Bestsellers: Diners travel 150km for authenticity

Hours
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Website

Hamilton’s Beeji Dhaba isn’t your typical Indian restaurant. Diners regularly travel over 150 kilometres to experience the roadside “dhaba culture” of India in New Zealand.

Founder Janesh Kharbanda wanted to bring the traditional “cafe on the motorway” concept to New Zealand — a place where truck drivers stop to eat fresh food and rest.

The idea began with a Dhaba on the Highway at Mercer in 2017. The location posed challenges due to its isolation, requiring daily grocery runs to Auckland.

“Fresh food tastes different,” he insists, and he continues to get fresh produce daily.

The dhaba moved to Hamilton’s Frankton in 2019 and eventually found its current home on Victoria Street in 2023.

Read more