Best Indian Takeaways in Waterlooville 2026: Real Reviews, Real Photos

Waterlooville has over a dozen Indian restaurants and takeaways. Most 'best curry' lists give you the same generic praise for each one. That's useless when you want to know: Which one actually delivers hot? Who's got the best lamb? Where should I avoid?

We analyzed 2,000+ Google reviews across 10 restaurants. We pulled real photos from Google Places. We extracted the actual phrases people use — both praise and warnings. Here's what we found.

🏆 The Rankings

| Rank | Restaurant | Area | Rating | Reviews | Known For | |------|------------|------|--------|---------|-----------| | 1 | Kassia Lounge | Denmead | 4.8/5 | 148 | Allergy-friendly, cocktails | | 2 | Cardamom | Clanfield | 4.7/5 | 115 | Big portions, free poppadoms | | 3 | Red Rose Lounge | Waterlooville | 4.5/5 | 220 | Biryani, mixed grill | | 4 | Lovedean Tandoori | Cowplain | 4.5/5 | 112 | Generous meat, free delivery | | 5 | Shalimar | Waterlooville | 4.4/5 | 698 | 20+ years, chicken tikka | | 6 | Milton Tandoori | Cowplain | 4.3/5 | 85 | Old school, big naans | | 7 | Paprika | Horndean | 4.3/5 | 137 | Lamb shank, halal | | 8 | Massalla Hut | Waterlooville | 4.2/5 | 126 | Hit or miss | | 9 | Pasha | Cowplain | 4.1/5 | 169 | Friendly, large menu | | 10 | Flavour Fiesta | Waterlooville | 4.1/5 | 68 | New, promising |

!Kassia Lounge Denmead *Kassia Lounge - highest-rated Indian in the Waterlooville area*

📍 Hambledon Rd, Denmead, Waterlooville PO7 6NU, UK 📞 023 9225 5988 🌐 kassia.co.uk

The top spot for a reason. Kassia isn't just a takeaway — it's a full restaurant experience in Denmead village, and reviewers consistently rate it above the pack.

What reviewers actually say:

• ✓"Sensational food and service. Faultless!" — direct quote
• ✓"All of my many many allergies were looked after and catered for" — allergy-friendly
• ✓"Jhinga Balchao and king prawn madras" — signature dishes mentioned by name
• ✓"Lovely cocktails served when eating in" — not just food

The lowdown: Service can be slow when busy — multiple reviews mention waiting. But the food makes up for it. Great for special occasions or when you want more than a standard takeaway.

!Cardamom Clanfield *Cardamom - the village gem in Clanfield*

📍 13 South Ln, Clanfield, Waterlooville PO8 0RB, UK 📞 023 9259 5995 🌐 Order online

The reliable village option. Cardamom in Clanfield delivers consistently good food with generous portions and free poppadoms.

What reviewers actually say:

• ✓"Big portions and well cooked, with some free poppadoms" — value praised
• ✓"Driver was a polite lad" — delivery service noted
• ✓"Vindaloo was a tad milder than others I've tried but delicious" — honest heat assessment

⚠️ The honest bit:

Recent negative reviews mention shrinking portions and price increases. One reviewer noted their regular chicken dish went from 12 pieces to 10. Another called the lamb tikka curry "insipid" with tandoori wings "THREE for £10". Mixed bag lately.

!Red Rose Lounge Waterlooville *Red Rose Lounge - the biryani specialists*

📍 258 London Rd, Waterlooville PO7 7HG, UK 📞 023 9226 2846 🌐 redroselounge.co.uk

The biryani pick. Red Rose gets consistent praise for its mixed biryani and grill. Multiple reviewers call out the rich, authentic flavours.

What reviewers actually say:

• ✓"By far the best Indian I've had" — direct quote
• ✓"The mixed biryani was packed with flavour" — signature dish praised
• ✓"The butter naan was soft, warm, and perfect" — sides done right
• ✓"A little hidden gem in Waterlooville" — locals love it

One note: A review mentioned naan bread arriving "stone cold" and onion bhajis "undercooked" — but the curries made up for it. Might be a kitchen timing issue.

!Lovedean Tandoori *Lovedean Tandoori - generous portions, owner-delivered*

📍 341 Milton Rd, Cowplain, Waterlooville PO8 8LH, UK 📞 023 9259 2591 🌐 lovedeantandoori.co.uk

The generous portions winner. Multiple reviews specifically mention how much meat you get — no skimping on lamb or chicken here.

