Little India Spitfire — Restaurant in Christchurch

Please do not go if you are a strict vegan.

I went to eat at this restaurant during my layover at the Christchurch Airport. I am a strict vegan and i ordered the vegan thali (vegetarian thali, vegan on request). The manager was kind and had no problems with it, i waited for maybe 10 minutes and the thali was brought to me. It looked amazing, a good spread for a vegetarian thali, but because of this i was a little suspicious of it being vegan. The manager placed the thali on my table and went to the cash register. I called him back to confirm that the thali was vegan, he confirmed that it is (although he denies remembering that he confirmed this). Anyway, having received confirmation i was very happy with the thali and even clicked a photo of it to show my other vegan friends what little India can provide on a vegan thali. I digged into the thali, and when i was taking the second bite the manager comes back telling me that the thali isn't vegan (i appreciate him doing this, some people wouldn't have corrected the mistake). He took the plate away and brought me another thali 5 minutes later (although a lot less impressive than the previous one). I finished my meal and went to the register to pay for the meal and express my concern about how the first thali turned out. My anger was not on the mistake of him bringing a vegetarian thali when i asked for a vegan one, but confirming that it is vegan when it wasn't even if the manager was unaware (would've appreciated a double check with the chef). My anger then increased when the manager started being defensive, saying that i didn't even eat any of the non vegan thali(when i had) and also saying that he doesn't remember confirming that it was vegan. Anyway the manager accepted that it was a mistake and insisted that the meal was free, even though i insisted to pay. While i appreciate this gesture, the carelessness around providing for a dietary restriction was extremely unprofessional, specially when claiming that it is vegan.

Anyway, big rant over. I would suggest against this place if you are a strict vegan. Unless the restaurant does become...

Disappointing customer service from the manager, Naresh Kumar that literally is the reason for this review - to us it was belittling and appalling to witness such customer service.

My husband and I headed to Little India (near Christchurch airport) to take away a meal after a long day in Christchurch. On arrival & while taking our order, the duty manager, Naresh stopped taking our order to attend to another customer who had walked in after us. He did not excuse himself, he just began speaking to the other customer and ignored us. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, we proceeded to place our order.

While placing the order and while I was asking questions about the drink, he kept looking elsewhere and seemed disinterested in our order. And then abrupting the order, he then randomly goes to an indoor dining table to give out menus to customers ignoring us yet again.

When we returned to take away our order, he just placed the order on the counter with no acknowledgement or without letting us know that this was our order. No thank you, "Here is your order", just left it on the counter. We had to ask if the order was ours before we took it.

We have travelled all over the world from France to Mexico and have dined at Indian restaurants and it's always been welcoming. Indians are warm & cultured and to see this DISSERVICE is quite sad to be honest.

Do yourself a favor & gain some customer service skills & TREAT YOUR CUSTOMERS WITH RESPECT. For the owner, please check your CCTV footage for this: March 22nd after 8:15pm.

There's literally no point if your food tastes good if your customer service is not a service but rather...

I recently dined at Little India, and it was an absolute delight from start to finish! The moment I walked in, the warm ambiance and subtle aromas of spices set the tone for a fantastic meal. The staff were incredibly welcoming and attentive, making sure every detail was just right without being overbearing.

The menu was a treasure trove of authentic Indian flavors, offering everything from rich curries to perfectly spiced tandoori dishes. I started with the samosas, which were crispy on the outside and bursting with a savory filling—hands down some of the best I’ve ever had. For the main course, I went with the butter chicken, and it was a revelation: tender chicken swimming in a creamy, perfectly balanced tomato sauce that paired beautifully with the fluffy garlic naan. My friend opted for the lamb biryani, and the fragrant rice mixed with tender meat and just the right kick of spice had us both stealing bites from each other’s plates.

What really stood out was the attention to detail—the flavors were bold yet harmonious, and you could tell the ingredients were fresh and thoughtfully sourced. Even the mango lassi was a treat, refreshing and not overly sweet. The portions were generous, and the prices felt more than fair for the quality you get. If you’re craving Indian cuisine that’s both authentic and elevated, This is the place to go. I’m already looking forward to my next visit—maybe I’ll try the Chicken Tikka Masala next time! Highly recommend this gem to anyone who loves good food and...