Gunpowder Indian Restaurant brings a broad Indian menu to Victoria Street in central Christchurch, with weekday lunch and dinner available every day. The city location works equally well for a quick midday meal and a longer evening visit, because the selection stretches from small plates and charcoal-grilled starters to curries, rice, breads and drinks. Its range is the main attraction: diners can build a familiar curry dinner, explore the tandoor section, or combine several contrasting dishes for the table.
The charcoal tandoor supplies some of the menu's strongest variety. Paneer tikka and soya chaap give meat-free diners substantial choices, while mushrooms are marinated and grilled for another vegetable-led option. Chicken appears as both tikka and a full tandoori preparation, and the same high-heat cooking extends to king prawns, lamb chops and fish Amritsari. Ordering across that section brings smoky edges, spiced marinades and different textures together before a curry even reaches the table.
For a more sauce-focused meal, butter chicken combines tomato and cream with a finishing note of fenugreek, while chicken tikka masala places tandoor-cooked pieces into a tomato-based curry. Chicken korma takes a milder, creamier direction with cashew and almond. Each is served with basmati rice, but the bread list makes it easy to vary the meal further: plain and garlic naan sit alongside onion or paneer kulcha, aloo paratha, tandoori paratha and filled naan options.
That breadth makes Gunpowder useful for groups whose preferences do not line up neatly. A table can mix chicken, lamb, seafood and vegetarian tandoor plates, then add rice, breads and accompaniments according to appetite. Mango lassi offers a cooling drink beside the spices, while sweeter breads such as Kashmiri naan can introduce fruit and nut notes among the savoury dishes. The result is a flexible Indian meal built around sharing, with enough distinct sections to reward both cautious and adventurous ordering.
Address: 53 Victoria Street, Christchurch Central City 8013, New Zealand
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Gunpowder Indian Restaurant Menu
Starter
All mains are served with basmati rice. For dairy free or gluten free requests, please ask the duty manager.
GUNPOWDER SIZZLING PLATTER
Each 2 pieces of lamb chop, fish amritsari, tandoori prawn, chicken tikka.
VEG SIZZLING PLATTER
Each 2 pieces of vegetable samosa, onion bhaji, paneer tikka, tandoori mushroom.
GUNPOWDER PLATTER
Each 2 pieces of lamb chop, spicy gunpowder chicken tikka, vegetable samosa, onion bhaji.
VEGETABLE SAMOSA
Potatoes, peas, cumin seeds, spices and herbs wrapped in homemade pastry and deep fried. Two pieces per portion.
ONION BHAJI
Crispy onion fritters mixed with herbs and chickpea flour. Three pieces per portion.
CHEESE PAKORA
Indian cheese layered with coriander, dipped in chickpea batter and fried.
HONEY CHILLI CAULIFLOWER / POTATO
Marinated cauliflower or potato with mustard and spices, fried and tossed with maple syrup.
CRISPY POTATOES
Deep fried and salted chunky potatoes.
CRISPY CHICKEN
Chicken pieces dipped in ginger, garlic and flour paste, deep fried and served with creamy sauce.
CHEESE CHILLI
Paneer pieces mixed with ginger, garlic, cornflour and soya sauce, then fried.
CHILLI CHICKEN
Chicken pieces fried with ginger, garlic, cornflour and soya sauce.
Charcoal Tandoor
PANEER TIKKA
Homemade Indian cheese marinated in yoghurt and spices. Six pieces per portion.
SOYA CHAAP TIKKA
Soya chaap marinated in spices and yoghurt, cooked over charcoal in the tandoor. Five pieces per portion.
TANDOORI MUSHROOM
Mushrooms marinated in traditional masala with fresh herbs, spices and yoghurt, then cooked in the tandoor.
TANDOORI MALAI BROCCOLI
Fresh broccoli marinated in cheese, butter and fresh ground spices, cooked in the tandoor.
TANDOORI FISH AMRITSARI
Fish marinated in traditional masala with fresh herbs and spices, then slowly cooked in the tandoor.
TANDOORI KING PRAWN
King prawns marinated with herbs, spices and a touch of cream. Eight pieces per portion.
MURGHI TIKKA
Chicken marinated in spices and yoghurt, skewered and roasted in the tandoor. Six pieces per portion.
TANDOORI CHICKEN
Chicken marinated in traditional masala with herbs, spices and yoghurt, then cooked in the tandoor.
LAMB CHOPS
Fresh ginger flavoured young lamb cutlets marinated in yoghurt and tandoor masala. Three pieces per portion.
Chef Signature Special
MURG MAKHANI (Butter Chicken)
The most popular Indian dish, cooked in a mild butter sauce with a touch of fenugreek.
HARIYALI PANEER
Homemade cottage cheese cooked in a spinach gravy with fresh tomatoes, herbs and spices.
BAIGAN BHARTA
Eggplant roasted in the tandoor, then mashed and cooked with garlic and spices.
GOAN FISH & PRAWN
A classic Goan specialty curry cooked in a creamy sauce with mustard and capsicum.
LAMB ROGAN JOSH
Lamb cooked with aromatic cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, coriander and garam masala.
LAMB SHANK
Lamb cooked with aromatic cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, coriander and garam masala.
GOAT CURRY
Goat meat cooked with aromatic cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, coriander and garam masala.
Curries From Pot
TIKKA MASALA
KORMA
JALFREZI
VINDALOO
MADRASS
SAAGWALA
KADAI
MANGO
Seafood In Curries
PRAWN SAAGWALA / FISH SAAGWALA
PRAWN MALABARI / FISH MALABARI
PRAWN MADRASS / FISH MADRASS
PRAWN MASALA / FISH MASALA
Vegetarian Curries
DAL MAKHNI
TARKA DAAL
PANEER MAKHNI
KADAI PANEER
MATAR PANEER
MUSHROOM MASALA
VEG JALFREZI
VEG KORMA
KADAI CHAAP
ALOO GOBI
BUTTER VEGETABLES
Vegan
VEGAN BUTTER CHICKEN
VEGAN MIXED VEGETABLES
VEGAN CHIC SAAG
VEGAN JALFREZI
VINDALOO CHAAP
Rice Dishes
SAADA CHAWAL
JEERA RICE / PEAS PULAO
KASHMIRI PULAO
VEGETABLE BIRYANI
CHICKEN OR LAMB BIRYANI
Banquet
GUNPOWDER BANQUET $50.00 per person. Starters: one samosa, one onion bhaji and Gunpowder special tikka. Main course: each person can choose one main from the menu. Served with basmati rice and plain naan bread.
GUNPOWDER BANQUET
Starters: one samosa, one onion bhaji and Gunpowder special tikka. Main course: each person can choose one main from the menu. Served with basmati rice and plain naan bread.
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Against typical prices in Christchurch
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