Dish guide • Tandoor breads
Garlic naan
Garlic naan is a soft, leavened flatbread topped with fresh chopped garlic and coriander, baked against the wall of a tandoor at around 400°C and brushed with garlic butter as it comes off the skewer. It takes about three minutes to cook and roughly two hours to prove.
What makes a good garlic naan
Naan is one of the few Indian breads that is leavened. The dough is enriched with yoghurt and milk, which is what gives a good naan its chew and its blistered, uneven surface. Skip the prove and you get a flatbread; give it the full two hours and you get naan.
The garlic matters as much as the dough. We use fresh chopped garlic pressed into the surface before baking, not garlic powder stirred into the mix. It toasts in the tandoor and stays sweet rather than turning bitter, and we finish with garlic butter the moment the bread comes off the skewer so it soaks in while still hot.
Because naan is baked to order against the tandoor wall, it is at its best in the first ten minutes. If you are collecting, the bread will still be warm when you get home — one reason Richmond and Kingston regulars take the 10% collection discount.
Naan and tandoor breads compared
Plain naan
The base bread: leavened dough, tandoor-baked, brushed with butter. Best for mopping up a rich sauce.
Garlic naan
Plain naan topped with fresh chopped garlic and coriander before baking, then brushed with garlic butter.
Peshwari naan
Sweet naan stuffed with coconut and sultanas. Pairs well with hotter curries as a cooling contrast.
Keema naan
Stuffed with spiced minced lamb. Substantial enough to work as a light main with a side of raita.
Chilli and garlic naan
Garlic naan with green chilli through the topping. Ask for it if you like heat in the bread, not just the curry.
Tandoori roti
Wholemeal, unleavened and lighter than naan. A good choice if you want less bread on the table.
What to order with garlic naan
Chicken tikka masala
The garlic butter cuts through a creamy, tomato-led sauce without competing with it.
Lamb rogan josh
Aromatic and deep rather than hot — garlic naan adds savoury lift between mouthfuls.
Chicken achanak
Our house dish is pickle-sharp and garlicky already; the naan carries it beautifully.
Saag paneer
The classic vegetarian pairing. Spinach and paneer with garlic naan needs nothing else.
Tandoori mixed grill
No sauce to soak up, so the naan becomes the wrap. Add raita and salad.
Dal tarka
Lentils and garlic bread is a comfort pairing that costs very little and satisfies a lot.
See the full range on our menu, or read about tandoori chicken — the other dish our tandoor is built for.
Garlic naan FAQs
What is garlic naan?
Garlic naan is a soft, leavened Indian flatbread topped with fresh chopped garlic and coriander, baked against the wall of a tandoor and brushed with garlic butter. The dough is enriched with yoghurt and milk, which gives naan its chew and blistered surface.
Is garlic naan vegetarian or vegan?
Garlic naan is vegetarian. It is not vegan, because the dough contains yoghurt and milk and the bread is finished with butter or ghee. If you need a vegan side, order plain boiled rice, pilau rice or poppadoms instead and tell us when you order.
Does garlic naan contain gluten?
Yes. Naan is made with wheat flour, so it contains gluten and is not suitable for coeliacs. Most of our curry sauces are naturally gluten-free, so ask for rice instead and mention coeliac requirements when ordering.
What is the difference between naan and garlic naan?
The dough is the same. Garlic naan has fresh chopped garlic and coriander pressed into the surface before baking, then a brush of garlic butter afterwards, which gives it a sweeter, toasted garlic flavour rather than a raw one.
What curry goes best with garlic naan?
Rich, sauce-heavy curries work best because the bread is there to mop up. Chicken tikka masala, lamb rogan josh, saag paneer and dal tarka are the pairings we sell most. Our house chicken achanak is a good choice if you like garlic in the curry as well as the bread.
How many calories are in a garlic naan?
A restaurant-sized garlic naan is typically around 350 to 450 calories, depending on size and how much butter it is finished with. A tandoori roti is the lighter alternative if you want less bread on the table.
Can I order garlic naan for delivery in Richmond or Kingston?
Yes. Garlic naan is baked to order and goes out with every delivery across Richmond, Ham, Kingston, Twickenham and Teddington. Bread is at its best within about ten minutes, so collection orders — which also get 10% off — arrive at their freshest.
Allergen note: naan contains wheat gluten and dairy. Our kitchen handles gluten, dairy and other allergens, so we cannot guarantee a trace-free environment. Tell us about an allergy when ordering and see our allergen information.
Fresh from the tandoor tonight
Collection or delivery across Richmond, Ham, Kingston and Twickenham.