, tomato, ginger and garlic, while beef vindaloo takes a hotter Goan direction. Goat is cooked slowly with seven spices. Vegetarian diners can build a meal around black or yellow dal, roasted eggplant, saag paneer, paneer tikka masala, malai kofta or vegetable Manchurian, supported by rice, chutneys and breads from the tandoor.
The connected Koi side of the menu expands the meal into Malaysian and wider Asian flavours. Green curry uses lemongrass, galangal and coconut cream; chilli chicken is finished in an Indo-Chinese style; and beef rendang, Malaysian-influenced fish and aromatic prawns add further routes through coconut, spice and herbs. Garlic naan, roti, paratha and several rice choices make it easy to shape the meal around sauces. Indian dessert or a hot chocolate brownie can follow, while beer, wine, cocktails, mango lassi and alcohol-free drinks accommodate a full evening at the table.
Address: 36–38 Devon Street East (On the Hill), New Plymouth 4310, New Zealand
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