Cassia

Restaurants key icon.
Restaurants key icon.

MondayClosed.

Tuesday5:00 – 9:30 pm.

Wednesday5:00 – 9:30 pm.

Thursday5:00 – 9:30 pm.

Friday12:00 – 2:30 pm, 5:00 – 9:30 pm.

Saturday5:00 – 9:30 pm.

SundayClosed.

90 Federal Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland

09 379 9702

Fans of one of Auckland’s finest restaurants, Cassia, breathed a sigh of relief when the much loved contemporary Indian restaurant reopened within the SkyCity precinct. After the flooding events of early 2023, Cassia’s premises on Fort Lane were damaged to the point of needing to relocate, and just a short eight weeks later, the doors opened at its new, permanent home. 

Cassia’s present housing is reminiscent of the Cassia we all knew and loved: fun, cozy and warm, with a kitchen lending itself to cooking with charcoal powered tandoors - a tool so essential to the iconic flavour of Cassia’s food. There are some additions, however, but in the pursuit of sustainability and to retain a sense of familiarity, much of the old fit out was carried across. 

Anyone who has been to Cassia knows there is a focus on respecting the traditional flavours of Indian cooking whilst marrying them to seasonal New Zealand produce and modern cooking styles. The idea blossomed from lazy afternoons spent in the kitchen. Sid would be whizzing up a confit duck leg or quail while Chand worked her wonders making a traditional Indian curry. The magical pairing made Sid and Chand question why there wasn’t a restaurant offering this kind of food in Auckland, and in 2014 Cassia arrived on the scene. 

Cassia challenges perceptions about what Indian food is and what it’s meant to be. The team at Cassia are passionate about introducing people to new flavours and extending palates with their innovative dishes. Over time, the lamb chops have become nothing short of legendary, and a few years ago, when the Delhi Duck was rotated off the menu, customers demanded it returns permanently. Vegetarians swear by the roasted carrot and vindaloo. If the choice is too much, opt for the ‘Journey menu’, a degustation that invites visitors on a regional tour of India and showcases the differences within Indian cuisine. 

It wasn’t closed for long, but for locals, it felt like forever, though fortunately, the much loved Cassia is here to stay.

Words by Nicole Mudgway & Photography by Jerome Warburton

Information not correct? Report an error

Location

90 Federal Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland

Nearby Places

Allpress Auckland Roastery

A man working.
Place Auckland
Cafes key icon.

Coffee is the most important item on the Caffetteria’s menu, and it is some of the freshest in town.

The Raw Kitchen

Raw slice.
Place Auckland
Cafes key icon.

A lovely escape from the sometimes hectic concrete jungle.

Norma Taps

A man and woman chatting to a staff member at the counter at Norma Taps in Auckland.
Place Auckland
Bars key icon. Goods key icon.

Sustainability and creativity combine at Norma Taps, an innovative space making its home in Auckland’s City Works Depot.

Remedy Coffee

A woman eating in the cafe.
Place Auckland
Cafes key icon.

A popular haunt of suits in the morning, tourists around lunchtime and general good folk at all times.

Similar Places

Allpress Ponsonby

Coffee in a cup.
Place Auckland
Cafes key icon.

Serving up coffee by the cup to busy business people, shoppers and wanderers every day of the week.

Cocoro

The wooden slated entrance to Cocoro in Auckland.
Place Auckland
Restaurants key icon.

Japanese cuisine comprises a whole lot more than just sushi rolls and tempura, and more fish types than simply salmon and tuna.

Sen Vietnamese Kitchen & Bar

A Banh Mi sitting on a table at Sen restaurant In Auckland.
Place Auckland
Restaurants key icon.

SEN, meaning lotus flower, is an authentic Vietnamese kitchen and bar that has long been a mainstay in Mount Eden.

Tempero

Two men and a woman standing in the bright blue entrance to Tempero restaurant in Auckland.
Place Auckland
Restaurants key icon.

We all know that Karangahape Road is a melting pot of global cuisines, but until recently Latin-influenced options were notably lacking from the scene.