If you live anywhere near Cleveland Street, you’ve probably eaten at Taj at least once. Ordered the paneer, maybe some naan and went home happy.
Fair enough — it’s good food. But a few months back, a friend pointed out the Jain section on the menu and I realised I had been missing half of what Taj actually offers. Not just a dish or two. Half the menu. That’s when I started paying more attention.
Taj Indian Restaurant in Surry Hills is a fully pure vegetarian place. As a leading Indian restaurant in Surry hills, it offers a South Indian section, a Delhi street food menu, a full Indo-Chinese range, Jain-specific dishes, gluten-free options, Indian sweets, and even event catering. Most people walking into this Indian restaurant in the surry hills have no idea all of this exists.
So here’s what’s actually worth knowing.
Why Most People Stick to the Same Order
When a menu is big, most people play it safe. You find the two or three things you know you like, and that becomes your rotation.
Totally understandable. But with Taj, that habit means you’re probably skipping past some genuinely different stuff — things you’d never expect from an Indian restaurant in the surry hills.
A proper Jain meal. Authentic dosas. Street food from Delhi markets. Indo-Chinese sizzlers. Most restaurants in Sydney don’t do one of these things well. Taj quietly does all of them.
10 Things at Taj Indian Restaurant Most Diners Never Try
1. The Jain Menu — No Onion, No Garlic
Taj has a dedicated section of the menu for Jain diners — dishes prepared without onion or garlic. This isn’t a note you add when ordering and hope for the best. It’s a proper, labelled menu category with multiple options.
For anyone who follows a Jain diet, finding a restaurant in Sydney that actually handles this correctly is genuinely difficult. Taj does it properly, and the food doesn’t suffer for it either.
If you’re Jain or cooking for someone who is, just look for the “Jain” label next to dishes or ask the staff — they know the menu well.
2. South Indian Breakfast Dishes
The South Indian section is one of the most underordered parts of the menu. Masala Dosa, Ghee Roast Dosa, Paper Masala Dosa, Idly Sambhar — these aren’t side items. They’re full dishes, made properly.
South Indian spots are genuinely rare in Surry Hills. Most of the area leans North Indian, so finding a well-made ghee roast dosa in this part of Sydney is worth knowing about. Go during lunch if you want the full range available.
3. The Delhi Street Food Section (Chandni Chowk Style)
This one surprised me when I first spotted it. Taj has a whole street food section inspired by Chandni Chowk — Delhi’s famous street market area. Think chaat, bhel puri, pani puri. The kind of food that’s tangy and a little messy and completely addictive.
If you’re dining with a group, order a few of these before your mains instead of sitting around waiting. They come quickly and they’re great for sharing. Also a solid starting point for anyone who hasn’t eaten Indian food before — it’s nothing like a heavy curry, and most people love it immediately.
4. The Indo-Chinese Range
Taj has an entire section called “China to Sydney” — veg Manchurian, noodles, fried rice, sizzlers. Indo-Chinese cuisine is enormous in India and almost completely absent from Sydney Indian restaurants. It’s not fusion done for Instagram. It’s the real thing — bold sauces, good heat, the kind of food you’d find in Indian cities where the Chinese-Indian food culture has been around for decades.
This Indian restaurant in Surry Hills goes beyond traditional menus by offering Indo-Chinese dishes like Manchurian, noodles, and fried rice.
5. Gluten-Free Options Are Already Labelled
Nothing to figure out, nothing to ask three times. The gluten-free dishes are marked right on the menu. For anyone who needs to eat gluten-free, or who’s organising a dinner for a group with mixed dietary needs, this makes things a lot simpler.
6. Takeaway That’s Actually Worth Ordering
The online ordering at Taj is straightforward — you can go through their website at tajindianrestaurant.com.au or just call 02 9633 2118. The takeaway menu covers everything from the dine-in menu, and the packing is decent enough that the food doesn’t fall apart on the way home.
For a weeknight when you don’t want to cook and don’t want something disappointing, it’s a solid option. The dal and the paneer dishes in particular travel well.
