The Diversity Restaurant — Restaurant in Christchurch

Tonight my partner and I visited this Restaurant for the first time and there was a street food event. The layout and atmosphere was very warm and welcoming. We were seated by a friendly staff member and handed our menus for us to explore the delicacies.

As we looked over the menus, Amit came over very friendly and helpful while we chose starters. From the street menu we chose the Pani Puri, this dish was a crisp sphere filled with spiced potato, onion and tamarind chutney with a mint flavoured water dressing. Amit explained that to thoroughly enjoy this dish you fill the spheres with the mint water and put straight into your mouth. The explosion of flavours just burst over the tastebuds in a sea of wonder as the crisp puffy spheres barriers cracked and the minty liquid heightened the spice of the contents inside. Perfection! We also had Tokoyaki Balls and I must say these were the most creamiest I've ever had them. It was an absolute joy with the textures, the octopus was nice to chew, not hard and rubbery and freshly cooked straight to the table on a nice wooden plate with a pickled side dish.

For the mains we ordered Braised Pork Belly which is braised in Soy and Five Spice garnished with rice, asian greens and a boiled egg lightly fried which is also something I've never experienced before with similar dishes and I absolutely loved it! The soy broth was very enjoyable and not overpowering with spices, a perfect combination for the pork belly which was perfectly braised that you could literally slice it with your tongue. The other dish was the Seafood Lemongrass which was prawns, squid and mussels stir-fried in a spicy red curry with a Lemongrass paste with coconut. This dish was just WOW! The combination of flavours complimented each other, nothing overpowered the other it was a hit of flavour after flavour with every bite. You could taste the flavours of the sea followed up by the hit of curry and Lemongrass and smoothed off with a hint of coconut. The seafood and vegetables were cooked nicely and the look of the dish was really appealing.

We absolutely had a wonderful night and experience and will definitely be returning to try the many other available dishes. Thank you Amit and everyone who cooked and served these fine dishes and made the night something to...

✨ Review: The Diversity Buffet – Breakfast & Lunch in Christchurch ✨

The Diversity is a hidden gem in Christchurch, offering a buffet that blends Southeast Asian and Indian flavours with heartwarming authenticity. What makes it special is that it’s not your typical “pile your plate” buffet – instead, you order from a menu and dishes are freshly made and brought to your table. This keeps the quality consistently high and lets you try a wide variety without the food ever feeling mass-produced.

🍴 Food Experience The menu is impressively diverse, spanning dumplings, Indian street food favourites, soups, noodles, rice dishes, and Malaysian specials like kaya toast and roti canai. Each dish comes in a tasting size, so you can try lots without overdoing it.

I especially enjoyed the chicken rice (steamed chicken with fragrant turmeric rice) – tender, juicy chicken paired with golden rice, a clear herbal broth, and a punchy dipping sauce. Comforting, fresh, and balanced in flavour.

The dumplings are handmade and delicious, with options from pork & prawn to tofu mushroom for vegetarians. The Indian side of the menu is also a standout – from stuffed parathas to crispy bread pakora, each dish brings real street-food character.

🌿 Dietary Options They’ve clearly labelled vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free dishes, making it very inclusive for different diets.

🍵 Atmosphere & Service The vibe is casual, friendly, and welcoming. Staff are attentive and happy to guide you through the menu if you’re unsure what to order. The “order what you can eat” approach feels generous but also mindful, encouraging you to enjoy without wasting food.

💰 Value For the variety and quality, it’s fantastic value. You get restaurant-quality dishes in a buffet setting – but fresher and more thoughtfully served.

⭐ Verdict The Diversity Buffet is perfect if you love exploring flavours from across Asia in one sitting. A great spot for breakfast or lunch with friends, family, or even solo if you want to sample widely. Fresh, diverse, and full of character – highly...

Khmer Angkor will enchant you with their Cambodian cuisine. Their plates are an irresistible mixture of fresh and flavoursome ingredients artistically assorted in an appetizing manner. Their entrees forced us into an excited debate and we just had that gut sensation that no choice would leave us in a state of lament. We partook in a medley of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes and each one blew us away with their unique alluring aromas and the powerfully pleasures they delivered to our palates. We had to restrain ourselves from the desire to scrape every drop of sweet and succulent sauce from each and every dish we ordered. This place is a must for a sublime satay but we also highly recommend their scintillating soups and cravable kebabs. Our table was exquisitely presented and we were served by perhaps the nicest and most obligingly informative and attentive gentleman in the whole of NZ. It's fabulous to parlay with someone who cares so much about his culture and the passion and pride he placed on his service. What a refined delight! And our sincerest regards to your exceptional chef. This Cambodian encounter really touched our hearts and filled us with as much warmth as your gorgeous food. An impeccable performance by a highly...