Permit Room

We were given a choice of multiple tables to dine at, which meant we could pick a seat with a great view of Victoria Square, and near an open window with a nice fresh breeze (as it was a warm evening). We were promptly served with drinks, and talked through the menu. The food was 'out of this world' delicious!! We will certainly be going back and will be recommending to friends.

Our experience at Permit Room couldn't have been better! Friendly and attentive service from the moment we arrived, the menu was well explained and had a delicious selection of drinks too. The food was just amazing and as a vegan I could still eat half the menu. We started with the baby eggplant, Masala Wada fritters and fried chicken (which my husband said was delish!). Everything was perfectly spiced and seasoned, with fairly decent portions. We shared the vege pot with a side of dosa and the not-to-be-missed Kerala Parotta. The curry was spicy enough for my spice-loving self but not so spicy that my more spice-adverse husband couldn't enjoy it. Despite feeling more than full we also got both desserts which were a divine way to end probably the best Indian meal I've had. Have already convinced some friends to come back with us sometime soon!

My 2 girlfriends and I loved it, service was amazing and so was the food! (Best Bhajis, vege fritters, prawns) Beautiful restaurant too, thanks for having us.

Great evening. Amazing food! We went through most of the small plates and the service was so fast and efficient, we ordered another round. The house wheat beer is excellent too. Highly recommended :-)

Permit room is a delicious escape to prohibition India! The food is a tasty, authentic spin on traditional indian fare and there is an impressive and just as yummy selection of drinks to match. Highly recommend the banana and kale bhajis, spicy, crispy with a hint of sweetness and an unbelievable tamarind sauce, they are a great way to start your meal. Portions are generous, with a main easily satisfying two if you want to share a range of starters too. Would happily return to taste more of the menu in the future.

Had a great dining experience with the Permit Room. Was feeling sorry for myself after Ireland were knocked out of the Rugby World Cup and this cheered me up immensely. We had some amazing bajees to start (good bajees are always a good sign for an Indian restaurant). Then as me and my partner are veggies we had a lentil curry and a potato dish which was loads of food. Tons left over. And it was so tasty with just the right amount of spice. They had kingfisher on tap aswell so I was happy. Great service with the waitress who's first day it was working in the restaurant. Didn't put a foot wrong. All in all a great Sunday evening.

Fantastic evening - delicious food and smiling, accommodating staff. Highly recommend

From the moment we were greeted at the door until we left, the service was friendly and the staff were all attentive. On top of the service, the food was absolutely delicious! We will be back again, and I will be highly recommending The Permit Rooms food to friends and family. Best Indian food I have had in Christchurch.

We had such a delicious dinner and will absolutely be back again. Every starter was utterly moreish!
The service was thorough and friendly.

Food tastes delicious and presented well. Shame the fish is excluded as it is my favourite dish but settled for the Lamb, which was also good. My partner had the Butter chicken, which was great and comes with rotti rather than rice. I would recommend the Permit Room special beer for something different, really refreshing and great taste. Service was quick and staff are friendly. The place is small but nice environment and a good vibe, clean and well presented. Would recommend.

We tried the Permit Room for the first time last weekend. Our experience was a great example of delightful honest Indian food. For our entree we enjoyed some Baby Eggplant with Jackfruit & Pumpkin Dosa. Both of there were freshly cooked very tasty. Then for the Main we enjoyed some South Indian coconut butter chicken, served with Kerala parotta. Everything was extremely well presented. The wait staff were attentive detail and very friendly, The location of the restaurant was also really nice, looking over Victoria square. Myself and my wife really enjoyed all the aspects of our meal at Permit Room.

Having dined in The Permit Room before, we were already fans, so we used our First Table opportunity to try all the things we might not be adventurous enough to try - what a result, totally outstanding on every level, from service and drinks through to the amazing food. We can't wait to come back and get the fabulous corner window table for our next feast at this beautiful and delicious gem of a restaurant!

Having only booked an hour before arriving we were very impressed with the whole experience. From arrival to departure the food was outstanding, the decor was stunning and we would definitely dine here again. Thank you.

given a warm welcome - a good choice of foods and loved the rose and cardamon lassi as a mocktail. A great pre -theatre place to go

The Permit Room is my new favourite place in town! The servers were so kind and attentive. We ordered 5 small plates to share, and each one was packed full of flavour and beautifully presented. The jackfruit and pumpkin dosa is incredible! Paired with their special Permit Room Wit beer, the evening was just perfection!

The food was excellent , way beyond my expectations , great location seating was very comfortable.
Nice friendly staff, great atmosphere
Food choices were different from most places and could highly recommend the Spicy Chettinad lamb curry and Kerala Parotta layered flaky bread was divine.
Wine list had lots of choices and well matched wines. Nice to see good Rieslings and a decent Gewurztraminer on the wine list and mixture of different vineyards.
Recommend the donut and ice cream for dessert was well balanced and tasty.

We had an amazing evening at the Permit Room. Fantastic food with just the right amount of spice and heat, really generous portions and nicely presented. We wished we had room for dessert, but maybe next time! The restaurant decor is cozy and modern with a prohibition theme, and has a lovely view of Victoria Square. Service was excellent and meals served by friendly wait staff with lovely smiles. A wonderful evening and we plan to return.

Excellent service beautiful food and really cool fit out - would definitely recommend and go again!