7. Full Vegetarian Catering for Events
Most people don’t realise Taj does catering. Not just platters — proper event catering for weddings, corporate lunches, birthday parties, Pooja ceremonies. And because the entire kitchen is vegetarian, there’s no cross-contamination worry for guests who need to be careful about that.
If you’re organising a Pooja or a religious celebration in Sydney and need 100% vegetarian food with Jain options available, Taj is one of the very few places that can actually do it. Contact them directly with your event details and they’ll work out the menu with you
8. Indian Sweets to Take Home
Taj sells traditional Indian sweets — mithai, laddoos, barfi. Not as a dessert ploy at the end of your meal, but as a proper takeaway option. During Diwali and Holi they stock seasonal varieties, and the quality is noticeably better than what you’d find in a supermarket gift box.
9. The “Desi Tea” Ritual (Masala Chai & Snacks)
Most people think Taj is only for a heavy lunch or dinner, but it’s actually the best-kept secret in Surry Hills for an afternoon “High Tea” with an Indian twist.
- What it is: Their authentic, slow-brewed Masala Chai is the real deal—infused with fresh ginger and cardamom. Pair it with a plate of hot Samosas or crispy Pakoras, and you’ve got the ultimate afternoon fuel.
- How to do it: Pop in between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM. It’s that sweet spot when the afternoon rush has died down, and the chai is brewing fresh.
- The Use Case: It’s the perfect alternative to a standard coffee shop. If you’re a local professional or a digital nomad in Surry Hills, it’s the best spot for a quick “Chai break” to clear your head before the end of the day.
10. The “Gift-Ready” Artisan Mithai Boxes
While most diners finish their meal and head straight for the exit, the real treasure is the sweets counter at the front. These aren’t just desserts; they are handcrafted pieces of culture.
- What it is: We’re talking freshly made Gulab Jamun, Barfi, and Laddoos made in-house every single day. There are no artificial preservatives here—just pure, traditional ingredients.
- How to do it: On your way out, have a chat with the staff at the counter. You can curate your own custom gift box with a mix of different textures and sweetness levels.
- The Use Case: Forget bringing a standard bottle of wine to a dinner party. Grab a custom Mithai box for your next Friday night at a mate’s place or to celebrate a win at the office. It’s a premium, thoughtful gift that always stands out.
A thoughtful gifting option that adds even more value to visiting this indian restaurant in the surry hills.
How These Things Work Together in Real Life
An Indian family in Sydney — grandparents visiting from India, strict vegetarian household, grandmother follows Jain practices — can sit down at Taj and everyone orders freely. No special requests, no awkward kitchen conversations, no compromises. That’s genuinely rare.
Or consider a work team in Sydney CBD organising a catered lunch. Someone’s vegan, someone’s gluten-free, one person is Jain. Most catering options involve at least one person ending up with a sad compromise plate. With Taj, the menu labelling means every person can actually eat properly.
Mistakes Worth Avoiding
Going straight to the curry section and skipping everything else on the menu is probably the most common one. The street food, South Indian, and Indo-Chinese sections get ignored constantly simply because people don’t scroll far enough.
If you have Jain requirements, mention them clearly when you arrive. The staff know the menu, but it’s worth flagging rather than assuming.
Don’t assume vegetarian means basic or limited. Taj’s menu is wide — it just happens to not include meat.
And if you need catering, ask about it. A lot of people assume Taj is dine-in only. It’s not.
A Few Things That Actually Help
Going on a weekday is easier — less busy, more relaxed, better for a proper sit-down meal.
For group bookings, call ahead rather than just showing up. They can sort out seating and give you a better experience if they know you’re coming.
Before your first visit, spend five minutes with the online menu. The menu is big and it’s worth knowing what’s there before you’re sitting at the table hungry and defaulting to the first thing you recognise.
The chaat section is a good way to start any meal. Order two or three items to share while you wait for mains. It sets the tone for the meal and covers a lot of different flavours quickly.
In Short
Taj Indian Restaurant on Cleveland Street in Surry Hills and also in Harris Park is doing a lot more than most of its regulars realise. The Jain menu, the South Indian dosas, the street food section, the sweets, the catering, most diners walk past all of it and order the same safe things every time.
Next time you’re in, take a bit longer with the menu. There’s more there than you think.
