Indian catering Melbourne — the complete guide to Indian wedding, corporate and party catering
Planning Indian catering in Melbourne usually starts the same way: a guest list that keeps growing, a mix of vegetarians, vegans and meat lovers, one aunty who will judge the dal, and a venue that has never seen a tandoor. This guide is everything we have learned from cooking for weddings, office parties, birthdays and festivals across Melbourne — what to ask an Indian caterer, how to build a menu that works for every guest, and how to make the food the thing people remember.
We are Curry Queen Catering Co., the catering arm of Masti on Brunswick Street, Fitzroy — the team behind Masti, Elchi and Eastern Spice, led by Chef Manpreet Sekhon. If you are looking for the best Indian restaurant in Melbourne to cater your event, or simply great Indian food in Melbourne for a crowd, this is where to start.
📞 (03) 9427 2121 ✉ hello@eatdrinkmasti.com
Why Indian catering works so well in Melbourne
Indian food was built for sharing and built for crowds. A table of curries, breads, rice, chaat and kebabs feeds fifty people as naturally as it feeds five. It also handles dietary requirements better than almost any other cuisine: a large part of Indian cooking is vegetarian, many dishes are naturally vegan or gluten-free, and nobody has to settle for a sad side salad.
Melbourne is also one of the most multicultural food cities in the world. At most events, half the room already loves Indian food and the other half is about to. Good Indian catering in Melbourne gives both groups something to talk about.
Indian wedding catering in Melbourne
An Indian wedding is rarely one meal. It is the mehndi, the sangeet, the wedding day and the reception — often over several days, often with different guest lists and different moods. A good Indian wedding caterer plans the food across all of them.
Mehndi and sangeet: street food and chaat stations, momos, tikka from the tandoor, lots of small plates guests can eat while they dance.
Wedding day: a full banquet — curries, dal, breads, rice, raita and sweets — with clear labelling for vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free guests.
Reception: the showpiece. This is where a live tandoor on site makes the biggest difference — naan and kebabs coming out fresh in front of guests.
Curry Queen Catering Co. builds fully customised menus for weddings and every function around them. Talk to us about your wedding →
Corporate catering in Melbourne — Indian food for the office
Indian food is one of the easiest ways to make an office lunch, client event or end-of-year party feel like more than a sandwich platter. Curries, rice and breads travel well, hold their heat and suit large mixed groups, and there is always something for vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free colleagues.
For corporate catering in Melbourne we cook for office lunches, client events, product launches and Christmas parties. Curry Queen Catering Co. is also the official catering partner of W Melbourne. For larger corporate groups who would rather come to us, Masti offers group dining set menus and exclusive hire of the whole restaurant.
Party catering — birthdays, engagements and festivals
Big birthdays, engagements, anniversaries and family get-togethers are where Indian party catering shines. A backyard or a hired hall becomes a proper feast — and with a live tandoor on site, the cooking becomes part of the entertainment.
Festivals are their own category. Diwali, Holi, Eid and Christmas all mean feeding a big crowd properly, often with family flying in. Book festival catering early — Diwali and Christmas dates fill first. Diwali catering in Melbourne →
The live tandoor — why it changes the event
Most Indian caterers in Melbourne cook everything off-site and bring it in warm. That works for curries. It does not work for naan, tikka or kebabs, which are at their best in the first few minutes out of the tandoor.
Our live clay tandoor comes to your venue. Naan, chicken tikka, paneer tikka and kebabs are cooked fresh in front of your guests. The smell alone gets people talking, and the queue at the tandoor becomes the busiest part of the party.
Building an Indian catering menu that works for every guest
Every catering menu is designed around the event, but most great Indian catering menus are built from the same five parts. Here is a starting point from the Masti menu:
Chaat and street food
Papdi chaat, samosa chaat, veg and chicken momos, onion bhaji. Perfect for arrival, grazing and pre-dinner — light, colourful and very social.
From the tandoor
Chicken tikka, paneer tikka, lamb seekh kebab and Amritsari fish. The centrepiece if you have a live tandoor on site.
Curries
Masti butter chicken, dal makhani, lamb rogan josh, goat curry and palak paneer. Aim for a balance of rich and lighter curries, and always at least two vegetarian options.
Indo-Chinese
Chilli chicken, chilli paneer, Gobi Manchurian and Hakka noodles — the dishes every Indian guest grew up with, and a crowd favourite at parties. Read our Indo-Chinese guide →
Breads and something sweet
Garlic naan, cheese naan and our gluten-free vegan naan, finished with gulab jamun.
Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal catering
Dietary requirements are where Indian catering in Melbourne has a natural advantage. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are built into every Curry Queen menu — not added at the end — including our gluten-free vegan naan. Meat is halal-sourced. Tell us about allergies when you enquire so the menu can be planned around them from the start.
How to choose an Indian caterer in Melbourne — 7 questions to ask
Who is actually cooking? Ask whether the food comes from a working restaurant kitchen and who the chef is.
Is the food cooked fresh on the day? And which dishes, if any, are cooked on site?
Can you bring a tandoor? Fresh naan and tikka at your venue makes a noticeable difference.
Is the menu fixed or customised? The best caterers build the menu around your guests and budget.
How do you handle dietary requirements? Look for vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options built into the menu, with clear labelling.
What is included? Ask about setup, serving equipment and staff so there are no surprises.
How far ahead should we book? Weddings and festival dates fill early, so lock in your caterer as soon as you have a date.
How catering with Curry Queen works
Tell us about your event — date, guest numbers, venue and dietary needs. Use the form on our catering page or call (03) 9427 2121.
We design your menu and quote — built around your guests and budget, with a clear quote.
We cook on the day — tandoor fired, food cooked fresh, setup handled. You enjoy the party.
Prefer to come to us? Masti's group dining set menus start at $59 per person for groups of four or more, and the whole restaurant can be hired exclusively for $2,999 — food for up to 60 guests, unlimited soft drinks, a house DJ and table setup. Bulk pick-up orders are also available from Masti on Brunswick Street.
Frequently asked questions — Indian catering Melbourne
Who are the best Indian caterers in Melbourne?
Look for an Indian caterer with a working restaurant kitchen, a named chef, food cooked fresh on the day and menus built around your guests. Curry Queen Catering Co. is the catering arm of Masti in Fitzroy, led by Chef Manpreet Sekhon, with a live tandoor that comes to your venue.
Do you cater Indian weddings in Melbourne?
Yes. Curry Queen Catering Co. creates fully customised menus for weddings and the functions around them — mehndi, sangeet and reception — with a live tandoor on site.
Can you bring a live tandoor to our event?
Yes. Our live tandoor comes to your venue, so naan, tikka and kebabs are cooked fresh in front of your guests.
Do you do corporate Indian catering in Melbourne?
Yes — office lunches, client events, product launches and end-of-year parties. Curry Queen Catering Co. is the official catering partner of W Melbourne.
Do you cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests?
Yes. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are built into every menu, including our gluten-free vegan naan, and meat is halal-sourced.
How much does Indian catering cost in Melbourne?
It depends on guest numbers, the menu, service style and whether you want a live tandoor on site. Every Curry Queen menu is quoted around your event — tell us your date, guest numbers and budget and we will come back with a menu and a clear quote.
Can I pick up an Indian catering order?
Yes. Bulk pick-up orders of curries, rice, naan and more are ready to collect from Masti, 354–356 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy.
How do I get a catering quote?
Fill in the enquiry form on our catering page, call (03) 9427 2121 or email hello@eatdrinkmasti.com.