My husband and I dined here tonight for the first time, to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We made a great choice here: friendly waiter, gorgeous decor, and scrummy food . We enjoyed a starter of Kerala fried chicken (South Indian KFC?) which came with a fiery dipping sauce. YUM!. For our main we shared 2 dishes including dosa, a huge crisp pancake made from fermented rice and lentils, a South Indian specialty. I can never resist a dosa, and this did not disappoint. We also had a lamb curry (medium heat). Delicious too, but next time I will go for a hot, as this was actually quite mild. I also ordered an amazing and unusual drink made from ginger, fresh coriander, lime, cumin syrup and tonic. It took me a little while to get used to the taste but I did enjoy its refreshing quality and can imagine developing a real taste for it. Sadly no room in our tummies for dessert. Next time!

We had a great meal last night at the Permit Room! We opted for many of the small plates and a main, which we loved because we got to try such a good variety of items! Banana and Kale bhajees were amazing (unique) and so was the prawns, okra and butter chicken! We will be back!

We LOVED our experience here. Classy setting and different to your usual Indian Cuisine. The food was beautiful, and the service was excellent- friendly, warm and welcoming- yet gave us space to relax and enjoy our meals. Our favs were the fried chicken, and the coconut butter chicken with the flakey bread... we will be back!

Perfectly located for pre-show dining to Isaac Theatre Royal and Town Hall, right next to convention centre. Staff were super friendly and knowledgeable about the dishes. The food was so delicious, this is not food hall Indian, it is next next level. Great wine list. Highly recommend

The Permit Room has some unique dishes and is a refreshing change from the run of the mill Indian restaurant. The spice & flavour combinations are excellent.....who thought banana & kale bahjis could taste so good! The staff are really friendly and couldn't be more helpful when it came to my partner who can't eat onions. Would highly recommend this place and will definitely be back! Would give this place 6 stars if I could...Yum!

Beautiful food strongly representative of southern Indian flavours. Staff were happy, attentive but mindful of you enjoying your experience. Highly recommend, a great pace to catch up and enjoy excellent food.

My experience at The Permit Room was like no other. Walking in to see an amazing new fit out in that old building put a huge smile on my face. The story line in the front of the menu really ties you in to the running theme of the place. Full of aromatic smells and smiling faces, I knew this is where i WANTED to be. The service was incredibly professional, they were not pushy nor did they let us sit for a minute too long. Each dish was absolutely beautiful, and to be honest very different to what Im used too in christchurch. I am very impressed and will be sure to be back with a bigger group.

Kind regards
Benjamin van Wijk

Get your Permit stamped here! A great new spot to visit, to quench a thirst and dine. What a perfect location - on your way to a show at the new Town Hall or enjoying the fountain and garden at Victoria Square - this is probably the best of the bunch. Top service, informative without being too pushy. We followed recommendations of the Keralal chicken and Lamb chops for starters as well as the tasty poppadoms. We then shared a creamy butter chicken with grilled flaky bread. Washed down with a glass or two of Marlborough Sav, a great taste experience. The fresh and clever design of the room was full of busy diners - all were smiling - as we were, heading off into the Autumn evening. Hard to fault.

Had an amazing meal at Permit!! Food was delicious...the baby eggplant was amazing and a definite must try!! The waiting staff were extremely helpful and knowledgeable about the food and how it was prepared. We will definitely be returning and have already recommended to friends!!

Absolutely stunning evening! From the warm and engaging welcome, through to the exquisite and authentic Southern Indian menu, we couldn't fault the evening.
All staff were knowledgable and friendly with just the right amount of banter.
We had 4 small plates and a main, along with extra bread. The bread is the real winner - smoky and very tasty! The gunpowder cauli and potato dish was a favourite, along with the absolutely sensational coconut butter chicken main. You must try the karnataka rice - an exceptional sauce with banana!

Fabulous food and excellent service. The 3 of us had 4 starters and 3 mains. Every dish was totally different with interesting flavour bases. I thoroughly recommend this restaurant. I think Christchurch is very fortunate to have somewhere like this.

Never knew about this AMAZING place, the atmosphere, food, and service were top notch!!

This was our second attempt to dine at the Permit Room, having to cancel due to events in Christchurch beyond our control, so we were really looking forward to dining here. We were not disappointed. From the moment we walked in and were greeted by a very smiley young man, we knew we were going to have a great night. The décor is something else. You can tell that there have been many hours and thought put in to this new restaurant. Situated in what will soon be a very busy area, the owners have really thought this one through. The food was stunning and presented very well, with once again, thought put into this, with lovely bowls and beautiful serving spoons etc. We were encouraged to try the beer that has been specifically brewed for the Permit Room with a hint of spice, which my husband said was very nice, I stuck to the Pinot. All in all our experience was fabulous and we couldn't fault it. Flavours, décor and service were all faultless. This restaurant will do well in Christchurch.

This place is fabulous, the décor is just gorgeous, Worth going to just to admire the work that has been on this lovely old building. However the food was so good, we ate far too much, but the discomfort was well worth it! Staff are really friendly, and, rightly, very proud of the restaurant. Even the drinks were delicious - the Permit G & T was unlike anything I have ever had, and the ginger infused beer was a hit with my husband. Really keen to return - lunch next week definitely on the radar, cant wait to have another Dosa!

The only word is wow! Service was impeccable from the second we stepped in to when we were walked to the door and thanked for coming. Two of us shared the Karnataka rice, Keralan fried chicken, baby eggplant and dosa and it was more than enough. The heat level wasn't too much, even for us kiwi wimps. The chai was the best I've had in years. A handful of mukhwas at the door and a wander around Victoria square and to Turanga library made for a great end to the date.

The food was excellent - very unique for Christchurch to taste this traditional South Indian food. I also loved the recommended cocktail - vodka and curry leaf! I only wish I could have tried everything on the menu.