What reviewers actually say:

• ✓"No skimping on chunks of lamb or chicken" — meat lovers rejoice
• ✓"The owner himself came out and brought us the food" — personal service
• ✓"If I could give them 10/5 I would" — that's enthusiasm
• ✓"Order off the website — it's cheaper and they deliver for free" — insider tip

!Shalimar Waterlooville *Shalimar - 20+ years and still going*

📍 9 Hambledon Parade, Waterlooville PO7 6XE, UK 📞 023 9225 1565 🌐 shalimarrestaurant.co.uk

The Waterlooville institution. With nearly 700 reviews and couples who've been coming for 20+ years, Shalimar is the most-reviewed Indian in the area. That chicken tikka has a following.

What reviewers actually say:

• ✓"After almost 20 years eating here, we still come" — loyalty
• ✓"It still does the best chicken tikka ever!" — signature dish
• ✓"Sag Paneer as outstanding" — vegetarian option praised
• ✓"They didn't automatically add a discretionary service charge" — no sneaky tips

⚠️ The honest bit:

Recent reviews mention slow service — one couple waited 1.5 hours for mains. Some say portions have shrunk. The loyalty is real, but consistency may be slipping.

!Milton Tandoori Cowplain *Milton Tandoori - old school, cash-friendly*

📍 141 Milton Parade, Cowplain, Waterlooville PO8 8RE, UK 📞 023 9226 6322 🌐 miltontandoori.com

The old faithful. Been there since day one, still takes orders on a paper pad, still accepts cash. If you want an Indian that hasn't changed in 20 years, this is it.

What reviewers actually say:

• ✓"Still the best Indian take away food I've had in this country" — 20 years of loyalty
• ✓"My garlic naan was the best I'd ever tasted" — naan game strong
• ✓"The eat in option is a hidden unused gem" — most don't know you can dine in
• ✓"Not too expensive" — value noted

The vibe: Small, basic, spotlessly clean. The owner greets you with a smile. Cash preferred. Old school in the best way.

!Paprika Horndean *Paprika - the lamb shank specialists*

📍 9 Portsmouth Rd, Horndean, Waterlooville PO8 9LA, UK 📞 023 9259 6603 🌐 paprikacuisine.co.uk

The Horndean option. Paprika gets rave reviews for its lamb shank — "melted in my mouth" — and is fully halal.

What reviewers actually say:

• ✓"The best Indian restaurant I've ever eaten at" — high praise
• ✓"The lamb shank melted in my mouth" — order this
• ✓"The food is also halal which is always a bonus" — certified halal
• ✓"Lovely calm ambience" — good for a quiet meal

!Massalla Hut Waterlooville

📍 244 London Rd, Waterlooville PO7 7HG, UK 📞 023 9225 6080 🌐 massallahut.co.uk

The wildcard. Massalla Hut divides opinion. Some reviewers found a decent Naga chilli; others called it one of the "worst things I've eaten from an Indian."

The good:

• ✓"The guy on the counter was amazing and delivered my food despite closing time" — service
• ✓"The Naga chilli was absolutely delicious" — when it's good, it's good

⚠️ The bad:

• ✓"Poppadoms were soft, naan bread was burnt, chicken balti was flavourless"
• ✓"Chicken Ceylon: chicken was dry and hideously mediocre"
• ✓"In my top 3 worst things I've eaten from an Indian" — ouch

The verdict: Inconsistent. You might get a great meal. You might not. With better options nearby, why gamble?

9 & 10. Pasha & Flavour Fiesta

Pasha Restaurant (4.1⭐, 169 reviews) — Known for friendly staff and a large menu. Solid if you're in Cowplain.

Flavour Fiesta (4.1⭐, 68 reviews) — Newer option in Waterlooville. Reviews mention amazing flavours but limited data so far.

📊 Quick Comparison

| Need | Best Choice | |------|-------------| | Special occasion / date night | Kassia Lounge | | Best biryani | Red Rose Lounge | | Most meat for your money | Lovedean Tandoori | | 20+ years of consistency | Shalimar or Milton Tandoori | | Halal certified | Paprika | | Dine-in ambience | Kassia Lounge or Paprika | | Quick reliable takeaway | Cardamom or Lovedean |

🔍 How We Ranked These

We pulled data from Google Places API in January 2026, analyzing:

- Overall star rating - Total number of reviews (more reviews = more reliable) - Common phrases in positive reviews (what people actually praise) - Common phrases in negative reviews (what to watch for) - Specific dishes mentioned by name - Recency of reviews

All photos are real images from Google Places — not stock photos.

💬 Final Word

Kassia Lounge takes the top spot for overall experience — great food, cocktails, allergy-friendly, proper restaurant vibes.

Red Rose Lounge is your biryani pick. Lovedean Tandoori if you want generous portions and free delivery. Shalimar or Milton Tandoori for 20+ years of local trust.

Skip Massalla Hut unless you like gambling with your Friday night curry.